Lack of signage

Image: DisneyThis problem is specifically a design decision by park planners. To enhance the immersive aspects of Star Wars Land, Imagineers built the most authentic world ever. The world of Batuu is alien in every sense of the world. And aliens don’t speak English, at least not as their first language.

Guests who visit Black Spire Outpost will learn this quickly. The walls of the encampment have writing on them, yes, but it's in a foreign language. Until you've taken Batuu 101, this information won't help you much. When you're trying to find your bearings, you'll naturally look for signs. This moment is when you realize that there is no signpost up ahead.

Disney operates the outpost under the premise that the locals already know where everything is. As a visitor to the area, you’ll be the fish out of water here. You’ll follow the crowds toward trafficked areas of the settlement. At times, you’ll get turned around and feel hopelessly lost. Believe it or not, this isn’t totally accidental.

Image: DisneyWhen you travel somewhere on vacation, do you ever get lost? Of course you do! Everyone does. How do you deal with the situation? Presuming that you’re not super-stubborn, you’ll ask the locals for directions. Star Wars Land functions in anticipation of this behavior.

You’re supposed to talk to people about things like how to get from Point A to Point B. It’s just not something that everyone likes to do. And the lack of signage in combination with the alien language can frustrate some guests. To Disney, this is a feature, not a bug…but it’ll bug you nonetheless.

Role-playing elements

Image: DisneyRemember how I just said that Batuu is an alien world and a place where Disney encourages conversation between guests and cast members? They have a reason for doing so. Live action role-playing aka LARPing is an everyday part of this themed land.

Employees have received training in acting out their parts. You shouldn’t think of them as employees but rather as residents of Black Spire Outpost. They have their own opinions on the recent arrival of The First Order as well as their own political allegiances. Some are members of The Resistance while others are #TeamSith.

The conceit of Star Wars Land is that you’ll interact with these residents. When you say the right things to the right people, you’ll trigger quests. You’ll receive instructions to look for other residents. Its entire structure intends to empower guests with a kind of escapism never seen at parks before.

Some people hate it.

Image: DisneySeveral visitors at Galaxy's Edge have stated that they tensed up at the thought of role-playing with strangers. They resent the fact that they have to try so hard while on vacation. I suspect that fans of Star Wars and extroverts will love LARPing at Black Spire Outpost. Introverts, on the other hand, will loathe the idea and resent any attempts by cast members to dole out quests.

Park officials intend to keep Star Wars Land fresh via quests. So, we’ve only scratched the surface in debating the diversity of opinion on LARPing.

Use of credits instead of dollars

Image: DisneyOkay, the final complaint is more of a nitpick. It’s one that exists beyond the world of Batuu, too. In recent years, digital currencies have risen in popularity. Generally, they’re employed in videogames as a way of confusing customers about how much they’re spending on games. It’s a psychological trick.

You have spent all of your life evaluating costs in terms of dollars or pounds or Euros or whatever. You think of financial outlays in these terms. Digital currencies have developed as a way of blurring the issue. For example, the X-Box used Microsoft Points for several years before the system became too unwieldy. Amazon sells Coins in thousand-point increments so that gamers are never quite sure about the cost of a digital pack.

Disney has adopted this system for Galaxy’s Edge. Cast members are trained to state prices in Galactic Credits rather than dollars. It’s currently a one-to-one ratio, so it’s no big deal at the moment, at least for American consumers. The situation changes from minor aggravation to shady business practice if/when Disney changes the ratio and confuses guests about the actual price of goods.