Airports as Artports


The force is strong at Orlando International

A Star Wars art installation at the Florida hub gives travellers an exciting glimpse of a new themed land at Walt Disney World.

New art installations at Orlando International Airport are transporting travellers into the world of popular film franchise Star Wars.

More specifically, the eye-catching décor has been designed to help travellers feel as if they’ve stepped into the new 14-acre Star Wars land inside Disney’s Hollywood Studios at Walt Disney World Resort in Florida.

Life-size depictions of the Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge themed land feature in the boarding area for the shuttle to the airport’s main terminal. One scene accurately recreates the landscape and features the iconic Millennium Falcon fictional starship and other landmarks from the new land. In another scene, it appears as if First Order Stormtroopers are waiting to step off the shuttle as the train arrives in the station.

Surprise experience: The art installations offer a little Disney magic at the airport

Combined, the artistic representations of Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge stretch longer than eight full-size buses. They will remain in place into 2020.

Disney is the first organisation the airport has invited to create artistic renderings that wrap shuttle stations within the airline terminals. It is a creative first for Orlando International, which welcomes nearly 50 million passengers each year.

“We are constantly evolving the airport experience to make it more service oriented, passenger friendly and fun,” said Greater Orlando Aviation Authority Senior Director of Concessions and Properties Raymond Anderson. “This new installation provides a preview of what vacationers and business travellers alike can expect at Walt Disney World. It’s also the most recent in a long line of collaborations between the airport and Disney over the decades.”

Disney also brought these droids from the Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge land to the airport’s Magic of Disney store in the Main Terminal, presenting opportunities for selfies.
All photos: Steven Diaz.

Walt Disney World Senior Vice President of Sales, Services and Events Claire Bilby added: “Our Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge art installation reflects how very special the Walt Disney World Resort and Orlando International Airport relationship is.

“We’ve had a string of fruitful projects with the airport, like having two supersonic jets land simultaneously to celebrate the opening of Epcot in 1982, creating the groundbreaking Disney’s Magical Express service in 2005, today’s first-of-its kind art installation and so much more.”

Bilby also acknowledged the role the airport plays in the overall tourist experience. “The airport is Central Florida’s ‘welcome’ to visitors from around the globe,” she said. “We’re honoured to put our Disney magic to work in making that welcome exciting and memorable.”

Stormtroopers in Orlando: The Disney installations bring the adventure of Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge at Disney’s Hollywood Studios to airport travellers

Partners message

The Moodie Davitt eZine

Issue 272 | 26 November 2019

The Moodie Davitt eZine is published 20 times per year by The Moodie Davitt Report (Moodie International Ltd).


© All material is copyright and cannot be reproduced without the permission of the Publisher.


To find out more visit www.moodiedavittreport.com and to subscribe, please e-mail sinead@moodiedavittreport.com