SPOILER ALERT: This post will be talking about Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge, Millennium Falcon: Smuggler’s Run, and Rise of the Resistance. If, like me, you want to go into Galaxy’s Edge as cold as possible, I would reccomend not reading this post or skipping ahead past the aforementioned talking points.
Tuesday – August 17, 2021
Ever since the “Orange Harvest” announcement of “Star Wars Land” at D23 back in 2013 I have been excited to go to Disney World to explore this new land the Imagineers had come up with. Galaxy’s Edge opened in May of 2019 in California and August of 2019 in Florida. Initially, it was my family’s plan to do another big Disney World trip in the summer of 2021 for the 50th anniversary celebration of the park. However, COVID messed all of that up.
Cut to me moving to California in April of 2021 and wanting my folks to come visit me. Since I’d never been to Disneyland before, I thought it would be fun to go there to see how it compares to the Magic Kingdom and to finally experience Galaxy’s Edge.
One of the things that was stressing me out since buying our tickets and making our park reservation on July 6th was if we would be able to get a “boarding group” for Rise of the Resistance. This is such a popular attraction that there is currently no standby line, but rather you have to try to get a boarding group on the Disneyland app at 7am on the day you are visiting the park.
Because I knew that it would take anywhere from 35 minutes to an hour (depending on traffic) to get from my apartment to Anaheim, I had us leave LA at 6am. The Disneyland parking structure opens 1 hour before the park opens. Since the park didn’t open until 8am that would mean I would have to drive us into the structure and try for a boarding group on my phone at the same time.
Thus, rather than setting my GPS for the Mickey and Friends Parking Structure, I set it for a nearby Walmart. My though was to get to Walmart by no later than 6:45am have some time to chill, then at 7am try for a boarding group in a non-driving, stress-free location. We’d either get a boarding group or not and then drive to the park.
I had read an article outlining the best techniques to try and assure the ability to secure a boarding group. We arrived at the Walmart parking lot at ~6:35am and I anxiously waited for 7am. At 6:59:45 I started a 15 second countdown. My heart raced as the three of us held our phones and waited for the hour to change.
Once I saw 7:00 at the top of my phone, I swiped down to refresh the load screen. I got to the next page which showed the three people in my group were all selected and immediately clicked the “Join” button. The app loaded for a second and then it was done; we had successfully joined a boarding group for Rise of the Resistance!
We got group 82 and were given an estimated wait time of 295 minutes. This means that you can do whatever you want in the parks until your boarding group is called. I was so relieved. All of the stress I had from the month before had lifted and I drove us to the Mickey and Friends Parking Structure to start our magical journey.
Disneyland
After exiting the car, taking the escalator down to the ground level and going through security. We made our way down the tramway (the tram isn’t running so we had to walk) to Downtown Disney. Despite the fact that it was only 7:43am, they were already letting guests into the park.
We hit our first snag while making our way through the turnstile. My Dad had somehow accidentally deleted his ticket from the Disneyland app and was freaking out. Luckily Mom and I had his ticket on our phones as well and we were able to get him in. They also issued us physical paper tickets that we would use for entry into Disney California Adventure the next day.
We made our way down Main Street USA and were stopped at the end by a rope. We would be towards the front of the line for what is known as “rope drop,” or Disney’s version of the running of the bulls when the park opens at 8am. While we were waiting, I took in how different Disneyland really is from the Magic Kingdom. The castle is so much smaller for one, but for another, it was odd to me how easily you could see the gateways to the various lands -Tomorrowland, Adventureland, Frontierland- they were all so close to each other.
At 8am the rope came down and I sped walked my way to the back of the park to be one of the first guests to enter Black Spire Outpost on Batuu. Everything was quiet. The moment I was waiting for for 2 years had finally arrived. As we entered under the berm I almost cried. I was overwhelmed with the level of detail and the feeling of stepping into the world of Star Wars.
We walked around and took pictures of everything. Eventually we got to Oga’s Cantina, another thing that had been stressing me out. Since I had been unable to secure a dining reservation, I was nervous that we wouldn’t be able to get in. “Bright suns,” (the traditional Batuu greeting) I proclaimed as I approached the woman at the entrance with a iPad. “My two droids and I,” I motioned to my parents, “are in need of refreshments. Oga and I go way back and I was wondering if there was any way we could get on the list on your data pad to grab drinks before the twin suns set.”
