The newest and most anticipated opening in Disney World, Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge, occurred on August 29, 2019. This land is part of the reason we planned our October 2019 trip. Originally, Galaxy’s Edge wasn’t scheduled to open until “late fall” 2019. We were unsure if October was late enough, but decided to roll the dice, as we also wanted to attend Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween Party. We were thrilled when Disney announced they were ahead of schedule and would be opening the land at the end of August. The only down-side for our trip was that only 1 of the 2 rides in Galaxy’s Edge would be open. For us it was better than nothing. We were able to ride Millennium Falcon: Smugglers Run and explore the new land.
Since Galaxy’s Edge is new, I’m sure you’re curious. Here we will discuss what to see and do and the best time to plan on attending. It is important to note that Toy Story Land opened in April of 2018 and is a very busy section of park. The opening of Galaxy’s Edge just 16 months later has had a major impact on the crowd and flow of Hollywood Studios. There are two ways to enter Galaxy’s Edge (shown in the map below). The path highlighted in pink takes you through Toy Story Land to access Galaxy’s Edge. Toy Story Land is very crowded and the walkways can be difficult to travel. We recommend using the other path to get into Galaxy’s Edge.
The map above shows there are 2 ways to get into Galaxy’s Edge, which is located at the back of the park. This is to help you get a lay of the land which is useful when things get crowded or if you are in a hurry to get somewhere by a particular time.
When Galaxy’s Edge first opened, Disney announced that Hollywood Studios would have daily Extra Magic Hours from 6:00-8:00 each morning, with the park opening to the rest of the public at 8:00am. The land was open for a little over a month before our October trip. In the month leading up to our trip, Kel and I checked the My Disney Experience app several times a day. The app allows you to see real time updates of ride wait times. We noticed that every day, by 6:15 am, Millennium Falcon had over an hour wait. But, later in the day the wait time dropped.
Before Galaxy’s Edge opened, there was concern that the land would reach capacity and guests would not be able to enter later in the day. Prior to the announcement of Extra Magic Hours, we had planned on rope dropping at HS (arriving before official park opening and waiting for the cast to allow entrance), and rushing over to Galaxy’s Edge to ride Millennium Falcon, ensuring entrance to the land. After the 6 am announcement was made, we began to rethink our plan. Watching the wait times on My Disney Experience also convinced us rope drop might not be the best option. We devised a strategy we don’t often use in Disney, play it by ear. Thank God we did! Galaxy’s Edge never reached capacity and we only waited 45 minutes to ride on Millennium Falcon.
Most of the members in our family are huge Star Wars fans! Kel and the boys could not wait to get into Galaxy’s Edge and be immersed in the world of Star Wars. Expectations were extremely high, and we were not disappointed! The detail is incredible and the land is huge. Even with only one ride open during our trip there was plenty to see and do. There are 5 dining locations in Galaxy’s Edge. There are 2 quick service restaurants, Docking Bay 7 Food and Cargo and Ronto Roasters. Milk Stand and Kat Sakas Kettle are snack stands. Oga’s Cantina is a bar/lounge, open to guests of all ages. There are a number of shops in Galaxy’s Edge, selling unique items only to be found in this area of the park. You could spend hours just walking around in this fully immersive experience. Just watch out for the Storm Troopers!
What to Make Reservations for in Galaxy’s Edge
We made reservations at both the Droid Depot and Oga’s Cantina. You can also make reservations to build lightsabers. This experience looks amazing, and will surely be on our list in the future. The problem is, these are real sabers that cost $200 each. They are not toys! Our kids want to play with their sabers, not let them sit on a shelf. So for now this one is out. Building the droid costs $99 and is no more than purchasing one in the gift shop. So the experience is well worth it.
It is highly recommended that you make an advanced reservation for this experience. This can be done up to 180 days in advance, on the Walt Disney World website or through the My Disney Experience app. There are cast members at the entrance that will check your reservation and allow you in at your designated time. If you do not have a reservation you will have to wait in a stand-by line. Once you check in, you select the type of droid you want to make. You can choose a BB-series or an R-series. You must pay for the droid before you can begin to build. Next, you will head to the parts station. You are assigned a spot at the assembly line. You stand in that spot and the conveyor belt in front of you goes by with all different droid parts in various colors. You select all of the pieces you need, in your desired colors, and add them to your basket. Before you move to the assembly area, a cast member will check your basket to be sure you have all of the necessary pieces.
At this point you move to the assembly area in the center of the Depot. This is the best part! There are visual assembly directions for each of the droid types. The kids follow the directions for the droid they are building, and put the thing together. It is relatively easy to do, and cast members are on hand if you need assistance. The kids get to use a power screwdriver to assemble the pieces. Once the droid is put together it is then activated. This part is really cool. You get to see the droid come to life, and you are given the remote control. Once you have finished building, you can go into the gift shop and purchase upgrades for your droids. You can purchase a personality and other items. Our kids were so excitied about the droid that we skipped this part.
Important Note About Your Droid:
These things are heavy! Probably 5lbs, if I were guessing. And they come in a cardboard box! Not a great combo. We luckily had the reservation right before we were headed back to our hotel for our afternoon nap. (Read Don’t Spend All Day at the Park to learn more about our touring strategy) This kept us from having to carry the droids around with us all day. You do have the option of purchasing a carrying backpack for $50. You can also have the droid sent back to your hotel, if you are staying at a Disney Resort. If not, the droid can be held at the main entrance for pick-up when you exit.
Dining Reservation: Oga’s Cantina
We made reservations at the cantina. There is a 45 minute limit for your time in the cantina. Not all of the reservations include seats, which can be tough if you have to stand at the bar, as we did, and your kids aren’t tall enough to comfortably reach the bar height. The theme here is good but lost on me as I’m not a Star Wars fan. The menu consists primarily of different themed beverages (alcoholic and non-alcoholic) and just a few snack options. I found the menu confusing. The atmosphere in the cantina is fun. It gets crowded and a bit loud, with DJ R-3X playing music.
Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance
The newest and most anticipated attraction in Galaxy’s Edge opened on December 5, 2019. At this time, FastPass+ is not available and there is no stand-by line for this ride. The only way to access the ride is to enter a virtual queue in the My Disney Experience app. Once you scan in at the park gates you are able to join a boarding group through the app. You receive a notification through the app when your boarding group is called. You have up to 2 hours to enter the line at the ride once your boarding group is called. Boarding groups have been filling up within the first 1-2 hours of the park being open. Due to high demand for boarding passes, you are only able to enter the virtual queue one time each day. It is unclear how long this system will be in place. It is rumored that Disney will be adding FastPass+ for both rides in Galaxy’s Edge, but no timeline has been set.
Millennium Falcon: Smugglers Run
As with Rise of the Resistance, FastPass+ is not available for the ride at this time. There is a stand-by line and the virtual queue is not used for this attraction. As mentioned earlier, we did have the opportunity to ride Millennium Falcon on our recent trip. It is wise to watch the wait time patterns if you are planning a WDW vacation anytime soon. We found that the stand-by line was significantly shorter later in the day.
All aspects of a Disney vacation require careful planning, and visiting Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge is no exception. Planning a visit to this land is a bit more complex right now, as FastPass+ is not available for the rides. You will definitely be waiting in long lines for Rise of the Resistance and Millennium Falcon. If you plan to build a droid, build a lightsaber, or visit the cantina, make a reservation! You don’t want to spend your entire visit to Galaxy’s Edge waiting in line.