Posted May 11, 2026
If you’re planning a trip to Star Wars Galaxy Edge, this guide will help you make the most of your visit.
If there’s ever been a perfect time to visit Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge at Disneyland, it’s right now. The land has just undergone its biggest transformation since opening day — welcoming legendary heroes and villains from across the saga, swapping in iconic John Williams scores, and reshuffling its shops to embrace a brand-new era of storytelling. Strap into your favorite freighter (or just lace up your comfiest walking shoes), because we’re heading to Batuu.
Welcome to Black Spire Outpost
Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge is a themed area inspired by the Star Wars franchise. It encompasses 14 acres and is set in the village of Black Spire Outpost on the remote frontier planet of Batuu. The area features attractions, shops, restaurants and entertainment based on elements of the fictional Star Wars universe. It’s Disneyland’s largest land at 14 acres, transporting guests to another galaxy and immersing them in a village on the remote planet of Batuu, tucked away behind Frontierland.
The level of detail is staggering.
The landscape features 135 ft tall spires standing among the rockwork that are intended to be the petrified remains of massive trees of an ancient forest. Furthermore, Imagineers based this landscape on the Petrified Forest National Park in Arizona.
Even the signage gets the immersive treatment!
Disney consciously modified traditional theme park attributes throughout the land, such as having signs written in the fictional Aurebesh language rather than English.
The Big News: A New Timeline (and New Faces!)
Here’s the headline that’s had Star Wars fans buzzing for months:
Disneyland expanded its timeline beginning April 29, 2026, to include the original trilogy era of Star Wars, which includes character appearances by Darth Vader, Luke Skywalker, Han Solo, and Princess Leia. In addition, Star Wars film scores are heard throughout the land. Also, the shops in Black Spire Outpost received updates.
For years, Galaxy’s Edge stuck rigidly to the sequel-trilogy timeline, which meant no Vader, no Han, no Leia. That changed in a big way.
The original Galaxy’s Edge timeline placed Batuu during the era of the Resistance and the First Order, between The Last Jedi and The Rise of Skywalker. However, the new timeline rolls back several decades. It now expands to span the events of Return of the Jedi and The Mandalorian.
Meet the New Roaming Characters
Don’t expect traditional meet and greet lines here. hese are walkaround encounters that happen as you explore the land.
All of these are roaming characters, not dedicated meet & greets, and they will often appear in pairs.
- Darth Vader 🖤 —
Vader’s search for Luke Skywalker brings him to Black Spire Outpost, and visitors may cross paths with the powerful Sith lord near the TIE Echelon.
Look for his dramatic entrance near the Milk Stand. He may stop to summon park guests to come closer near Droid Depot. Alternatively, look for him at the lift of Black Spire Surplus.
- Luke Skywalker —
Luke Skywalker roams the outpost seeking knowledge of the Force and artifacts related to lightsaber building, kyber crystals, and more.
- Princess Leia —
Leia Organa may be spotted near the Millennium Falcon, where she’ll recruit travelers and locals to help keep Luke safe.
Leia will be sporting her “adventure” costume, as also seen in the Star Wars Battlefront video game series.
- Han Solo —
Han Solo also lingers around his prized ship, tempted by the local cantina.
Be sure to ask him who shot first. 😉
Returning Favorites
The newcomers join a beloved roster of regulars.
Current fan favorites like Rey, R2-D2, Ahsoka Tano, and Chewbacca remain as possible characters. (Finally, Chewie and Han are together again with the Falcon!) Plus, fans may also cross paths with the Mandalorian Din Djarin and Grogu.
One important note for Kylo Ren fans:
As part of the changes, Kylo Ren has departed from Disneyland’s Galaxy’s Edge, meeting instead on the other side of the park at Star Wars Launch Bay in Tomorrowland. In turn, Darth Vader no longer meets guests inside Launch Bay.
Things to Do in Galaxy’s Edge
The Two Big Rides
There are two large “E-Ticket” thrill rides in the land: Millennium Falcon: Smugglers Run and Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance. Be sure to use the Play Disney Parks app to interact with the fun ride queue elements!
- Millennium Falcon: Smugglers Run —
One of the rides lets you perform the duties of a pilot, gunner, or a flight engineer aboard Han Solo’s famous ship. Also, check out the “chess room” inside, which will remind you of a famous scene from the original Star Wars movie.
Even better,
On May 22, 2026, a new mission debuts at Millennium Falcon: Smugglers Run in celebration of the release of Lucasfilm’s “Star Wars: The Mandalorian and Grogu.” This leads to potential new adventures on Bespin, Coruscant or the wreckage of the second Death Star above Endor.
- Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance —
A thrilling, first-of-its-kind adventure, where you join the Resistance in a major battle against the First Order, coming up close with an army of Stormtroopers, General Hux, and Kylo Ren. Resistance fighters such as Rey and BB-8 are at the ready to help you escape from the Star Destroyer. Prepare for unexpected twists, turns, and surprises galore.
