Jedi Master Level Tips for Star Wars: Galaxy's Edge at Disneyland California (2024)

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Often simply called Star Wars land, Galaxy’s Edge is a place for all fans. Once you step in, you’ll be transported to the planet of Batuu and its Black Spire Outpost. The visuals and environment are immersive and compelling but for first timers especially, there are many secrets hidden in plain sight.

In our Galaxy’s Edge guide in Disneyland, we share essential tips you need to know before you punch it to Batuu. Whether you’re with the Resistance, Empire, or some kind of Kessel Running scoundrel, these tips will allow you to maximize your time on the planet.

25 Disneyland’s Galaxy’s Edge Tips

There are so many great first timer guides out there for Galaxy’s Edge, so instead of repeating the basics, we’re going to jump to hyperspace so you can get right to the important tips.

By the end of this list of tips, you’ll take the leap from youngling to Jedi Master (or Darth) just like that!

For the purposes of this guide, we’ll be focusing on Disneyland in Anaheim, California. This matters because there are some subtle differences between here and Walt Disney World in Orlando, Florida.

Why you need this Galaxy’s Edge guide

There’s certainly something to be said for going into Galaxy’s Edge wide-eyed and with no expectations. However, from our first visit to Galaxy’s Edge, we walked away from our time there, wishing we had some prior knowledge of how to best maximize the experience.

Sneakily, I almost feel like Galaxy’s Edge and the rest of the Star Wars-related experiences in the park are designed to be something you need to uncover yourself, increasing its “replay-ability”, but if you’re like us, you want to know as much as possible before jumping in.

Galaxy’s Edge Tip #1: Book Galaxy’s Edge Workshops and Cantina Ahead of Time

The marquee experiences at Galaxy’s Edge are Savi’s Workshop, Droid Depot, and the Oga’s Cantina. The thing is, it’s easy to miss the fact that reservations are required and so if you just show up, you’ll likely miss your chance to do them.

To make your reservations, you’ll want to go to these individual Disney pages for the experiences. You will need a Disneyland account but you do not need a ticket purchased to make a reservation. Do this ASAP!

• Savi’s Workshop – This is an immersive experience where you’ll be able to build your own lightsaber.
• Droid Depot – Walk into a a droid-building assembly line where you’ll be able create your own creation by combining different droid parts. Once assembled, you’ll see it come to life.
• Oga’s Cantina – Live out your dream of hanging out in a bar that’s just like the cantina on Tatooine.

With Savi’s Workshop, Droid Depot, an Oga’s Cantina, reservations open up 60 days in advance and you pay in full. It’s worth noting that if you miss your reservation, you won’t get a refund. If plans change, cancel your reservations at least a day in advance.

You’ll notice that the page says “Valid Theme Park Admission Required”. However, the booking system does not actually cross-match with existing tickets on your account. This is merely a warning message. As a result, for booking any of these experiences, you can technically reserve them before you purchase your Disneyland admission.

Admittedly, we didn’t even realize this until a few days before our visit. Luckily, there were some spots available for Savi’s Workshop and Droid Depot but Oga’s Cantina was fully booked.

Galaxy’s Edge Tip #2: Workshop and Oga’s Cantina Same Day Availability

If you missed reservations for Savi’s Workshop, Droid Depot, or Oga’s Cantina, there’s still a chance so don’t give up.

Oga’s Cantina is the easiest because they have a Walk-Up List. Through the Disneyland app, you can get in on standby. That said, don’t wait too late in the day because they do get to a point where they are so busy that you can’t even list yourself on standby.

To do this, simply open the Disneyland app when you’re nearby (it won’t let you do this if you’re far away) and browse to “Oga’s Cantina”. Tap on “Join Walk-Up List” and you’ll be notified when to return. You will also receive text messages to let you know that you’re on the list, and when your table is ready to ensure you don’t miss a thing.

The wait times will fluctuate but in our case, it took only 20 minutes so even if the line looks long, it’s really not too bad of a wait.

The advantage of Walk-Up List is that you’ll be able to roam around the park and the text message will let you know when to get to the back of the Oga’s Cantina queue.

For Droid Depot, we’ve noticed that they are the least busy of all 3 bookable experiences in Galaxy’s Edge. Your chances are pretty good in terms of using the app to find same-day bookings.

Lastly, there’s Savi’s Workshop. As this is a high-ticket booking, they will have open slots the day prior and the day of. Of course, the later you wait, the less options you’ll have, but it’s definitely possible.

In both the Droid Depot and Savi’s Workshop case, there is no Walk-Up List ability so it is a matter of checking the app frequently for cancellations and new openings. You can also drop by the locations themselves to ask for availability, but it’d be the same as what you see on the app.

That said, if you’re out of luck and things are looking bad on the app, it might be worth showing up at specific time slots to see if there are last minute no-shows.

Galaxy’s Edge Tip #3: Know The Secrets of the Lightsaber

If you’re like us, it almost seemed like a rite of passage to build a lightsaber at Savi’s Workshop. If there’s a time and place to get a lightsaber, it’s at Disneyland’s Galaxy’s Edge.

For us, we didn’t do any research ahead of time which certainly gave us a more pure fan experience but in retrospect, I really wish we were more prepared.

Savi’s Workshop is more complicated than you think

You don’t know what you don’t know, they say, and when it comes to Savi’s Workshop, ignorance is bliss, but especially when your trip to Disneyland is once-in-a-lifetime, or you don’t expect to be back for awhile, you kind of want all the cards on the table.

The truth is, at Savi’s Workshop, if you don’t know how it all works, you’ll end up having to make several snap decisions that are irreversible. There are also a few “secrets” that are incredibly easy to miss.

