The Fix

After lots of waiting, they're here. We're finally beginning to see fixes for what ails Galaxy's Edge – focused on adding flexible, fan-service, and yep, even fun.

First, let's get this off the table: for now (and probably forever), Star Wars: Galaxy's Edge will be set in the timeline of the sequel trilogy. Sure, fans daydream about simply swapping Kylo Ren animatronics on Rise of the Resistance for Darth Vader; Hondo Onaka for Han Solo; and Rey walk-around characters with Princess Leia. 

One day, sure, it's possible. But as of press time, rumors suggest that Disney's serious about moving forward with Rey-focused spin-off films... So even if Lucasfilm probably privately regrets the way the sequel trilogy concluded, they clearly still see merit in the characters and world it produced. 

It's also worth saying that new generations have re-discovered the highly controversial prequel trilogy from the early 2000s with new eyes, turning the oft-derided set of films focused on Anakin Skywalker into treasured classics... It's a re-assessment that Disney is no doubt hoping their own sequel trilogy will undergo when the kids who grew up with it become spendy young adults with nostalgia for Rey, Poe, Finn, and Kylo Ren. Still, it seems that Imagineers have agreed to at least loosen their iron grip on Galaxy's Edge in a few key ways...

1. Story bubbles

For better or worse, the land's explicit connection to the sequel trilogy is foundational and baked-in to its two rides – Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance and Millennium Falcon: Smugglers Run. But the land as a whole is gaining a little more flexibility... 

We might be able to track this to the 2021 opening of Avengers Campus at Disney California Adventure, which has proven the uniquely powerful role of the parks as promotional pieces. On the day that any Marvel Studios project lands on Disney+ or in theaters, you can count on that character appearing in Avengers Campus – a land that's precisely the opposite of Galaxy's Edge because it embraces the "multiverse," allowing characters who are dead in the "MCU" to show up... The mindset? "It's not that serious." People want to see Iron Man, even if it doesn't really make logical, timeline sense that he should exist next to Ms. Marvel.

A bit of that same flexibility is now being practiced and expanded in Galaxy's Edge, where heroes from the expanded universe of Disney+ Original Series set in and around The Mandalorian's original trilogy timeline are appearing in Galaxy's Edge alongside promotion of their respective shows. Imagineers' excuse here comes by way of "story bubbles," meaning that as you see Asohka Tano in Batuu as she sneaks around on a mission, the story that she's engaged with is completely disconnected from the reason that Rey's making her way through town, and never shall the two meet, cross paths, or interact. At least this gives fans a "best of both worlds," where they can meet the Mandalorian and Grogu while Imagineers still get to be proud of the land's immersion.

2. Music

Part of the magic of stepping into the Wizarding World of Harry Potter is being swept into the world by way of music. Sure, if Hogsmeade were a real place, it probably wouldn't have a custom John Williams score drifting through the air... So again, it feels like music was left out of Galaxy's Edge just so Imagineers could tout how "real" it is... but at what cost? 

Music still isn't coming to Galaxy's Edge. Well... except... 

Disneyland will launch a return of its occasional "Season of the Force" promotional event in spring 2024. As part of the event (which mostly includes banners in Tomorrowland and the return of "Hyperspace Mountain"), Galaxy's Edge will now begin to play "galactic music" during the park's fireworks show. Again, Galaxy's Edge has previously just ignored Disney's fireworks, so the addition of music (almost certainly, John Williams' score from the films) will at least acknowledge the fireworks and create something of an emotional Star Wars moment. And more to the point, we can hope this is a test to see how fans react to having music in Galaxy's Edge... 

3. Droids

One particularly stinging aspect of the lack of entertainment inside Galaxy's Edge was the insinuation – true or not – that such "premium" experiences had instead been held back for the Star Wars: Galactic Starcruiser project. When that $5,000, two-night, on-land "cruise" experience closed for business in 2023, fans hoped that it would spur Disney to send the additional entertainment back to the land (where, perhaps, it always should've been).

While so far that hasn't happened, Disney was in the field testing a new "free-roaming" walk-around Droid experience in Galaxy's Edge. A flock of three duck-like "BD-1" Droids caused quite a sensation as they marched through Black Spire Outpost on a test run. Of course, as is typical of Disney's most extraordinary animatronics, Disney was quick to assert that this was merely a test run of a very early prototype. And like many very impressive animatronics Disney seems to field test for social media coverage, fans feel frustratingly certain that we'll never see the BD-1 Droids return, much less become a standard part of the experience. But at least we see that Disney is willing to do work here that may evolve down the road... 

4. Action on the horizon?

Reportedly, the inner machinations at Disney Parks are indeed churning en route to bringing more action and entertainment to Galaxy's Edge... if sources are to be believed, internal evaluation and team feedback is working to convince Disney management that if Galaxy's Edge is given the rooftop stunt shows and action-oriented character encounters it's designed for, it'll have a measurable impact on the land's food and beverage sales as well as retail operations...

(And apparently, the land could use it... Last year, Disneyland jumped the price of the build-your-own Lightsaber experience from $199.99 to $249.99 – a move that must've been disastrous for sales since they made the uncharacteristic and rarely-seen move of lowering the price back down to $219.99. Yikes.) If park operations teams can convince leaders that the investment in entertainment will pay off in increased sales, then management's opinions will do a serious 180 here.

So, what do you think? Is Disney making the right moves in turning Galaxy's Edge into a place more guests want to visit, that Star Wars fans adore, and that Imagineering fans are proud of? What do you think would set Galaxy's Edge on the right course? Let us know in the comments below!