Disneyland is loosening the rules of Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge. The land will expand its timeline beginning April 29, 2026, introducing classic characters and music for the first time. Get ready to see Luke Skywalker, Han Solo, and Leia Organa while surrounded by some iconic John Williams music.
The OG Star Wars characters will be found throughout the land. Luke Skywalker will roam the area near Savi’s Workshop, while Leia will usually be in the vicinity of the Millennium Falcon. Han Solo will also be seen near his ship, but you might spot him near a favorite watering hole – Oga’s Cantina.
Newer Star Wars characters will continue to call Galaxy’s Edge home. Ahsoka Tano, The Mandalorian and Grogu will now spend time near the land’s marketplace. Rey will meet guests in an area close to the Resistance Camp by the Rise of the Resistance attraction.
In addition to all of the character news, Galaxy’s Edge will go through a major soundtrack update. John Williams’ scores and themes from the first six Star Wars movies will be added throughout Galaxy’s Edge. Hear the main Star Wars theme or the Force theme when entering the land. More familiar tunes will play around the land, including the Cantina song in (you guessed it) Oga’s Cantina. Disney originally decided to not include Star Wars music in favor of building a realistic landscape, so this is a significant pivot.
Disney will also be updating the stores inside Galaxy’s Edge to reflect the expanded timeline. More info on the land’s updates and changes can be found on the Disney Parks Blog.
This is a huge change for Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge. Disney pushed the idea that Galaxy’s Edge was set in a very specific timeframe, and that guests would be living out their own Star Wars story instead of ones they’ve seen in the films. The land was supposed to feel real and authentic, and the design decisions reflected that. That concept was immediately debated when both lands opened in Disneyland and Disney World. Simply, it felt kind of weird to visit a Star Wars land where you couldn’t find the most recognizable characters or music from the movies.
Why would Disney make a Star Wars land and leave out the franchise’s most recognizable characters? Why limit the land to just one small window of time? Disney took a big risk with those decisions, and it unfortunately didn’t pay off. The concept of a guest living out their own Star Wars story could’ve worked better had the reputation system (a scoring system that tracked a guest’s actions in the land that would alter how cast members and attractions treated them) launched.
Those original ambitions for the land could’ve been really great. However, Disney needed to flesh it out more. Remember how stunt show that was shown to media but never made the final product? Ideas like that could’ve made Galaxy’s Edge actually feel like a unique story worth visiting. But, none of that came to fruition and the land ended up feeling like a missed opportunity.
We’re thankful Disney has realized there’s more potential in Galaxy’s Edge. It took roughly seven years for them to switch things up, but its better late than never. Will we see similar changes coming to Galaxy’s Edge in Disney’s Hollywood Studios? We certainly hope so.
