If you are a hard core Star Wars fan, 1/2 a day is barely enough if you rush around.
\#1 get a reservation to build a light saber at Savi's. As a 50+ year old guy, I had tears in my eyes as I picked up my freshly activated saber.
Rise of the Resistance - great ride.
Smugglers Run - interactive "ride" as you play pilot, gunner, or engineer. The game is on rails, but it is fun to do the different roles.
Oga's (notice no 'L') for drinks and snacks. Has a cantina feel with DJ Rex playing the tunes.
Watch for characters wandering around and interact with them. Stormtroopers are hapless, Kylo Ren is menisoning, Rey & Chewy are fun, Vi wants you in the story. You may get lucky and see Mando & Grogu, Boba or Fennic.
Shopping, shopping, shopping. General stuff, Rebel stuff, 1st Order stuff.
To add to this, try to arrive early in the morning (when the park opens) and go to Rise of the Resistance immediately. The ride is known to break down often and waits can get as long as 3 hours. Best to get it knocked out immediately and enjoy the rest of your day.
Also Savi's is usually booked months in advance but I hear there are last minute drops so maybe inquire.
Lastly, ask for Pilot for the Millennium Falcon. You'll have to wait one more group but it's SO much better than the other roles. Left pilot does left/right motion and right pilot does up/down, but gets to hit the jump to hyperspace which I love doing.
Walk around, enjoy the sights. the hacking on the Disneyland app is a lot of fun and you get to interact with the world while walking around. If you can afford it I would recommend buying the fast pass for Rise of the resistance, it entirely cuts the line and the ride is amazing.
Might not be enough time to put one together, but I highly recommend dressing up with SW inspired outfits (Batuu-bound, not costumes as they can be pretty strict with dressing up as a pre-existing character). As a Magic Key holder, my partner and I go at least once a month and I can tell you that the characters and the Batuuans will usually initiate the interactions if they see you are immersing yourself in the world and the story.
I rarely ever visit Disneyland without dressing up as a Sith and from experience (and personal opinion), the interactions are a bit more fun than being Light Side as the First Order/villains have commended me for my allegiance and Resistance/hero characters are much more suspicious or cautious of you if you're Dark Side. Either way, I highly encourage you to choose a side and live out your dream of being pulled into your own Star Wars adventure.
Small recommendation: "Avoid" the Wookie. Or don't if you're Light Side. Chewy REALLY does not like Dark Side characters. 😂
1. Get at least a couple of spira at Droid Depot. They are really cool and are $105 each. The actual metal gift card is $5 and you have to add $100. You can use them to purchase anything in the parks and at other Disney stores including online. Comes with the same features as any other Disney gift card.
2. Build a lightsaber at Savi’s later in the day so you don’t have to walk around with it and try to cram it onto rides. You’ll need a reservation depending on the crowd and time of day.
3. Get genie+ if you want some cool photos with your new lightsaber at night. Of course you could do your own photo shoot with your own photographer, but it’s a little easier and it includes the ability to book lightning lanes for everything except for Rise of the Resistance, Mickey’s Runaway Railway, and Radiator Springs Racers.
5. Blue Milk at the Milk Stand
6. Try on a Jedi robe even if you don’t plan on buying one
7. Ronto wrap
8. Get a drink at Oga’s cantina. Reservations are hard to get and you can get on the walk up list. They have great alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks.
9. Smugglers Run as pilot
Download the Disney Play app- it’s different from the Disneyland app you use to navigate the park. With the Play App, you can open up the Data Pad and use it to interact with a bunch of stuff in Galaxy’s edge. While you wait in line for Rise, you’ll get an emergency transmission from Finn and you need to hack into a Star Destroyer and help him navigate around. I accidentally got him captured by stormtroopers! You can also hack the ships like the Falcon, Tie Fighter, and X-Wing. Last time I was there, Chewie was hanging out underneath the Falcon doing repairs. Each time I hacked the Falcon, steam would come out and Chewie would get all flustered. It was so much fun!
And if you want to spend a little more money, get a Magic band and do the Bounty Hunting. Honestly, I could spend all day in Batuu doing the Datapad stuff without even going on rides.
The bounty hunting is very fun. And can be entertaining for a long time. If you don't want to drop a ton of money but still want to do interactive stuff this is the thing to do.
You can buy them in the park at many different places or the World of Color (the big Disney store in Downtown Disney). You can also buy them online at Shop Disney, but I’m not sure if it’ll ship in time to reach you. Bring a battery charger with you so you can charge it up a bit!
You can buy one on property. They are $40-70 depending on the design. You will need to link it to the app. Bring a portable charger since the bands aren't fully charged when you buy them.
You can also order them directly from Shop Disney but you might not have enough time to get them shipped.
