Almost every big fan of Star Wars Ever dreamed of owning a real lightsaber, right? Well, what if we told you that the item did indeed “come to life”? We explain: the head of Disney’s parks department, Josh D’Amaro, during SXSW 2023 (South by Southwest), a cultural event that mixes cinema, music and technology, he simply appeared on one of the festival’s stages with a ‘real’ lightsaber.
At a certain point in his presentation at SXSW 2023, D’Amaro pulled out the classic Star Wars weapon and, to the surprise of many, after pressing the item button, the saber’s light appeared imposing, just like in the films and series of the science fiction franchise. “I have the coolest job in the world. I’m holding a real lightsaber,” said the executive.
Check out the video of the moment that left Star Wars fans with their jaws dropped:
Disney shows off their “real” lightsaber at #SXSW pic.twitter.com/e3AqDRV53P
— DiscussingFilm (@DiscussingFilm) March 11, 2023
D’Amaro explained that the lightsaber he was holding was part of the Galactic Starcruiser Experience, an attraction created by Disney that consists of a type of live-action themed two nights in which those interested can choose their own adventurous experiences aboard a cruise that simulates outer space inside the galaxy of Star Wars. In short: it’s like you live Star Wars.
How much does the real lightsaber cost?
Alongside D’Amaro onstage, we also see Leslie Evans, one of Disney’s creative minds behind the lightsaber. “This was a tough project. It wasn’t easy,” she said, who stated that one of the goals of the project was “to build cinematic moments in the real world.” However, the professional did not give details about how the saber works or what resources were used to create the item.
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Anyone who wants to see the object up close and even use it will therefore have to purchase one of the Galactic Starcruiser Experience packages, which, unfortunately, are not very cheap. The two-night experience currently costs around $4,809 ($25,099 in current conversion). A slightly steep price, but one that may be worth it for anyone who loves the franchise created by George Lucas.
As the product is an exclusive Disney experience, unfortunately it is not possible to buy a real lightsaber to be yours – at least for now. With that in mind, what’s left for fans of the franchise is to follow the new productions in the Star Wars universe.
Currently, all Star Wars movies and series can be seen on Disney+. One of the highlights of the service in March is The Mandalorian, which is getting new episodes every Wednesday.
