Star Wars Land’s Coca-Cola Thermal Detonators
Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge in Disneyland and at Hollywood Studios in Walt Disney World sells “thermal detonator” bottles of Coca-Cola, Diet Coke, Sprite, and DASANI with unique Aurebesh labels. In this post, we’ll detail the dangerous saga of these Cokes, and the risky business of smuggling soda home with you from vacation.
When Sarah saw all of the dozens of photos I had taken of the Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge Coke bottles, she wondered what the heck I’d do with them all. I responded that, naturally, I’d write an overly verbose blog post. When she said there’s no way I could come up with enough to say about these drinks, my response was a simple challenge accepted.
Admittedly, among my many odd…let’s call them personality quirks…is a unique soda packaging fixation. You might recall my scandalous Shanghai Disneyland Serves Pepsi post. If you read TravelCaffeine.com, you might be familiar with our Japanese vending machine drinks series of posts. Suffice to say…I have a lot to say on the topic…
September 2, 2019 UPDATE: Our long national nightmare is over! After about a week of sarcastic social media posts and headlines across just about every media platform, the TSA reversed its previous statement that the bottles would be banned due to looking like replica explosives (ha!).
In an on-air statement to CNN, a TSA spokeswoman said, “We have completed our review, and instructed our officers to treat these as an oversized liquid. Because these bottles contain liquids larger than 3.4 ounces (100 milliliters), they should be put in checked baggage or emptied to be brought on as carry-on item.”
Today is actually the perfect occasion for such a post! Rather than my long-winded ramblings about Coke being inane and pointless, there’s actually some practical Walt Disney World and Disneyland planning advice to share here. All thanks to the TSA!
When asked whether Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge Coke products could be packed in checked bags (with the questioner attaching the ominous stock photo of the bottles pictured below), the official @AskTSA twitter account responded that “replica and inert explosives aren’t allowed in either carry-on or checked bags.”
The OC Register inquired further with TSA, which confirmed that the souvenir “thermal detonator” bottles could cause confusion for TSA agents at the airport because they look like replica explosives, and as such are prohibited on U.S. flights per TSA guidelines.
As someone who doesn’t want to be added to a no-fly or enhanced security list, I’m not one to question the sage wisdom of the TSA. However…I do wonder about the logic, longevity, and enforcement of banning these bottles from flights. It effectively amounts to drawing a tenuous line between explosives and thin plastic bottles that bear the unmistakable and iconic trade dress of Coca-Cola. That’s a tough sell for me.
While there might be some concern that these plastic soda bottles initially resemble the dangerous and totally real thermal detonators from the Star Wars documentaries, that concern is easily obviated. If you remove the top capper (which easily pops off), these bottles look like totally harmless spherical containers of soda. (Phew. Disaster averted, risky business cancelled, and our long national nightmare is over.)
Look, I’m not telling you that this makes them okay to pack in your checked baggage, but if TSA is mindlessly enforcing this “by the books” in line with its rules, the simple step of removing that cap puts these bottles squarely in line with said rule. Unless TSA also has a rule banning “anything spherical” of which I’m unaware.
As we returned home from Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge at Disneyland prior to this @AskTSA question and answer indicated these thermal detonators posed an issue, we naturally brought a set back in our checked luggage. After all, what’s the point in buying obnoxiously priced soda bottles if you can’t do a photo shoot of the bottles with your pets?!
The only thing we confirmed with TSA’s official site before purchasing was the Savi’s Workshop Handbuilt Lightsabers, which are fine as carry-on items because, ironically, “the technology doesn’t currently exist to create a real lightsaber.” (Someone might want to tell them about thermal detonators!)
Also in the realm of ‘useful planning information’, it’s worth noting that these Coca-Cola thermal detonator bottles are one of several items in Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge that are included on the Disney Dining Plan at Walt Disney World.
