Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge has expanded the timeline at Disneyland, now including original trilogy characters and the iconic score by John Williams inside of the land. The change came nearly 7 years after Galaxy’s Edge opened with a distinct time & place, set within the sequel trilogy and only including characters from those films. We spent a while in the new look land over the weekend and this post will share our thoughts about the changes.

For what it’s worth, I never had a problem with the original Galaxy’s Edge. It’s a beautiful land that is fun to take in and explore, which is generally what I’m drawn to. Being a distinct place that wasn’t replicated from the films didn’t bother me at all and it still doesn’t. Batuu (the planet name) looks like Star Wars architecture while offering some cool spaces to walk around.

The land clearly took inspiration from the Wizarding World of Harry Potter, being incredibly immersive and separate from other sections of the theme park they’re in. The Wizarding World lands are all set in a distinct time (dependent on which land you’re in) within the franchise too. Disney and Imagineering saw this and replicated it.

That’s a noble storytelling goal but misses the fandom point of wanting to see the most notable Star Wars characters. Harry Potter spans 7 years plus whatever Fantastic Beasts adds (I’ll be honest, I have no idea how those stories change the franchise). That means at the core of every ride, we have Harry, Hermione and Ron. Heck, even Epic Universe includes them although it seems to take a leap in logic to get there. Again, that’s not my area of expertise.

The issue with Star Wars is that the story doesn’t take place over 7 years, instead it’s 9 (or 11) movies that take place over 3 generations. There’s no feasible way to fit all of those characters into the specific timeline that Galaxy’s Edge was in. Being set in between the 8th and 9th movie made for an interesting goal but, in reality, people really want to see Darth Vader.

I think distinct timelines in lands generally miss the understanding of what fans want. Yes, they help define a story and what does and doesn’t fit into a land and there are enough people that want a land to make cohesive sense. But Galaxy’s Edge felt as if Disney was boxing themselves in for no real reason. Most guests and fans want the immersive atmosphere and they won’t question why Kylo Ren is on one end of a gigantic land while Vader is on the other. That’s what Galaxy’s Edge is doing now and after exploring the land we came away happy with the change.

Black Spire Outpost has rolled back in time several decades, thoughtfully introducing beloved characters from across the Star Wars timeline, new props and graphics in some areas and musical selections from Star Wars film scores throughout the land.

Darth Vader’s search for Luke Skywalker has brought him to Batuu. This Sith Lord is joined by Imperial Stormtroopers, and as they seek the elusive Jedi, they may find hints of the Force around the outpost. Leia, Han, Chewie and Luke are reunited under the rocky spires.

R2, The Mandalorian and Grogu, Ahsoka all continue to roam the marketplace while Rey is still in the forested area near Rise of the Resistance.

The expansion of characters is the biggest change at the new look Galaxy’s Edge. There’s very little interaction between them and it does appear that the land is careful about this. The original trilogy characters stick it out near the Millennium Falcon and the TIE Fighter. Seeing Darth Vader emerge to the masses instead of buried beneath a Visa Cardholder paywall in Tomorrowland was a thrill. His entrance for the meet & greet is electric and the highlight of this change.

I’m also happy that Galaxy’s Edge has kept the characters atmospheric. There aren’t really lines to meet them, they just bounce around and talk to guests. No autographs are signed but they will be happy to take a photo with anyone. I was a little worried that this would change with more popular characters but it hasn’t and it gives energy to the entire space.

There’s been a lot made of how the original trilogy characters look. I don’t think that discourse is very interesting and can turn disrespectful to the people playing those characters so I’ll refrain from diving deeply into the issue. Simply put, your mileage may vary on how much you think a face character (non-masked) looks like the source material.

Having the original characters in Galaxy’s Edge definitely added some energy to the space. Granted, we were there a day before May 4th and there were plenty of people celebrating early. I’m curious how much of a difference this will make in the long run but I can safely assume that it’s only going to help the popularity of the land. Seeing Darth Vader is truly worth seeking out in your itinerary now, his meeting times are listed in the app.

As for other changes, the land’s score is most noticeable. We were a little more mixed on this change. The music loop now includes John Williams iconic score and I think that’s a positive overall. Even before this change, the land’s score and soundscape were a highlight. Now we’ve got those beautiful melodies to add to the nostalgia of it all.

The biggest downside of that is it overshadows the quiet entrance into Batuu from Hungry Bear. Hearing the creatures chirping and soft change into a new planet from the Bayou was expertly done in the original iteration of the land. There’s still chirping but it’s matched in volume by the sweeping melodies from the original score. We’ve lost some subtlety there.

On the other hand, hearing Binary Sunset or any number of classic music moments from that trilogy while seeing the Falcon is enough to give someone goosebumps. The majestic sights are matched by the music and it really embodies the wonder that comes with the best of Star Wars. I think the highs outweigh the lack of subtlety in that aspect and that makes me see the change as a positive.

Cosmetically, Galaxy’s Edge looks largely the same. Merchandise has evolved in the land over time and this timeline shifting cements Batuu offering more shirts and regular park (still Star Wars) merch than trinkets. That’s a small change but was noticeable. There’s some name and backstory changes to Droid Depot and Black Spire Outpost (a new name) but the noticeable changes are minimal.

Obviously, we’re on the verge of Smuggler’s Run changing to The Mandalorian a& Grogu storyline. That’s not going to change much aesthetically and will hopefully give the ride a shot in the arm. We’ll have more on that change when the ride debuts on May 22nd.

I’ll conclude with this thought. As we were walking around Galaxy’s Edge yesterday, I tried to put myself in the shoes of a first-time visitor. If someone had never been inside of the land before, would they have thought twice about any of these changes?

When it comes to the score, absolutely not. It just makes sense to have that music inside of the land. The same goes for the cosmetic, smaller changes. The name changes are respectfully done and are in no way fan service. They fit inside of the land’s world.

That leaves the characters. While it could be seen as an inconsistency in story, the change has upped the excitement in the land. Breaking free from the rules Galaxy’s Edge once had should please the masses, whether it’s those that want to see Han by the Falcon, Vader interrogating guests or those that just want explore a cool theme park land.

What do you think of the timeline change at Disneyland’s Galaxy’s Edge? Let us know your thoughts, along with any questions you might have, in the comments below! If you are planning a trip to Disneyland Resort then check out our planning guide. Looking for discount Disneyland tickets? Check out this site! If you enjoy what you are reading here on Wandering in Disney please share this post with your friends, as well as like our social media pages. You can also subscribe to the blog via WordPress or email. You can do all of that on the right side of this page. Thank you for reading, we really appreciate it!