Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge has been open at Disneyland for several months now, and while that land’s opening went off without a hitch, Disney is saying that the opening of this land at Disney’s Hollywood Studios will attract bigger crowds than those seen at Disneyland. And while we won’t know until August 29th exactly what will happen with the opening of this new land, here’s everything guests who want to travel to Batuu should know before they go!:
1. You’ll have to do some walking to get to Millennium Falcon: Smuggler’s Run if that’s the first thing you want to do
Right now, we can confidently say that Millennium Falcon: Smuggler’s Run is the best thing at Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge, and if that is the number one thing you want to do in this new land, you’re going to want to make a bee line for the back of this land. During our preview, they were only letting guests in to this land on the Grand Avenue side of the park, and during this new land’s opening months we’d guess this will likely continue to be the case, which means guests will need to head all the way past the marketplace shopping area and then down the lower path (around the Docking Bay restaurant) and straight into the queue for this attraction if this is what they want to do first. Though there aren’t that many twists and turns in this new land, you definitely won’t want to get distracted if your goal is to get on this ride ASAP, and since FastPass+ return times are not being offered, you’ll definitely want to get to this line fast if you want to minimize your wait time.
2. There’s not a lot of choices for dining
Image: Disney
If you are looking for lots of varied intergalactic dining options, unfortunately Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge may disappoint you. Though Oga’s Cantina has some fun drink choices, when it comes to food, you’re limited to Docking Bay 7, which only has 6 options for dinner (or lunch), or the Ronto Roasters stall, which has two options for food ( a wrap, and a choice of spicy or sweet jerky) in addition to a popcorn stand. Though we expect there to be more choices in the future, right now the choices are pretty slim, especially if you adhere to a vegetarian/vegan diet, as there is only one plant-based entree offered for lunch and dinner in the entire land.
3. Blue milk is hit or miss
Though there are a LOT of choices for mixed drinks in this area, Star Wars fans will probably want to head right to this land’s milk stall for a sip of iconic Blue Milk. And though this beverage definitely looks like it did in the Star Wars films, the taste and texture (at least in our experience) left a lot to be desired. This otherworldly beverage is actually a mixture of rice and coconut milk which is partially frozen to make a sort of slush, and then mixed with dye and a berry flavor, which kind of makes it taste like berry bubble gum. Though some people might like this, our informal survey of those around us who tried this drink revealed mixed to negative reviews, and at almost $8 a cup, this definitely felt like a poor investment (and the cup was pretty small too!).
4. There are a LOT of shopping opportunities
If shopping is your favorite thing to do at Walt Disney World, you are going to have a great tie at Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge! Right when you enter the land (on the Grand Avenue side) there’s an elevated marketplace area that has plenty of shops, including the Toydarian Toymaker and some other in-universe shops. Then on the other side of the land, past the Millennium Falcon attraction (which notably does NOT end with a gift shop), you can find all your First Order merchandise for those who are fans of the dark side. And then add to that the Savi’s Workshop and Droid Depot, and you’ve got a TON of shopping choices. All told there’s almost a dozen shops in this new land, so no matter what kind of Star Wars goodies you’re looking for, there are plenty of places to find that perfect treasure from a galaxy far, far away.
5. Photo ops are everywhere
No matter whether you like being in photos yourself or just taking pictures of the scenery, there are photo ops all around this new land. Of course, when we visited Star Wars: Galaxy’s edge, the busiest photo area was in front of the Millennium Falcon (with several PhotoPass photographers stationed in front of the ship), but you can take photos in front of other iconic ships in this land as well, pose with droids, or even try and get a Star Wars character to pose with you (more on that in a second). Though there are plenty of PhotoPass Cast Members in this area, you’ll definitely want to bring your own camera as well, as there are plenty of places to take some amazing pictures in this new land (including inside the Millennium Falcon: Smuggler’s Run queue, like the photo above) that don’t have PhotoPass photographers nearby.
6. Take some time to explore
Much like Pandora – The World of Avatar, Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge has plenty to explore. From fun little corridors with messages in Aurebesh to small little call-outs to specific characters and films, there is definitely plenty to look at in this new land, especially for super fans of the Star Wars universe.
7. You never know who you’ll run into
The days of wandering characters may be gone, but it looks like this concept may be coming back in a small way inside Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge. Characters like Chewie and Rey wander around this land, talking to guests, fixing up the Millennium Falcon and more, all while staying hidden from the Stormtoopers who patrol this area. Though these characters might stop and take a photo with you, they aren’t really there to pose with guests, and instead feel like a way to make this land feel more “lived in” and help sell the “story” of Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge.
8. The locals don’t always know what you’re talking about
And speaking of Star Wars characters, though Cast Members will be happy to help you get around this new land, it is important to remember that they are all in character, which means if you ask how to get to the Tower of Terror or where you can buy Mickey Ears, you’ll likely be met with some blank stares. In addition, expect to hear phrases like “Bright Suns” and “May the spires keep you” a LOT, as these are (apparently) standard greetings on Batuu.
9. You’re gonna need reservations for some experiences
Image: Disney
Disney’s Hollywood Studios is currently in the thick of Cast Member and Annual Passholder previews for Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge, and with only a few weeks to go before the official opening of this new land, they have announced that, much like the version of this land in California, there will be a strict reservation system in place for some of the locations at the east coast Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge, including Oga’s Cantina, Droid Depot and Savi’s Workshop. You can learn more about these experiences here.
10. You’re gonna want to ride Millennium Falcon: Smuggler’s Run again
As we said in our review here, Millennium Falcon: Smuggler’s Run is a ton of fun, and it has some real re-rideability thanks to its scoring system and multiple job system. So even though wait times may be intense during the first few weeks of opening, guests are absolutely going to want to experience this new land’s new ride again and again to get a higher score, so definitely make time in your plans for a second (or third!) ride on this attraction.