Objectively, based upon their sticker price, these Coca-Cola bottles are good uses of Disney Dining Plan snack credits. Subjectively, we have to question whether a smaller-than-normal bottle of Diet Coke, Sprite, Dasani, or Coca-Cola is actually worth that sticker price to begin with. (If you want to take these home as a souvenir or get cool photos of them in the land, the answer is probably yes. Otherwise, eh…)
The official backstory behind the Coca-Cola Company’s thermal detonator packaging for Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge is pretty fascinating. These spherical orb bottles are exclusive to Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge, and stay true to the Star Wars aesthetic with a rounded look, resealable caps, and brand names printed on scuffed, rusted labels in Aurebesh, the written language of Star Wars.
Per Walt Disney Imagineering, they approached Coca-Cola and shared the idea of bringing Coke products into Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge in a new and unique way that maintained the authenticity of the Star Wars story and planet of Batuu. WDI wanted something that was also “just plain cool” per Imagineer Scott Trowbridge.
The creative process began three years before the first Star Wars Land opened to the general public, when Coca-Cola Design created dozens of prototypes of all shapes and sizes in collaboration with Walt Disney Imagineering and Lucasfilm. The trio eventually landing on the designs that are now offered in Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge, which actually feature an over-cap co-patented by Coca-Cola and Disney.
Imagineers and Coke creatives wanted to create packaging that appeared to be cargo pulled from a ship, such as the one atop Docking Bay 7 Food & Cargo, the main counter service restaurant in Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge. That was the starting point for the design contours and style of the product.
The idea to use Aurebesh text on the Coca-Cola bottle labels came during a tour of the Coke Archives in Atlanta, where Coca-Cola signage with the brand’s iconic Spencerian script logo in various languages caught the attention of Imagineers.
That plus the spherical orb design made for something fitting the visual style of the Star Wars universe and, specifically, Galaxy’s Edge.
Coca-Cola is Disney’s longest-running corporate partner, with a 70+ year partnership between the companies. Coke’s presence at Disneyland began in 1955 and Walt Disney World in 1971–the opening years of the two respective parks.
The corporate alliance includes locations like Refreshment Corner in both Disneyland (Anaheim) and Tokyo Disneyland, Coca-Cola Store in Disney Springs, and Club Cool in Epcot (for now!).
However, as noted in our Shanghai Disneyland post about Pepsi mentioned above, there was a fierce competition for the theme park soda sponsorship in the Chinese market, and one that Pepsi ultimately won. While the official story of the Coca-Cola thermal detonators is a nice one and seems plausible, we can’t help but wonder whether if there’s more to this story.
Disney has otherwise closely followed the mold of the Wizarding World of Harry Potter for Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge, and that would include only unique beverages. Superficially, this is for thematic integrity. In reality, it’s to deprive people of the choice of familiar favorites (like Coke products) and sell more expensive novelty drinks, like Butterbeer.
Disney being Disney, it would not be the least bit surprising if they similarly wanted only pricier novelty drinks in Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge. It would also not be surprising if, after the Pepsi deal in Shanghai, the relationship between Coca-Cola and Disney was strained. Finally, it’s plausible that Coke pushed for inclusion in Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge, recognizing the marketing value that presence would have (and has had already!).
Of course, this is a lot of rampant speculation on my end. Perhaps there’s nothing more interesting than the official story, and that can be taken at face value. Ultimately, we probably won’t ever know one way or the other, but I think it’s fun to speculate as to the business decisions behind these types of things, as usually what really happened isn’t as rosy and press release-friendly as the official version of history.
Either way, the Coca-Cola thermal detonators are pretty cool and thoughtfully designed to blend in with the visual language of Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge. This packaging reflects what a corporate alliance can be at its very best, elevating both brands and enhancing the guest experience.
The work Imagineering and Coca-Cola creatives did paid off, as these Coke bottles have already become Disney fan favorites…even if taking them home with you from Walt Disney World or Disneyland is now risky business.