Decisions to make before you go

As far as Savi’s Workshop goes, make sure you’ve decided on the following:

Light or dark – This is something I think most will inherently know already ahead of time but if you don’t, it’ll be good to think about this ahead of time before so you don’t panic in the moment. If you stick to traditional builds, the side you choose will guide you through the selections below.

Theme – There are 4 different styles. Each has a distinct look and is a pretty important choice as you won’t be able to change this.

• Peace and Justice – Closest to Luke Skywalker’s lightsaber and I’d say this is the most traditional design.
• Elemental Nature – This is meant to look like it was made from repurposed material such as wood, bones, and teeth. It’s very much the type of lightsaber that a wookie (like Gungi) would build.
• Protection and Defense – This is perhaps the most ornate lightsaber and predominantly gold and copper. It’s more elegantly designed with inscriptions in ur-Kittât that say “Force Wielder”. The design is reminiscent of lightsabers wielded by Jedi Temple guards.
• Power and Control – The only choice that is clearly for the dark side (Sith). It is predominantly black and has lots of pointy parts.

Selections within the theme – When you are in the workshop, you’ll be given a tray of parts or “scraps” to choose from. This will further allow for customization of your lightsaber. You’ll have to pick:

• 2 of 4 sleeves
• 1 of 2 emitters
• 1 of 2 pommel caps
• 1 or 2 sets of activation plates and switches

PRO TIP: They normally show you the different themes on a laminated sheet of paper but you can ask to see the lightsaber pieces in person. There are drawers on both sides of the desk and they can explain them to you or they’re very happy to have you check them out in person.

Souvenir Pin – Depending on the theme you select, you’ll get a corresponding cloisonné pin in addition to a card that identifies your group. You get to keep this pin! While this probably won’t affect your decision of theme, it’s worth taking a look at their designs.

Kyber Crystal – Kyber crystals are what give the lightsaber its power. Practically speaking, the crystal color is reflective of the blade’s color and subtly unique hum. When you’re inside the workshop, one of the early steps is to pick a crystal. They will offer you one of 4 colors. You don’t have a lot of time to think when it’s your turn so you definitely want to know beforehand.

• Green – Yoda, Qui-Gon Jinn, Luke Skywalker, and Luminara Unduli
• Blue – Obi-Wan Kenobi, Anakin Skywalker, Plo Koon, Cal Kestis, and Rey
• Purple – Mace Windu, and General Grevious
• Red – Kylo Ren, Darth Vader, Asajj Ventress, Darth Bane, Second Sister, and Grand Inquisitor

Can you make a double-wielded lightsaber? No, unfortunately they don’t offer this option for the workshop. That said, there are special lightsabers you can buy at Dok-Ondar’s Den of Antiquities that will allow the joining of two lightsabers. Currently, the only lightsabers that can be joined via an included accessory are Asajj Ventress, Cal Kestis, and Darth Maul.

PRO TIP: While it does look quite cool in person, from a photography perspective, we quickly learned that blue is very difficult to capture on camera. If you plan on taking a lot of photos, I wouldn’t recommend the blue kyber crystal.

Know the rules of Savi’s Workshop

There are a few other details that are worth knowing about Savi’s Workshop.

• You are only allowed 2 guest per lightsaber builder (versus 1 guest allowed at Disney World in Florida).
• You have to be at least 5 to build a lightsaber.
• If you are under 7, you have to be accompanied by someone over the age of 14.
• Lightsabers are not refundable.
• The reservation requires a credit card but you pay when you check-in at Savi’s Workshop.

The lightsaber components change from time to time and differs from park to park as well. For instance, the Protection and Defense parts were recently changed in 2023.

DID YOU KNOW: Savi’s Workshop at Disneyland ($219) is $30 cheaper than at Disney World ($249).

From the price discount to the allowing of 2 guests, we definitely think Disneyland is the better place to do Savi’s Workshop.

Get in on the secrets of kyber crystals

If you do Savi’s Workshop, you’ll have your choice of 4 kyber crystals but there are actually more available. These can be found at Dok-Ondar’s Den of Antiquities and you will most likely have to ask the staff at the counter to buy them.

The current Series 2 of kyber crystals cost $17.99 and the additional colors are:

• White – Ashoka, Krin Dagbard, and Orla Jareni
• Yellow – Temple Guard, Rey, and Indeera Stokes
• Cracked Red (chase) – Kylo Ren
• Cracked Blue (chase) – Ben Solo
• Black – Snoke (Series 1) Darth Sidious (Series 2).

New for Series 2 are the idea of cracked kyber crystals. These aren’t physically cracked but have an outer and inner shell with 2 colours. They are “chase” crystals because they have lower odds to get. Currently, there’s no information on what the odds actually are.

There is also another secret. A rare black kyber crystal exists and they are randomly placed in red kyber crystal capsules. While the odds aren’t stated, many have estimated that the odds used to be 1 in 100 but might be closer to 1 in 7 now. If you are intent on getting a black kyber crystal, make sure to buy a bunch of red ones while you are there.

In addition to the colors, there are several “cuts” of the crystal too, from thin, medium, to thick. These aren’t as important unless you’re looking to collect them all but if you’re curious, there’s someone that’s literally tracked all the details of kyber crystals.

Not only can these kyber crystals be placed in your lightsaber, you can also purchase a Jedi or Sith Holocron and when inserted, it’ll play wisdom from different Star Wars characters. So in reality, each kyber crystal, not only contains information about its color, but also a specific character. That’s why we’ve listed characters for each crystal.

When you break it down, there are tons of versions of crystals. Of course, when you shop around Dok-Ondar’s Den of Antiquities, none of this laid out for you, and disappointingly, Savi’s Workshop doesn’t explain this either, so you either need to know beforehand or you need to ask the staff.

