We first discussed them back in April on the podcast, but Disney’s rad thermal-detonator-shaped Coca-Cola bottles are back in the news for a less fun reason. If you’re visiting the immersive Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge theme park locations in California or Florida, then you can throw around the fun bottles as much as you want. Just don’t plan on taking them home as a souvenir from your trip to a galaxy far, far away. That is, at least, if you’re flying home.
The TSA has placed the items on its restricted list, possibly because it’s, you know, shaped like an otherworldly grenade used in intergalactic warfare.
One “Star Wars” fan did his due diligence and asked the TSA beforehand if he could bring his grenade-shaped bottles home, and was met with a polite “Absolutely not!”
Thanks for asking! Replica and inert explosives aren't allowed in either carry-on or checked bags.
— AskTSA (@AskTSA) August 13, 2019
As CNET quipped, “The thermal detonators from Star Wars are powerful weapons within the fictional universe, but the Coke-branded replicas aren’t dangerous unless you shake up the fizzy contents inside.”
Hilarious.
But, for real, this product design is both great and terrible. It’s awesome because it adds to the immersion and theme of the theme park. In the words of John Hammond, visionary theme park owner, they spared no expense.
Fans who want to take home a collectible bottle or two, though, will now have a tough time. So, the TSA’s ruling creates an awesome promotion within the park, but it’s legally bound to stay on the ground. There’s always the option of mailing it home, but is it worth sending back a single-use bottle if you live far (far) away? That’s up to the consumer.
The new Galaxy’s Edge theme park was sort of weird with branding and merchandising in the first place, so this is just another strange hiccup in its plan.
