Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge is capturing the imagination of fans at both Disney’s Hollywood Studios and Disneyland. It seems every day, guests find new secrets, Easter eggs, and hidden tales woven into Batuu’s Black Spire Outpost, and we’ve only begun to scratch the surface on these.
Some time back, we theorized that the immersive concepts for Galaxy’s Edge sounded extremely similar to a live action version of an MMORPG video game, like Star Wars Galaxies or Star Wars: The Old Republic. This theory turned out to be completely true, even down to guests being able to partake in “side quests” using the Star Wars: Datapad app. Encouraging role-play isn’t something completely new to Disney, but the way they’ve embraced it at Galaxy’s Edge has made for an incredibly interactive experience. Indeed, a visit to the Black Spire Outpost can prove so immersive, that it actually holds a lot in common with another popular entertainment experience.
Galaxy’s Edge is a basically a Star Wars Renaissance festival…
For those unfamiliar, Renaissance festivals are popular celebrations where artisans, re-enactors, and performers recreate the experience of a Medieval or Renaissance era faire. Some faires are more historical in nature while others embrace epic fantasy and multiple eras. Almost all faires hold common elements of immersive entertainment, encouraging role-play between guests and performers, the sale of hand-crafted wares, and hands-on activities to experience the historical world.
I had the pleasure of working for the Colorado Renaissance Festival with my husband many years back, during which we got to experience Ren-faire culture in depth. If you’re struggling to categorize what an experience at Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge is like, the Renaissance faire model is actually a pretty accurate lens to describe it, and we wouldn’t be shocked if Imagineers took some cues from faires in their designs. Here’s why…
1. You completely forget where you are
Image: Jett Farrell-Vega (@mykingdomforamouse Instagram)
All successful Renaissance festivals utilize the same concept: they want to you to fully immerse you in a historical or fantastical world, to the point you will forget the hustle and bustle of modern life for the duration of your visit. Most faires open the day with a show to get you into the spirit of life in “the village”, and you don’t have to travel far into the grounds to be completely swept up in a different realm.
You don’t have to travel far into Galaxy’s Edge to tell you’re entering a place entirely set apart from the rest of Disney’s Hollywood Studios or Disneyland. The transition is even more seamless than the shift from Africa to Pandora in Disney’s Animal Kingdom. With a short walk through looming grey arches, you bypass the dark gates and enter the land of the spires, a realm where X-wings and landspeeders await pilots under towering rock formations, where moisture vaporators collect dew from the air, and where Resistance loyalists are hard at work planning their next efforts in the war against the First Order.
If you let yourself surrender to the world of Batuu, it’s easy to forget you’re at Walt Disney World or Disneyland. It’s a world you can get completely lost in. That’s the allure of immersive entertainment. Just like at a Renaissance festival, the land itself is the main attraction, along with all the otherworldly experiences it has to offer. The longer you linger, the more wonders you’ll uncover.
2. Everyone has a backstory
Image: Jett Farrell-Vega (@mykingdomforamouse Instagram)
At a Renaissance festival, every worker you speak to is going to have a historically-appropriate story. Everyone from food vendors to artisans participate in the grand tale. I was a sound person at the Colorado Renaissance Festival, and in between tech gigs, I spent my free time in full costume interacting with guests as a casual atmospheric performer. While this may be an unfamiliar experience for faire newbies, you get used to it fast, and it’s just understood that workers staying in character is part of faire culture.
Disney cast members staying in-character isn’t a particularly new concept. Every time you ride the Tower of Terror or Haunted Mansion and see cast members with distant, sunken expressions, it’s not that they’re having a bad day—it’s all part of the atmosphere. Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge takes this concept further than Disney has ever gone before, and some guests struggle to adjust to it.
I remember taking a good friend to Galaxy’s Edge recently, a fun-loving dad who is a big fan of both the Star Wars classic trilogy and the new films. He loves quoting the movies and tried a Star Wars line on one of the Batuu locals, a vendor at the thermal-detonator-soda booth: “Republic credits will do fine” with an accompanying Jedi hand-motion.
