Disney Launches AR Star Wars Test at Disneyland
Walt Disney Imagineering launched the Disney Imagineering Labs app on 10 November, opening a new testing programme for experimental digital experiences at Disneyland. The first release is Secrets of the Spire, an augmented reality adventure set in Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge. A separate experiment, the AI-powered Disneyland Enchanted Guide, is due to follow at a later date. Magic Key holders at Disneyland Resort are receiving special early access to the experiments ahead of a wider rollout.
Imagineering Labs gives park visitors the opportunity to test digital experiences while they are still in development. Imagineers are using the app as a testing environment for applications that are not yet ready for general release. Participants can try the experiments and provide feedback to help inform changes as development continues.
The programme is intended to evolve as experiments are tested in the park. Feedback from visitors will help Imagineers assess which features should be changed, expanded or considered for later development. The experiments are deliberately unfinished, allowing Imagineers to examine how emerging technologies operate in a real park environment. The programme also provides an example of how Walt Disney Imagineering approaches research and development, with visitor feedback forming part of the process.
The first experiment, Secrets of the Spire, is available to guests visiting Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge at Disneyland. The augmented reality adventure builds on the interactive Datapad feature that was previously part of the Play Disney Parks app. Datapad has since been discontinued. Secrets of the Spire develops that earlier concept by giving visitors a more immersive way to explore the themed land.
Guests use their phones to scan locations and objects around Batuu through augmented reality. The scans reveal hidden details and show how elements of the land work behind the scenes. The experience also includes voice acting, haptic feedback and interactive challenges that encourage visitors to explore the area.
WDWNT was invited to take part in a hands-on test of Secrets of the Spire in Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge. The test included the augmented reality features, voice acting and interactive gaming elements.
The second experiment, the Disneyland Enchanted Guide, is an AI-powered assistant planned for a later release. It is designed to help visitors navigate Disneyland and organise their time in the park. Guests will be able to interact with it using voice commands or buttons, ask questions and request directions to locations around the park. The guide is also expected to provide notifications about changing wait times, help visitors find information and offer personalised recommendations based on details they provide.
The assistant is designed to retain information shared by guests and use it to personalise help during their visit. For example, it may remind a visitor about a restaurant they had planned to try or help them adjust their plans when conditions change. The memory function is intended to carry details from one interaction into later assistance during the same visit.
The experiment currently operates separately from the Disneyland app. It therefore does not have access to information such as dining reservations or Lightning Lane selections. The possibility of integrating those features in the future has been identified, but they are not currently available through the Enchanted Guide.
The Disneyland Enchanted Guide is also compatible with wearable devices, including Ray-Ban Meta Glasses and AirPods. This allows guests to use the assistant without taking out their phones. Visitors using Meta Glasses can hear turn-by-turn directions and receive spoken responses to their questions through the glasses.
Secrets of the Spire and the Disney Imagineering Labs app launched on 10 November. The Disneyland Enchanted Guide is scheduled to follow at a later date. Magic Key holders at Disneyland Resort are receiving special early access to both experiments before they are made available more widely.
