I got to go behind this wall!On April 30 I was able to visit Galaxy’s Edge for the first time. I was part of a media group. We were able to actually enter the new land, and I was blown away. No pictures were allowed.
Our group was not allowed to wander. We walked through where the Grand Avenue entrance will be, and then past a model that is in the area. They use the model to get the shading right on the various rocks within the new land. We then walked into the land, but we were not able to go in too far. We could still see plenty. They showed us a photo of the entire area, and what we were able to see was probably about a quarter of it. We couldn’t see the Millennium Falcon, but we could see where they are working on Rise of the Resistance.
The first thing that struck me is the size of Galaxy’s Edge. We knew that it was going to be big, but that does not even begin to describe it. The new land is going to be massive.
There is a real Star Wars feel within Galaxy’s Edge. It doesn’t matter that Batuu is a “new” planet as far as canon is concerned, you will still feel like you are within the saga. The buildings and the rocks all have the feel that you would expect in a Star Wars spaceport.
One of the things that the Imagineers that we talked to kept stressing is that in Galaxy’s Edge you’ll be able to live “your own Star Wars story”. You will really enter a land and play your own role. That’s something I’ve been dreaming of since 1977.
When you first enter through Grand Avenue, you’ll walk through a tunnel. That is where you will transition from Disney’s Hollywood Studios to Batuu. One thing that was pointed out to us was that if you enter through the Grand Avenue entrance that you’ll have a long shot of the land ahead. The Toy Story Land entrance will offer a wide shot instead.
Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge is going to be more than just a new theme park land. It is going to be an attraction all by itself. Once you are there, everything is real. You won’t find T-shirts and coffee mugs with Galaxy’s Edge on them (although I’m sure those will be available in other parts of the park). Instead, you’ll be living a story that is more than 40 years in the making.
The other Star Wars attractions that are currently at Disney’s Hollywood Studios help fans to celebrate their love of Star Wars. With Galaxy’s Edge, you’ll be able to live it. Having seen what I saw today, I can tell you that it is going to be better than I had hoped.