The local responded that they only accept real credits here, totally deadpan, complete with shifty looks. Our friend tried again, getting the same response as we paid for our drinks and left. Moments later, I realized my friend didn’t know the cast member had been in character—he wasn’t sure if they were just being rude. After I explained that everyone is in character all the time, he tried this again at Docking Bay 7 and got a different response: the register attendant looked at him with a wry grin and answered that they’re trained against fancy Jedi mind tricks. The family had a good laugh. The paradigm for what to expect had shifted.
Finding the hidden backstories of Batuu-natives can take a little effort on your part. Most of the Batuuans are much more subtle with their interactions than boisterous Ren-faire workers. Some guests are made uncomfortable by too much role-playing, so many cast members try to feel out how guests will respond before diving into their characters full steam. However, if you’ll join in the fun, you can experience a whole new world of secret stories throughout the outpost. I’ve met a good many vendors and photographers who were happy to open up about how they’re only on Batuu for the credits if you start talking about the war. Similarly, a merchant at Dok Ondar’s Den of Antiquities confided that patrons who double cross Dok Ondar get fed piece by piece to his baby sarlaac, who they named Cynthie. Converse with the locals, and you’ll realize they each have a unique story for you to uncover.
3. A different kind of culture
Image: Jett Farrell-Vega (@mykingdomforamouse Instagram)
Renaissance faires maintain a completely different culture from the world outside, and that’s not just in the performance aspects. They have unique rules of etiquette and a peculiar vocabulary. Cell phones may be referred to as magical boxes or “anachronistic devices”. Bathrooms become “privvies”. If you befriend a “Rennie” (a faire worker or regular), they may give you a hand-made token that represents the friendship, like a small pin, badge, or piece of jewelry if a relationship has been established or as a sign of gratitude.
It can be challenging for some guests to adapt to the culture shock of a visit to Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge. Hello becomes “Bright Suns, Traveler” or “Rising Moons”. Bathrooms are “refreshers”. Passholders are “frequent travelers”. Dollars become “credits”. If you ask for directions (a frequent need since signage is purposefully limited), Batuu locals will always respond in character. On opening day, I saw a few frustrated guests try to press locals into breaking character, and the cast members navigated these situations brilliantly, using just enough information to help the guest without completely breaking the illusion.
On top of this, all cast members have different opinions in their backstories in regards to the war— Batuu is a neutral hub, like Switzerland. Different cast members will react to different things. Cast members may know that the Millennium Falcon made the Kessel Run in less than 12 parsecs but have no idea where Endor is because they’ve never left Batuu. They also probably won’t know super obscure Star Wars trivia references. Oh, and the unique culture doesn’t stop with the cast members…
4. Costumes aren’t just welcomed—they’re encouraged
Image: Jett Farrell-Vega (@mykingdomforamouse Instagram)
There are few things sadder than a Renaissance Faire where no visitors dress up. Fortunately, this is a rare occurrence. Renaissance festivals have a passionate fan-base of regulars who maintain elaborate costumes complete with character backgrounds. Even casual visitors are encouraged to join in the fun by renting costumes or purchasing costume pieces inside the village.
It’s no secret that Star Wars fans are also an extremely dedicated group. Movie premiere camp-outs are a longstanding tradition for many fans as is dressing up for the films, conventions, and special events. There is even an organization for ultra-accurate Star Wars cosplay: the 501st Legion, whose members often use their Star Wars costumes to help non-profits.
At Galaxy’s Edge, Disney put some boundaries on costuming for guests over the age of 14—after all, there are some legit dangers that come with guests who look too much like cast members. Screen-accurate costumes, masks and armor, replica blasters, and long robes that drag on the ground are banned. However, Disneybounding is allowed, and Disney’s policy for this practice is pretty generous.
Disneybounding is the popular practice of taking modern or vintage clothing items and pairing them together to create looks that act as tributes to Disney characters. We saw so many Rey Disneybounders on opening day that we started to joke that they must be her handmaidens sent to deter assassins. A quick search on Instagram will lead you to dozens of great examples of Star Wars Disneybounds, including tributes to Kylo Ren, Padme Amidala, and Princess Leia.
