In June, we were among the first guests to experience Star Wars: Galaxy Edge in Disneyland. As Galaxy Edge is about to open in Walt Disney World, here are our top takeaways!
You will definitely not feel like you are in Disneyland or Disney World any more. Everything from the huge Millennium Falcon all the way down to the trash cans will make you feel like you have been transported straight to Batuu. In true Disney fashion, nothing is left to chance. Take a close look when you are in Olga’s Cantina and you just might find some bullets holes left from Darth Vader, so the story tells.
One of our favorite things was that Chewbacca freely roams the streets of Batuu photobombing plenty of your pictures. Like the Disney days of old, there is no waiting in line to get your picture with the characters of Batuu. Chewbacca, Storm Troopers, Kylo Ren, and others freely wonder the Galaxy Edge. Have your cameras ready—you never know when one will show up in your photo.
Droid and lightsaber building: this to me is one of the best things you can do in Galaxy Edge. If you are a true Star Wars fan or have a child with puppy dog begging eyes, then have your wallets handy. While not cheap, it is an experience in and of itself. You will see plenty of people walking through the park with their droid box…but here’s a tip: both Disneyland and Disney World will either send your package to the front gates to pick up as you leave the park or will send it straight to your hotel room.
The food in Batuu is so fun to order. Everything is written in Batuu’s own language, Batuuese. Whether you want a water bottle or Fried Endorian Tip-yip (crispy chicken with mashed potatoes), it’s just plain fun to try and pronounce your order. And I know you’ve heard about the Blue Milk! To be fair, there is both blue and green milk and each has a unique, different flavor. If you don’t love it at first taste, give it a few try’s. It tends to get better as you drink it!
Most people want to know about the ride. As of now, there is only one ride in Star Wars: Galaxy Edge called Smuggler’s Run. Waiting in this line is half the fun, and once you make your way to the front of the line, be sure to take a seat in the dejarik area. Near the front of the line, 6 people are placed in a “hunk of junk” spaceship and fly on a dangerous mission. Each person has a specific job. You will either be a pilot, a gunner or an engineer. Hopefully your driving is better than mine. As pilot of my ship, we crashed plenty of times🤦🏽♀️
Upon entering Galaxy’s Edge, you will immediately notice that all employees there completely play the role they were hired to do. If you ask them where they are from, you will never hear them say Los Angeles or Dallas. True to the complete immersion theme in Galaxy Edge, they will say “Peka” or some other place from Star Wars.
One of my last tips would be to download the Disneyland App before you leave your hotel! Galaxy Edge is meant to be truly immersive and the app only adds to the experience. Just a few of the things the app will do are as follows: 1) Translate galactic languages—both written and spoken. 2) Allow you to discover hidden objects and cargo around the spaceport. 3) unscramble messages sent from other galaxy’s.
I hope you enjoy your experience in Batuu as much as we did.
May the Force Be With You!
I am fortunate enough to be the called mom to 4 amazing children. Whenever I am asked what my favorite things are, my answer is always the same; family, church, sports & travel! As a family, we have been fortunate to travel all over the United States, Canada, the Caribbean and Mexico. I have also been lucky to travel to many parts of our beautiful world. And not just at World Showcase at EPCOT. As a family, we have a love of each other, life, and especially of Disney.