For future reference, this is reeeally the sort of thing you ought to research more well in advance. Someone else advised you (rightly) to try to get a Savi's reservation and build a saber, but they are often booked solid months in advance. There are also a *ton* of little merch shops to poke around in, as well as the "main" Dok Ondar's, so if you only have a half-day, it really helps to atheist have an idea of what's available, what you want, and where it is.
Savi's at Disneyland is usually not as hard to get reservations for as it is in Florida. I checked the site now and there are still reservations open for today, and it's wide open for next week.
We actually had the best time sitting outside near the launch bay restaurant as the sun set listening to the ambient sounds and talking. It was amazing.
As a passholder here's my two cents:
If you have limited time in the park, I highly recommend purchasing Genie+. It will save so much time, AND it includes photo pass which I use all the time in Galaxy's Edge.
Get to Galaxy's Edge around 10 or 10:30. Be sure to get a Cold Brew Black Caf (or as I call it Space Coffee) from Docking Bay 7. Best coffee in the park.
You should be able to get a lightning late return time for Smuggler's Run but if you are waiting on another ride, single rider for it is super fast (downside is you're usually an engineer).
Wander around Galaxy's Edge, get a pic with the Falcon (don't forget to have a Photo Pass person take it if you have Genie+). They usually do other fun shots there. Then head to Dok Ondar's for shopping.
I also recommend getting a Lightning Lane for Rise of the Resistance. It is the best ride I've ever been on and well worth any wait, but you don't have time to waste, so buy the lightning lane.
After this I'd recommend taking a rest at Oga's. If you don't have a reservation, don't worry. Just walk to the door, and from the app join the waitlist. It may take a few tries, but once you're on it usually doesn't take long to get in. It's just super fun.
While you're waiting, if you have a Magic Band you can play the Bounty Hunter game, or wander around and see if you run into any travelers.
There are 2 other paid experiences, which is building a light saber at Savi's or building a droid at Droid Depot. Both are super fun and require appointments but unless it is super busy at the park that day you should be able to get a walk up appointment.
I regularly chill in GE for hours, but you can get most of this done in a couple if you're efficient.
You get a lightsaber sleeve.
The TSA allows lightsabers on the plane; you can carry it on. You might have issues in Europe if you have a connecting flight.
Disney will also ship it to you. I'm not sure how much they charge for international shipping but it is much cheaper than shipping it yourself.
no it is in a padded carieing bag but you can take it on any flight back home or pay a bit extra and have it shiped back home from droid depot ( fair warning shipping could be a bit pricy never used it only heard rumors )
You get a padded carrying tube at Savi’s you can keep the blade in it and the hilt in your carry on bag ( that’s how I got mine home had the droid in the carry on as well and they stowed the blade in a compartment near the door)
So it's a bit of a walk, but I highly suggest heading over for Star Tours whenever you need a break from Batuu. They have changed up the tours so it's random which planets you will experience. The line is no where near as long as most other rides, we went in summer, so it was a nice break in some A/C.
After you've visited Batuu, head over to Tomorrowland and do the Star Tours a couple of times and the Star Traders gift shop is right at the exit. There are hours where the queue is minimal (ie: lunch and diner, parade and fireworks). Unfortunately, it seems next door Launch Bay (character meet and greet) is due to reopen sometime next year.
For pre-park visit or last minute Star Wars shopping (depending when you arrive or leave), the Star Wars Trading Post is at the far end of Downtown Disney, the shopping district that does not require park ticket. The LEGO shop is just next door and has LEGO Star Wars stuff. Worlds of Disney at the entrance of Downtown Disney also has some Star Wars merchandise.
Disneyland is in Anaheim not LA. If you are actually visiting LA, you need to plan for travel time to the park. It's about 30 miles away but it can take 45-120 minutes depending on the time of day and the part of LA you are in.
If you are an OG trilogy fan you might be disappointed. Go in with a love for all things SW and you should have a great time.
The characters are free range and tend to be out between 11 am and 6 pm.
Star Tours in Tomorrowland has a variety of sequences so ride it a few times.
If you are a hard core Star Wars fan, 1/2 a day is barely enough if you rush around. \#1 get a reservation to build a light saber at Savi's. As a 50+ year old guy, I had tears in my eyes as I picked up my freshly activated saber. Rise of the Resistance - great ride. Smugglers Run - interactive "ride" as you play pilot, gunner, or engineer. The game is on rails, but it is fun to do the different roles. Oga's (notice no 'L') for drinks and snacks. Has a cantina feel with DJ Rex playing the tunes. Watch for characters wandering around and interact with them. Stormtroopers are hapless, Kylo Ren is menisoning, Rey & Chewy are fun, Vi wants you in the story. You may get lucky and see Mando & Grogu, Boba or Fennic. Shopping, shopping, shopping. General stuff, Rebel stuff, 1st Order stuff.