PRO TIP: You can’t buy kyber crystals outside of Disney parks. For Disneyland specifically, you can buy them at Dok-Ondar’s Den of Antiquities and also the Trading Post in Downtown Disney. There are kyber crystals on eBay but there’s a hefty mark up.

Buying Legacy Lightsabers

In Dok-Ondar’s Den of Antiquities, under the glass counter are special character-based lightsabers from the Star Wars Universe. Let’s call all of them legacy lightsabers (hilts to be specific since a majority don’t come with blades) even though they might not all be labelled that way.

These are worth noting because perhaps you’re a collector, or if you think you’d much rather wield your favorite hero or villain’s lightsaber instead of building your own, this might be a better option instead of feeling torn about spending more money after Savi’s Workshop.

They have A LOT of legacy lightsabers. On our recent trip, we saw hilts from Count Dooku, Luke Skywalker, Anakin Skywalker, Yoda, Leia, Obi-Wan Kenobi, Rey, Kylo Ren, Plo Koon, and more. Do your research and know which one you might be interested in getting but have a few shortlisted so you can pick from one that’s available.

These start at $109 but we’ve heard that Disney has been increasing their prices over the years.

PRO TIP: Be on the lookout for discounts. While we were there, Ezra Bridger’s lightsaber was 30% off.

What about the blade? Legacy lightsabers don’t come with the blade so you’ll have to pay extra. You can choose between a 26″ and 36″. Compatibility-wise, most lightsabers work with the standard blades but there are some Legacy lightsabers that have their own blades because their hilts are unique such as for Yoda, Ashoka, and the Darksaber. It’s worth noting that there’s a 31″ blade but you can only get it from doing Savi’s Workshop.

Do you need a kyber krystal? No, these character-specific lightsabers are pre-programmed so when you insert the blade, it will glow in the appropriate color.

Is stock guaranteed at Dok-Ondar’s Den of Antiquities? There’s unfortunately no guarantee to what will be available at Dok-Ondar’s Den of Antiquities on any given day. There are surprisingly lots of people buying these and as a result stock changes fast.

Can you buy them online? Yes, you can buy some legacy lightsabers online on the Disney Store.

Can you buy them in-stores outside of Disneyland? Yes, the Star Wars Trading Post in Downtown Disney also sells legacy lightsabers but their selection may be a bit more limited.

What are the pros and cons of getting a legacy lightsaber? The advantage is that you’re getting beautifully made replica hilts and they come with a matching hard case and stand (only some). The disadvantage is that you need to pay extra for a blade and sheath. They also aren’t built for kyber crystals so you can’t customize the color. Of course, by buying a legacy lightsaber, you’re also missing the immersive part of Savi’s Workshop.

Alternative lightsaber options

So what if you want to rock a lightsaber while at Galaxy’s Edge but don’t want to pay the hefty cost of Savi’s Workshop? There are alternatives that we’ll list:

• Bring your own – There are so many lightsabers on the market, you can easily buy one on Amazon, or any another retailer that carries them. The high end products are The Black Series Force FX Elite and there are tons of toy options.
• The Star Trader (Toys) – In Tomorrowland, there’s an comprehensive Star Wars souvenir store. Inside, there are off-the-shelf toy lightsabers.
• The Star Trader (Build Your Own Lightsaber) – The Star Trader also has a special kiosk where you can mix and match different components to create your lightsaber. This is the budget version of Savi’s Workshop where the components are all plastic and effectively Hasbro’s old Ultimate Lightsaber product. This isn’t an immersive experience. Instead, you walk around the stand, pick up parts and assemble it yourself. Single lightsabers are $34.99. You can also build deluxe versions of lightsabers (Kylo Ren style) and dual lightsabers. It also comes with a belt clip. These are the toy blades that collapse into the hilt and expand out when you swing it.
• First Order Cargo – In the Black Spire Outpost area of Galaxy’s Edge is a store that sells all things First Order. When I went, they didn’t have any lightsabers but you will find a shield and baton combo.
• Star Wars Trading Post (Toys) – Outside of the park in Downtown Disneyland, you can buy lightsabers at this store. The options will be pretty similar to The Star Trader.
• Star Wars Trading Post (Build Your Own Lightsaber) – This kiosk is similar to The Star Trader but much smaller and seems even more rudimentary with fewer parts and options to choose from.

Honestly, these are great options for anyone that doesn’t want to break the bank with a lightsaber and want to rock one while at Disneyland and Galaxy’s Edge specifically. What you’ll appreciate about the toy lightsabers are that the blades are collapsible, so they are much easier to pack into the suitcase.

Phew that was a lot of details about the lightsabers but we hope that helps guide your planning process.

Galaxy’s Edge Tip #4: Play With The DataPad in Galaxy’s Edge

The Disneyland app is must-have when you’re visiting but did you know that there’s another app called Play Disney?

I only learned about this app because I stumbled upon it when searching the App Store – that’s how secret it is.

This mobile app is multi-purpose and is designed to house all of the mini-games that you pairs with your experience in the park or at home. One of them is the Star Wars: Datapad.

How does it work? Once you’re in the app, look for Star Wars: Datapad. When open and in Galaxy’s Edge, you’ll be able to take on different contracts. The range from hacking, scanning, and tuning for either the Resistance, First Order, or a Scoundrel. Once you accept your contract, you’ll be guided to complete a specific task. Some will you require to walk around Batuu but others you can just scan for things in your area and try to complete them on the fly.

The games themselves are rather rudimentary but they’re a mix of placing different shaped blocks into the right spots, angling your phone the right way to tune an antenna, and connecting circuit paths.

There are also games specific to Rise of the Resistance and Millennium Falcon: Smuggler’s Run that are meant to be played while you’re waiting in line. They show up as a separate game in the app but both lead you to the Datapad.