Hands-On Experiences
- Savi’s Workshop —
Build your own custom lightsaber at this clandestine shop that continues the traditions of the Force.
Reservations strongly recommended.
- Droid Depot —
Design, assemble and activate the customized droid that you’ve always been looking for.
- Oga’s Cantina —
Oga’s Cantina offers “otherworldly” elixirs for kids and stronger libations for adults — it’s the first Disneyland Park attraction to sell alcohol. Cocktails include the bourbon-fueled Jet Juice and a vodka-powered Jedi Mind Trick.
- Dok-Ondar’s Den of Antiquities —
Don’t miss browsing the artifacts, holocrons, and kyber crystals at Dok-Ondar’s Den of Antiquities, overseen by Ithorian proprietor Dok (from Solo: A Star Wars Story), who sits at his desk and barks orders at assistants.
- Ronto Roasters —
Sample the savory meats at Ronto Roasters, all spit-roasted over a former Podracer engine.
Updated Shops to Match the New Era
As Batuu’s history is represented with new storylines, you may notice some updates to buildings and shops throughout the land. For example, First Order Cargo has transformed into Black Spire Surplus, a military salvage operation offering artifacts from across the history of the galaxy. These include Imperial and Rebel items from the Galactic Civil War.
MagicBand+ Interactions: Batuu Bounty Hunters
This is where Galaxy’s Edge gets seriously interactive — and where you might spend more time than you expected.
Star Wars: Batuu Bounty Hunters at Disneyland Resort is an exciting quest where MagicBand+ is your guide to seeking virtual bounties in a galaxy far, far away.
Here’s how it works:
MagicBand+ is your guide to seeking virtual bounties hidden across Black Spire Outpost. First, you’ll be assigned a bounty at a job board in Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge. Next, you’ll search for this bounty as vibrations and lights on your MagicBand+
guide you through the land.
The feedback system is genuinely clever.
There are vibration patterns corresponding to each pattern, so colorblind guests can still play the game: green with steady short vibration means you’re on the right path, red with intense long vibration means you’re going the wrong way, and purple with rapid change in vibration means you’ve arrived.
When you find your target:
You head back to the area of the bounty board to report back to the guild master. Note that you don’t return to the board, but rather to a doorway to the right of the board to redeem your bounty. Then, stick your hand into the opening in the door and allow your MagicBand+ to be “scanned” to activate the redemption of your bounty. The Batuu Bounty Hunters guild master will appear from behind a speakeasy-style viewer to congratulate you on your find.
A heads-up:
In order to play Batuu Bounty Hunters, guests must have a MagicBand+. This is an exclusive game for MagicBand+ users and regular MagicBands will not work with the game.
MagicBand+ does more than bounty hunting too.
MagicBands hold your park ticket/Magic Key and give you access to Lightning Lanes if you’ve purchased the Genie+ add-on at Disneyland Resort. Additionally, MagicBand+ has interactive elements, such as access to the Star Wars: Batuu Bounty Hunters game in Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge. It also offers light and haptic feedback during certain shows at Disneyland and Disney California Adventure.
Shows and Nighttime Magic
Galaxy’s Edge takes a “no traditional shows during the day” approach — the land itself is the show.
While there are no shows specific to Batuu during the day (but lots of characters to meet!), there is out-of-this-world nighttime entertainment. For instance, check out “Shadows of Memory: A Skywalker Saga” projection show or watch the fireworks with “Star Wars” music as they light the sky behind the spires.
And the soundtrack is finally what fans always wanted.
Passing through the tunnels of Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge, the iconic “Main Title” and Force Theme will beckon you to a galaxy far, far away. As you wander through the land, you’ll hear motifs from other classic tracks including “Han Solo and the Princess,” “The Desert and the Robot Auction,” “The Emperor” and more. Of course, the lively tune “Cantina Band” will be heard from within Oga’s Cantina.
The Play Disney Parks app adds another whole layer of interaction.
You can explore Galaxy’s Edge on another level by using the Play Disney Parks mobile app, which features a variety of games and other interactive ways to enjoy this area., such as reading droids’ memories or “scanning” the interiors of cargo crates scattered around the grounds. For instance, you can read droids’ memories or “scan” the interiors of cargo crates scattered around the grounds.
Final Thoughts: Why You Should Visit Now
Galaxy’s Edge has always been gorgeous, but the 2026 timeline expansion has given it the soul fans were hoping for since opening day. The roaming Vader is genuinely thrilling, the John Williams score elevates every moment, Moreover, the roaming Vader is genuinely thrilling, and the John Williams score elevates every moment. and theThe upcoming Mandalorian and Grogu mission on Smugglers Run (debuting May 22) gives even repeat visitors a fresh reason to pilot the Falcon again.
Pack your comfiest boots, charge that MagicBand+, and may the Force be with you on Batuu. The galaxy is waiting. ✨
