If you do it right, exploring a theme park by yourself can be an exciting alternative to a big family vacation or couples’ getaway. You can breeze through single rider lines, dictate your own schedule, and eat as many churros as you want without fear of judgement—well, from your loved ones, anyway.
While the Disney Parks tend to cater more to families and small groups than the individual traveler, there’s plenty to see, do, and enjoy for those going at it alone. And Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge is no exception. With a plethora of quick-service dining options, retail opportunities, character interactions, and an expedited single rider line for Millennium Falcon: Smuggler’s Run, single guests can move through the land with perfect ease more often than not.
Whether you’re headed off to Batuu for the first time or planning a repeat visit, here are a few helpful tips to make your next trip the best one yet.
Err on the side of making dining and shopping reservations… even if you don’t think you’ll need them.
Image: Ashley Varela
If there’s one thing I’ve found extremely helpful when visiting Disneyland alone, it’s the art of making a well-timed dining reservation. It can be a great way to build some rest time into a busy day, guarantee fine dining options during peak crowd periods, and secure optimal viewing for evening entertainment.
When visiting Galaxy’s Edge, however, reservations are less of an option and more of a necessity—especially if you plan to soak in the sights and sounds of the land’s two finest experiences. Both Oga’s Cantina and Savi’s Handbuilt Lightsabers Workshop require reservations for all guests, and the standard 60-day reservation window doesn’t apply here. Instead, you may only make bookings on the day of your desired reservation, requiring you to wake up early and cross your fingers for the booking time and venue you want. And, should changed plans or unforeseen circumstances prevent you from arriving within your reservation window, you’ll be subject to a standard $10/person cancellation fee.
Getting a solo reservation should be much simpler and easier to pull off than a reservation for a larger group of travelers, but don’t make the mistake of believing that you’ll be able to snag a spot later in the day if you miss the initial morning rush. Additional reservation slots may open up, but it’s better to be safe than sorry—and in a worst-case scenario, footing a $10 cancellation fee is much more palatable than taking on the $20-50+ fee you’d incur with a large group.
It’s a less-than-ideal arrangement, to be sure, but one that all guests must abide by if they intend to a) experience some of Black Spire Outpost’s most elaborate and engaging theming and b) consume any alcohol on-property (only sold at the Cantina—not the Workshop). Still on the fence about getting a reservation? Keep in mind that there’s relatively little to do in the land aside from Smuggler’s Run, impromptu character interactions, and a handful of equally-expensive retail opportunities. You may want to have some time to decompress after braving capacity-level crowds, too.
Initiate interactions with the citizens of Black Spire Outpost.
Image: Ashley Varela
By far and away, the most unique and unexpectedly wonderful part of Galaxy’s Edge is the ability to weave yourself into an expansive Star Wars narrative. You don’t just step into the Star Wars universe when you enter the land—you become part of the story.
Practically speaking, this means that you’re likely to interact with any number of characters roaming the land over the course of the day. Kylo Ren, Chewbacca, Rey, Vi Moradi, First Order officers, Resistance sympathizers, and any number of Stormtroopers wander throughout Black Spire Outpost from time to time, stopping to chat with (or interrogate) the guests they find along the way.
It can be a little intimidating to engage in these interactions if, like me, you happen to be an introvert or are tackling Galaxy’s Edge without a comforting buffer of family and friends. So far, however, it seems like the characters and cast members populating the outpost only engage with those who are clearly open to the interaction. For instance, you may spy Vi Moradi playing games with some of the younger guests, Stormtroopers apprehending those bold enough to have their “datapads” (cell phones) out, or Kylo Ren questioning the loyalty of a bystander.
If you’re not the role-playing type, grab a glass of blue or green milk and find a good spot to people-watch. In addition to impromptu character interactions, there are several staged shows that take place throughout the day, virtually guaranteeing that you’ll always find something new and interesting to observe.
Make strategic use of the single rider line.
Image: Ashley Varela
Of all the advantages you receive while traveling alone within the Disney Parks, making liberal use of the single rider line is by far the best one. When things are running smoothly, a two-hour wait for Splash Mountain can be cut down to 15 minutes, while attractions with greater capacities (Space Mountain and Indiana Jones Adventure among them) move at an even faster clip.
At Black Spire Outpost, Smuggler’s Run is the latest attraction to incorporate a single rider option, but beware: there are definite pros and cons to using the shorter queue. Think of it this way—if it’s your first time experiencing the land, opt for the lengthier standby line so you can soak up every last little bit of theming. The standby line is also the only avenue that allows you to watch the preshow spiel with Audio-Animatronic Hondo Ohnaka, which then sets up the storyline for the entire attraction.
Unfortunately, not only does the standby queue come with longer wait times, but it also squeezes all of the preshow participants into a very narrow corridor before they’re broken up into groups of six and shuffled onto the Falcon itself. It’s not ideal for those who may experience claustrophobia when packed into a confined space.
Assuming, however, that you’re making a repeat visit to the Outpost, there’s no reason to pick the standby line again (unless you really want another close-up glimpse of Hondo in action). The single rider entrance will lead you up several flights of stairs and bring you into the pre-boarding area, though those who need wheelchair access to the attraction will have to take the elevator to a different area of the attraction.
Image: Disney
There are several things to keep in mind here. First, you will be voluntarily skipping the pre-show spiel and avoiding the claustrophobia-inducing corridor; second, you will have relatively little space to wait at the top of the stairs; third, you will likely be placed at the end of a group. Here’s why that third point matters: there are six potential roles you can play during the attraction—left pilot (controls side-to-side motion), right pilot (controls up-and-down motion), left and right gunners, and left and right engineers. Pilots sit in the front of the cockpit, gunners in the middle, and engineers in the back. The further forward you are placed, the greater your responsibility and impact on the attraction’s storyline will be.
You’re welcome to switch roles with your fellow passengers prior to loading into the cockpit, but there’s no guarantee that you’ll get the role you want. Personally, as someone who finds public attention anxiety-inducing at times, it felt very stressful to step into the pilot’s role and control the movement of the Falcon. For me, utilizing the single rider line was a great way to ensure that I would be placed as a gunner or engineer, thereby taking off some of the pressure to perform well. If, on the other hand, you prefer to step into a more significant role during the course of the attraction, it may be worth waiting in standby in the hopes that you’ll make it to the front of a group.
Save your shopping for the end of your visit.
Image: Cory Doctorow, Flickr (license)
From custom crafted droids to beautifully-carved Dejarik Holochess sets, Black Spire Outpost has some truly gorgeous merchandise on display in its marketplace and shops. It’s difficult to walk through the land without stopping to marvel over a trinket or covet a brand-new lightsaber.
But, as tempting as that merchandise may look, trust me on this: without someone to help you lug those items around the land—and, more importantly, without any nearby lockers to store large boxes, bags, and faux weapons (think about that life-sized lightsaber!)—you’ll have a harder time navigating the land with ease. Smuggler’s Run, in particular, has a very fast load time and very small baggage areas that can’t accommodate anything larger than a fanny pack or small purse.
Don’t fret: Galaxy’s Edge isn’t likely to run out of its unique items anytime soon, especially with a strict one item per person, per day rule in effect to prevent would-be resellers from stocking up on some of its more coveted items. Once you’ve completed your coaxium run for Hondo, chatted with the local First Order law enforcement, and imbibed a Bloody Rancor or two at Oga’s Cantina, you should have plenty of time to get to your reservation with Savi’s Gatherers or brave that hour-and-a-half line at the Droid Depot.
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Have you tackled Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge by yourself this summer? What tips did you find useful for navigating the land?