What do you get from completing tasks? Play this doesn’t lead to any physical awards but is more of a side-quest that has you build up credits, and you get to collect equipment, star maps, schematics, droid data, transmissions, and titles. As you play, you’ll also start building a reputation for whichever faction you lean towards. By completing some tasks, you might hear a special beep or a panel light up but unfortunately that’s the extent of the reward.

Is it worth playing? It’s a fun game to play to get you to explore the smaller details of the park. Most of the panels and objects with QR codes on them don’t seem to mean anything, that is until you play Star Wars: Datapad. You’ll enjoy the interactivity but the tasks are quite repetitive. I can’t see most people playing too much unless you’re a completionist.

Similar to building up points in Super Nintendo World, it’s fun to try to complete complete your collection and increase your credits over multiple visits to Disneyworld.

If you don’t see yourself coming back often, this might be the kind of thing where you play around with the different types of tasks to see what it’s about and move on.

Galaxy’s Edge Tip #5: Play Batuu Bounty Hunters

Take the Disney Play app to the next level with another game called Batuu Bounty Hunters. This game has a different mechanic to the Star Wars: Datapad and also requires you to own a MagicBand+.

The MagicBand+ is sort of like the Power-Up Band in Super Nintendo World except it’s meant to be used in the entire park and has a lot more functionality. Not only can they interact with statues, they light up and vibrate in-sync with certain shows, can be used to pay, acts as your room key if staying on a Disney World property, and acts as your ID for ticket entry, PhotoPass, and Lightning Lane.

Where can you buy MagicBand+? You can only buy them at Disneyland at places such as Main Street Emporium, Frontier Mercantile, Elias & Co, and World of Disney in Downtown Disney. You can also buy them online on Disney Shop, but they don’t ship internationally. Prices range from $34.99-$64.99 depending on the design.

How does it work? To the right of the landspeeder garage is a bounty board. After you tap your MagicBand+, you’ll receive an assignment on the display. The you move closer to your bounty, the band will light up green or it’ll turn red if you head the wrong direction. In a way, it’s kind of like the “hot and cold” game we used to play as kids.

Your bounties are scattered around the Black Spire Outpost. Following the light and vibrations of MagicBand+, you’ll eventually find the area that they’re located where you’ll hold your band to it, followed by opening up the Thermal Viewer on the Disney Play app. Your MagicBand+ will turn purple when you uncover the hidden bounty.

When you’re done, you head to the area that guild master, Raga Bua, is located where you’ll be rewarded galactic credits. This is to the right of the Bounty Board.

Is the game worth it? The game is fun as another layer of immersion in Galaxy’s Edge but because it requires a MagicBand+, it probably won’t be worth it for most people, especially if you don’t have plans to return to Disneyland or Disney World for awhile.

Similar to Star Wars: Datapad, it’s a fun game to play on the side if you have time. You’ll definitely need to carve out time in your schedule to play it but the MagicBand+ might be prohibitive for most visitors.

PRO TIP: It’s actually kind of hard to see the color of the band in the bright of day so it might make sense to play this at night.

Galaxy’s Edge Tip #6: Millennium Falcon: Smuggler’s Run

If it’s your first time on the Millennium Falcon: Smuggler’s Run ride, you might be caught off-guard by the different roles that are available. We love that they designed it this way so you can ride it a number of times and have a different experience but not all roles are created equal.

Here are the 3 different flight crew roles available:

As you can tell, there tasks for each role are completely different and are located in different areas of the co*ckpit.

Which role has the best view? I wouldn’t say there are any obstructed views but the most immersive experience is up front in the pilot’s seat.

Which role is the most fun? This is completely subjective. If you’re a gamer and want to have complete control, the pilot role is for you. That said, I found that the controls gave me too much freedom. Make any mistakes and your co*ckpit will shake violently and you won’t have a good chance to succeed in the task. Piloting takes careful precision and skill. If you’d rather just enjoy the ride and press buttons when you’re told to, Gunner and Engineer are best suited for you.

Which is the most popular role? The pilot is the most popular, followed by gunner, and then engineer.

Can you pick which role you want? This is done by committee. If you’re a full group of 6, you’ll be able to discuss amongst yourselves but most likely, you’ll join with other groups. If you want to be pilot, it’s best to show your enthusiasm and ask for it right away (when your group forms in inside the Falcon).

PRO TIP #1: If you’re keeping score, take a photo of the the score at the end and pay attention to prompts to see a more detailed breakdown of the store as it requires you to tap one of your buttons.

Galaxy’s Edge Tip #7: Don’t Sleep on Star Tours

Okay, I know this isn’t technically in Galaxy’s Edge but Star Tours – The Adventure Continues in Tomorrowland is low-key kind of amazing.

Sure, the motion simulator ride itself was originally introduced in 1987, and was upgraded to 3D in 2011, but the key part of it is that they’ve continuously added more sequences to it to match up with new TV shows and movies.

As a passenger on a StarSpeeder 1000, the core of the idea is that you’re space travellers on a transport ship but with the discovery of a Rebel spy onboard (they actually take a photo and put a spotlight on an actual rider), the goal is to bring them back to safety.

What massively makes this a repeatable experience is that the simulation comprises of 4 stages: departing the docking bay, arriving at the primary destination, receiving a hologram transmission, and rendezvous with rebels to engage in battle. When you do the math, there are 1500 different possible ride experiences.

In 2024, they added new sequences to Star Tours involving Ashoka, the Mandalorian with Grogu, and Cassian Andor which shows Disney’s commitment to keeping it fresh and also layering in what’s currently going on in the Star Wars universe.