Image: Disney
Not only is Disneybounding allowed in Galaxy’s Edge—a unique version of it (Batuu-bounding?) is also encouraged. Guests can dress like locals or travelers visiting Batuu by wearing vests, belts, and layered clothes with natural fabrics and muted colors. It’s really a fun opportunity to come up with your own character within the Star Wars universe. My husband and I usually Disneybound as smugglers (he’s still on the hunt for a good Cad Bane-style hat), and we’ve seen people come up with all sorts of creative ensembles, from colorful tunics and short capes to layered outfits in earthen tones similar to Rey or Luke’s clothing.
Disneybounding really adds a fun element to the fan culture at Galaxy’s Edge because like in a Ren-faire, you become part of the atmosphere. On top of this, the cast and characters usually respond well to guests who participate in the fun (the folks at Docking Bay 7 are especially nice to Disneybounders in our experience)!
5. Food and drink from a different context
Image: Jett Farrell-Vega
Both Galaxy’s Edge and Renaissance Festivals have something else in common: if you’re looking for burgers and fries, you’ve come to the wrong place. The food becomes part of the adventure.
Ren-faires usually can at least pull from some semi-familiar foods like ribs, baked potatoes, and turkey legs. The food at the Black Spire Outpost is a totally different story. Particularly if you’ll be visiting Docking Bay 7, be prepared to take a few minutes looking over the menu and asking questions. Friends we’ve brought to Galaxy’s Edge are often left baffled trying to categorize the menu: is it Asian? Is it comfort food? What the heck is this stuff?
A trip to Batuu is supposed to feel like a trip to another world, and that’s exactly what a visit to Docking Bay 7, Ronto Roasters, or Oga’s Cantina feels like. Even the park’s famous blue and green milk are drinks that defy categorization (I still like the green!). Like everything else in Galaxy’s Edge, the food is part of the experience of immersion, and we love that this has brought some much-needed personality to the food selections at Disney’s Hollywood Studios. Speaking for myself, when I’m paying Disney prices, I don’t want to eat anything I can get at Red Robin or Carrabba’s. Don’t freeze up and go running for the burger stand when you see the menus in Galaxy’s Edge—all the of the food is simply creative takes on familiar ingredients. Don’t be afraid to ask questions at the front doors to get some recommendations. We especially love the Felucian Garden Spread for something both delicious and adventurous.
6. “Hand-crafted” wares
Image: Jett Farrell-Vega (@mykingdomforamouse Instagram)
Never go to a Renaissance Festival without a budget—you’ll come out broke. One of the best parts of a Ren-faire is the wide range of handcrafted wares available, including clothing, weaponry, decorations, foods, and glassware. The artisans who make the items are often present at the faires, and some items can even be custom-made while you enjoy your day!
Galaxy’s Edge doesn’t exactly have “hand-crafted” items—but they sure do go out of their way to give the impression they do. You won’t find mugs, t-shirts, and action figures with giant Star Wars labels inside the Black Spire Outpost. Instead, everything you purchase in Galaxy’s Edge is designed to look like it belongs in-world. Even t-shirts are made with different seams and shapes to make them feel slightly otherworldly.
Both the Resistance and the First Order have specialized shops where guests can purchase patriotic gear of impressive quality, and an entire section of the Black Spire Outpost is dedicated to local wares, including a creature vendor, a toymaker, a tailor (who sells extremely high-quality costumes), and even a Kowakian Monkey Lizard wrangler. The most popular shop in the outpost is Dok Ondar’s Den of Antiquities, a mysterious emporium where guests can purchase unique artifacts from throughout Star Wars history, including holocrons, jewelry, artwork, and legacy lightsabers. This shop is an absolute must-visit, as is the Droid Depot, a massive store where guests can purchase droid-related merchandise and even build their own droid that will interact with elements throughout Galaxy’s Edge.
7. Wandering characters and hidden stories
Image: Jett Farrell-Vega (@mykingdomforamouse Instagram)
We mentioned before that every worker at a Renaissance festival has a backstory. Most faire workers are employees with specific tasks, but no faire is complete without atmospheric performers—wandering characters and showmen who engage guests with fantastical acts and gimmicks. One wanderer might be playing an eccentric tinker trying to sell bizarre toys. Another might be a fairy, playfully engaging with guests and especially children. The royal family may pass through the faire from time to time, entreating commoners under the watchful eye of guards and their entourage.