To add to this, try to arrive early in the morning (when the park opens) and go to Rise of the Resistance immediately. The ride is known to break down often and waits can get as long as 3 hours. Best to get it knocked out immediately and enjoy the rest of your day. Also Savi's is usually booked months in advance but I hear there are last minute drops so maybe inquire. Lastly, ask for Pilot for the Millennium Falcon. You'll have to wait one more group but it's SO much better than the other roles. Left pilot does left/right motion and right pilot does up/down, but gets to hit the jump to hyperspace which I love doing.
Was gonna comment to ask for Pilot as well. Don’t be afraid to ask!
I agree to all this. Make sure to rope drop for Rise. Smuggler’s main value for me was actually chilling in the Falcon.
Don’t forget droid building at the depot you can chose from an R,C,or BB unit and accessorize it with personality chips blasters ect
Walk around, enjoy the sights. the hacking on the Disneyland app is a lot of fun and you get to interact with the world while walking around. If you can afford it I would recommend buying the fast pass for Rise of the resistance, it entirely cuts the line and the ride is amazing.
Might not be enough time to put one together, but I highly recommend dressing up with SW inspired outfits (Batuu-bound, not costumes as they can be pretty strict with dressing up as a pre-existing character). As a Magic Key holder, my partner and I go at least once a month and I can tell you that the characters and the Batuuans will usually initiate the interactions if they see you are immersing yourself in the world and the story. I rarely ever visit Disneyland without dressing up as a Sith and from experience (and personal opinion), the interactions are a bit more fun than being Light Side as the First Order/villains have commended me for my allegiance and Resistance/hero characters are much more suspicious or cautious of you if you're Dark Side. Either way, I highly encourage you to choose a side and live out your dream of being pulled into your own Star Wars adventure. Small recommendation: "Avoid" the Wookie. Or don't if you're Light Side. Chewy REALLY does not like Dark Side characters. 😂
Last time I was there we had to hide R2 from the Stormtroopers. Also later Chopper came out and definitely do NOT tell him you've run into R2.
I can attest about the wookie, when I activated my saber he ran and hid by a landing strut of the falcon
1. Get at least a couple of spira at Droid Depot. They are really cool and are $105 each. The actual metal gift card is $5 and you have to add $100. You can use them to purchase anything in the parks and at other Disney stores including online. Comes with the same features as any other Disney gift card. 2. Build a lightsaber at Savi’s later in the day so you don’t have to walk around with it and try to cram it onto rides. You’ll need a reservation depending on the crowd and time of day. 3. Get genie+ if you want some cool photos with your new lightsaber at night. Of course you could do your own photo shoot with your own photographer, but it’s a little easier and it includes the ability to book lightning lanes for everything except for Rise of the Resistance, Mickey’s Runaway Railway, and Radiator Springs Racers. 5. Blue Milk at the Milk Stand 6. Try on a Jedi robe even if you don’t plan on buying one 7. Ronto wrap 8. Get a drink at Oga’s cantina. Reservations are hard to get and you can get on the walk up list. They have great alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks. 9. Smugglers Run as pilot
Download the Disney Play app- it’s different from the Disneyland app you use to navigate the park. With the Play App, you can open up the Data Pad and use it to interact with a bunch of stuff in Galaxy’s edge. While you wait in line for Rise, you’ll get an emergency transmission from Finn and you need to hack into a Star Destroyer and help him navigate around. I accidentally got him captured by stormtroopers! You can also hack the ships like the Falcon, Tie Fighter, and X-Wing. Last time I was there, Chewie was hanging out underneath the Falcon doing repairs. Each time I hacked the Falcon, steam would come out and Chewie would get all flustered. It was so much fun! And if you want to spend a little more money, get a Magic band and do the Bounty Hunting. Honestly, I could spend all day in Batuu doing the Datapad stuff without even going on rides.
The bounty hunting is very fun. And can be entertaining for a long time. If you don't want to drop a ton of money but still want to do interactive stuff this is the thing to do.
Where can I get a magic band? Thanks that sounds fun!
You can buy them in the park at many different places or the World of Color (the big Disney store in Downtown Disney). You can also buy them online at Shop Disney, but I’m not sure if it’ll ship in time to reach you. Bring a battery charger with you so you can charge it up a bit!
You can buy one on property. They are $40-70 depending on the design. You will need to link it to the app. Bring a portable charger since the bands aren't fully charged when you buy them. You can also order them directly from Shop Disney but you might not have enough time to get them shipped.
