When Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge opened at Disneyland Resort on May 31, the excitement was ricocheting off the walls faster than a laser blast inside a Death Star trash compactor.
With visitor reviews now rolling in, it appears that most people were blown away by the 14-acre section of Disneyland Park. If you are lucky enough to have scored a ticket to explore this stretch of the planet Batuu in its reservations-only phase (now through June 23), you can see for yourself. In the meantime, here’s what bloggers and reviewers have been buzzing about the most.
Lines and crowds are pretty mild
The place is certainly booked, but as a result of the super-high anticipation about the area’s debut, Disneyland put a reservations system in place for guests through June 23. The system seems to have worked incredibly well, according to reports that many lines didn't take more than 20 minutes.
Millennium Falcon: Smugglers Run exceeds expectations
The ride where you act as either pilot, engineer, or gunner on Han Solo’s ship is getting great reviews from experts like Theme Park Insider for being a dynamic experience. A nifty twist: Your skills determine how many containers of “coaxium” you manage to retrieve on each mission.
You’ll have to ride a few times to experience each role, and working your way into the cockpit is part of the fun thanks to a stop in the spaceship’s chess room made famous in the original film. (Smugglers Run is the only ride open right now: Rise of the Resistance will debut later this year.)
Imperial forces enforce the reservations system
The current reservations system allows you a four-hour stint inside Galaxy’s Edge. Your color-coded wristband indicates what your time block is, and if you’ve overstayed your welcome, you’ll be politely reminded to be on your way, lest you need to be escorted out by Stormtroopers, as noted by the folks at Marketwatch.
Look for Hidden Mickeys
Buzzfeed details a long list of “easter eggs” scattered around Galaxy’s Edge—a collection of cool, hidden-in-plain-sight details for both Disney and Star Wars nerds. Look above Docking Bay 7, for instance, and note that the numbers on shipping containers are the years of the original Star Wars movie releases (78, 80, and 83). And check out the head of Jar Jar Binks on display at Dok-Ondar's Den of Antiquities. (And yes, keep an eye out for at least one Hidden Mickey.)
People love the drinks at Oga’s Cantina
The arrival of the first cocktail bar inside Disneyland has been huge news all on its own, but TimeOut L.A. and the Los Angeles Times were also enthralled by the intergalactic menu. Highlights include the Fuzzy Tauntaun (peach vodka, peach schnapps, orange and tangerine juices) and the Bespin Fizz, which includes rum, yuzu purée, pomegranate juice, and some outer-space-worthy dry ice.
Hot souvenirs: Droids, lightsabers, and one freebie
The build-your-own Jedi hardware (from Droid Depot and Savi's Workshop) are probably the most popular pieces of merchandise so far, along with the stuffed porgs and tauntauns from The Creature Stall.
But one of the most captivating souvenirs spotted over opening weekend is intriguingly free: the cardboard coasters from Oga’s Cantina. The conversation-starters are inscribed with Batuuese lettering, so that you’ll almost hate to set your Jedi Mind Trick glass on top of it. Another fun drink souvenir: the special-edition Coke, Diet Coke, Sprite and Dasani bottles available in Galaxy’s Edge, which also require a little Batuuese-to-English translation.
Don’t miss Ronto Roasters
The culinary offerings at Galaxy’s Edge include some creative naming (spoiler alert: Docking Bay 7’s breaded tip-yip is chicken), but reviews are overall good. The Orange County Register, Delish, and the L.A. Times all gave a thumbs up to the Ronto Wrap at Ronto Roasters, which includes grilled sausage, roasted pork, peppercorn sauce, and slaw.
The Blue Milk and Green Milk are not actually made of milk
In fact, the Milk Stand treats are slushee-type beverages meant to recall Luke’s nutritious drinks of choice from the original trilogy. According to reviewers from Delish and Theme Park Insider, the blue option may remind you of the sweet milk left in a bowl of sugary cereal, while the green has a citrus-tinged flavor.