She responded by telling me there was no walk up list, but suggested we try our hand smuggling coaxium for Hondo Ohnaka. “Let me know how you do when you’re back and I’ll see if Oga can make room for you.” I smiled, “Thank you.” She waived goodbye, “Till the spires.”
Millennium Falcon: Smuggler’s Run
We walked the short distance from the entrance of Oga’s Cantina to Hondo Ohnaka’s Transport Solutions where, as luck would have it, they were in need of pilots, gunners and engineers. There was virtually no line and we got right to the pre-show room where Hondo and Chewie briefed us on our mission.
We were then led down a hallway at the end of which we were assigned the rest of our crew (there are six passengers in total), given our roles -Dad and I were pilots and Mom was a gunner- and assigned a color.
We walked pas the Dejarik board and then entered the cockpit of the Falcon. I was so excited and the ride was essentially a version of Star Tours over which you have control. We all loved it and got the rank of Marauder. Excited, we made our way back to Oga’s Cantina.
Oga’s Cantina
We waited for about a minute before they led us into a booth near where DJ Rex was spinning tunes. I was on a high and was overwhelmed again that we had made it into the Cantina. I had studies the menu in advance and knowing what I wanted, I ordered a Fuzzy Tauntaun. The waitress asked for my “credentials” while my folks looked at the menu on their data pads (phones).
I don’t usually drink booze at 8:30am but when in Batuu… . As expected the foam atop my drink made my mouth numb and tingly. I made sure to take my coaster and had my folks take theirs as well; a fun souvenir. While sitting a drinking, a young couple joined our booth we chatted with them for a bit about Star Wars and the Disney parks.
After settling our tab, we made our way back out to Black Spire Outpost.
Ronto Roasters
Dad was hungry having not had breakfast so he got food at Ronto Roasters. Mom and I explored the gift shops while Dad waited for and ate his food. One thing I may not have noticed on my own is the fact that nothing in this area (with the exception of merchandise tags) says Star Wars.
The rides aren’t labeled with giant signs proclaiming what they are. For the most part everything you experience is supposed to feel “in world.” For example, when getting off Smuggler’s Run, you don’t “exit through the gift shop,” you simply are returned back to the outpost. It makes the experience all the more immersive.
After Dad was done, he called us and we met up with him to do a bit more exploring and to ride Smuggler’s Run again. We then ventured over to the entrance of Rise of the Resistance where Dad got a coke and we sat for a bit. No sooner did we sit, did I get an alert on my phone that our boarding group was being called. They give you an hour window to report to the entrance. Luckily, we were right there so Dad finished his drink and we walked over to the line.
Rise of the Resistance
SPOILERS ABOUND: In the app I selected the boarding group and three digital tickets appeared, each with our names on them. We walked through the beginning of the line and got to a point where we were stopped and asked to show our digital tickets. Once all three were scanned we were allowed to proceed through the line. There was a short outside portion that soon became the inside of the Resistance base.
We proceeded fairly swiftly through the base and eventually got to the first pre-show room. In it, we were greeted by BB-8 who was fiddling with some control panels. After a few minutes of waiting, there was an incoming transmission from Rey in the form of a hologram. She goes on to tell you that you have vital information about the Resistance and need to leave the base in order to join the fight. After her short briefing, your group is escorted outside where you find Poe Dameron’s X-Wing with BB-8 in it.
You are led inside a Corellian transport ship which is waiting across from it. It is being piloted by Lieutenant Bek (a Mon Calamari) and your old pal Nien Nunb. This is the first ride portion of the ride. It is a simulator without seats, everyone is standing like they would on the subway. There are windows (screens) at the front and the back that show you taking off and flying into space. Soon however, as is always the case, something goes wrong and your ship is pulled into a Star Destroyer tractor beam.
