If you do it right, exploring a theme park by yourself can be an exciting alternative to a big family vacation or couples’ getaway. You can breeze through single rider lines, dictate your own schedule, and eat as many churros as you want without fear of judgement—well, from your loved ones, anyway.

While the Disney Parks tend to cater more to families and small groups than the individual traveler, there’s plenty to see, do, and enjoy for those going at it alone. And Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge is no exception. With a plethora of quick-service dining options, retail opportunities, character interactions, and an expedited single rider line for Millennium Falcon: Smuggler’s Run, single guests can move through the land with perfect ease more often than not.

Whether you’re headed off to Batuu for the first time or planning a repeat visit, here are a few helpful tips to make your next trip the best one yet.

Err on the side of making dining and shopping reservations… even if you don’t think you’ll need them.

Image: Ashley Varela

If there’s one thing I’ve found extremely helpful when visiting Disneyland alone, it’s the art of making a well-timed dining reservation. It can be a great way to build some rest time into a busy day, guarantee fine dining options during peak crowd periods, and secure optimal viewing for evening entertainment.

When visiting Galaxy’s Edge, however, reservations are less of an option and more of a necessity—especially if you plan to soak in the sights and sounds of the land’s two finest experiences. Both Oga’s Cantina and Savi’s Handbuilt Lightsabers Workshop require reservations for all guests, and the standard 60-day reservation window doesn’t apply here. Instead, you may only make bookings on the day of your desired reservation, requiring you to wake up early and cross your fingers for the booking time and venue you want. And, should changed plans or unforeseen circumstances prevent you from arriving within your reservation window, you’ll be subject to a standard $10/person cancellation fee.

Getting a solo reservation should be much simpler and easier to pull off than a reservation for a larger group of travelers, but don’t make the mistake of believing that you’ll be able to snag a spot later in the day if you miss the initial morning rush. Additional reservation slots may open up, but it’s better to be safe than sorry—and in a worst-case scenario, footing a $10 cancellation fee is much more palatable than taking on the $20-50+ fee you’d incur with a large group.

It’s a less-than-ideal arrangement, to be sure, but one that all guests must abide by if they intend to a) experience some of Black Spire Outpost’s most elaborate and engaging theming and b) consume any alcohol on-property (only sold at the Cantina—not the Workshop). Still on the fence about getting a reservation? Keep in mind that there’s relatively little to do in the land aside from Smuggler’s Run, impromptu character interactions, and a handful of equally-expensive retail opportunities. You may want to have some time to decompress after braving capacity-level crowds, too.

Initiate interactions with the citizens of Black Spire Outpost.

Image: Ashley Varela

By far and away, the most unique and unexpectedly wonderful part of Galaxy’s Edge is the ability to weave yourself into an expansive Star Wars narrative. You don’t just step into the Star Wars universe when you enter the land—you become part of the story.

Practically speaking, this means that you’re likely to interact with any number of characters roaming the land over the course of the day. Kylo Ren, Chewbacca, Rey, Vi Moradi, First Order officers, Resistance sympathizers, and any number of Stormtroopers wander throughout Black Spire Outpost from time to time, stopping to chat with (or interrogate) the guests they find along the way.

It can be a little intimidating to engage in these interactions if, like me, you happen to be an introvert or are tackling Galaxy’s Edge without a comforting buffer of family and friends. So far, however, it seems like the characters and cast members populating the outpost only engage with those who are clearly open to the interaction. For instance, you may spy Vi Moradi playing games with some of the younger guests, Stormtroopers apprehending those bold enough to have their “datapads” (cell phones) out, or Kylo Ren questioning the loyalty of a bystander.

If you’re not the role-playing type, grab a glass of blue or green milk and find a good spot to people-watch. In addition to impromptu character interactions, there are several staged shows that take place throughout the day, virtually guaranteeing that you’ll always find something new and interesting to observe.