After seven years, Disneyland’s Star Wars: Galaxy Edge is expanding its character lineup! When the land first opened, you could only meet characters from the newer Star Wars films. Now, in addition to those characters, you’ll also find classic heroes and villains from the original trilogy – like Darth Vader, Han Solo, and Princess Leia – walking around. Disney has been testing out different characters over the years, including those from shows like The Mandalorian, and now fans can meet a wider range of Star Wars favorites.
Fans were thrilled to see characters from the original Star Wars trilogy included in Galaxy’s Edge, especially with the announcement that John Williams’ classic music would be played. While the sequel trilogy has its own fans, many felt a *Star Warsthemed park should focus more on the original characters. Some also wondered why the park’s storyline was so heavily tied to the sequels. This isn’t an admission that the sequel trilogy was unpopular, but rather a smart marketing move by Disney – something they likely planned for from the beginning.
Disney Wanted To Create More Than the Typical Theme Park
Walt Disney Parks
As a huge Disney and Star Wars fan, I always thought Galaxy’s Edge was a really smart move. Most Disney lands, like Fantasyland or Tomorrowland, pull from lots of different stories and eras. But Galaxy’s Edge, taking a cue from the amazing immersion of The Wizarding World of Harry Potter at Universal, did something totally different. Instead of just mashing up iconic locations from all over the Star Wars saga – like putting the cantina from A New Hope next to an Ewok village and Dexter’s diner – they built an entirely new planet within the Star Wars universe. It felt so much more cohesive and really pulled you into the story!
Galaxy’s Edge is designed as Black Spire Outpost, a spaceport on the planet Batuu. It aims to feel like a new, unique world from the Star Wars universe, drawing inspiration from various planets seen in the films and encouraging guests to explore and discover. Batuu is intended to be a fully realized part of the Star Wars story, continuing through experiences at the park and in future books and comics created by Lucasfilm.
When Disney announced Galaxy’s Edge back in August 2015, it was just before The Force Awakens hit theaters, and it’s fascinating to think about the timing. By the time the park actually opened in May 2019, The Rise of Skywalker was already on the horizon, just seven months away! Essentially, the whole construction process unfolded alongside the making of the sequel trilogy. Considering Disney poured a ton of money into acquiring Lucasfilm and each of those new Star Wars films were massive blockbusters – each earning over a billion dollars – it felt like a pretty smart move to build the park around those characters and stories.
Now that seven years have passed since its opening, Galaxy’s Edge is getting a refresh. Like all popular theme park areas, it needs occasional updates to keep guests coming back, and that’s exactly what Disney is planning to do.
The Original Characters’ Return Is Timed for ‘Star Wars’ 50th Anniversary
20th Century Studios
As a huge Star Wars and Disney fan, I’ve been following the news about the parks updating their character meet-and-greets. Honestly, I don’t think Disney is admitting any kind of failure with the sequel trilogy. They’re just shifting focus a bit. You’ll still be able to meet Rey at Rise of the Resistance – and that ride is incredible, seriously one of the best in any Disney park! Plus, this change is only happening at Disneyland in California. If you’re heading to Walt Disney World in Florida, they’re keeping the sequel characters around for now, so no worries there.
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The decision to highlight the original Star Wars trilogy feels like a marketing strategy, likely to prepare for the franchise’s 50th anniversary in 2027. Disney is already planning to re-release the original, unaltered version of Star Wars in February 2027, and the parks will probably host major celebratory events. The Star Wars fan convention, Star Wars Celebration, will be held nearby in Los Angeles from April 1st to 5th, 2027. Featuring characters from the original trilogy in Galaxy’s Edge now makes good business sense. However, it’s reasonable to expect the park will change its theme again in about seven years, perhaps focusing on the prequel or sequel trilogies, or even abandoning the timeline concept altogether.
One of the great things about Galaxy’s Edge is its flexibility. Because Black Spire Outpost isn’t tied to a specific time in the Star Wars story – it could fit into any of the films – Disney can easily update the area with new characters or themes if attendance dips. This adaptability was intentionally built into the land’s design from the start.
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2026-01-18 00:33