Sure, the 3D glasses are a bit cheesy, but there’s an 1980’s charm to the pre-ride queue, and it’s always a surprise what combination you get. That is why this is a ride that you’ll want to go on 2, 3, or more times.

Galaxy’s Edge Tip #8: Utilize Package Check Service

Not advertised anywhere is Disneyland’s Package Check Service. This means that any purchase you make at Disneyland can be left at a specific location to be picked up when you’re ready to leave or at the end of the night.

In Disneyland, the locations are:

• Pioneer Mercantile
• Port Royal
• The Star Trader

In talking to the staff, they mentioned that the Droid Depot in Galaxy’s Edge has this as well but I wasn’t able to confirm this.

The requirement for them to hold items is that you need to have the receipts for those items. This means it has to have been purchased on that day. They will not store other items for you.

Galaxy’s Edge Tip #9: Shipping Service Can Come In Handy

If you end up going on a shopping spree at Disneyland, they also have a shipping service, another service that isn’t well publicized.

There may be multiple places in the park that offer shipping services including:

• First Order Cargo
• Any of the big stores on Main Street, Fantasyland, or Tomorrowland including The Star Trader

They can ship any items that you have a receipt for which means they have to have been purchased at Disneyland on the day of. You will need receipts for every single item so make sure to keep them handy.

As you can see from the rate chart, there’s a domestic table and international table. On the domestic side, there are 2 levels of service, and a special rate for Alaska and Hawaii.

Interestingly, the shipping prices don’t match the rates of the carrier they use, UPS. Instead, they do it strictly on the value of the items you’re sending.

You can supposedly do this all the way until park closing. However, when we asked First Order Cargo at the end of the night, they said the last chance to ship was 11:30PM for midnight park closure.

Can you bring lightsabers on planes? Yes, while we originally were thinking of shipping them back to Toronto, after learning how to disconnect the blade and taping down the excess fabric of the lightsaber carrying case that came with Savi’s Workshop and we had no issues going through security, boarding the plane, and going through customs. That said, we’ve read that some discount carriers like Spirit are strict about these items.

Galaxy’s Edge Tip #10: Rock Your Lightsabers at Night

Visiting Batuu and the Black Spire Outpost is incredible during the day but it truly comes alive at night when everything is lit and everyone is running amok with their lightsabers. Whether you’re on the Light or Dark Side, in darkness is when your blade truly shines.

Aside from the fun photo opportunities, the reason why there’s so much FOMO around having a lightsaber is because it is pretty awesome to activate your lightsaber with your friends and duel with strangers.

The best part is that you don’t have to feel awkward about it either because everyone else has their lightsaber on.

Don’t be shy. Strike a pose, practice your lightsaber skills, and add in those vwooooom…vwoom…vwwwoooom… sound effects.

Galaxy’s Edge Tip #11: Make use of PhotoPass with Genie+

One of the big advantages of Genie+ in Disneyland is that the PhotoPass service is included free of charge whereas this is an extra add-on in Orlando’s Disney World.

From experience, we’ve found that the photographers (called Image Scanners) in Galaxy’s Edge are excellent. Not only are they super friendly, but they are really good at posing individuals and groups to get the best shot. Also, when comparing to the photographers you’ll find at the start of Main Street and by Walt Disney statue, they are not as busy.

Unique to Galaxy’s Edge is that photographers have access to Star Wars-themed Magic Shots where they layer in characters into the photo. A few examples are bounties showing up on a holopuck, BB-8 giving you a thumbs up, C1-10P flexing, and X-Wings in the sky.

Image Scanners only work until 10PM so make sure to not wait too long

Where are PhotoPass photographers located? You’ll find photographers right in front of Millennium Falcon, by the doors of Docking Bay 7 Food and Cargo, across from Oga’s Cantina, and another on the far west entrance to Black Spire Outpost. They might not always be there though so you’ll need to roam around.

How do you access PhotoPass photos? After the photographer takes they will scan your PhotoPass Code that’s on your Disneyland app. Photos can sometimes appear as quickly as 30 minutes later but some take 1-2 hours. Photos stay on your account for 45 days but you can pay for a one-time extension to 60 days (after the photos have expired).

Can you guarantee what holopuck character you get? No, the Image Scanners can’t tell what character you got but what they can do is take a bunch of photos with that Magic Shot feature activated so that at least one of them is since it’s on a rotation.

Galaxy’s Edge Tip #12: Plan Around Star Wars Nite or Season of the Force

For the ultimate fan, you might want to plan your entire trip around some of the special events that happen at Disneyland.

As you know May 4th is an important date in the Star Wars calendar. What Disneyland has done is expanded this to something that they call the Season of the Force which runs from early April to early June (April 5 – June 2 in 2024).

Coinciding with this period are special Star Wars Nite events that’s part of the Disneyland After Dark event series. These are usually 8 select nights in April and May where the whole park will be Star Wars-themed including restaurant menus change, special entertainment, extensive character meets, and more. This is the only time where cosplay and costume outfits of all designs are highly encouraged!

With Star Wars Nite, you get to enter the park starting at 6PM and mix in with the rest of the theme park crowd. You’ll check in to get special badges and eventually, the regular guests will be ushered out. The party then starts from 9PM to 1AM.

Galaxy’s Edge Tip #13: Look For Easter Eggs

The Outer Rim Territories of Batuu is filled with easter eggs spanning all Star Wars movies, TV shows, and references to its history with Disney. There ware way too many to list out but here are some of our favourites that you should try to spot.