Once in the loading bay, the same door you entered opens and you are boarded by the First Order. When this happened, everyone gasped. You are escorted into the loading bay where Storm Troopers are keeping an eye on you. There is a docked TIE Fighter as well. You walk past it, down a corridor where you await processing by the First Order. Once processed, your put into a holding cell and you’re guarded by a lone Storm Trooper standing on a gantry above you.
After a while, General Hux and Kylo Ren enter on the gantry and threaten you if you don’t give them the information they’re looking for. Shortly after, they leave and again you’re left in the room. Suddenly, there is a loud noise and the side of the wall lights up. There is a glow as the door is cut open and two Resistance fighters enter the cell. “We’re here to rescue you.”
They rush you into the next room where you board a small transport (trackless ride vehicle). This is the main part of the ride. From here it’s all a bit of a blur. You zoom in and out and around the Star Destroyer and below AT-ATs narrowly escaping blaster fire from Storm Troopers. You then enter Turbo Lifts that elevate your vehicle to the 2nd level. You continue to zoom around eventually come face to face with Kylo Ren.
There’s a bit where you go in between these huge laser cannons. Then, and I forget the order of this, but you have to escape Kylo Ren again and he jumps on top of your elevator and stabs his light saber through the roof. Eventually end up in an escape pod (this puts your trackless ride vehicle in a simulator/elevator drop) where you drop out of the Star Destroyer and end up back on Batuu. The ride then goes outside and past a set piece of the wreckage you crash landed in. Lieutenant Bek is there and you all escaped alive. It’s the most immersive ride I have ever been on. Everyone loved it.
Hungry Bear Restaurant
Awestruck after the ride, we made our way out of Batuu and back into Frontierland. There we stopped for lunch at the Hungry Bear Restaurant. We ate our lunch and rested for a bit before heading past Splash Mountain and into New Orleans Square. This was all new to me since it is Liberty Square in the Magic Kingdom. We wanted to go on The Haunted Mansion but it was closed as they were setting up the Nightmare Before Christmas Holiday overlay.
Pirates of the Caribbean
We then went to the next best thing, Pirates of the Caribbean. This is a classic favorite although it too is a little bit different from the Florida version. For one the entrance is completely different, the loading area is different and the very beginning of the ride is different. One cool thing is that it floats right by the Blue Bayou Restaurant.
The Indiana Jones Adventure
After Pirates, we made our way through Adventureland to The Indiana Jones Adventure. The last time I had ridden it was at DisneySea in Tokyo and everything was in Japanese.
Matterhorn Bobsleds
Next, Dad and I made our way to the Matterhorn. Despite the fact that multiple sources had informed me that it was rickety, I needed to ride it. As a coaster enthusiast, it is the genesis of the tubular steel track roller coaster. There would be no Space Mountain, Big Thunder Mountain or perhaps any of the other beloved roller coasters without this ride. Since we didn’t want to keep Mom waiting, we decided to use the single rider line. It worked out well and despite being rickety, I was glad to have finally done it.
Star Tours: The Adventures Continue
After that we made our way over to Tomorrowland. Initially, I didn’t care if I got to ride Star Tours, but once we were there, I was compelled to ride it. In spite having just done two other rides with motion simulator elements, Mom decided to abstain from this one as well.
After Star Tours, we headed to Fantasyland to do some of the classic dark rides, initially we were going to do Snow White’s Enchanted Wish because it was recently updated with some new show scenes and effects. However when we got there it was not operating, so we got in line for another one of our favorites, Peter Pan. But, shortly after getting in line for Peter Pan, Snow White reopened. We were faced with either a 40 minute wait or a no minute wait.
Snow White’s Enchanted Wish
We ended up waiting about 5 minutes for Snow White which was a breeze and the upgraded effects and show scenes were really cool. To be honest, since it had been years since I’d last ridden it, I wasn’t sure of everything that was new. Either way, it looked nice and fresh and it was good to see an old friend.
Pinocchio’s Daring Journey
After that, we made our way to the nearby Pinocchio’s Daring Journey. I had recently listened to an episode of Podcast: The Ride where this was the topic. To my knowledge it is not one of the dark rides at the Magic Kingdom so I had never ridden it before. In short, this ride is truly horrifying. It feel like a carnival dark ride and it is both literally and figuratively very dark. It was fun to see what they had been talking about and I was glad we did it.
