With an early spring upon us, you can bet that many families will be planning for early vacations this year, and that includes trips to Walt Disney Land in California, and Disney’s Hollywood Studios Theme Park in Florida.

Both of these parks continue to change and expand their attractions to entertain guests, and the latest hype is all about their new immersive Star Wars themed attraction called Galaxy’s Edge.

In this blog, my goal is to provide you with a bit of history on what exactly Galaxy’s Edge is, how it was built, and what specific attractions and features it includes.

I will also provide you with insight into plans for both parks, and let you know if it’s worth your expense and time. So, strap in, and let’s see what all the hype is really about.

Concepts and Imagineering

Modeled after the Black Spire Outpost on the fictional world of Batuu, Galaxy’s Edge is an ambitious collaboration between Disney and Lucasfilm, which was first announced by Disney CEO Bob Iger at the D23 Expo in August of 2015.

Construction on both sites began in April 2016, with the Anaheim park opening first on May 31st 2019, followed by the Florida location on August 29th of the same year.

Both locations encompass fourteen acres of land, and cost around one billion dollars to construct at each park. Both sites occupy areas that were formerly shut down for other attractions.

In addition, certain areas of both parks had to be redesigned to allow for the new Star Wars themed area to be constructed.

Galaxy’s Edge features two attractions, Rise of the Resistance, and Smugglers Run, as well as cast members from both the Resistance and First Order who interact with guests.

There are also thirteen food vendors and shops, which I will provide a brief summary of in the following paragraphs.

Galaxy’s Edge was originally designed to be an environmentally immersive experience, allowing guests to participate in actual role play scenarios with cast members.

They would receive an assignment upon arrival, and visit different areas around Black Spire Outpost in search of clues for their next assignment.

Guests were meant to encounter actual Holograms of characters in broad daylight, and witness lightsaber duels between Jedi and Sith.

Autonomous droids were planned to randomly wheel themselves about, while guests would be hunted down by Stormtroopers.

In addition, there was a life size animatronic Dewback that guests could ride on. Although Disney submitted various patents to the U.S. Patent office for new technologies, none of these planned concepts have yet to become a reality.

For fans who knew about them like I did, it was a severe disappointment. Currently there are plans to open a massive interactive hotel experience called the Halcyon at Galaxy’s Edge in Orlando.

Construction has already begun on the project, and it will be a multi-day immersive experience involving interaction and role play amongst guests and cast members.

So what do you really get for your money? Read on.

What a piece of junk!

Nestled among the towering spires of the outpost is a life size reproduction of the Iconic Millennium Falcon.

At one hundred feet in length and one hundred thirty feet wide it is the most prominent feature of Galaxy’s Edge, and it’s also serves as the entrance to the Smuggler’s Run attraction.

This attraction allows up to four guests to serve in various roles who must work together as a team to fly and fight the Millennium Falcon through a mission.

Though there are guests who visit Galaxy’s Edge just to have their picture taken in front of the Falcon, it isn’t alone.

Scattered around the location you will find several T-70 X-Wing starfighters, as well as an RZ-2 A -Wing Interceptor.

Since the First Order maintains a presence on the planet, you will find several of their ships present as well. There are heroes from both sides present to greet and interrogate you, and if you aren’t careful your activities will be closely monitored by the First Order. 

The second attraction in the land is known as Rise of the Resistance, and in my opinion isn’t that great. Guests essentially are seated in a droid controlled transport and “ride” through various scenes with special effects. In all honesty I was not impressed by it.

Food and Merchandise Vendors

The following is a brief synopsis of the thirteen on site food and merchandise vendors located at Galaxy’s Edge:

Docking Bay 7 Food and Cargo: A full service restaurant inside of a functioning hanger bay.

Kat Saka’s Kettle: An outdoor food stand where guests can purchase a unique snack made from popcorn.

The Milk stand: If you’re a fan of Blue Bantha Milk, then this is one place where you’ll find it!

Oga’s Cantina: Probably the most awesome place in the park, it’s a restaurant and Cantina with a full size bar, where you can sample drinks from across the galaxy.

Ronto Roasters: Another outdoor food vendor featuring grilled pork and sausage wraps.

Bina’s Creature Stall: This is a shop full of plush animals and creatures from throughout the galaxy. My favorite: The TaunTaun!

Black Spire Outfitters: One of if not my favorite shops at Galaxy’s Edge, it offers travelers the opportunity to purchase the exact garments worn by the natives of Batuu!

Dok-Ondar’s Den of Antiquities: Travelers will find ancient artifacts of both the Jedi and Sith in this fascinating shop, including Holocrons and Khyber Crystals.

First Order Cargo: If you’re looking to join the First Order, then this is the place to buy your equipment and uniforms.

Mubo’s Droid Depot: Another favorite of literally every guest, you can build your very own BB or R2 droid here from a variety of parts in various colors, and get a backpack to carry it in!

Resistance Supply: If you want to get in the fight, then this is the place to get equipped to do it!

Savi’s Workshop: This location bears the most attention, as it is the number one location visited by guests.

Here you pay to go into an ancient shop that serves as a front to hide it’s true purpose, as a supplier of the most ancient and forbidden weapon in the galaxy: a lightsaber!

Guests are lined up, and make several choices while in line, before being ushered to a work station.

Here a cast member walks the guest through what I can only describe as a spiritual experience of constructing a lightsaber from real metallic parts, and choosing a crystal to power it.

The final act is to install their lightsaber hilt into a port where it connects to a blade that the guest has chosen.

There are various colors and crystals to choose from, and each crystal is unique in how it gives a lightsaber it ‘s color, light, and sound effects.

Rare crystals can be purchased at Dok-Ondar’s Den of Antiquities. Though expensive, it is truly a once in a lifetime experience and worth the cost.

Toydarian Toyshop: a shop featuring hand made toys from around the galaxy.

Is it worth my time and money?

Now that you have a better idea of what Galaxy’s Edge is all about, you’re probably asking yourself is it worth the extra cost?

To be fair, any trip to the Disney parks is expensive, meals included. On average, it costs one adult about two hundred dollars for park admission for one day, three meals and drinks, and a snack.

For the younglings, you get to save about ten percent of that cost. If you plan to buy collectibles and souvenirs, then you should research their cost and plan accordingly.

The bid ticket items are the build your own lightsabers which go for around $225.00, as do the Resistance fight suits and Jedi robes.

If you want a professional photo in front of the Millennium Falcon, a cast member can snag one for you for only fifteen dollars!

If you’re super rich and have money to throw away, you can buy Stormtrooper armor for just under seven thousand dollars, or a full size radio control astromech for twenty five thousand dollars ( No, I am not kidding).

If that’s too much to take in, you can grab a Blue Milk for a whopping eight dollars, and head for the next transport home.

Overall I would say that yes galaxy’s edge is worth the cost, particularly if you have kids. Everyone knows what Star Wars is, and there’s something there that almost anyone can enjoy and relate to.

While there you’re hear cast members use certain phrases to refer to real world items in universe (a cell phone is a data pad, the restroom is the fresher), and they will readily interact with you at any time.

It’s a great way to escape all of the negativity of everyday life, and that’s one of the reasons that Walt Disney designed his parks the way that he did. It’s meant to be a form of escape, and who couldn’t use an adventure in a galaxy far, far, away?