• Dionoga – By the water fountain in the Batuu Marketplace, when you drink from it, the dionoga will poke its head around in the pipe above. If you translate the Aurebesh (using the Datapad) by the water bottle, it says “This water is not safe to consume for most lifeforms. Please drink with caution.”
• Oga’s Cantina – When you go, wait for Batuu’s traditional drinking song, called “Una Duey Dee” which is sung by Kra Mer 5. Everyone gets into it by banging on the table and singing along. I also love that you’ll find the Mynock here as well, the creatures that much on power cables in Empire Strikes Back inside the space slug embedded in the asteroid. Also, notice how the taps are made from the heads of the IG-88 bounty hunter droid.
• Garbage Cans – There are many Star Wars-themed garbage cans in Batuu and you’ll notice that there’s the numbers “3263827” below them. In the trash compactor scene in A New Hope, that’s the number Luke yells at C-3PO over the communicator to indicate the hatch number.
• Dok-Ondar’s Den of Antiquities – This shop is full of gems from Star Wars including taxidermy of many creatures including a wampa, the Mandalorian logo, nexu cat, Hera’s Kalikori, and so much more. There’s even a golden bust of Jar Jar Binks. You’ll also find The Ark of the Covenant from Indiana Jones: Raiders of the Lost Ark if you look carefully.
• Droid Depot – There are tons of recognizable droids here including the Imperial enforcer droid (K-2SO from Rogue One. As you make your way through droid alley, there are also tracks on the ground made by R2-D2 which were apparently done with the actual prop.
• Docking Bay 7 Food and Cargo – One of the dining tables here is an X-Wing S-Foil and on the roof of the food delivery vehicle are the numbers 77, 80, and 83, corresponding to the release dates of the original trilogy.
• Toydarian Toymaker– This is one of the shops in the marketplace but notice how everything is meant to be handmade items by the Toydarian, Zabaka (same species as Watto). In addition to a hand-stiched porg, Yoda rag doll, wooden sandcrawlers, and Ewok drums, you’ll also see hanging from the ceiling marionettes of the original trilogy.

When you go, see how many references you can spot!

Galaxy’s Edge Tip #14: Genie+ is your friend

While we still think that Genie+ is overly complicated for newcomers to the park, it’s still something we highly recommend for your visit to Disneyland.

To complement the helpful practical guide to Genie+ in our Disneyland for Star Wars Fans, here are reasons why Genie+ will help you in Galaxy’s Edge.

• PhotoPass is the most valuable part of Genie+ because you’ll be able to come away from Galaxy’s Edge with some amazing photos.
• Genie+ can help you strategically book Lightning Lane for Millennium Falcon: Smuggler’s Run especially when the standby line is very long.
• While the line for Star Tours is never really that long, Genie+ gives you a free pass to walk right in on Lightning Lane at any given time.

You’ll notice that I don’t include Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance in here because they have what’s called “Individual Lightning Lane” which is something you need to purchase for $26-$30 and you don’t need Genie+ to do it.

Galaxy’s Edge Tip #15: Don’t Rope Drop Galaxy’s Edge

We cover this more in-depth in our Disneyland itinerary guide but many people will often ask the question of where they should go first when the park opens.

The strategy of rope drop is essentially one where you are there right when the park opens. 30-45 minutes before actual opening, the turnstiles open, allowing guests to enter the park and onto Main Street. You’ll be able to walk all the way to Central Plaza where Disney Cast Members have a physical rope that prevent you from going any further. At this point, you wait with the crowd and once the opening hour arrives, they literally drop the rope and then there’s a mad free-for-all where everyone rushes to their first destination.

The Force will be strong with the temptation of going to Galaxy’s Edge first but in a bit of reverse psychology, you know that other people (that don’t read these guides) are thinking the same thing.

The thing is, even if you’re at the front of rope drop, the combination of the time to walk there ride length of the two major attractions means that you’ll be missing the shorter wait times for other areas of the park.

Your best use of the early morning time is to actually head to Tomorrowland at rope drop if you’re a Star Wars fan.

When you look at our 1-day itinerary of Disneyland, you’ll see that in the morning, you can ride Star Tours multiple times, Buzz Lightyear Astro Blasters, and Space Mountain in rapid succession in the first hour. This is in part because so many people head straight to Batuu, leaving less people to start in Tomorrowland.

Galaxy’s Edge Tip #16: Interacting With Your Favorite Characters

One of my favourite parts about Galaxy’s Edge are the encounters you can have with Star Wars characters. They come out at random times throughout the day so you can’t plan for it but when they are out and about, it’s fun to just be an observer and see how they interact with visitors.

What you’ll love about it is that they are often quite spontaneous and often personalized based on what you say to them, how you answer their questions, what you’re wearing, or what you’re doing in that particular moment.

Resistance characters are easy to approach for photos and they’re particularly great with kids. Chewie can be quite friendly but if you are obviously supporting the First Order with your clothing such as a pin or t-shirt, he might try to pretend to rip your arm out. Rey is often trying to dodge First Order troops so you might be pulled in to help her out.

Our favourite interactions are usually with the First Order. Typically, stormtroopers accompany Kylo Ren in the streets of the Black Spire Outpost near the TIE Echelon shuttle. I highly encourage you to follow them around as they will ask things like “Hold! That is quite the likeness!”, “Do you support the Resistance?”, “Will you accept the power of the Dark Side?”, “We believe the Resistance is active here. If you see something, will you report it to the First Order?”.

If you want to be extra prepared, you can think of different lines you can say to the Resistance or First Order to try to elicit a response. You can try to perform a Jedi Mind Trick on stormtroopers, you can let Rey know where Kylo Ren is, or you can make up a story about how you support one of the factions.

Lastly, Kylo Ren’s patrol with a First Order officer and stormtroopers eventually leads to the TIE Echelon where he roughs up the officer because of poor performance. This is more of a show than an interaction but is a cool part of what you can see.

Overall, Disneyland’s approach here is less of a formal character meet but instead is something that feels more natural and authentic to the universe.

