Make the jump to light speed and recruit your young Jedi because it’s time to plan your visit to the just opened, absolutely mind-blowing Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge at Disneyland. From flying the Millennium Falcon to building your own droid to meeting interactive exotic creatures to drinking blue milk, we’ve got a first look at this land and it’s truly out of this world. Read on for what you need to know to have a stellar adventure with your kids.
photo: Beth Shea
Arriving at Black Spire Outpost: Batuu
A visit to Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge is far more than a stroll to a new part of Disneyland. Arriving on Batuu is like literally being transported to another planet. Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge is the largest, most technologically advanced expansion in Disneyland history. Set across 14 acres, Black Spire Outpost is a remote trading port on the edge of wild space. It’s home to smugglers, traders, bounty hunters and unique, quirky characters looking for an adventure, all while trying to avoid entanglements with the First Order.
Your immersive journey through Black Spire Outpost engages all five of your senses, so you’ll now know what it sounds, feels, smells, looks and tastes like to live on a Star Wars planet. You’ll be transfixed by the details, including animated alien residents who pop up in unlikely places and even a hardworking droid DJ.
photo: Beth Shea
Even the music fine tunes the atmosphere: iconic composer John Williams composed a suite of all-new themes written especially for Galaxy’s Edge and its attractions.
Insider’s Tip: The Disney “workers” you’ll come across at the shops, restaurants and attractions are actually residents of Batuu who act totally in character as inhabitants of this foreign world. This deepens your experience by making you feel like you’re really in another galaxy. Tell your kids to greet folks throughout Black Spire Outpost by saying “Bright Suns” for “hello” and “safe travels” instead of goodbye.
photo: Resident photographer of Batuu
Millennium Falcon: Smuggler’s Run
Move over Han Solo and Chewie, because now YOU get to be the pilot and fly the Millennium Falcon! Your dreams are realized as you commandeer “the fastest hunk of junk in the galaxy” and make the jump to hyperspace.
Fun fact: Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge marks the first time a full-size, 100% complete Millennium Falcon has ever been built.
photo: Joshua Sudock/Disney Parks
You may ask, but as the pilot, am I really controlling the Falcon? The answer is an amazing YES! However you steer the Falcon in real time is how it moves on your mission, for better or worse! And believe us, you’ll feel every maneuver that’s made as the ship plummets, dives, dips and turns.
photo: Beth Shea
Here’s the background story to tell your kids before you climb aboard: Chewie has loaned the Falcon to smuggler Hondo Ohnaka in exchange for much-needed replacement parts. When you meet Hondo in the Falcon, you accept his offer to be part of his flight crew to make some cargo runs for him. You access the Falcon via the ship’s starboard airlock, have the opportunity to spend time in the ship’s main hold and lounge and even sit at the infamous Dejarik (chess) table or poke around at other equipment.
photo: Beth Shea
Next you are assigned a role before you strap yourself into the cockpit. Parties in groups of six are divided into two pilots, two gunners and two flight engineers. Working together you operate the ship, steering it to avoid obstacles, using blasters and missiles to protect your cargo and managing the ship’s systems or repairing damages. You’ll know it’s your turn to take control because specific buttons will light up to prompt you in the cockpit. Hondo and Chewbacca also help guide you along in this interactive gameplay complete with stunningly realistic visual and audio effects.
The choices you make affect your journey. For instance, if the Falcon gets damaged on your flight, the ship’s handling is affected. Upon mission completion, Hondo will let you know if you’ve done a good job or not. If your mission didn’t go well, you’ll see evidence of this on the damage to the ship’s hallways as you exit the Falcon.
photo: Beth Shea
Dining on Batuu
Eating in Batuu truly makes you journey further into your intergalactic adventure with every bite. To say the food and drinks you’ll find at Black Spire Outpost are unusual is an understatement. But it’s all part of the plan to immerse you in the remote planet’s storyline and succeed in the quest of the Land to capture all five of your senses. Star Wars themed cuisine is served up with a rustic, rural twist.
Parents will definitely want to order a cocktail at Oga’s Cantina, the land’s main watering hole, choosing from exotic beverages like the spicy Bloody Rancor, the foamy Fuzzy Tauntaun or the fruity Carbon Freeze (there are also non-alcoholic beverages here for kids). While you’re in Oga’s Cantina you’ll enjoy listening to lively tunes spun by droid DJ R-3X.
photo: Joshua Sudock/Disney Parks
Next, head to Ronto Roasters barbecue and watch droid 8D-J8 turning the spit of meats while you order a grilled sausage and roasted pork Ronto Wrap.
You’ve probably always wondered what the Blue Milk Luke Skywalker drinks really tastes like, and the Milk Stand serves up Blue and Green Milk to quench your curiosity and your thirst.
Good to know: The “milk” is actually a non-dairy, plant-based mix of rice and coconut milks.
Additional fare you can sink your teeth into includes smoked Kaadu ribs, Fried Endorian Tip-yip, Outpost Mix (colorful, sweet, savory and spicy popcorn) from Kat Saka’s Kettle and Batuu-bon for dessert.