If you’re planning on visiting the new land, you’ll also want to read our Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge Guide. This covers a range of topics from basics about the land and its location, to strategically choosing a hotel for your stay, recommended strategy for the land, and how to beat the crowds. It’s a good primer for this huge addition. As for planning the rest of your trip, we have a comprehensive Disneyland Vacation Planning Guide as well as a thorough Walt Disney World Planning Guide.
Your Thoughts
What do you think of these Coca-Cola thermal detonator bottles that are exclusive to Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge? Will you roll the dice and pack them in your bags to take home? Do you think this is a cool product? Do you agree or disagree with our assessment of this being an example of a corporate alliance that really benefits everyone? Any questions? Hearing your feedback–even when you disagree with us–is both interesting to us and helpful to other readers, so please share your thoughts below in the comments!
Good news. TSA reversed course and it looks like they’re allowed now. Both checked bags and carry on. Just have to have them empty if carrying them. https://www.orlandosentinel.com/business/tourism/os-bz-tsa-star-wars-cans-20190830-juvv3ekvnzeezkjakx5xgkuysi-story.html
I’m presuming they made it thru the TSA checkpoint fine based off the picture with the cat….
The real problem with these bottles isn’t their shape…it’s that they’re made of EVIL PLASTIC. Horrors.
“When she said there’s no way I could come up with enough to say about these drinks, my response was a simple challenge accepted”
I love this blog so much. It cracks me up.
Will they continue to sell these Special Coke and waters thru 2020? I hope so.
Husband is considering bringing a flat rate box and mailing them home (as souvenirs for friends) just to be on the safe side. What’s the dimensions of the spherical bottles, roughly?
“the dangerous and totally real thermal detonators from the Star Wars documentaries” and “ the technology doesn’t currently exist to create a real lightsaber.” (Someone might want to tell them about thermal detonators!)”
I love it. After sleeping poorly, this was the laugh I needed to Jump start this rainy day. Thank you for accepting Sarah’s challenge!
I said the same thing – surely if you take off the lid and pack it separately its just a round plastic thing.
Funny that you brought up the light sabers. Returning home last week with mine, I was able to get a look at it on the screen as it was being scanned by TSA. It looked like a pipe bomb with a fluorescent light bulb attached on one end. I can’t imagine the soda containers would seems worse as they have nothing inside that would resemble a bomb.
WHEW! Well I guess I am glad we slid in just under the ban – I brought home empty bottles for Star Wars geek co workers after the passholder preview days last week. I got requests to bring home more, which I will be doing next month since we are driving this time.
We did notice that the price of the Cokes varied within the galaxy – $6 at the kiosk near the entrance but only $5.50 at the popcorn stand.
I’m 95% here for Yossarian content…..
“challenge accepted.” Here’s to more challenges like this one from Sarah. Great post! We’re headed to Dland in a few weeks and thermal detonators are now on the shopping list.
my guess? twitter being public space, TSA is protecting itself. if they say it’s fine in public space, then people might try claiming other more nefarious items are also “souvenirs”. people are reporting they took the top off and put it in another bag and it was fine. unless i have an extra snack credit, i won’t probably be bothering with these.
Great post! On a tangentially related note, have you ever heard the rumor (fact?) that Disney does not pay for any of the Coke products they sell in the parks and Coke just gives them the product, presumably for the marketing value of having them in the parks? I wonder (if that’s true) if that extends to the SW:GE bottles too.
The first thing I thought of when I saw these was “Good Luck getting them through TSA” Guess I was correct.
Dang it Tom, you about got me in trouble at work. The cat looking at the coke bottle like “what do you want” had me crackin up.
“After all, what’s the point in buying obnoxiously priced soda bottles if you can’t do a photo shoot of the bottles with your pets?!” So hilarious. Thanks for having fun with this “Challenge Accepted” post. I really do hope your wife continues to challenge you in the future and you come up with more hilarious stuff like this to get me through work! You also make me wish I had your job. haha 🙂
Walmart sold the same shape and size spherical bottles from Coke at Christmas. I believe they were $1 each. It is fun to freeze them- they do not explode due to their shape.
