Tag: Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge

Disneyland Offering More Galactic Experiences in Celebration of Star Wars Day…and Beyond

Fans of a galaxy far, far away will discover additional, new, limited-time experiences, character encounters, photo opportunities and more this May and June throughout Disneyland Resort. These experiences all add to the galactic adventures already found at both Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge and Tomorrowland in Disneyland park year-round.

In Tomorrowland, Hyperspace Mountain is back for a limited time through July 4th. Guests can once again hurtle through hyperspace while dodging furious dogfights during this high-speed adventure. 

Guests can also make the jump to Star Tours: The Adventures Continue and hop aboard a Starspeeder 1000 for an unforgettable flight to legendary destinations across the Star Wars galaxy. It should be noted that Star Tours is celebrating 35 years of galactic adventures this year!

Over at Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge, guests can also live their own adventure as they join a climactic battle between the Resistance and the First Order in Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance and take control of the most famous ship in the galaxy aboard Millennium Falcon: Smugglers Run.

Star Wars fans will be excited to know that Captain Phasma and a detachment of Stormtroopers have returned for a limited time to patrol Tomorrowland, seeking out Resistance sympathizers and reinforcing the will of the First Order. Plus, stay tuned for new visitors approaching on the horizon.

And a trip to planet Batuu would only be complete with a visit to see everyone’s favorite Wookiee, a selfie with R2-D2, and encounters with Kylo Ren and Rey.

For a limited time, Tomorrowland will be showcasing special photo spots celebrating the Disney+ original series’ set in the Star Wars galaxy. Guests will be able to take their picture sitting on a replica of the palace throne from “The Book of Boba Fett.” Nearby, recreate the moment in season two of “The Mandalorian,” when Grogu connected with the Force at the ancient Jedi temple on Tython.

Also, be on the lookout for Disney PhotoPass photographers offering limited-time Magic Shots featuring Stormtroopers and K-2SO in Tomorrowland. Another, featuring Grogu, is located on the outer edges of the galaxy, on your way to Batuu!

Rise of the Resistance to Use Virtual Queue When Disney’s Hollywood Studios Re-Opens

Walt Disney World has announced that when Disney’s Hollywood Studios re-opens on July 15th that they will be using the virtual queue system that was introduced when the attraction originally opened.

In the Disney Parks Blog, Disney stated –

We wanted to share an update about Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance, which will once again be using virtual queue in the My Disney Experience app.  

Walt Disney World also stated in the announcement that instead of it being what many called a lottery at park opening, there will be instead three distribution times (10 AM, 1 PM and 4 PM).

Because of this, there is no need to arrive early to the park to check the virtual queue, according to Disney.

In the announcement Walt Disney World offered these guidelines:

  • First, make sure you have the My Disney Experience app. Once you enter the park, log in to your account at one of the distribution times (10 a.m., 1 p.m. or 4 p.m.).
  • Once you have logged in, select “Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance Virtual Queue” on the home screen. You will be able to view the current status and next steps for joining the virtual queue.
  • The app will indicate when there is no availability for a specific distribution time. Some guests may join backup groups.
  • As long as your My Disney Experience account is linked to park tickets for you and the others in your group, you can enroll everyone in the virtual queue at the same time. In order to give as many guests as possible the opportunity to join the Resistance, each guest can enter the virtual queue no more than once per day.
  • Make sure push notifications are turned on for My Disney Experience so you will be alerted if your group is called to return. You’ll have up to an hour from the time of the alert to go to the entrance of Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance.
  • Please note that joining the virtual queue does not guarantee the ability to experience Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance.

Walt Disney World Announces Limited Time Extra, Extra Magic Hours…Includes Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge

May the Fourth be with you!

Honoring this special Star Wars Day, Walt Disney World gave us all some very interesting news.

Today Walt Disney World announced that guests of Disney Resort hotels and other select hotels will be able to take advantage of the Extra Magic Hours benefit with Extra, Extra Magic Hours for a limited time at the theme parks!

Extra, Extra Magic Hours will include Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge at Disney’s Hollywood Studios, as well as  Disney’s Animal Kingdom and Magic Kingdom theme parks.

