Disney Finally Making Major Change to 'Star Wars: Galaxy's Edge'

When Disney first rolled out the "Star Wars: Galaxy's Edge" portion of the park at both Disneyland and Disney World in 2019, fans were undoubtedly excited. The park allowed guests to immerse themselves in the Star Wars universe in a whole new way with rides, attractions, food, scenery, and characters.

However, for most Star Wars fans, there were some things missing from that part of the park. But it sounds like that's now being corrected, at least at one park.

What is 'Star Wars: Galaxy's Edge'?

Opening first at Disneyland Park in California on May 31, 2019, and then at Disney's Hollywood Studios in Florida on August 29, 2019, "Star Wars: Galaxy's Edge" was a portion of the park designed to immerse guests in the Star Wars universe.

The Star Wars-theme portion of the park was set in a trading post known as Black Spire Outpost on a remote planet by the name of Batuu, which serves as a haven for smugglers, rogues, and adventurers on the edge of the Outer Rim.

While "Galaxy's Edge" does have a distinct Star Wars feel to it, Batuu itself had never appeared in any Star Wars media before it was brought to life in the Disney parks. The idea was to give guests a new, uncharted location in the Star Wars galaxy where they could create a fresh, immersive story instead of just allowing guests to visit familiar places.

Additionally, up to this point, Galaxy's Edge has been set during the sequel trilogy of Star Wars, with only a few exceptions in the form of limited-time character appearances. However, it sounds like that's going to change – at least for one Disney park.

All Eras of 'Star Wars'

On Wednesday, Disney officially announced that "Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge" at Disneyland in California will soon “expand” to include all the eras of Star Wars, not just the sequel trilogy.

“New storylines will be brought to life on Batuu, spanning multiple eras of the planet’s rich history. These updates will enable you to experience the Galactic Civil War and New Republic, as well as the Age of the Resistance and First Order,” Disney wrote in a press release.

The change will not officially go into effect on April 29, 2026, but guests can expect to see some visual changes before then as Disney prepares for the change.

It's worth noting that this change will be limited to Disneyland in California, while the "Galaxy's Edge" at Walt Disney World in Orlando, Florida, will remain the same.

What's Changing?

While "Galaxy's Edge" will have the same feel with the same overall aesthetic, locations, and landmarks, there will be quite a few changes to the aesthetic.

• New Characters: One of the biggest changes will be the arrival of new characters from all eras of Star Wars. This includes legendary characters like Darth Vader, Han, and Leia.
• New Music: Guests will now hear themes from John Williams’ iconic score, pulled from the first six films, throughout the park. This includes the "Cantina Theme," which will now be playing at Oga’s for the first time, and the “Main Title” and Force Theme, which will play as guests enter.
• Store Changes: For continuity's sake, some of the stores will change slightly to make sure they fit with the original trilogy.

Asa Kalama, vice president executive for creative and interactive experiences at Walt Disney Imagineering, hopes that this will help the land feel more emersive than ever.

“We’ve spent a lot of time agonizing over every last detail,” he said.