Star Wars fans have been periodically introduced to new characters, merchandise, food and drink items, and even two nighttime shows at Galaxy's Edge since it opened almost seven years ago, but the biggest update ever is just around the corner!
Thanks to Disneyland, I had the most incredible opportunity to attend a virtual meeting with Asa Kalama (VP, Executive – Creative & Interactive Experiences, Walt Disney Imagineering), Michael Serna (Executive Creative Director, Disney Live Entertainment), and Matt Martin (Senior Creative Executive, Lucasfilm Content, Franchise & Strategy) where they revealed the exciting new updates coming to Star Wars: Galaxy's Edge at Disneyland this Spring.
On Wednesday, April 29th, the timeline at Galaxy's Edge will be EXPANDED to include new eras, including the Galactic Civil War and the New Republic, as well as the Age of the Resistance and the First Order! Classic characters like Darth Vader and Leia Organa will visit Batuu, several of John Williams' iconic themes will be heard as you explore the planet, buildings and shops will receive enhancements with props, graphics, and merchandise, and there will be new foods and drinks to enjoy. Continue reading for more details on each aspect.
Today, we're announcing this focus on this more sort of classic era, but our goal is for the land to continue to change and evolve and to celebrate new characters and new stories as we move on into the future.
-Asa Kalama
The OG characters like Darth Vader, the classic Stormtroopers, Han Solo, and Leia Organa will be traveling to Batuu, and Luke Skywalker will be making his return to join his friends! There is a primary focus on Old Trilogy characters (for now), but there's no telling who else might show up in the future. This update fits perfectly with the 50th anniversary of A New Hope on the horizon.
Witnessing Darth Vader with the Stormtroopers at his side, I feel, will be one of the greatest visuals on Batuu. As many of you probably know, he is my favorite character, so I am most excited to see and interact with him as he seeks the Jedi, Luke Skywalker.
Because Darth Vader will be visiting Batuu, he will no longer be found in Tomorrowland for Visa cardholders to get their photo with him. However, Kylo Ren will now take his place in Tomorrowland. If you'd like to see Kylo on Batuu, you can find him on the Rise of the Resistance attraction.
You're gonna see these characters roaming around in groupings, in pairs, so you may see Han and Leia hang out together, you may see Luke and R2, Han and Chewie, or by themselves. They will again be staying in their respective storylines. That's very important to us to make sure that you don't have a crossover, that gets very confusing and unpleasant. So, we are going to keep them where they belong story-wise, but yes, they'll be roaming around like we've enjoyed them over the past few years.
-Michael Serna
When we last saw Luke, he was in his black garments and robe. He will be returning in attire closest to his look in The Mandalorian. Han Solo, Leia Organa, and Chewbacca will be joining him near the rocky spires. You may also find these characters individually on their own missions. For instance, Luke will venture around the outpost seeking knowledge of the Force and artifacts, while Leia will be near the Millennium Falcon with a mission to help keep Luke safe. Of course, Han Solo will be close to the Falcon as well, though he may be tempted to stray towards Oga's Cantina!
I was shown concept art of the outfits that Han and Leia will be wearing, and although I don't have a photo to provide, I can tell you that Han Solo's outfit was reminiscent of his A New Hope ensemble. Princess Leia, on the other hand, will be donning an iconic look she wore in the five-issue comic book series, Star Wars: Princess Leia, where she wears an all-white jumpsuit with a tan vest.
Ahsoka, The Mandalorian, and Grogu can be found around the Marketplace, and R2-D2 will be rolling around near the Droid Depot and the garage. You may even be able to catch him and Chewbacca alongside Rey at the Resistance Camp near the attraction, Rise of the Resistance. By the way, the scheduled refurbishment for this ride on January 20th is unrelated to the timeline expansion updates. It's just standard refurbishment!
As expected, the First Order Stormtroopers will be traveling off planet to make room for the OG Stormtroopers that we first fell in love with.
