Disney offers a very brief glimpse of a ‘working’ lightsaber

You won’t have to wait long to see a plausible-looking lightsaber in action — provided you’re willing to manage your expectations. As The Verge notes, Disney has unveiled the ‘working’ retractable lightsaber you’ll see when the Star Wars: Galactic Starcruiser luxury hotel opens at Walt Disney World Resort in 2022. While Disney didn’t explain how it worked in the extra-brief video below, patents suggest a motor extends a blade made of LED-illuminated plastic. It won’t sever the arms of cantina scum, but it’s considerably more advanced than a fixed-shape prop or toy.

The lightsaber will be part of an immersive two-day hotel experience that Disney claims will be unlike anything it “ever created before.”

It’s not certain if you’ll get to buy the lightsabers, although it won’t be surprising if you can. Just be ready to pay a small fortune. The existing Galaxy’s Edge lightsaber costs $200, and it’s hard to imagine Disney charging any less for a more elegant weapon for a civilized age.