I like most Star Wars fans have been eagerly awaiting the opening of Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge in both Walt Disney Land and Disney World. I attended the Disney World location just two days after it’s initial opening, and at the time of writing I have spent around 10 hours just exploring and geeking out at the fact that I when I walked through the entrance I was transported to another world.

Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge is not only a lovingly crafted theme park, but also a canon story in the Star Wars saga. The story takes place concurrently to the sequel trilogy and a little after the events of The Last Jedi. The Smuggler’s Run ride is part of an ongoing series known as Flight of the Falcon which details of how Han Solo lost his prized hunk of junk and how he got it back in The Force Awakens, though we will touch on that ride a tad bit later.

Galaxy’s Edge itself is so well detailed that as soon as you walk in you feel like you are on the planet of Batuu, everything is written in Aurebesh (A popular Star Wars language) there are sounds of Tie Fighters and other ships screeching overhead; everything has that iconic Star Wars feel even down to the cast members who all play along and act as if they are citizens in Black Spire Outpost. Ask a cast member a question and they will answer you in a way that would make sense for the characters in Star Wars.

For example, my sister and I were trying to find some Kyber crystals for my newly built lightsaber, we were told the directions to “Doc-Ondar’s Den of Antiquities” so we went and I was able to pick up my crystal, which happened to be a red one. Later that same cast member found us and asked if we found what we were looking for. After I nodded she said “I hope you are channeling the light side of the force” to which my sister started laughing hysterically and I slowly started to back step. The women tried not to chuckle at this and told us she had her eye on me, and for the rest of the day she would slink around corners and would whisper to her fellow co-workers who would also watch us. That simple interaction made our experience that much more immersive and enjoyable.

Galaxy’s Edge is also filled with shopping stalls in the marketplace. These stalls sell some of the most niche Star Wars products like a Watto plush, chance cubes from The Phantom Menace and even creature stall where you can “Adopt” iconic creatures like Porgs, (my favorite)  Tauntauns, and even a Loth cat! All come in a little cage to keep the roaming Stormtroopers from telling you off.

The marketplace was filled with people and the shops were cramped, not only because of the crowds but also due to the way the shops were constructed. They were made to imitate the hustle and bustle of a little market in Star Wars, and the rest of the shops and experiences like “Savi’s Workshop” “Oga’s Cantina”  and “Doc-Ondar’s” were all well made, highly detailed and all were well worth the trip over to the Park.

There are a few experiences that I would recommend that visitors do over there, and one would be to go to “Oga’s Cantina” as its’ menu is full of delicious concoctions both alcoholic and nonalcoholic. My favorites were “The Cliff Drawler” which was made with citrus juices, coconut and ginger ale all made in a collectible Porg mug, and the “Jubba Juice” which was orange juice, pineapple, kiwi, and cantaloupe. The drinks just capitalized on the bar itself which seemed very reminiscent of the bar in Tatooine in A New Hope and was equipped with DJ-Rex, a robotic DJ who kept the mood light and energetic with some upbeat Star Wars tunes.

I was unable to build a droid but I was able to walk around the droid factory. It was awesome to see what kind of parts and stickers you could add to your own BB or Astromech units. It was unfortunate not to be able to build a droid, but I was, however, able to go to Savi’s Workshop and build a lightsaber which was a highlight of my trip and definitely worth the $200 it cost.

I know that as of now the build-your-own-lightsaber experience is booked up for the next month or so but being able to experience is a must for hardcore fans. When you purchase your saber, you will pick from four different styles:

• Peace and Justice – this reflects the Jedi style from the Republic era (Prequel series)
• Power and Control – a Sith style that channels the Dark Side of the Force
• Elemental Nature – using natural components like Brylark trees, Cartusion whale bones, and Rancor teeth
• Protection and Defense – incorporating components with ancient and mysterious motifs and inscriptions

I chose Protection and Defense as I quite like the gold and the mysterious side of the force. Building the lightsaber itself took around 20 minutes, but the cast members make sure to put on a show. When you pay for your saber you will be asked to put on a pin that shows which set you decided to build. Then you will be taken inside Savi’s workshop. Inside you will find stormtrooper helmets and relics from the clone wars era and beyond.

Once you gather around the work table, a presenter will describe to you the state of the galaxy currently, and the legacy of the Jedi. This is well done and has a nice little light show to go with it. Once that is done, it is off to build your own lightsaber. The building part itself is quite easy as you pick a colored kyber crystal and insert into the main component, the rest you just easily snap and twist on. The saber is quite heavy, as it is made of metal and has a 32” blade. You are required to keep it in the given sleeve as you walk around the park, and the best part is that the lightsaber is approved for “interplanetary travel,” or that is to say it is TSA approved so you will have no trouble if you fly in.

As well designed and detailed as Galaxy’s Edge is there are a few setbacks that were disappointing for me. There were only two stormtroopers that would patrol at a time. That could be because of the crowds but they would only really interact with the park attendees and not the cast members themselves, which made the world feel a little more like a park instead of a real-world place. The other aspect that was a bit of a let down was the ride Smugglers Run.

Smugglers Run would see a group of six people sit in the Millennium Falcon, tasked with helping Hondo Ohnaka (who I’m happy to see receive some love in the mainstream) collect coaxium to help the Resistance fight the First Order. In a group, there will be two pilots, two gunners and two engineers. I was able to try my hand at being an engineer and a pilot. As an engineer, you will be tasked with hitting buttons and switches to repair the damage to the Falcon during combat. This was a nifty experience but was nothing groundbreaking.

Piloting was a big disappointment. Yes it was amazing to sit in the pilot seat of the iconic ship but the controls felt extremely unresponsive and that lead to both frustration on mine and my sisters part, and garnered a pretty low score at the end of the run. I went on Smugglers Run three times and I felt like I could skip it entirely on my next visit to the parks.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ssgGCjpFP4Q

Needless to say, I loved my time at Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge. With so much to see and experience from the amazing cantina, high attention to detail, to the market place and the cast members, Galaxy’s Edge is something that if possible should be experienced and not just by fans, I know (as my sister doesn’t care about Star Wars) that even those who are not fans will love the experience just as much.

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