As part of a promotional video regarding the launch of its upcoming Walt Disney World Resort hotel attraction, Star Wars: Galactic Starcruiser, Disney has provided a first look at its “real” lightsaber—a toy prop that, unlike the countless derivatives from past and present markets, features a retractable light-up blade. The lightsaber was developed by Walt Disney’s Imagineering Research and Development division and appears to work by leveraging a mechanism that functions similarly to a motorized tape measure. Disney hasn’t confirmed whether these will be sold to guests at Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge, but the popularity of its regular lightsaber props, which are available for $200 apiece, suggest that’s a real possibility.
Did #Disney invent a real working #lightsaber?
— Ben Ridout (@benridout) April 12, 2021
Yes they did.
It won't melt through metal blast doors, or cut off your hand, but it does feature an illuminated blade that will extend and retract at the push of a button.
This animation shows the concept behind the tech. pic.twitter.com/e7fwP06CxF
Guests who experience Star Wars: Galactic Starcruiser will be the first to see it in action – along with so much more – starting in 2022 when this amazing new two-night adventure debuts. Watching that lightsaber activate right before your eyes will be just one of the countless ways that, from the moment you arrive to the moment you depart, you’ll be plunged into a Star Wars story where your decisions and actions – or even the casual conversations you may have – determine how your personal journey unfolds.
Source: Disney Parks, The Verge, Ben Ridout