Star Wars: Secrets of the Empire opened this morning at Disney Springs and we were the first guests to play the new experience. Let’s take a look at what it’s all about.

Check in

Check in is completed on a tablet by either scanning a barcode you should have received in an email or via your credit card or email details.

Once checked in, you receive a printed wristband. While you don’t use the wristband in the experience itself, it does allow you to be uniquely identified by their internal system.

Breifing

After your wristband is printed, you make a short queue to enter the briefing room. A video from Cassian Andor explaining the teams mission. Just like any good Rebels, you’re there to collect reconisence on an item valuable to the Rebellion. It’s also in this briefing room where you’re able to customize the accent color of your Stormtrooper armor to help distinguish between teammates.

Suit Up

After receiving your mission briefing, your team heads off to suit up for the experience. Two items are critical for this mission. You will receive a vest and headset that is properly fitted to your body with minor adjustments. Weighing in at about 10-15 pounds, the gear never feels overly heavy or cumbersome. Glasses wearers will not have an issue with the headset and women can wear their hair up.

Story and Immersion

Without getting too far into the details of the story itself, it feels very much like a Rogue One mission. What really sold the experience for us, was the deep immersion. Normal VR experiences such as panoramic views and audio are present but where the Void excels, is the tactile sensations you get when you pick up and fire a blaster or enter a sequence code with buttons. You will find yourself stepping carefully through doorways, balancing on a transport platform over the lava of Mustafar, and even taking cover to avoid blaster fire.

Overall

For about 15 minutes, worth of actual VR play, we feel that the $30 price tag is worth it. This is much more than a simple VR video. This is an immersive experience that will put Star Wars fans into the action like never before. Next time you find yourself at Disney Springs, we HIGHLY recommend Star Wars: Secrets of the Empire.