Patents reveal technology Disney will use to create an immersive experience for visitors to their Star Wars Galactic Starcruiser hotel, including hologram-like images, windows displaying live space views in all rooms, and coordinated drone shows to simulate space battles. Recent patents describe image generation technology to create floating 3D images, infinity optics windows synchronized to different views, and an aerial vehicle platform to dynamically entertain guests during transports. The hotel aims to fully immerse visitors in the Star Wars universe through advanced technological experiences when it opens in late 2021.

1. Patents Reveal the Technology Behind Disney’s Star
Wars Hotel
Whilst we can’t go very far from our homes at the moment, some recent US
patent activity relating to Disney’s Star Wars Galactic Starcruiser hotel has
allowed us to imagine a time when we will be able to take our holidays in a
galaxy far, far away. In this article, Dawn Ellmore Employment reviews the
patents that highlight some of the technology that will be used to create an
immersive experience for visitors, and what it will mean for future holidays
at the Galactic Starcruiser hotel.

2. What we already know about the Galactic Starcruiser hotel
Due to open in late 2021, the Galactic Starcruiser hotel is located close to
the Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge area of the Hollywood Studios theme park at
Walt Disney World. Guests will be transported to the hotel from the terminal
in a space simulation launchpad, and the hotel itself is shaped to resemble
a spacecraft, named “The Halcyon”.
A stay in the hotel will include a chance to “visit” the Planet of Batuu with a
simulated journey to the planet’s surface, and guests will be able to
participate in a variety of Star Wars related activities such as receiving
lightsaber training, visiting the Silver C Lounge, and taking control of the
ship itself during a tour of the bridge and operations centre.

3. As you can imagine, in order to make these activities appear realistic and
give guests the most convincing experience, a lot of new and futuristic
technology will have to be employed. To this end the scientists at Disney
have been busy working on such technology, some of which has recently
been revealed through the publication of patent applications and the
publishing of granted patents to Disney.
What the recent patent activity reveals
US 2021/0041710, a recently published US Patent Application, relates to
“Image generation using a spinning display and blur screen,” and describes
technology that will enable the generation of an apparently 3D floating
image that corresponds to a 2D graphic and has no perceptible rotational
blur. It is thought that this technology could be used to create hologram-
type images that can interact with guests.
Recently granted US Patent no. 10,916,163 describes a “Large-scale
infinity optics window for use in small facility packaging applications,” and
the technology described provides for external observation ports in the
Starcruiser which are synchronised to show a “live stream” of intergalactic
space from different points throughout the hotel. It is planned that all 94
regular cabins and six “Captain’s Cabins” will include such a window to
allow for simulated space views from all rooms.
Published at the end of January 2021, US/20210027638 describes a
“Themed aerial vehicle entertainment platform for providing dynamically-
coordinated show”. Disney did create a drone show for the opening of the

4. Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge area, and it would seem that this patent takes
that technology to the next level. It is speculated that technology described
in this patent could be used to entertain guests on their initial journey to the
Starcruiser hotel, and on their simulated visit to Batuu – for example to
create X-wing fighters in a “live space” experience.
Whilst the computer-generated images of the hotel available so far give us
some idea of what a stay would look like, we look forward to seeing all this
technology coming together when the hotel opens later this year.
About Dawn Ellmore Employment
Dawn Ellmore Employment was incorporated in 1995 and is a market
leader in intellectual property and legal recruitment.