DISCLOSURE: I was invited guest of the Walt Disney World Resort to experience THE VOID on opening day, but all opinions are my own.
Disney in collaboration with THE VOID, Lucasfilm and ILMxLAB has launched a new “hyper-reality” VR experience in Disney Springs at the Walt Disney World Resort. The Star Wars: Secrets of the Empire “hyper-reality” experience is an immersive virtual reality experience like no other.
Part of legitimate Star Wars canon, the experience takes place around the time of Rogue One and features characters like Captain Cassian, Darth Vader, and K-2SO. Part of a rebel team, your mission is to infiltrate a covert imperial base in search of the mysterious contents of a secret shipment. Unlike other virtual reality experiences, as you make your way through THE VOID you truly feel like you are in an alternate reality. You and your team, dressed as Imperial Stormtroopers, must fight your way through the base as the smells of sulfur permeate your nose and the heat of molten rock radiates beneath you.
Here are my 5 tips for a successful mission inside THE VOID:
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Take extra time with the fit and securing of your pack to ensure that you feel all the haptic feedback from laser blasts and explosions.
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Guests must be 10 years old and at least 48” tall, and the pack weighs more than 15 pounds, so ensure your children are ok carrying the weight.
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When you get into the staging room, make sure the volume on your helmet is turned up, so you can hear the experience as well as your teammates.
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Wear close-toed shoes to keep from tripping or getting your feet stepped on by your teammates.
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Teamwork is critical, so make sure you communicate with your fellow rebels throughout the mission.
You begin your experience in a briefing room where you verify your identity, choose your storm trooper uniform, and have your missing briefing from Captain Cassian. Once you are clear on your mission you move into the equipment room to get your pack and helmet before boarding your hijacked imperial shuttle. Once you arrive at the imperial base, K-2SO will help guide you through the mission. This is a completely immersive experience, so make sure you look and feel around your environment to see everything. You will have to interact with physical objects like blasters, door locks, and computer panels to complete your mission.
I recommend purchasing tickets for THE VOID Star Wars: Secrets of the Empire in advance on their official website.
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