Take a Deep Dive into the Story and Details of Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge at Hollywood Studios at Walt Disney World!
My favorite part of all Disney Theme Parks are the stories and the details, and Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge is FULL of them. It is such an immersive space, and right next to Toy Story Land, ANOTHER totally immersive land. Located on the back edge of Hollywood Studios, Galaxy’s Edge is all of your childhood dreams coming true at once. (Likewise, at Disneyland Park, Galaxy’s Edge is on the back edge of the park). While you’re here, you’re truly in a galaxy far, far away.
How do I get to Batuu?
There are two entrances into Black Spire Outpost. You can enter near MuppetVision 3D, which will bring you in by Rise of the Resistance; or enter from Toy Story Land, near the speeder garage. As you should with every land in every Disney Park, pay attention to how the landscaping, the sounds, and even the smells slowly transition you into this new world. In addition to the buildings and spaceships and speeders, explore the foiliage and even the droid and creature tracks in the ground.
Black Spire Outpost
Once on the planet Batuu, you’ll be at the Black Spire Outpost. This was once a thriving settlement, but is now home to bounty hunters, smugglers, and others hiding out from the First Order. This Outpost was named after the petrified spires located throughout the Outpost, which used to be ancient trees lining the rivers and plains of Batuu. As such, the whole place is a story, and everyone and everything is a character. Likewise, every detail is a story. Visitors will be able to find Rey and Chewbacca wandering around the Speeder Garage or the Millennium Falcon. They may even greet you after you return from Rise of the Resistance! And keep an eye out for Vi Moradi, a Resistance spy. She has blue hair and an orange jacket. BUT REMEMBER: she is a spy.
The First Order – Kylo Ren
First Order characters, like Kylo Ren and his troopers, are found at the TIE Echelon back near the milk stand. Each cast member in Batuu has a backstory, and they are all part of the story. As such, if you ask them how to get to the Rock n Roller Coaster, they might look at you funny. But if you ask them where they live, why they’re in the outpost, or their opinions on the Resistance or the First Order.
Language of Batuu
“Bright suns” means “Good morning”
“Rising moons” means “Good evening”
“Refresher” means “restroom”
“Hydrator” means “water fountain”
“Credits” means “money”
“Data pad” means “cell phone”
“Only the ancients know” means “I don’t know”
“Til the Spire” or “May the Spires keep you” means “Goodbye
Shopping – Batuu Marketplace
Disney Imagineers visited marketplaces in Istanbul and Marrakesh for inspiration for Batuu, and drew on those experiences to design the marketplace at Black Spire Outpost. In many cases, audio animatronics serve as the shopkeepers, giving more authenticity to the Star Wars theming. You will find a water fountain, excuse me….a hydrator, near the bathroom, I mean, refresher, for filling you water bottles. Above that hydrator, you will see a one-eyed Dianoga. Star Wars fans will recognize it as the creature in the trash chute that pulled Luke underwater in A New Hope. Black Spire Outfitters sells your finest space clothing, and you can find accessories, trinkets (like the japoor snippet Anakin carved for Padme in The Phantom Menace), and treasures.
CREATURES AND YOUNGLING SOUVENIRS
The Creature Stall has all kinds of creatures, like Porgs, Santhas, Tauntauns, and loth cats. You can purchase these rare space pets and bring them home with you. While over at the Toydarian Toymaker, manned by Zabaka, a Toydarian like Watto, you will find “handmade” toys, like handstitched porgs or Yoda rag dolls. You can even get wooden sandcrawlers filled with “hand-carved” mini Jawas, Ewok drums, packs of Sabaac cards, and even chance cubes!
If you look up in the ceiling of the toy shop, you will see handcrafted mobiles and marionettes depicting:
- Obi-Wan vs Darth Vader, A New Hope
- Millennium Falcon in Asteroids, Empire Strikes Back
- Jabba’s sail barge, The Return of the Jedi
FROM THE ANCIENTS
You can also visit Dok-Ondar’s Den of Antiquities. Ithorian Dok-Ondar deals in rare and unique items and antiquities, and here is where you will find kyber crystals and holocrons for building your lightsaber in Savi’s Workshop. In order to make a lightsaber, you should make a reservation 60 days out. Before you leave Dok-Ondar’s shop, though, be sure to look for Jyn Erso’s kyber crystal necklace from Rogue One. For fans of the First Order, head over to First Order Cargo for all your evil goods. Team Resistance? Head to Resistance Supply and get the good guys’ goods.
Millennium Falcon: Smuggler’s Run
We’ve discussed Dining, and, of course, the milk stand, and DROIDS!, but let’s talk RIDES!! There are two rides inside Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge, and for all you Star Tours lovers (LIKE ME!!!), it’s still there, it’s just not in the land. You will find it in it’s same spot between MuppetVision 3D and Backlot Express. But while in Batuu, you will find the LIFE SIZE Millennium Falcon, where you can ride Millennium Falcon: Smuggler’s Run.
While waiting in line, I encourage you to take advantage of looking out the “windows” and taking in the INSANE amount of detail put into the ship. Find yourself shocked that they came in that hunk of junk!
The “ship” takes 6 people to fly it, so if your party is not 6, be prepared to make new friends. Guests will become 2 pilots, 2 gunners, and 2 engineers. This part is something I don’t like, because I was a pilot but I only controlled left and right, not up and down, but Imagineering didn’t ask me, and there you go. It’s an awesome ride, but honestly, the queue and the staging area before you board the Falcon are my favorite spots, mostly because I, like most people, have grown up on these movies and this is like a dream come true: being IN THE MILLENNIUM FALCON!!!!!!
Rise of the Resistance
I usually do not condone waiting in long lines for rides, but if you happen to not be able to get an Individual Lightning Lane for Rise of the Resistance, just wait. It’s worth it. You can also get in line just before the park closes, and you will get on the ride. What can I say about this ride? It’s the most incredible ride I’ve ever ridden. Truly. The First Order Troopers, the First Order Officers that take you for interrogation, the Resistance fighters, Poe Dameron’s ship, all of it. When in your life have you been shot at by Troopers surrounded by AT-AT Walkers? Even if you’re not a Star Wars Fan, this is a ride you need to experience.
Easter Eggs around Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge
- One-eyed dianoga from the trash chute in a tank above the Black Spire drinking fountain
- taxidermic Wampa from Hoth in Dok-Ondar’s Den of Antiquities
- Pod racing engine used to roast the rontos and the smelter droids from Jabba’s palace turning the spits in Ronto Roasters
- mural in Dok-Ondar’s Den of Antiquities showing light vs dark from Palpatine’s office in Revenge of the Sith
- Hondo Ohnaka from Clone Wars and Rebels gives you your mission assignment on Smuggler’s Run
- Nien Nunb, Lando Calrissian’s co-pilot in Return of the Jedi, flies the transport ship in Rise of the Resistance
- Actual R2-D2 tracks were used to make “droid tracks” around the outpost to give it a more authentic look
And don’t forget to buy your souvenir THERMODETONATORS!!!!!
The Star Wars Galactic Starcruiser is now OPEN! Contact me today to book your next vacation? That’s my job! Let me help you out!
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