Here are the details:

  • Disney’s Hollywood Studios — Daily from September 1-November 2, the park will have Extra, Extra Magic Hours from 6-9 AM  which will include Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge, plus Toy Story Land and select other attractions through out the park. Access to Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge and its experiences will be subject to capacity.

Disney also announced that that on August 29-31, Disney’s Hollywood Studios will open at 6 AM for all guests. There will not be Extra, Extra Magic Hours on those days.   

  • Disney’s Animal Kingdom – Extra, Extra Magic Hours will happen daily August 29-November 2, from 7-8 AM, featuring Pandora – The World of Avatar and other attractions throughout the park.  The attractions available will be the same as today’s morning Extra Magic Hours offerings.
  • Magic Kingdom Park —Extra, Extra Magic Hours will happen daily from August 29-November 2, from 7-8 AM, the attractions available in Fantasyland and Tomorrowland will be the same as the current morning EMH offerings.

Extra Magic Hours will also continue to be available on select days at Epcot.

If guests are visiting this fall, they are reminded that the Extra, Extra Magic Hours benefit at the Walt Disney World Resort requires a valid theme park admission and hotel ID.

Disneyland Clarifies Alcohol Rule for Oga’s Cantina

A spokesperson for the Disneyland AP account on Twitter confirmed this week that visitors over 21 years old will only be allowed to drink in the confines of the upcoming Oga’s Cantina at the new Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge attraction.

 Rachel

Hey. Did we ever get told whether or not when Galaxy’s Edge opens @Disneyland that alcohol is allowed throughout the park? @DisneylandAP

Disneyland AP
Hello, Rachel! At this time, Guests will be required to stay in Oga’s Cantina while enjoying alcoholic beverages.

Disney Announces Oga’s Cantina Coming to Galaxy’s Edge

Disney has given us another glimpse into what Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge will be like yesterday when it announced that Oga’s Cantina will be coming to Galaxy’s Edge in 2019.

According to Scott Trowbridge of Walt Disney Imaginering, “Visitors come to this notorious local watering hole to unwind, conduct shady business, and maybe even encounter a friend…or a foe. Run by an intriguing alien proprietor, Oga Garra, the cantina adheres to a strict code of conduct that tries to keep its unruly patrons in check. But with a history of being a smugglers’ safe haven and a popular stopping point for those seeking to avoid the authorities, you can bet that the cantina has a story or two to tell.”

In describing the cantina, Trowbridge added, “Oga’s Cantina is the kind of establishment that attracts some of the most interesting and disreputable characters in the galaxy. And you never know when a stormtrooper or a familiar face will show up. Patrons of the cantina come from across the galaxy to sample the famous concoctions created with exotic ingredients using “otherworldly” methods, served in unique vessels. With choices for kids and libations for adults, the cantina will make for a great stop!”

According to the announcement, the musical entertainment will be provided by an old friend of ours, RX-24, the former StarSpeeder 3000 pilot droid from Star Tours. Captain Rex has re-envisioned himself as the cantina’s quirky and talkative DJ.

Trowbridge encourages guests to be ready to listen to some unique music, taste the best drinks in the galaxy, and be surrounded with a colorful cast of characters.

Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge promises to be a totally immersive experience and Oga’s Cantina certainly seems to be following that promise, making it what seems like a must-see experience for guests.

Oga’s Cantina will be coming to Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge in 2019 at both Disneyland and Walt Disney World.

Disneyland Putting Limits on Annual Passholders for 2019…May Be Hinting at Possible Opening of Galaxy’s Edge

Today Disneyland announced what may be the first of sweeping changes coming to its annual passport program.  For the first time, Disney may limit which parks some passholders can visit on specific days.

These changes come at a time when officials for Disneyland Resort are debating what is the best way to manage enormous crowds that are expected when Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge opens next summer in Disneyland.

It’s being reported that Disneyland will be sending out, possibly as early as today, an email to passholders explaining the new program.  Sources say that they will be creating two new admission calendars.  This means that some passes will be good at certain parks on certain days, but not necessarily both parks on the same day.

