Disneyland Making Huge Changes to Star Wars Galaxy’s Edge and I’m Very Excited

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As a huge Star Wars fan, I remember when Galaxy’s Edge first opened at Disneyland, it was all about the sequel trilogy – Episodes 7, 8, and 9. But Disney’s been smartly expanding things! They started bringing in characters like The Mandalorian and Grogu, and Ahsoka and Sabine, which was awesome. Now, this year, they’re really changing things up and opening up the timeline even more within the land – it’s going to feel like a much bigger piece of the Star Wars universe!

Beginning April 29th, Disneyland is adding characters and storylines from the original Star Wars trilogy to Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge. Guests will be able to meet beloved characters from those classic films, and a section of the land’s fictional planet, Batuu, will be updated to reflect this expanded timeline.

What’s Changing in Star Wars Galaxy’s Edge

Game Rant recently received a preview of upcoming changes to Galaxy’s Edge from key Disney Imagineering and Lucasfilm leaders. Asa Kalama, Michael Serna, and Matt Martin detailed the plans for the land’s revamp and explained the creative decisions behind them.

A significant update is coming to Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge. The area housing the popular Rise of the Resistance ride will continue to be themed around the events of Episodes 7, 8, and 9. Guests can still expect to encounter characters like Rey, Chewbacca, and R2-D2 in that location.

The Black Spire Outpost area of Galaxy’s Edge will be refreshed to look like an earlier version of itself, with updated scenery and props. Most excitingly, Han Solo and Princess Leia characters will begin appearing for guest meet-and-greets. This is a rare opportunity to meet them for photos at Disneyland, as it’s been a long time since they’ve been available outside of special nighttime Star Wars events.

Han Solo’s costume will feature the familiar open vest style that fans appreciate. Leia’s outfit is inspired by her look during the battle on Hoth in The Empire Strikes Back, and the design team also drew inspiration from Star Wars Battlefront, giving her a beige vest and white jumpsuit. I’ve seen early designs for both characters, and the costumes are exactly what you’d expect. While Leia isn’t sporting her signature cinnamon bun hairstyle, it’s understandable, as that style might be difficult to make look realistic in this setting.

Perhaps the most exciting addition to Galaxy’s Edge will be Darth Vader. While he’s currently available for photos in Tomorrowland exclusively for Disney Visa cardholders, he’ll soon be walking around Black Spire Outpost with a group of Stormtroopers. Meeting Darth Vader is a major highlight for Disneyland visitors and is expected to be a huge attraction in Galaxy’s Edge when it opens later this year.

Disney has announced that Kylo Ren will no longer appear roaming around Galaxy’s Edge, and will instead be featured as part of the Disney Visa program.

The update mentioned that Han and Leia will once again appear with Luke Skywalker, who became available for meet-and-greets at Galaxy’s Edge last year during the Season of the Force. While it might be difficult, or even impossible, to get a photo of all three together, fans will be thrilled to see them interacting in the park. It would be amazing if Darth Vader encountered them, but Disneyland carefully plans these character appearances, so it’s unlikely.

Galaxy’s Edge Will Exist In Two Forms, So to Speak

Splitting the Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge area into sections for the Resistance and Black Spire Outpost is a good move – it’ll prevent awkward scenes like Rey accidentally crossing paths with a young Han Solo. While I understand Disney wants to maintain the immersive experience, I’m wondering how the introduction of new characters will affect those already there. I really hope Rey continues to appear at Batuu for a long time, as she represents a new generation of fans, even though Leia is a classic and beloved character.

To enhance the atmosphere of Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge, the land will now feature music from John Williams’ famous scores. Guests who have attended Star Wars Nite events already know how much these songs add to the experience, and this new addition will make Galaxy’s Edge even more immersive. While the existing sounds of spaceships and droids help create the Star Wars world, Disney Imagineer Kalama believes the music will be a truly incredible enhancement.

“I think it will further ground and help reinforce that we are in the world of Star Wars.”

As part of the upcoming changes, the First Order Cargo shop will be renamed and redesigned as Black Spire Supplies. Beloved locations like Dok-Ondar’s Den of Antiquities, Droid Depot, and Oga’s Cantina will be presented in their original forms from a previous time period. While you might find some new items like droid parts or lightsaber pieces, the shops will generally offer the same products as before.

Galaxy’s Edge restaurants will have some new food options, but don’t worry – popular dishes you love aren’t disappearing! You’ll still be able to enjoy classics like Ronto Wraps at Ronto Roasters, even with the area’s updated look.

Disney had hinted at exploring different time periods in its Star Wars universe with characters like the Mandalorian and Luke Skywalker, but now they’re fully committing to the idea. While it made sense to set Galaxy’s Edge at a specific point in time, it also restricted storytelling possibilities, and fans were eager to see more characters from various eras.

As Disneyland prepares to celebrate its 50th anniversary next year, it’s planning to fully integrate the Star Wars universe into the park experience. The changes begin April 29th, but will continue with an update to the Smuggler’s Run attraction in both Disneyland and Disney World in May. This new version will feature characters from The Mandalorian – Din Djarin and Grogu – leading guests on adventures to planets like Bespin, Tatooine, and Coruscant. Beyond that, Disneyland seems eager to explore even more stories and characters from the Star Wars galaxy, opening up a wide range of exciting possibilities.

Starting April 29, 2026, Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge will update its storyline. Then, on May 22, 2026, the popular characters from The Mandalorian and Grogu will be integrated into the Smuggler’s Run attraction.

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2026-01-14 20:08