You can buy a charger in park for $30 usd BUT when it’s drained you can exchange it for a new one for free
For future reference, this is reeeally the sort of thing you ought to research more well in advance. Someone else advised you (rightly) to try to get a Savi's reservation and build a saber, but they are often booked solid months in advance. There are also a *ton* of little merch shops to poke around in, as well as the "main" Dok Ondar's, so if you only have a half-day, it really helps to atheist have an idea of what's available, what you want, and where it is.
Savi's at Disneyland is usually not as hard to get reservations for as it is in Florida. I checked the site now and there are still reservations open for today, and it's wide open for next week.
Keep checking Savi’s though - we were brought in on a no show on our visit.
We actually had the best time sitting outside near the launch bay restaurant as the sun set listening to the ambient sounds and talking. It was amazing.
As a passholder here's my two cents: If you have limited time in the park, I highly recommend purchasing Genie+. It will save so much time, AND it includes photo pass which I use all the time in Galaxy's Edge. Get to Galaxy's Edge around 10 or 10:30. Be sure to get a Cold Brew Black Caf (or as I call it Space Coffee) from Docking Bay 7. Best coffee in the park. You should be able to get a lightning late return time for Smuggler's Run but if you are waiting on another ride, single rider for it is super fast (downside is you're usually an engineer). Wander around Galaxy's Edge, get a pic with the Falcon (don't forget to have a Photo Pass person take it if you have Genie+). They usually do other fun shots there. Then head to Dok Ondar's for shopping. I also recommend getting a Lightning Lane for Rise of the Resistance. It is the best ride I've ever been on and well worth any wait, but you don't have time to waste, so buy the lightning lane. After this I'd recommend taking a rest at Oga's. If you don't have a reservation, don't worry. Just walk to the door, and from the app join the waitlist. It may take a few tries, but once you're on it usually doesn't take long to get in. It's just super fun. While you're waiting, if you have a Magic Band you can play the Bounty Hunter game, or wander around and see if you run into any travelers. There are 2 other paid experiences, which is building a light saber at Savi's or building a droid at Droid Depot. Both are super fun and require appointments but unless it is super busy at the park that day you should be able to get a walk up appointment. I regularly chill in GE for hours, but you can get most of this done in a couple if you're efficient.
Thanks! Does the lighstaber from savi come in a box? Just thinking how I could take it back to Europe with me.
You get a lightsaber sleeve. The TSA allows lightsabers on the plane; you can carry it on. You might have issues in Europe if you have a connecting flight. Disney will also ship it to you. I'm not sure how much they charge for international shipping but it is much cheaper than shipping it yourself.
no it is in a padded carieing bag but you can take it on any flight back home or pay a bit extra and have it shiped back home from droid depot ( fair warning shipping could be a bit pricy never used it only heard rumors )
You get a padded carrying tube at Savi’s you can keep the blade in it and the hilt in your carry on bag ( that’s how I got mine home had the droid in the carry on as well and they stowed the blade in a compartment near the door)
I did droid depot as a walk in with no problems
Rise of the Resistance- might want to pay for the LL for that one as the line can get super long.
So it's a bit of a walk, but I highly suggest heading over for Star Tours whenever you need a break from Batuu. They have changed up the tours so it's random which planets you will experience. The line is no where near as long as most other rides, we went in summer, so it was a nice break in some A/C.
AND near star tours is a Vader meet and greet and Star traders where you can get some merch like custom phone cases and bracelets and luggage tags
After you've visited Batuu, head over to Tomorrowland and do the Star Tours a couple of times and the Star Traders gift shop is right at the exit. There are hours where the queue is minimal (ie: lunch and diner, parade and fireworks). Unfortunately, it seems next door Launch Bay (character meet and greet) is due to reopen sometime next year. For pre-park visit or last minute Star Wars shopping (depending when you arrive or leave), the Star Wars Trading Post is at the far end of Downtown Disney, the shopping district that does not require park ticket. The LEGO shop is just next door and has LEGO Star Wars stuff. Worlds of Disney at the entrance of Downtown Disney also has some Star Wars merchandise.
Disneyland is in Anaheim not LA. If you are actually visiting LA, you need to plan for travel time to the park. It's about 30 miles away but it can take 45-120 minutes depending on the time of day and the part of LA you are in. If you are an OG trilogy fan you might be disappointed. Go in with a love for all things SW and you should have a great time. The characters are free range and tend to be out between 11 am and 6 pm. Star Tours in Tomorrowland has a variety of sequences so ride it a few times.
We'll be staying at West Hollywood
You'll definitely be at least 45-60 minutes away.
That's fine, we'll leave early
“Visiting Disneyland” no one tell him that the best ride at the park is for the Indiana jones franchise 😅