According to Disneyland spokesperson Liz Jaeger, “As our business evolves, this is the first step in reshaping our Annual Pass program, which will better manage the guest experience and allow all Disneyland Resort visitors to have a great visit, particularly as we look forward to the opening of Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge in summer 2019.”

Reportedly, starting next June, passholders will see two calendars,  one for each park. Passholder will then need to check both calendars to see which park they can visit on which day. It’s being reported that the biggest changes will be coming to holders of the Deluxe passport, while higher levels experiencing no change at all.

As what happens currently, annual passholders will go online and use drop-down menus to see which park or both they can visit on a chosen date. A green date means yes. Gray means no.

With this announcement, Disneyland is extending its planning calendar to 13 months to allow passholders to look now and see which days they can visit in June 2019. Normally the calendar would only have been visible through May.

According to Disneyland the current two-park-per-day system on a single calendar will continue intact for the coming year and then through the end of May 2019.

The SoCal Annual Passport, which is geared to Southern California locals, admits these passholders only on weekdays and during the off-season. The highest level, which allows visits every day of the year, even the most crowded ones, which are typically around Christmas.

Ticket type June 2018 admission days (both parks) June 2019 admission days (both parks)
So Cal Annual Passport (on hiatus – only renewals) 19 0 (20 for DCA only)
Select Annual Passport 4 0 (3 for DCA only)
Deluxe Annual Passport 25 13 (Plus 17 for DCA only)
Signature Annual Passport 30 30
Signature Plus Annual Passport 30 30

Currently, if they are not blocked out, passholders can visit either Disneyland or Disney California Adventure or both. It’s common for people to hop between the parks in one day.

With the change announced this today, Disneyland is hoping to reduce crowding in Disneyland during the summer of 2019, by sending many visiting passholders to Disney California Adventure instead.

According to the new calendar for June 2019 Deluxe passholders (currently priced at $729/year) will be able to visit both parks on 13 days, while on 17 days they can visit only California Adventure, for a total 30 days of admission.

This compares to this June, when Deluxe passholders could visit either park on 25 of the month’s 30 days.

This is where speculation for the opening of Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge comes in.  Some astute Disney observers are speculating that the highly anticipated land will open on or shortly after June 21st.

With the announced changes, Disney experts are saying that the changes were much less draconian than was speculated, and that they expect to see another big price increase as well to control passholder levels.

Disney Announces “Opening Seasons” for Galaxy’s Edge at Disneyland and Disney’s Hollywood Studios

The galaxy that was far, far away and a long time ago just got a little closer.

On Tuesday, Disney announced that the highly anticipated Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge will open in summer of 2019 at Disneyland and in late fall 2019 at Walt Disney World.

Up until this point, all Disney has said about possible opening dates for either location was they would open in 2019.

While the announcement does not indicate a month or a date for the openings, it does indicate a couple of things.  First of all, it somewhat coincides with a lot of the rumors that the Disneyland version would open sometime during the summer next year.  With the statement of “Late Fall 2019” for the Florida version, this seems to confirm that construction there is behind Disneyland’s, which is in line with what many of us thought.  There had been rumors that construction at Walt Disney World had been closing the gap.  Either that speculation was wrong or if they have closed the gap that construction was even further behind than we had thought.

No specific date summer date was announced for the Disneyland opening.  There have been rumors that the actual date may be as early as late June or early July.  There also has been speculation, especially with how the return of Fantasmic in 2017 was handled, that Galaxy’s Edge may not open until sometime around the D23 Expo which returns to Anaheim August 23-25, 2019.

At this point, it’s all speculation and no one really knows.  Hopefully we’ll get more detailed information soon, but I personally would expect anything substantial until early spring 2019.

ESPN Wide World of Sports Opens New Arena…Are Indiana Jones Epic Stunt Spectacular’s Days Numbered?

On Friday Walt Disney World opened The Arena at ESPN Wide World of Sports, a new multi-purpose arena at the sports complex, further expanding the 220-acre sports venue that is widely regarded as the leading facility for youth sports in America.