Insider’s Tip: Since the fare on Batuu is such adventurous cuisine, the best bet for toddlers and pickier young diners can be found at Docking Bay 7 Food and Cargo. For breakfast, order young Padawans (ages 3-9) the “Bright Suns Youngling Breakfast” which comes with scrambled eggs, purple potatoes and fresh fruit. For lunch, pitstop here for more choices for kids including Yobshrimp Noodle Salad and A Taste of Takodana (black bean hummus, edible soil with nuts, dipping vegetables and multi-grain crisps), or the more tame Fried Endorian Tip-Yip: crispy chicken, macaroni and cheese and seasonal vegetables.
photo: Beth Shea
Star Wars Character Encounters
In addition to encountering all sorts of droids, creatures, critters and aliens who call Batuu home, kids may come across their favorite familiar faces including Rey, Chewbacca, Supreme Leader Kylo Ren and his Stormtroopers.
photo: Beth Shea
Shopping Experiences & Merchandise
You’ll definitely want to save time to shop and score a souvenir as a cherished reminder of your visit to Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge. With each purchase you can prove your loyalty to the First Order or the Resistance. There are even several shopping experiences that involve you in the creation of your purchase, from droid-construction to lightsaber building.
The coolest part just might be that the shops are clandestine destinations, accessed via sliding wall doors. You may otherwise never know they were there, which makes entering them feel as though you’re being let in on a secret.
photo: Beth Shea
Visit Droid Depot to build your own astromech droid. You can choose pieces and parts off a conveyor belt to construct one of two core droid models: R-series or BB-series. Make your droid unique by customizing it with a personality-affiliation chip. As an added bonus, once your droid is built, you can place it in an activation station to bring it to life. It’s then capable of interacting with elements throughout Black Spire Outpost to make your experience even more out of this world. Droid Depot also offers pre-built droids and droid-inspired toys and apparel.
Good to know: Remote-controlled droids are not allowed to be operated in Disneyland, but while you’re on Batuu, droids can interact with other droids and Bluetooth-enabled elements and devices throughout Black Spire Outpost.
photo: Joshua Sudock/Disney Parks
Don’t let the dark side convince you to leave without a lightsaber. Head to Savi’s Workshop to choose your path and hand-build your own masterful weapon of choice. The ‘Gatherers’ will guide you in this secret workshop that’s filled with the enchanted elements you need to fashion your one-of-a-kind lightsaber. Your lightsaber may be themed: Peace and Justice, Power and Control, Elemental Nature or Protection and Defense. It will be brought to life in a mystifying experience using the power of kyber crystals.
Good to know: You need to schedule an appointment to enter Savi’s Workshop to build your lightsaber. Stop by and speak with a resident of Batuu just in front of the shop to put your name on the list.
photo: Beth Shea
You must-stop in Dok-Ondar’s Den of Antiquities, where you can peruse items from different eras of the galaxy including holocrons, Kyber crystals, ancient Jedi and Sith artifacts, lightsabers, lightsaber clips, carrying bags and display stands and more. While you’re there, don’t miss spotting Dok-Ondar checking inventory at his desk and doling out commands to his assistants.
At Resistance Supply a “makeshift” location at the Resistance’s hidden command post, you can pick-up Resistance pins, badges, hats and other accessories to further your cause. Or pop in to First Order Cargo, to pledge your loyalty with pins, caps, gear, model ships and more.
Kids will love shopping for cute, artisanal toys at the Toydarian Toymaker which are handcrafted by a Toydarian (the flying alien species first seen in Star Wars: The Phantom Menace. Here you’ll find famous icon plush characters like Yoda, Chewbacca and Ewoks as well as games including Dejarik and Chance Cubes.
photo: Beth Shea
Visit the Creature Stall to see the compelling creatures that populate the Galaxy. Among the critters you’ll spy: a Kowakian Monkey-Lizard, a Porg and a Loth-cat. Creatures are often housed in crates and cages–– be sure to tell your kids to keep an eye out for the “live” ones!
If you want to dress the part, suit up at Black Spire Outfitters which is equipped with clothing and accessories such as robes inspired by the robes of Anakin Skywalker and Obi-Wan Kenobi, tunics to wear under them and belts for wearing a lightsaber hilt.
Good to know: The current Disneyland Resort costume policy will be in effect in Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge. Costumes may not be worn by guests 14 years of age or older.
Show off your love of Black Spires Outpost by buying a T-shirt (in the same vein as an I heart NY souvenir tee), hat or other locally inspired good from Jewels of Bith.
photo: Beth Shea
Download the Disneyland App & the Play Disney Parks App Before Your Visit
Be sure to download the Play Disney Parks mobile app before you get to Disneyland. Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge integrates with the Play Disney Parks app by enabling you to transform your phone into your very own Star Wars Datapad. This means you can engage with the land by translating galactic language (like the writing seen in the photo above), learning about what’s hidden in crates and containers, interacting with droids and more. You can also choose your alliance and support either the Resistance or the First Order by participating in a multiplayer game throughout the land called “Outpost Control.”
photo: Richard Harbaugh/Disney Parks
When to Go… and You HAVE to Go
The magic in the air on Batuu is palpable and cannot be articulated enough through words and pictures. You and your family will never forget an experience at this remote land that feels lightyears away, but that’s so easy to access.
Fans of Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge have now booked all the reservations for the land for the first few weeks, May 31-June 23. However, you can guarantee a reservation to Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge by staying at a Disneyland Resort hotel between May 31 and June 23, 2019. After June 23, 2019, reservations will no longer be required. To continue to manage demand and provide a great guest experience, a virtual queueing system will be utilized as needed to visit Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge.
photo: Richard Harbaugh/Disney Parks
Coming Soon… Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance
Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance is a second attraction coming to Galaxy’s Edge by the end of 2019. It places you in the middle of a climactic battle between the First Order and the Resistance, including a faceoff with Kylo Ren. Your journey on this attraction takes you aboard a full-size transport shuttle into a nearby Star Destroyer on a thrillingly, realistic adventure. We can’t wait!
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Online: disneyland.com
––Beth Shea
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