Galaxy’s Edge Tip #17: Use Mobile Ordering

They’re truly made the Disneyland app an indispensable part of the park experience. In addition to everything we’ve mentioned so far, they’ve incorporated food ordering into it as well.

Between Docking Bay 7 Food and Cargo, Milk Stand, and Ronto Roasters, you can jump into the app and put your food and drink order in which means you can bypass the line up completely.

In addition to ordering food on the spot, you can also schedule orders for later in the day. The app allows you to select 15 minute time slots and when the time comes, you just show up and the food will be ready for you. The app is also good at reminding you when it’s time to go.

What if you’re going to be late for your scheduled order? They make it super easy to change the time of your pick up. You simply go back to the Disneyland app, choose another time, and that’s it!

Do you have to be close to the restaurant to order? No, you could be on the other side of Disneyland when you put this order in. If you’re good about anticipating your next moves, you can have your food ready to be picked up just in time for your arrival.

Mobile ordering can save you a ton of time.

Galaxy’s Edge Tip #18: Know The Disney Bounding Rules

You might be tempted to do a full Star Wars cosplay at Galaxy’s Edge but you need to know the rules about this.

• If you are 14 and under, you are allowed to wear costumes
• If you are 15 and above, you can only dress on-theme in street clothes (called Disney Bounding)

Disney has a great article that explains Disney Bounding but essentially they adults to wear traditional clothing items that pay tribute to Star Wars but can’t be include full robes, body armor, helmets, masks, blasters (lightsabers are allowed though), face paint, or any sort of full character suit (i.e. Chewbacca).

The exception is for special events such as Star Wars Nite mentioned earlier.

Galaxy’s Edge Tip #19: Watch The Fireworks

If you’re focused on Galaxy’s Edge, it won’t be the most convenient to drop everything you’re doing to head back to the Central Plaza or Main Street to camp out a spot to watch the fireworks. While not the most popular spot to watch the fireworks, Star Wars fans should stay in Galaxy’s Edge.

When are the fireworks? The fireworks at Disneyland are at 9:30PM.

Since there are fireworks shot from just behind Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge, you are actually much closer to the fireworks and they aren’t obstructed at all. They appear right behind the tall spires of Galaxy’s Edge.

Where is the best place to watch the fireworks? Your best vantage point is going to be just outside the doors of Docking Bay 7 Food and Cargo since it’s elevated and gives you view of the spaceport with the Millennium Falcon, Bard, and spires. The other recommended watching locations are from the spaceport itself, next to First Order Cargo, or by the landspeeder garage because these are spots where you can hear the music.

There’s now a new themed fireworks show in Galaxy’s Edge called Fire of the Rising Moons. While they don’t fire any additional fireworks, they layer in narration from the Lore-weaver named Tohan Lege through the droid, Bard, and the classic score by John Williams. Special lighting is also used to match the music and fireworks.

PRO TIP: Since they don’t perform this daily, make sure to check the calendar on the Fire of the Rising Moons page.

Galaxy’s Edge Tip #20: The Truth About Oga’s Cantina

Oga’s Cantina is everything you’ve dreamed that the Mos Eisley Cantina would be like. It’s dimly lit, plays great tunes thanks to DJ R-3X and there are plenty of drinks. The only difference is that it’s pretty rare that someone will lose an arm.

While I loved it, I can see that some might be upset if they didn’t know what it was like inside. To put all of the Sabacc cards on the table, here’s what you need to know:

• While they do have separate menus for breakfast, lunch, and dinner, they are actually the same.
• As a cantina, they don’t have a lot of food options. They 4 items on the menus are meant to be snacks and not full meals (think garlic bread, veggie dips, chips and guacamole, and a small sandwich).
• Most tables are standing only. Seating cannot be guaranteed so expect to standing. There are no bar-height stools.
• Tables with seats are extremely limited on the outer part of the cantina. If you’re lucky enough to get a table with a seat, you are likely to share the table with another group(s).
• If you are a small group and get one of the standing tables, you are also likely to share it with another group(s).
• Large groups might be separated since they don’t have any large tables.
• You can try to make a request to get a bar-side spot but most likely, you’ll get placed wherever there’s an opening.
• There is a huge drink selection (beer, wine, co*cktails, and non-alcoholic). If you’re a collector, look out for ones that come with souvenir mugs or flight board. They also change their menu from time to time (often introduced during Season of the Force).

We believe this comes down to having the right expectations. If you know what you’re getting into, you won’t fuss about it as much but from what we’ve read, most people get upset because they didn’t expect to be standing the whole time or that they needed to share a table with other people.

Make sure to read the Disneyland Oga’s Cantina page before you go.

Galaxy’s Edge Tip #21: Read the Lore of Batuu

As a lead up to the opening Galaxy’s Edge, they released comics and a novel that are all canon and tie in characters and references to Batuu and the Black Spire Outpost.

• Marvel’s 5-part comic miniseries Galaxy’s Edge #1-#5
• Galaxy’s Edge: Black Spire Novel by Delilah S. Dawson

For the comic series, you used to be able to buy it directly from Marvel’s comic store but they’ve since gone with a subscription model that doesn’t allow you to buy them individually so Amazon is probably your best bet.

Galaxy’s Edge Tip #22: Best Way To Do Rise of the Resistance

It’s no secret that the best ride on Galaxy’s Edge is Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance. So how do you make sure you can experience this ride on your visit?

Pay for the Individual Lighting Lane

Having Genie+ actually doesn’t help you for Rise of the Resistance as everyone has the ability to purchase Individual Lightning Lane. The prices range from $26-$30 depending on the time of the year and this gives you a 1 hour window to use the Lightning Lane.