Schedules are still being worked out for all characters, including Boba Fett and Vi Moradi (these two characters were not specifically mentioned, which is why I named them). With several new characters arriving, some may be scheduled less frequently than others. We will learn more about character appearances as we get closer to April 29th.
If visiting Batuu wasn't already emotional enough, prepare to have your heartstrings tugged on by none other than the legendary composer, John Williams. Fan-favorite themes from the first six films will be incorporated throughout Batuu, including the "Main Title," "Force Theme," "Han Solo and the Princess," "The Desert and the Robot Auction," "The Emperor," and more! Plus, you'll witness the iconic "Cantina Band" theme while at Oga's Cantina.
We're really excited that we have an opportunity to work very closely with the music team. So, this is a combination of new rearrangements, some of his classic work, sort of interleave with new edits of some of his more iconic scores. So this is all, you know, classic original John Williams music.
-Michael Serna
The Droid Depot will be taken over by an earlier generation of the Mubo family, where they will be prototyping the BB style of droid. I'm not quite sure what to expect, so we'll have to find out together! The ability to build your own droid or purchase a ready-made droid will still be available.
My all-time favorite shop, Dok Ondar's Den of Antiquities, will host one-of-a-kind items from its past. I've always loved the unique collectibles this shop has provided. For a while, there has been off-world merchandise trickling in that you'd find in other shops throughout the park like Black Series Helmets and figures, so I think this update will be very refreshing!
Perhaps you'll even see some items from your favorite new stories - authentic props from recent Star Wars Disney Plus series.
-Matt Martin, Dok Ondar's
I was shown Star Wars posters of some of the Disney Plus series mentioned above by Matt Martin. I distinctly remember Ahsoka, and I believe I saw Andor as well. I can't remember the others, but this is such an exciting detail!
The First Order Cargo shop will be renamed Black Spire Surplus, which will carry a wide variety of artifacts from different eras and factions including Rebel, Imperial, and beyond. This is the shop I tend to visit the least, but I love the sound of the new theme and I'm excited to check it out. Below, you'll find a little bit of a backstory of how the shop came to be...
Recently, two retired Clones made their way to Batuu and set up shop. The brothers fought together during The Clone Wars and kind of opposite each other in the war against the Empire with one of them fighting for the Rebels and the other fighting for the Empire. Now, they're back together, you know, post-retirement trying to set their differences aside.
-Matt Martin, Black Spire Surplus
Oga's Cantina is also on the list! Since this is a different era, Oga doesn't have much control. She's just starting out, and we'll get to see what that looks like, as well as meet other new characters being introduced to Batuu, in a new comic series coming from Marvel Comics called Echoes of the Empire, which will be released on April 22nd.
As for Savi's Workshop, it seems that Luke Skywalker may be interested in meeting with Savi in his search for information on lightsabers. I'm not sure if this means Luke may be found in this area. Time will tell! One thing's for sure: travelers can still build their own unique lightsabers at this location!
With that, I will leave you with this transmission from Doug Chiang (Senior Vice President and Executive Design Director, Lucasfilm)...
The Walt Disney Imagineering team continues to set the standard for experiential storytelling. With the expansion of the Star Wars: Galaxy's Edge timeline at Disneyland to include classic characters from other Star Wars eras, fans will have a unique opportunity to live the Star Wars experience in an even bigger way. Every new detail, no matter how small, will be meticulously recreated to ensure an authentic experience. From iconic heroes and villains to droids and aliens, this next phase offers an unparalleled opportunity to immerse yourself in the Star Wars saga. I've had the tremendous pleasure of working side by side with the amazing Imagineering team, and I'm continually impressed by their passion for immersive storytelling—a passion that parallels our films.
-Doug Chiang
With these exciting updates still three months away, there should be minimal downtime for fans who are visiting Galaxy's Edge between now and then. I can't wait to see this update come to life! What do you think? What are you looking forward to the most? Let me know! You can get in touch with me by leaving a comment below or following me on my social media channels: Instagram, X, Threads or Bluesky.
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