Patience you must have, Star Wars fans. It’s been nearly four years since Disney announced it would build Star Wars–themed lands at both of its resorts in the United States. But this summer, Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge has finally opened at both Disneyland in Anaheim and Walt Disney World in Orlando. At 14 acres each, Galaxy’s Edge is not only the largest single-themed expansion in Disney’s history but also its most technologically advanced.
Here’s everything you should kenobi (er, know) about Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge:
Is Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge open in both California and Florida?
Yes! As of August 29, Star Wars land is now open in both Disneyland Resort in California and Walt Disney World Resort in Florida. Even though Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge opened in Anaheim about three months before its Orlando counterpart, Disney confirmed that the “major offerings will be nearly the same” within both parks.
Is Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge its own park?
Both attractions are located within the newly expanded boundaries of existing parks at Disney resorts in the United States. In California, Galaxy’s Edge is located in the space behind Frontierland and Fantasyland in Disneyland Park. In Florida, it is located in Disney’s Hollywood Studios Park, adjacent to the Toy Story Land that opened there in 2018.
While waiting in line to ride Millennium Falcon: Smugglers Run, guests can pose at this table and relive their favorite moments from Star Wars – Episode IV: A New Hope.
Courtesy of Disney
How is Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge different from other lands at Disney parks?
Both Star Wars lands are designed so guests feel immersed inside the world of the Black Spire Outpost, a village on the planet Batuu. To do this, Disney designed specialized scents, and there’s original music composed by John Williams specifically for the park. There are no Disney or Star Wars logos inside Galaxy’s Edge, nor are there obvious signs signifying the names of the various eateries and retailers. The setup encourages people to explore and discover as if they were visiting another planet.
To further enhance this experience—which has been compared to Westworld by several websites—Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge is the first land within any Disney park to use the Play Disney Parks mobile app. Guests can use the app to engage with their surroundings by scanning cargo crates for a peek at contents, translating signs written in the ficitonal language Aurebesh, and hacking into observation panels to reprogram them on behalf of the Resistance or First Order.
Is Disney opening a Star Wars hotel?
Guests at Walt Disney World Resort in Florida will eventually be able to check into a Star Wars–inspired hotel, which will be designed to look like a starship. In addition to all the windows having a view of “space,” guests can dress in the attire of and assume the identity of a character in the Star Wars universe during their stays. Although Disney revealed new details at D23, the opening date has yet to be announced.
“Star Wars”: Rise of the Resistance will open in Walt Disney World on December 5, 2019, and in Disneyland on January 17, 2020.
Courtesy of Walt Disney World
What will the rides be like at Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge?
At both parks, guests get to experience two new rides, including the six-person Millennium Falcon: Smugglers Run. Passengers get to take the controls inside an exact replica of the famous spaceship’s cockpit as either a pilot steering the spacecraft, a gunner firing at enemy fighters, or an engineer repairing the ship as it hurtles through space.
The other ride is Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance, an immersive attraction that takes place in the middle of a battle between the First Order and the Resistance and brings riders inside a starship and onboard a Star Destroyer so large it can fit a full-size TIE fighter and two AT-ATs. Disney confirmed it will be the longest ride to exist at the park, but it won’t comment on the exact length yet (rumor indicates that it will 28 minutes long).
While the restaurants and shops in both parks will be ready on opening day, the rides are being opened in phases. Millennium Falcon: Smugglers Run will ready on opening day, but those who want to go on Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance will have to wait for phase two, which Disney says will open “later this year.”
What specialty food and drinks are designed for Star Wars land?
There’s a full array of food and beverages at five quick-service dining spots, including a Milk Stand serving the blue milk Luke Skywalker drank in Star Wars: Episode IV–A New Hope. However, the largest spot for dining within both lands is Docking Bay 7 Food and Cargo, which serves dishes like the Yobshrimp Noodle Salad (marinated noodle salad with chilled shrimp) and the Smoked Kaadu Ribs (smoked country sticky pork ribs with blueberry corn muffin and cabbage slaw).
Some of the alcoholic drinks at “Star Wars” land include the Outer Rim, Bespin Fizz, Yub Nub, and Fuzzy Tauntaun (from left to right).
Photo by Kent Phillips/Disney Parks
Will there be alcohol?
There are alcoholic drinks available at Oga’s Cantina in both parks. Guests with valid ID will be able to order beer and wine including a Bad Motivator IPA and Toniray wine, plus 10 different cocktails. There is a strict policy of two drinks per person, and time inside the cantina is limited to 45 minutes (for now).
At the Galaxy’s Edge Milk Stand in Walt Disney World, guests have the additional option of adding rum to their blue milk or tequila to their green milk.
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