Experience Your Own Star Wars Story on the Planet Batuu

One of the most ambitious additions to Disneyland history is Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge, a massive land dedicated entirely to the Star Wars saga.

Walking through the Black Spire Outpost on the planet Batuu feels otherworldly. The atmosphere is thick with the sounds of spaceships flying overhead and the hum of alien chatter, making you feel as though you have truly stepped inside the Star Wars universe.

Disneyland is practically in my backyard, and my family and I have spent countless days exploring the resort. Over years of visits, we have learned the ins and outs of the parks, and we are excited to share these insights to help you plan your adventure.

Galaxy's Edge features two groundbreaking rides, several immersive restaurants, and unique snack stalls serving blue and green milk.

The architecture is an intriguing blend of the ultramodern and the ancient. You will find life-sized spaceships parked near bustling cantinas and old-fashioned bazaars. From this outpost, you can board the legendary Millennium Falcon for a smuggling run or join the fight against the First Order.

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Millennium Falcon: Smugglers Run

Before you board the "fastest hunk of junk in the galaxy," the queue winds through a gritty shipyard where mechanics are repairing vessels. Animatronic characters provide entertainment by issuing warnings about engine mishaps and potential explosions.

While the physical queue features mostly decorative buttons and levers, you can turn your phone into a "Datapad" with the Play Disney Parks app. This allows you to hack droids, scan crates, and interact with the land around you while you wait.

Traveler Tip: If the wait time is high, consider using the Single Rider line. You will likely be separated from your party and assigned the "Engineer" role, but you can often board in a fraction of the time.

Upon entering the ride staging area, a Cast Member hands you a colored boarding card with your job assignment: Pilot, Gunner, or Engineer.

In my experience, the Right Pilot is the most engaging role, as you control vertical movement and pull the lever to jump to lightspeed. The Left Pilot controls lateral movement.

The ride itself is a thrill. While it shares DNA with "Star Tours" as a flight simulator, the interactivity makes it feel much more real. You are too busy shouting commands and piloting the ship to remember you are in a simulator.

My daughter, acting as the Right Pilot, loved crashing us into spires and eventually punching it into hyperspace.

Note on Roles: Gunners have to rapidly press buttons to defend the ship, which can be chaotic. Engineers in the back row are responsible for repairing the spaceship; while less active than piloting, it allows you to observe the whole cockpit.

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Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance

This is not just a ride; it is a cinematic experience. Rise of the Resistance combines multiple ride systems—trackless vehicles, motion simulation, and drop rides—into one seamless 18-minute adventure.

Accessing this attraction has changed since it first opened. The virtual queue is no longer in use. Guests can now wait in the standby line or purchase a Lightning Lane Single Pass.

The Single Pass is an individual purchase (separate from the standard Lightning Lane Multi Pass) and prices vary by date, usually between $20 and $25. Reserving this via the Disneyland App is seamless and saves hours of waiting.

If you choose the standby line, be prepared for waits that often exceed 70 minutes. However, the queue itself is immersive, taking you through Resistance caves and briefings.

User Comment: "I'm not even a huge Star Wars fan, but when the doors opened and we were standing in a hangar with 50 Stormtroopers, my jaw hit the floor. It's the most impressive thing Disney has ever built." — Sarah J., TripAdvisor

Without spoiling the surprises: You accept a mission from BB-8 and Rey, get captured by a First Order Star Destroyer, and must escape the clutches of Kylo Ren.

Character Encounters

Galaxy's Edge eschews standard "meet and greet" lines in favor of roaming characters. You might turn a corner and bump into R2-D2 rolling through the marketplace or see Chewbacca repairing a ship.

Keep a lookout for the Mandalorian and Grogu (Baby Yoda), who frequently draw large crowds. Meanwhile, First Order Stormtroopers patrol the sector, often stopping to interrogate guests about their allegiance to the Resistance.

Did You Know? The legendary composer John Williams wrote an original symphonic suite specifically for this land. If you listen closely, you can hear these new themes blended with classic Star Wars motifs throughout the area.