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Disney’s Star Wars Land Opening Tips – Go Informed Podcast Episode 043

March 10, 2019
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Tips for the Opening of Star Wars Galaxy's Edge at Disney Parks

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Episode 43: Advice About the Opening of Star Wars Galaxy’s Edge at Disneyland and Disney World

Disney has announced the opening dates for Star Wars Land at Disneyland and Disney World! In this episode I share my thoughts about how this will impact your visit to the Disney parks, both before and after the big opening. Get my tips for how to be among the first to see Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge, or how to avoid the crowds and maybe save some money on your trip too.

Guess what?? I was wrong about something really important when I recorded this episode. Don’t miss episode 45 for an updated perspective about Star Wars Galaxy’s Edge.

These are the show notes for Go Informed Podcast episode 43. Click the Play button to listen to the episode for lots more detail about this topic.

Star Wars Land will open at both Disneyland and Disney World in 2019

Star Wars Land will be called Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge in both locations. At Disney World, Galaxy’s Edge will be in the Hollywood Studios theme park. At the Disneyland resort, Galaxy’s Edge will be in the Disneyland park.

Galaxy’s Edge opens at Disneyland on May 31, 2019. It will open at Disney World’s Hollywood Studios on August 29, 2019.

These dates are very important because not only is this when you have the chance to enter the Star Wars universe, but it will immediately impact crowds and hotel prices throughout these Disney resorts.

Booking.com

Theming in Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge

The theming will be very immersive, much like in Universal’s Wizarding World of Harry Potter. Galaxy’s Edge is supposed to be a remote outpost planet called Batuu.

Besides the main attractions, the land will feature a cantina, along with lots of other interesting food and drink options.

The merchandise is going to be unique to Star Wars Land, and the costuming and other theming will really help set the scene. Even if you don’t ride the attractions, there should be lots to see and do in this land.

Galaxy’s Edge Attractions – Be Aware That Not Everything Will Be Operating on Opening Day

There are two big attractions inside Star Wars Galaxy’s Edge.

Millennium Falcon: Smuggler’s Run gives you a chance to fly the Millennium Falcon. This ride will be open beginning on opening day of the land.

Star Wars Rise of the Resistance. Disney says “Join the resistance in a climactic battle against the First Order”. This ride will not be open when Galaxy’s Edge first launches, the opening date is still up in the air but will likely be months after the official opening date of the land.

Expect Big Crowds For a Long Time at Star Wars Land

Star Wars is a huge worldwide phenomenon. Even bigger than for Harry Potter. There are a lot of fans who can’t wait to see this new land.

The popularity of Star Wars Land is going to impact the rest of the Disney parks and resorts too. Added crowds mean that the hotels will book up faster and rooms will cost more.

Crowds will surely overflow into other parts of the parks, especially at Disneyland where there’s just fewer places for people to go, compared to Disney World.

How to Avoid the Star Wars Crowds at Disneyland and Disney World

The best way to avoid this crush is to plan your trip for before Star Wars opens. A lot of people will be waiting to go after the land opens, which means there will probably be a lull before the opening date. Watch for discounted hotel rooms and even park ticket discounts in the lead-up to the Star Wars opening.

That means if you can do it, plan your Disneyland trip for this spring, or your Disney World trip for this summer. I predict that the best prices in the Disney World hotels all summer will be in mid-August, just before Galaxy’s Edge opens.

If you can’t time your visit before the big opening date, stay away from Disneyland for at least the first six months after Galaxy’s Edge opens. At Disney World you can at least avoid some of the Star Wars crowds by staying out of the Hollywood Studios park, but the hotel prices will be affected by the heightened demand surrounding Star Wars.

Tips for How to See Star Wars Galaxy’s Edge in the First Months After Opening

It is going to be tricky to get into Galaxy’s Edge for quite awhile after it first opens. You’ll need to pack a lot of extra patience and know that there’s a chance you won’t even be able to get in.

Disney is not going to offer FastPasses for the Millennium Falcon ride at first, so everyone will have to wait in the standby queue to ride. Expect lines to last many, many hours for this ride. Even now, 2 years after the Flight of Passage ride opened, lines for that ride are regularly 5 hours or more. The Harry Potter rides at Universal can also have similar wait times on busy days. I have to believe that the Star Wars rides will be at least as popular, and with only one ride running at first the line will be extra long.

Access to Star Wars Galaxy’s Edge Will Be Limited

The only way to get into Star Wars Galaxy’s Edge at Disneyland, at least at first, will be with a pre-arranged timed reservation. You will not be able to just enter the Disneyland park and walk into Galaxy’s Edge.

And of course, just because you have one of these reservations doesn’t mean you don’t need a park ticket. You still have to have valid park entry for Disneyland on the day you go to Galaxy’s Edge.

At Disneyland, there will be a free reservation system for timed entry into Galaxy’s Edge. Disney says this system will be in affect from May 31st to June 23, 2019 – but I find it hard to believe that they will discontinue it so soon. Most likely this system will be in place for quite awhile. You can find out how it works on Disney’s website here.

Disney World hasn’t yet revealed details about how they will regulate crowds into Galaxy’s Edge. I think they’re going to wait and see how things go at Disneyland before they make these decisions. I’ll probably do a new episode once that info comes out. Watch for more info later this summer.

How to Increase Your Odds for Seeing Star Wars Land

Guests staying in a Disney hotel between May 31st and June 23rd at Disneyland will get an automatic Galaxy’s Edge entry reservation. This is the only way to be sure you’re going to get into Star Wars Land, since there’s no doubt that demand will exceed supply for the regular Star Wars reservation system. My best advice is to throw money at this problem and stay in one of the Disneyland hotels when you go to see Galaxy’s Edge.

Another way to see Galaxy’s Edge and avoid the crowds is to book a VIP tour at the park. It’s expensive, but could be well worth it if you can get special access to Star Wars Land. Disney is being vague about whether VIP tours will be able to get this access – make sure you double-check with Disney before you book it.

Info about Disneyland VIP tours here.

Info about Disney World VIP tours here.

Or Just Go To the Wizarding World at Universal Orlando Instead

This summer a new ride is coming to Hogsmeade Village at Islands of Adventure! It’s called Hagrid’s Magical Creatures Motorbike Adventure and it looks really fun. You can get a preview in this video here.

Find out all about Star Wars Galaxy’s Edge on Go Informed Podcast Episode 45

I recorded episode 45 after I visited Galaxy’s Edge and there are a ton of reasons to visit the land right now. Check out the show notes and give that episode a listen here.