Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge – The ULTIMATE Guide!

ALL of your questions about visiting Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge, answered! Whether you are heading to Disneyland Resort or Walt Disney World we have all the insider tips to help you make the most of your visit.

Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge

Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge is the largest and most immersive land at any Disney park. It is unlike any other land! Galaxy’s Edge is packed with attractions, shops, dining, and entertainment. It can seem overwhelming at first, but we have all the tips and tricks to help you make the most of your visit.

Is There a Difference Between Disneyland’s and Disney World’s Galaxy’s Edge?

I have been to Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge inside of Disneyland Resort and inside of Hollywood Studios at Walt Disney World. Besides some minor layout differences, the two lands are essentially the same. In Disneyland there are three entrances to Galaxy’s Edge – through Critter Country, Frontierland, and Fantasyland. In Disney World there are two entrances – one near Muppet Vision 3-D and one next to the Alien’s Swirling Saucer side of Toy Story Land. The two lands have all the same attractions, dining, shopping, and entertainment.

Attractions in Galaxy’s Edge

• Smuggler’s Run: On the Smuggler’s Run ride, you and your group get to pilot the Millennium Falcon! It is an intense and interactive attraction. Each group has two pilots, two gunners, and two engineers. Everyone has a specific job during the ride, and how well you perform your job will determine how the ride goes. You even get scored at the end of the ride.
• Rise of the Resistance: Rise of the Resistance is Disney’s largest and most technologically advanced attraction yet! There has been tons of hype about this ride – and I can tell you that it lives up to the hype. Fight against the First Order with the help of all your favorite characters – Rey, Finn, Po, and of course BB-8. You’ll also encounter some enemies like the Stormtroopers, and the Supreme Leader Kylo Ren.

How to Get a Boarding Pass for Rise of the Resistance

As of today (March 9, 2020) both Disneyland Resort and Walt Disney World are still utilizing the virtual queue, or boarding groups system for The Rise of the Resistance. This may change at any time so please visit the Disneyland website, the Disney World website, or check the My Disney Experience App before you head to the parks for the most updated information. 

We have been lucky enough to ride this ride a few times and have come up with some tips that will help your group get a coveted boarding pass:

The Night Before

• Make sure that every person in your group has the My Disney Experience App downloaded on their phone. The app is the most efficient way to get your boarding pass. If you do not have a smart phone, you can see a cast member for more information on how to get a physical boarding pass.
• Also make sure that everyone in your group has their tickets linked together. You can link your tickets together through the Disney website on a desktop or laptop computer, or through the app. Linking your tickets together ensures that your group will all be in the same boarding group.

The Morning Of

• Arrive at the park at least an hour before the posted opening time. You want to be through security and scanned into the park before the park opens. You must be scanned in to Disneyland (Disneyland Resort) or Hollywood Studios (Disney World), not in any of the other parks.
• Once you are scanned into the park, turn off your WiFi and find the place where your phone has the best cell signal. Try to stay away from big crowds of people. Your group can split up and find good spots for everyone. You can also exit the park to find a better place. At Disneyland we found we had the best service out in the Esplanade. However, do not scan into any other parks. That will block you from getting a boarding pass.
• Two minutes before the park opens, exit out of all your apps, including the My Disney Experience App.
• One minute before the park opens, open the My Disney Experience App. The Home screen should have a picture from the ride and a button that says “Find Out More”. Make sure you see that screen.

When the Park Opens

• Finally, EXACTLY at the time the park opens, click the “Find Our More” button which will take you through to another screen where you can click “Join Boarding Group”. Click that button and you will be directed to a screen where you can select your group members and confirm. Once you’ve done this HOPEFULLY you will be directed to a page with your boarding group number. If someone in your group gets to this screen before you, it will say that you already have a boarding pass. Good luck and MAY THE FORCE BE WITH YOU.

Where to Eat

Galaxy’s Edge has some awesome dining options including some of our very favorites:

• Docking Bay 7: A delicious quick-serve restaurant with ingredients from around the galaxy! My favorite item here is the Endorian Roasted Chicken Salad. It has a green curry ranch that is UNREAL! It is so nice to eat something relatively healthy in the parks after eating corn dogs and churros all day.
• Ronto Roasters: Enjoy wraps and salads filled with fresh roasted pork and sausage at this hot dining spot! This might be an unpopular opinion, but my favorite menu item here is the Black Spire Hot Chocolate. If you are in the park at night or on a colder day, this is the perfect drink to sip while you’re waiting in line for Smuggler’s Run.
• The Milk Stand: You might deny it, but you know deep down you’ve always wanted to try that blue milk that Luke Skywalker drinks in the movies! Well, now you can! The blue is the more popular flavor, but I am also a fan of the green. Both drinks are cold and super refreshing, a great beverage for a hot day in the parks.
• Kat Saka’s Kettle: This is my favorite spot for a quick snack. Kat Saka’s Kettle Corn is super yummy! It is also a great spot to snag one of the Coke products in droid-shaped bottles. Call me crazy, but I swear the Diet Coke tastes better in that little round bottle!
• Oga’s Cantina: Reservations are required for this dining experience – and that’s what it is, an experience! Kids and adults can find curious concoctions waiting for them in this unique watering hole. Enjoy music from a droid DJ and meet other weary travelers!

Shopping and Entertainment

Even beyond the attractions and the food, there is still so much to see and do in Galaxy’s Edge! Just walking around the land is so fun. There are things to look at in every corner so take your time!

• The Marketplace: This is an extremely unique shopping experience in the park. The stores sell items that you would find if you were actually in the Star Wars Universe. Last time I was in this land, I bought a Sabacc card game. Make sure to take time to look around this fun area!
• The Droid Depot: Create your very own droid in this fun, interactive shop! You can pick all the parts for your droid, plus give it its own personality. If you bring your droid close to other droids in the land it will interact with them. If you are interested, make sure to make a reservation for this experience. You can make reservations up to 180 days in advance.
• Savi’s Workshop: Take part in the Jedi tradition that has been passed down through the ages – building a lightsaber. Visit the secret workshop and carry on the way of the Force. You will handpick every element of your lightsaber – including the kyber crystal. Reservations are required for this experience and can be made up to 180 days in advance.
• Character Encounters: The characters in Galaxy’s Edge interact with guests in a unique way. Instead of lines forming to take pictures with characters, the characters move through the land just like they would if you were really there. They appear, unscheduled, in different areas of the land and interact with guests. If you are lucky you can talk to Rey, Chewie, or even the Supreme Leader Kylo Ren!

We hope you enjoy Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge as much as we have! It is definitely Disney’s most ambitious and unique land ever. If you have any other questions, please let us know in the comments!

MAY THE FORCE BE WITH YOU!