With Galaxy’s Edge, Disney finally brought back the long lost tradition of wandering characters. On opening day, we saw Rey go by four or five times before we realized she was a character. Chewbacca regularly joins her to repair ships and gather materials from the outpost. Stormtroopers do regular patrols harassing guests. In the afternoon, Kylo Ren usually lands on Batuu and searches the streets for Resistance spies along with a vocal lieutenant. He mercilessly interrogated one of my teenage students for information on our last visit. It was pure magic.
Just like at a Renaissance festival, if you slow down and pay attention, you’ll quickly realize the Black Spire Outpost is home to an entire hidden story that takes place throughout the day. You might see Rey and Chewie barely avoid detection by Kylo Ren and the First Order patrols. Vi Moradi, Leia’s top spy, engages in secret ops throughout the day, including planting devices in the landspeeder garage and even recruiting guests into missions for the Resistance. You might even see her get arrested only to escape later. Every day at the Black Spire Outpost replays a canon-day in the Star Wars timeline. If you stop to watch, you get more and more details about the hidden story at work right under guest noses.
8. Hands-on experiences
Image: Jett Farrell-Vega (@mykingdomforamouse Instagram)
Renaissance festivals aren’t spectator activities. Instead, guests are encouraged to participate hands-on in the historical world through activities like archery, hatchet-throwing, craft exhibitions, and games. It’s not enough to just show you the Medieval or Renaissance world—the goal is for you to touch, smell, taste, and revel in it.
A visit to Galaxy’s Edge is all about experiencing the Star Wars universe hands-on. For example, on Millennium Falcon: Smuggler’s Run, you aren’t just invited to be a passenger on the famous ship. Through the tricky machinations of swindler-extraordinaire, Hondo Ohnaka, you’re recruited to fly the ship. There are no passive crew positions on this ride—everyone has a job, and every button in the Falcon cockpit has a function, whether you’re a pilot, gunner, or engineer (for those looking for a more passive experience, I recommend gunner in automatic mode).
Other hands-on activities at the Black Spire Outpost include the in-depth lightsaber building experience at Savi’s Workshop, where a secret society of scavengers have been collecting lightsaber parts in the hopes that someone sensitive to the Force will be able to put them together someday. Even if you don’t want to spend any money, Galaxy’s Edge includes an entire series of hidden activities in the Play Disney Parks app, which turns your phone into a working Star Wars Datapad. Through the Datapad app, you can pick up jobs and missions from Batuu locals and famous Star Wars characters to earn credits and faction points within the outpost. Be careful who you work for—you might end up running errands for General Hux! These missions include opportunities to hack terminals throughout the outpost (which respond with lights and sounds), scan crates for hidden contents, translate Aurebesh, and even tune into secret frequencies. The game is seriously addictive and can turn into hours of hands-on fun.
Oh, and on top of this, there are also secret quests within the outposts if you happen to get recruited on a Resistance mission. This isn’t easy, but if you catch the eye of Vi Moradi or a Resistance spy, you might get swept up in a whole world of hidden missions!
9. You get out of it what you put in
Image: Jett Farrell-Vega (@mykingdomforamouse Instagram)
There is one last thing that both Renaissance festivals and Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge have in common: attitude is everything.
At a Renaissance festival, if you go in refusing to engage, trying to check off a list of activities, you’ll miss the point. The faire itself is a key part of the experience. You’ll have a much better experience taking your time than just jumping from show to show. You have to let go, somewhat, to get the most out of it.
If you go to Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge with a narrow agenda or a chip on your shoulder about the franchise, you will likely not have a good time. This land is an experience that defies traditional theme park expectations. It’s not a museum of Star Wars props or a recreation of famous movie scenarios like Star Tours. Don’t plan to just blast in and out in one hour checking off a list. You need to allow ample time to explore this place and just linger. Disney designed an amazing hub to bring together the worlds of the prequel, classic, and new film trilogies, with tons of references to the canon expanded universe and even The Old Republic.
Like a Renaissance faire, a visit to Galaxy’s Edge is more about getting to experience Star Wars than it is about a hodge-podge of tributes to the films. Go in with cautiously optimistic expectations, take your time, and you will likely be pleasantly surprised.
Have you ever been to a Renaissance festival? Are there any similarities between faires and Galaxy’s Edge that we missed?
