Having lived on both coasts, I have a love for both Disneyland and Walt Disney World, but I have to say my heart lies with WDW! We are all excited for the new Star Wars Land, Galaxy’s Edge, so I sent my best reporter into the field to bring back a story.
Here to tell you all about what to expect at Walt Disney World’s new Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge, my Disney-loving, annual pass-holding Mom!
Galaxy’s Edge: An annual passholder’s sneak peek!
Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge at Walt Disney World will soon open to the public, but as WDW Annual Passholders, my husband and I were lucky to get a sneak peek at the new land by attending the Passholder’s Preview Event last weekend. And it was amazing!
We arrived at the entrance to SWGE around 4pm and joined the line of guests waiting to enter. We had a reservation for the 5-9 time slot, but the line started moving soon after we got there, and by 4:10, we were walking through the tunnel and into Star Wars Land!
Headed to Disney World for Halloween? First check out this post all about Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween Party!
Let me say right now that I’ve never been all that interested in Star Wars. Yes, I saw the first Star Wars movie when it came out in the late ’70s (it was the movie my husband and I saw on our first date together over 40 years ago!), and I have a passing knowledge of the most familiar Star Wars characters, but that’s about it. My husband is more familiar with the Star Wars franchise, but even he is not what one might consider a hard-core fan. However, the second we stepped into SWGE we were completely in awe of the Land!
The amazing thing about SWGE is that you really do become a part of the story and you feel like you’re not in a theme park, but instead in a real place.
Guests enter the remote outpost planet, Batuu, and become travelers passing through the region. Cast members are citizens of Batuu with backstories of their own. They immerse themselves in their role-playing, even speaking phrases in a language all their own. We quickly learned that “bright suns” is a greeting, restrooms are “refreshers” and children are “younglings”!
What to see and do at Galaxy’s Edge
While there are no official character meet and greets on planet Batuu, there are still familiar Star Wars characters roaming throughout the land. We saw several Stormtroopers patrolling the area and interacting with guests, and several times we came across Chewbacca.
Strolling through a large outdoor marketplace with merchant stalls, we saw a lot of crazy looking plush pets for sale and an oven filled with kettle corn being churned out by an animatronic robot!
We passed by shops where guests could build lightsabers and droids. Lots of people were trying out their droids- here’s one!
Rides at Galaxy’s Edge
One of the most breathtaking sights at Galaxy’s Edge is coming upon the Millennium Falcon in the middle of planet Batuu.
But even better than seeing the starship is getting to fly in it! The Millennium Falcon: Smuggler’s Run is a ride where guests get to take a seat inside the ship and take on the role of pilots, gunners or engineers. My husband and I rode three times! Each time is a different experience, depending on how your crew of six works together to dodge asteroids, rocks and whatever else hurtles through space toward the starship. You really do feel as though you’re flying the Millennium Falcon on a journey through space!
Side note- A second ride, Rise of the Resistance, is scheduled to open on December 5th in SWGE and is supposed to be one of the most advanced and immersive ride experiences in any of the Disney Parks.
Food at Galaxy’s Edge
After experiencing the thrilling adventure of flying the Millennium Falcon, we headed over to Oga’s Cantina for a few intergalactic treats.
We snacked on a light crispy mix of Batuu Bits, sipped a Carbon Freeze (fruity drink with a mixture of lemon-lime, strawberry, blueberry and green apple popping “beads”) and enjoyed a small dish of Oga’s Obsession, a jello-like treat flavored with lemonade, cotton candy flavor and blueberry popping pearls.
I have to say, I’ve never quite tasted anything like the offerings at Oga’s Cantina. They’re truly delicious, in an out-of-this-world way!
And you won’t want to miss the green and blue milk at the Milk Stand (not actually milk- more like a slushie/smoothie)!
Our four-hour time slot was coming to an end, but we still had time to walk around and soak up the atmosphere and the beautiful theming of SWGE. We wandered in and out of a few more shops, picked up a couple of refreshing Coca-Colas, served in plastic bottles shaped sort of like little droids, and watched the lights come on throughout the land as nighttime approached.
We exited through the same tunnel we entered through earlier in the day and stepped back into Hollywood Studios. It truly felt as though we were returning to earth after spending time in a galaxy far far away!
Goodbye till next time, or as they say on planet Batuu, “May the spires keep you!”
Thanks, Mom, for being my field reporter. When she called to tell us about their day at Galaxy’s Edge, my 11-year-old already knew everything she was talking about. He’s clearly done some exhaustive research and can’t wait for us to make our own visit to Galaxy’s Edge this winter!
May the spires keep you!
