Photo Update: Disneyland’s Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge is ready to open!
Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge, the biggest in-park expansion in Disney Parks history, opens at the end of this month. This photo report, with shots provided by our contributor, @bioreconstruct on Twitter, takes a final overview of the area before Disneyland’s grand opening, May 31st.
With over 47 years of fandom for Star Wars and the massive fan base of Disney Parks worldwide, everyone is eagerly awaiting their turn to go to a galaxy far, far away. So, let us do a quick overview of what to expect.
Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge is the name of this land. The land’s story places guests on the planet of Batuu at the Black Spire Outpost. The entire land is in the Kylo Ren / Rey time of the Skywalker Saga. Both Walt Disney World in Florida and Disneyland California will receive this land. Both versions will be almost exactly the same with small differences in the way guests enter the land. Both parks will have two attractions, Millennium Falcon: Smuggler’s Run and Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance. They will each also have numerous shopping and dining locations, including the first ever public space to purchase alcohol in Disneyland .
Disneyland’s will open May 31st and will require guests to get a no-cost reservation to enter the land from May 31st to June 23rd. After that the land is fully open to any and all guests of the Disneyland Park. Walt Disney World’s version will open August 29th and will not require a reservation to enter.
Both parks will open in phases, with phase one including all of the shops and restaurants as well as the Millennium Falcon: Smuggler’s Run attraction. The Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance attraction will not initially open with the land and will be part of a phase two opening that is expected to happen later this year.
Now, to check out the nearly finished product in Disneyland as it prepares for its opening day. This land will be primarily located behind Frontierland, but its sheer size means that it also touches Fantasyland and Critter Country. A massive berm was built to hide the land from the rest of the park, with only the tall petrified trees (the black spires from which it gets it name) peering above.
These comparison images give a great idea as to how well the berm and tree line hides Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge from the rest of the park. An entire town rests behind those trees and the guests on the Mark Twain will not be able to tell.
Disneyland will have two entrances from Frontierland that will lead into the center of the Black Spire Outpost. And again, Disneyland has gone to great lengths to hide the new Star Wars land from the rest of the park.
When comparing the two nearly identical lands in Florida and California, you can see that while the town is built the same Walt Disney World’s version will only have one entrance on this side of the land compared the two in Disneyland.
On the opposite side of the Disneyland version we can see the entrance from Critter Country. This side will lead guests into the Resistance area on the outskirts of town. During the closed reservation period this entrance may not be used simply to make it easier for Disneyland Cast Members to guard the entrances. At Walt Disney World, this entrance will be from the Grand Avenue section.
The entire land will theoretically be split into two separate sections. One side is the Black Spire Outpost, the main town area that will house most of the merchandise and food locations. It will also be where the Millennium Falcon: Smuggler’s Run attraction will be.
Whereas the other side of the land will be the outskirts area where the Resistance army will be hiding. This area will have two X-Wings, an A-Wing, a Resistance shop and the entrance to Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance.
The Millennium Falcon, the TIE Echelon and the Sienar-Chall Utilipede-Transport Ship will be three icons easily seen in the Black Spire Outpost. This area will also feature Oga’s Cantina, the first ever public space in Disneyland to sell alcohol.
The Millennium Falcon will be parked outside of the Cantina and will easily be one of the biggest highlights of the land. Guests can see this ship from numerous angles before they enter the queue for Millennium Falcon: Smuggler’s Run to be a part of the crew that will pilot the infamous ship.
The large stand-alone building in the center of the image will offer Ronto’s Roasters and Launch Bay 7, two unique food locations in the land. Along with interesting food items, guests can also purchase land exclusive Coca-Cola bottles that were designed to fit the Star Wars universe.
On the opposite side, in the outskirts Resistance base area, we see a thick forest and numerous landing areas for starships.
Poe Dameron’s signature orange and black X-Wing can be seen here in the queue for Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance. Guests will get to view this ship before entering the blue and gray Resistance Intersystem Transport Ship to begin their journey where they will undoubtedly be captured by the First Order.
Near the entrance from Critter Country, guests will first come across a Resistance Turret, an A-Wing and an X-Wing. The green-roofed carts in the center of photo will feature Resistance merchandise for sale. Whereas the turret will be the official entrance for Fastpass and Stand-By for the Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance attraction that will open in phase two.
This final overview, showcasing all of Disneyland, helps show how Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge, in the bottom center, fits into the current layout of Disneyland. To see how this land size compares to others, like Pandora: The World of Avatar and Diagon Alley, click here.
Disneyland California’s Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge opens May 31st! Want to learn more? Check out our FAQ section that is regularly updated to help you understand all there is to know about this upcoming land.