It’s a Small World
Following that, we ventured deeper into Fantasyland to the infamous Small World ride. Like Pirates, the facade to Small World is completely different than the one in Florida. The biggest difference being that you board the boats outside the show building and then make your way into it and through the ride before exiting back into the sunlight and out to the dock again.
One cool thing happened in line. There was a girl wearing a Carlos Sainz shirt who was in line ahead of us. When we passed her in the switchbacks, I commented about his F1 season so far and we had a short chat before the line pushed us apart. I wanted to keep chatting because I never see anyone with F1 gear outside of going to a race but it wasn’t meant to be. Plus, she was a bit younger so it probably would have been creepy.
Gibson Girl Ice Cream Parlor
After we were done with Small World, my folks were in the mood for ice cream so we headed to Main Street USA. They both got waffle cones and we all sat on the sidewalk while they ate. When Mom couldn’t finish hers, I got the scraps.
Big Thunder Mountain
We then doubled back to Frontierland and since there was only a 25 minute wait, Dad and I rode BTM. In line we saw a guy with a Red Bull F1 shirt on and I asked if he though Max could take the driver’s championship. “I hope so,” he replied as we passed each other.
Jungle Cruise
Normally the Jungle Cruise is a ride I’m fine skipping. I’ve done it enough and I know all the jokes. However, because of Behind the Attraction on Disney+ and because the movie is out now and because they recently updated it and added some show scenes, it felt like a must do. The line was pretty long but I was really glad we did it. The old school imagineering, particularly in the line with the fake radio stations and announcements they do, shows how effective little details can be when it comes to world building.
After the Jungle Cruise, we were hungry. Initially I had wanted to go to the Blue Bayou for dinner but I wasn’t able to get a reservation. However, we headed over to New Orleans Square to see what the scoop was. They told us that there wasn’t a wait list and that basically we would need to just check back periodically. I was bummed mostly because I saw how deflated this made Mom. However, the silver lining was that it gave us the opportunity to try a new restaurant (although Blue Bayou would have been new to us), Docking Bay 7.
Docking Bay 7
Both Ronto Roasters and Docking Bay 7 would be considered quick service restaurants. However, this one was closer to a “real” restaurant as it was indoors and had a large seating area. I ordered the Batuuan Beef Pot Roast with the Phattro for my drink. Both were excellent and I devoured my meal. Mom couldn’t finish her Endorian Roasted Chicken Salad so I polished it off.
We then walked around Galaxy’s Edge to get pictures of it at night. It’s beautiful during the day but it really comes alive at night. After that, we made our way back to Fantasyland to finally ride Peter Pan.
Peter Pan’s Flight
Of all the dark rides, this is without a doubt my favorite. It’s funny because on a somewhat recent re-watch of Peter Pan, I realized how much I really don’t like that movie. But maybe because the ride mechanic is suspended from the ceiling it makes it more magical. I know it is also rooted to my childhood, to the trips we took to Disney World in the early ’90s, it just holds a special place in my heart.
On a different note, while in line there was a woman wearing a Powerline (from A Goofy Movie) shirt. I was wearing a Powerline shirt as well, so I pointed this out to her and she responded with “You know.” It was a good moment. Afterwards we made our way over to Tomorrowland for one last ride of the night.
Space Mountain
One of the most famous and classic of the Disney parks attractions, Space Mountain is another “must” ride. I had hear that it was better than the one in Florida and that it was smoother too. Also, a little thing but I wanted to see what it was like sitting side-by-side as opposed to in single file like the Matterhorn.
The line was fairly long but it moved right along. Having the onboard audio along with the other aforementioned additions, did in fact make this the superior version. However, I’d argue that the entrance and the queue in Florida is cooler. Plus there are two tracks and two loading stations. Plus, because you unload in a different area than where you board, the trains are sent back to the loading area empty. So, Florida SM still has some cool perks.
After a long day, we met up with Mom and finally made our way out of the park. While leaving Tomorrowland I gave a shout out to a guy wearing a Boost Creeps shirt. We left the park a little after 9:30pm and we had done everything we wanted to do and more. It was a very successful day.
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