The Ride

Image: Disney

Because of the delay of Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance, the only ride that will be available at Star Wars: Galaxy's Edge at Disneyland when it opens will be a flight simulator ride that allows guests to “take the controls of one of the most recognizable ships in the galaxy, the Millennium Falcon, on a customized secret mission”.

Interestingly, guests who experience this attraction won’t just be tagging along for a ride (like they currently do on Star Tours) but will actually be piloting the Millennium Falcon themselves! Guests will be able to turn, bank and even fire weapons in this simulation-style experience.

When guests enter the attraction they will be able to climb into one of seven pods that seat six riders each. Each pod will be able to rotate 360 degrees, and there will be a LOT of interactive elements all around riders that will affect the experience, with multiple buttons, knobs and switches on the inside of the cockpit, each with a specific function. 

Image: Disney

And interestingly, many of these interactive elements will be specific to different "jobs" riders will have on the ride, similar to the format for Mission: Space. So, for instance, gunners in the center will have weapons controls while engineers in the back will have buttons and levers related to keeping the ship flying.

And guests will definitely want to do well with their jobs, as those who bring back their bounty and fly the ship expertly without a lot of damage will be able to earn extra Galactic Credits, which will change the way characters in Star Wars: Galaxy's Edge interact with them. Conversely, guests who lose the bounty or damage the ship will end up owing money, which will also produce different interactions with characters.

This all sounds really exciting, but it looks like there will be one big issue with this attraction when it opens: wait times are going to be crazy. With seven pods that seat 6 each, you're looking at an attraction that can only handle 42 guests per ride cycle, which is very low for an attraction that will undoubtedly be extremely popular since it will be the only ride in this new land. 

Because of the massive interest that will undoubtedly accompany this attraction, Disney has announced that they will not be offering FastPass+ reservations for this attraction when it opens, and we don't expect this to change very much while this attraction is the only one open in this part of the park. 

The merchandise

Image: Disney

Merchandise has always been a big part of the Star Wars world (and a part of Disney theme parks), so you can bet the shopping at Star Wars: Galaxy's Edge is going to be amazing, with over half a dozen shops available selling clothes, costumes, collectibles, toys and more. 

One of the most interesting of these new shops will be Savi’s Workshop – Handbuilt Lightsabers, which will allow guests to meet with the Gatherers – a secretive group of people who have dedicated their lives to restoring balance in the galaxy by passing on their knowledge of Jedi lore and the Force. A workshop Master will guide guests in groups of 14 to customize and build their own unique lightsabers, and instruct them on the ways of the Jedi. Guests will be able to pick their own Kyber crystal, and will learn about how their choices affect their lightsaber. Of course, this experience won't be cheap, and will cost guests $199.99 per custom lightsaber

Image: Disney

Another interactive merchandise oportunity will be the Droid Depot, which will invite guests to construct their own astromech droids. Guests will pick pieces and parts off a conveyor belt to build one of two core models (R-series or BB-series) and can customize their droids with various parts and colors, according to a special blueprint which will be provided at the beginning of the experience. These droids will be capable of interacting with elements in the land, and will cost $99.99 each. In addition, guests can putchase the DJ R-3X — the former Star Tours pilot Rex turned cantina DJ for $149.99 inside this new land.