What is Life Day? A celebration for Star Wars fans at Disney Parks
Observing the Wookiee holiday of Life Day has slowly become a more significant celebration for Star Wars fans over the last few years. Disney Parks has caught on to this desire to celebrate the occasion and offer several opportunities to recognize this special day.
What is Life Day?
StarWars.com says Life Day is “a long-standing Wookiee tradition that celebrates the values and tenets of Wookiee culture.”
Taking it a step further, an announcement from Disney Parks explains, “Following the fall of the Empire and the Wookiees’ subsequent liberation, Life Day took on a new meaning. Inspired by the Wookiees’ courage, cultures all across the galaxy – from the Core Worlds to the Outer Rim and beyond – adopted the holiday and made it their own. It’s now generally celebrated with festive décor, twinkling string lights, music, special food, and more. It’s a time for everyone – regardless of your heritage – to come together as one in honor of freedom and peace, love and togetherness.”
Life Day celebrations can occur wherever you may be, but if you visit Disney Parks on Nov. 17th, the official day of observance for Life Day, you may be in for a treat.
Life Day Offerings at Disney Parks
In past years, Disney Parks offered many opportunities to enjoy the day, including food and drink specials, merchandise, and photo ops.
At Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge in Disneyland Park, guests will be able to enjoy special foods and beverages throughout Batuu.
These limited time offerings include:
- Kashyyyk Cake at Docking Bay 7 Food and Cargo
- Cheesy Blue Orbs at Ronto Roasters
- Life Day Cheese Branch at Kat Saka’s Kettle
- Joh Blastoh Sangria Gocola and Millaflower Toast at Oga’s Cantina
Guests at Disneyland will also be able to purchase a special Life Day edition of the famous reusable spork that sent fans into a frenzy when it debuted a few years back. Life Day food and beverages are available through Jan. 9, 2024, and the Life Day Spork is available as long as the supply lasts at Docking Bay 7 Food and Cargo.
Merchandise Celebrating Life Day
This year’s limited edition Life Day merchandise has been mostly released on shopDisney.com. A few notable exceptions include a fleece throw with sleeves and a Chewbacca figure, both of which are available online, at Disneyland, and at Walt Disney World.
A few pieces of merchandise will be available to purchase at the parks on Nov. 17, 2023, including the Stellan Gios Legacy Lightsaber Hilt and comic book set, which will be available in the parks on both coasts (as well as online).
A new Han Solo and Chewbacca Life Day Sketchbook Ornament and the limited release Star Wars Life Day 2023 Holiday Pin will only be available online or at Disneyland Resort.
A Life Day photo opportunity is available in Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge at Disney’s Hollywood Studios and Disneyland Park on Nov. 17, 2023. Guests can utilize a “magic shot” experience where they appear to be holding a glowing orb in their hands.
Did You Know?
Life Day was featured in the 1978 Star Wars Holiday Special, but it only became official Star Wars canon when Mythrol (Horatio Sanz) laments that he’s going to miss Life Day in the first episode of The Mandalorian.
Offerings for this year’s Life Day may vary, but one thing is for sure. The galaxy will come together to recognize this special day year after year, and so will Disney Parks.
