No, it won't cut through metal blast doors or slice off your hand ...
*Updated on May 4, 2021:
During A Special Look Inside Disney Parks virtual event last week, Disney Parks Chairman Josh D'Amaro unveiled something that has been the fantasy of Star Wars fans for decades—a "real," retractable lightsaber.
And on May 4, in a promotional video for the Galactic Starcruiser Hotel at Walt Disney World, which launches in 2022, we got our first look at the retractable lightsaber in action! According to Walt Disney World News Today, this lightsaber could find its way to the Disney Parks in the near future, too. Check it out:
D'Amaro said that fans will "never know what we're going to come up with next," as he then, with a single push of a button on the hilt, turned on the lightsaber to reveal a true light blade. "It's real," he said.
Disney Parks chairman Josh D'Amaro did a mic drop at the end of the virtual press conference but with a real lightsaber. It happened so fast. I'm shaking.
— Ashley Carter (@AshleyLCarter1) April 8, 2021
VR/AR/Web developer Bed Ridout has created an animation to show "the concept behind the tech":
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
Who else wants a real, retractable lightsaber? Show of hands. Everyone? Yessss.
Share your thoughts with us in the comments below.