The new 300,000 square-foot venue will host a variety of sports for girls and boys, such as basketball, volleyball, gymnastics and, in particular, cheerleading and dance competitions. The use of the space started with the prestigious UCA & UDA College Cheerleading and Dance Team National Championship that took place this past weekend. In fact, the 8,000-seat arena is one of the largest in the country designed specifically for cheer and dance events.

This is indeed a wonderful addition to the facilities at ESPN Wide World of Sports, but I have to wonder what this means for the future of the Indiana Jones Epic Stunt Spectacular.

While not an opening day attraction for the then Disney-MGM Studios, it did open a few months later on August 25th of 1989.  Despite a six-month rehab in 2000 and the change out of Nazi Swastikas for stylized Greek Crosses on vehicles, aircraft and uniforms in 2004 the attraction has existed pretty much unaltered for nearly 30 years.

The attraction is still extremely popular, with shows being full or nearly full, yet the show is showing its age.  With the re-imagineering of the park which includes the addition Galaxy’s Edge, known to many as “Star Wars Land,” could this space be better used for newer and possibly Star Wars related shows or attractions?

Undoubtably one of the reasons this show has remained, essentially untouched for as long it has, is because of its popularity and its ability to “eat people” or occupy the attention of a lot of people.

One of the other reasons that Indy has remained, according to some sources is that Disney has needed the space for the above mentioned cheer and dance competitions.  According to the same sources, the space has been booked out for years.  Without another venue for these competitions Disney has been forced to keep Indy around.

With the opening of The Arena, does Disney still need Indy to stay?  My guess is that Indy probably sticks around until at least when the opening of Galaxy’s Edge.  With all of the construction going on and the limited amount of attractions available, Indy needs to stay so guests have something to do especially families with kids.  After Galaxy’s Edge opens I say all bets are off.  Could this area be used for a Phase 2 of Galaxy’s Edge?  Or maybe a new Indiana Jones area will use the space.

How about you, what do you think?

Star Tours Gives Guests First Peek at Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge Planet

Scott Trowbridge, Portfolio Creative Executive, Walt Disney Imagineering, released a statement in the Disney Parks Blog regarding the new Star Tours sequence that is debuting today at both Walt Disney’s World and Disneyland….

“This morning, guests on Star Tours – The Adventures Continue boarded Starspeeders at Disney’s Hollywood Studios and Disneyland park to discover a thrilling new journey to the farthest reaches of space and found themselves landing unexpectedly on a planet in the outer rim of the Star Wars galaxy – a planet known to C-3PO, and now to us, as Batuu.

This remote outpost on the galaxy’s edge was once a busy crossroads along the old sub-lightspeed trade routes, but its prominence was bypassed by the rise of hyperspace travel. Now home to those who prefer to stay out of the mainstream, it has become a thriving port for smugglers, rogue traders and adventurers traveling between the frontier and uncharted space. It’s also a convenient safe haven for those intent on avoiding the expanding reach of the First Order. While Batuu may be new to us, it is clearly already familiar to many characters from the Star Wars saga as a stepping off point for epic adventures.

As the Creative Executive on these projects working alongside so many talented Imagineers and Lucasfilm partners, I look forward to sharing more updates from Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge as we further explore the stories and adventures you’ll be invited to discover when our new lands open in 2019.”

Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge & Toy Story Land Models to Preview at Disney’s Hollywood Studios

With Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge and Toy Story Land currently under construction at Disney’s Hollywood Studios, the park is truly in the middle of an exciting transformation.

The One Man’s Dream attraction is currently being reimagined into Walt Disney Presents, which like its predecessor, will continue showcasing historic items from Walt Disney’s history, such as sketches, photos and storyboards. But wait – Walt Disney Presents will also act as a preview center where guests explore what’s next for the park. Starting in mid-September, you’ll be able to view concept art, ride vehicle maquettes and a never-before-seen model for Toy Story Land. A portion of the Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge model also will be on display, as well as concept art for the new Mickey and Minnie’s Runaway Railway attraction.

The attraction will also continue to host greetings with characters like Star-Lord and baby Groot, plus special sneak previews of upcoming Disney films.