While it sucks that you have to pay additional money on top of Disneyland tickets and Genie+, ultimately our view is that your time is precious and you’d rather be doing other rides and exploring Galaxy’s Edge than waiting in line. On average, the wait times are 72 minutes. With Individual Lightning Lane, you can get through in 10 minutes.

Pick the best times of the day to go

Utilizing Thrill Data for Rise of the Resistance, you’ll see the recommended times to go are:

• Morning: 9:25AM,Early Afternoon: 1:20PM,and Early Evening: 7:00PM
• We’d also add that the last hour that the ride runs is very good from 9PM – 10PM

Go more than one time

By paying for Individual Lightning Lane, you’ll be able to go on the ride earlier in the day and if you’re a big fan and want to go on it again, we’d recommend going in that early evening slot when most people are eating dinner.

Galaxy’s Edge Tip #23: Single Rider Lane

Single Rider Lane are incredibly useful for all of Disneyland. While they won’t be as fast as the Lightning Lane, it’s not that far off. The trade-off is of course that your group will be split up but if you line up together, there’s still a chance that you might be put together.

In Galaxy’s Edge, the only ride that has a Single Rider Lane is Millennium Falcon: Smuggler’s Run. This is a huge time-saver especially if you’ve already burned your one Lightning Lane booking per day, or if you’re riding it when the Standby Lane is really long.

PRO TIP: We cover this in our Disneyland in a day guide for Star Wars fans, the other rides that have Single Rider Lanes in Disneyland are: Space Mountain, Splash Mountain, and Matterhorn Bobsleds. A heads up, Space Mountain’s Single Rider line is hidden at the exit area of the ride.

Galaxy’s Edge Tip #24: Droid Depot

Compared to the intricacies of Savi’s Workshop, building your own droid is not as complicated but there are definitely a few things that you should know ahead of time.

• As we covered at the top, reservations are highly recommended. You can do this 60 days in advance. That said, there is often walk-up availability.
• In Disneyland, the Droid Depot workshop allows 2 guests (versus 1 in Disney World)
• Custom astromech droids are not refundable.
• You’re expected to arrive 15 minutes before your reservation time slot. This will allow you to check-in and pay.
• At check-in (Builder Registration desk), you will need to select the series of droid you want to make. It’s a good idea to know beforehand whether you want an R-series (R2-D2 style), BB-series (BB-8 style), or C-series (C1-10P style). You’ll be handed a specific basket and inside is labelled with the parts you need to collect on the conveyor belt.
• The other decision you will need to make is whether you want a personality chip or not ($14.99). These are not included in the base cost of droid building and are optional. These chips range from First Order, the Resistance, and scoundrel and determines its voice (the beeps and boops) and how it interacts with other droids.
• The conveyor belt has a lot of different parts for all droids. If there’s a colorway or style that seems to be missing, don’t hesitate to ask the staff for it. Make sure to also inspect your parts for chips, paint, and plastic defects.
• There seems to be more accessories for R-series droids. For instance, you can buy a drum set, serving tray, tow cable, tool set, blaster attachments, and jet pack.
• Assembly can take longer than you think. The whole process took my friend 25 minutes.
• While the instructions are relatively self explanatory, don’t hesitate to ask the staff if you have any issues. Sometimes there may also be defects in the parts so if something doesn’t work, they may need to take a look. The final step of pairing also requires their assistance.
• In addition to the controller that it comes with, you can also control the droid via bluetooth and a dedicated app.
• The droid comes with a special cardboard box. They of course, also sell a fabric backpack for the droid if you want to carry it around.
• You’re aren’t allowed to control the droid in the park but you can carry it around. This will allow you to see how the droid can be excited, sad, or scared depending on the environment. It can also interact with other people’s droids.
• At specific times of day, Cast Members in Galaxy’s Edge will lay out a special mat, allowing you to control your droid. This is the only place you can do this.
• Battery wise, the droid requires six AA batteries and the remote requires two AAA batteries.
• You really don’t want to be carrying the droid around so either make use of the Package Check Service or do this close to the end of your day.

PRO TIP: On the other side of the Droid Depot is a display that has all of the chips inside a plastic case. In front of them are buttons that you can press to hear the sounds you get from each personality. This is worth checking out before you check-in because the staff don’t always do the best job and explaining the differences.

Galaxy’s Edge Tip #25: Grab A Coca-Cola Thermal Detonator

We’ll end off with something that’s not talked about in other guides. At various concession stands and kiosks throughout Galaxy’s Edge, they sell these super cool thermal detonator versions of co*ke drinks: Coca-Cola, Diet co*ke, and Sprite.

These are essentially spherical plastic bottles with a screw top cap. The contain 13.5 oz which is actually slightly more than the standard 12 oz can and the labels are in Aurebesh, the written language of Star Wars.

While they might seem a bit overpriced at $6.25 per bottle, it’s still better value than a standard fountain drink. This one at least, you can bring home as a souvenir.

Are these thermal detonators allowed on the plane? There was some early controversy about this but TSA did official come out to official say that these Coca-Cola thermal detonators are allowed on the plane.

PRO TIP: They used to be cheaper at the popcorn stand in Galaxy’s Edge so make sure to check.

The Force Is Strong In Galaxy’s Edge

Despite being in the far reaches of the Outer Rim Territories, the Black Spire Outpost on Batuu (where Galaxy’s Edge is located) is looks and feels galactic-sized if you know all of its secrets.

On my first visit to Galaxy’s Edge, I was absolutely blown away by everything that they built. Every single corner of architecture, food item, ride, character, and experiences is impeccably Star Wars.

Now that your blasters are armed with all of these inside tips, you can make sure that Greedo doesn’t shoot first. May the Force be with you!

After you come back from your trip, let us know if these tips were helpful and were there any that we missed!

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This trip was supported by Disneyland but all opinions are our own.