Disney starts work on Star Wars land with a 360-degree glimpse

It will probably take years for the Walt Disney Co. to complete the new Star Wars attraction at Disneyland, but the company on Thursday offered a hint of what is to come with a 360-degree image of the construction site.

Workers have begun the 14-acre expansion project in the area near Big Thunder Jamboree by demolishing behind-the-scene buildings. Thursday was the official groundbreaking, although without any shovel-and-hard-hat ceremony.

During construction, the park is closing 10 attractions and eateries -- some temporarily and some permanently.

A similar expansion will be built at Disney's Hollywood Studios in Florida.

For now, the construction site at Disneyland is a wasteland of dirt, broken concrete and weeds. But to pique the imagination of Star Wars fans, Disney released a 360-degree image of the project site, digitally enhanced to include robots, X-wing fighters, walkers, androids and Stormtroopers.

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"In these all-new lands, guests will be transported to a never-before-seen planet inhabited by humanoids, droids and many others," according to the official Disney blog. "Star Wars-themed lands will be the largest ever single-themed land expansions at Disneyland Resort and Walt Disney World Resort."

The exact details of the new land have not been released but Disney officials have said the area will include two attractions, including one that lets visitors take control of the Millennium Falcon for a "customized secret mission."

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