Yes, I remember seeing bottles that looked like ornaments around the holidays somewhere!
“I felt a great disturbance in the Force, as if hundreds of voices suddenly cried out in terror because Coke Zero was unavailable in Galaxy’s Edge.”
I felt it too!
I brought some home from Disneyland back in June. We flew with them in our packed luggage and had zero issues. I think TSA agents can tell a soda bottle one they see one. (At least at LAX)
Same thing at SNA. The TSA agents actually joked about our lightsabers, and told us not to hurt anyone with them.
In general, TSA is super chill at SNA–Orange County is probably the most consistently relaxed airport experience we have.
On one visit, my Wife. Bought up a bunch of candy apples with unused snack credits, and had them in a carry on bag. TSA was not happy, they pulled them all out and swiped them for explosives, my wife’s cries of there just Disney candy apples had no effect.
If TSA is really that dumb we have problems. We actually flew an empty one home on aug 27th and didnt see a notice in our luggage. I wouldnt have even thought a soda bottle would be a problem.
In theory thermal detonators do no exist. However, some of the idiots we deal with these days, can easily find a way to use them to disguise liquids that with a fuse could explode. Better to be more cautious than not.
I guess this is a “to each their own” type of philosophy that extends far beyond the scope of this post, but I believe we’ve already paid too high of a price for our current security theater.
Further restricting things based upon vague potentialities and what “some idiot” could possibly, maybe do seems like a slippery slope down which I’d rather not head.
These are bottles of Coca-Cola. If that’s not patently obvious to TSA agents, that’s a problem with TSA and not the bottles. IMO, we should be laughing at this, not validating it.
Around 2 million people a day fly. I don’t know the ratio of checked bags to traveling persons, but let’s just say it’s half (seems really low). That’s about a million bags that have to be screened everyday. You can call it ‘security theater’ if you want, but go back just two years to the electronics ban…there is a persistent threat and it evolves. When processing that much luggage daily, I don’t think it’s asking much to not bring anything that resembles an explosive. While the bottles might seem a stretch, it’s worth considering the volume and how something that seems silly in an isolated case becomes complicated at scale. The US has been at war for 18 years, and the average American has been asked to sacrifice nothing (no raised taxes, no war bonds, no draft, no rationing, nothing). If someone can’t bring a souvenir bottle of coke to reduce the burden on an already taxed system…I couldn’t care less.
Tom, may I remind you that the Evil that caused 3000 to die on 9/11 is counting on such
I’m definitely buying the sprite and bringing home. This is ridiculous. My toe nail clippers are more dangerous for mickeys sake.
Agreed that it is over done. Saying so does not negate, ignore, devalue, or otherwise disrespect what happened on Sept 11 or the countless other attacks prior to and since then. The fact is, people who want to commit those acts will find a way to do so. Car keys, a pen, the stylus stored into a phone could all be used as weapons. They can’t ban everything, and they shouldn’t overreact either. And people get through security with the craziest things, so all of the rigamarole doesn’t even work all the time. Americans are far and away more likely to die in a car, crossing the street, by falling, or, heck, even being intentionally murdered than by a plane being brought down.
I’m hoping your cat is part Bengal/Maine Coon/some other really large breed. For $6, I can buy a 24-pack of 12-oz cans at my grocery store. I realize that individually packaged, in -park soda is always going to be (way) more expensive than a grocery, but how large are these bottles? You said smaller than standard, does that mean 8-10 oz?
(The shape/cap does make them look cool, though…)
Yossarian the Cat is basically a tiger-mountain lion hybrid in a house cat’s body. Hope that answers your question! 😉
(They’re 13.5 ounces.)
I vote for more picture of Yossarian with Disney props! Him in the suitcase is a winning shot as well!