Disneyland Has Made A Big Change To Star Wars: Galaxy's Edge And It's Time For Disney World To Do The Same

When Bob Iger first stood on the floor of D23 in Anaheim and announced that Star Wars was getting not one, but two new lands at Disney parks, people went nuts. It was announced that both Disneyland and Disney World would be getting the land that came to be known as Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge, and both lands would be essentially identical, so nobody would be missing out.

To be clear, there have been differences between Galaxy’s Edge at Disneyland and Disney’s Hollywood Studios since the beginning, but most of them are cosmetic. The design of the land, the food available and the attractions are all largely the same. However, over the last couple of years, the two lands have become significantly different, and it’s time they were both the same again by letting Disney World get access to the characters that can be found at Disneyland.

Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge Origianl Concept Wasn’t Bad, But It Was Too Limiting

Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge's original concept was a significant step toward total immersion in themed entertainment. Rather than simply being a land full of Star Wars “stuff” the idea was that the land would be a place in the Star Wars universe. Walt Disney Imagineering created the original world of Batuu and set the land not only there, but at a point in time in the middle of Star Wars’ Sequel Trilogy.

For fans looking to live out their own Star Wars adventure, this could potentially be a lot of fun. Disneyland Cast Members were going to speak to guests as if they were tourists visiting an alien world, not a theme park. Characters from the Star Wars universe would be found walking the land as if they were inhabitants, not just characters standing for photo ops. Tiny performances might break out if a stormtrooper caught site of Chewbacca.

Unfortunately, the “life” created in Galaxy’s Edge, while being the land’s greatest strength, was also its greatest hindrance. Because it was set inside the Sequel Trilogy, following the events of Star Wars: The Last Jedi, that meant that many classic Star Wars characters would never appear. Luke Skywalker and Han Solo would never visit Batuu. You’d never see Darth Vader, only Kylo Ren.

Disneyland Began To Break With The Timeline

Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge opened at Disneyland in 2019, and it would remain consistent with its timeline for about three years. Then the dam broke when it was announced that The Mandalorian and Grogu would appear as characters inside Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge. These were the first characters from outside the established timeline, but they would not be the last.

In much the same way that nearly every new Marvel Cinematic Universe project has resulted in a new Marvel character appearing at Avengers Campus, every new Star Wars show on Disney+ has resulted in new characters appearing at Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge. Boba Fett, Ahsoka Tano and Sabine Wren have all appeared at various points.

However, all these new characters have only appeared in Disneyland’s version of the land. Only The Mandalorian and Grogu have ever appeared at Disney’s Hollywood Studios version of Galaxy’s Edge at Disney World, and then only sparingly. While the reason for this one-sided favoritism is unclear, the most likely reason is the Star Wars: Galactic Starcruiser.

The Galactic Starcruiser Story May Have Controlled The Galaxy’s Edge Story

If there was an even bigger step forward in the world of themed entertainment for Disney than Galaxy’s Edge itself, it was the Star Wars: Galactic Starcruiser. This multi-day Star Wars experience also had its own story that guests were encouraged to become part of, and its story was also set in the era of the Sequel Trilogy. On top of that, the Starcruiser was attached to Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge, and the story of the one was attached to the other.

The Starcruiser told a story of guests on board an intergalactic cruise ship that included an excursion to the planet Batuu. Events that took place inside the “hotel” could be connected to events that could take place in the theme park land. As such, walking out of a Galactic Starcruiser with a mission given to you by Rey, only to bump into Ahsoka Tano on Batuu, wasn’t necessarily going to work.

However, the Star Wars: Galactic Starcruiser is officially no more. The experience closed down in 2023, and we recently learned it was being converted to offices for Walt Disney Imagineering, so it won’t be part of any new Star Wars adventure for guests anytime soon. With that confirmation, it’s time for Disney World’s Galaxy’s Edge to get the same love in the form of characters that Disneyland has had for years.

Bring Luke Skywalker (And More) To Walt Disney World

The most recent new addition to Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge at Disneyland is a game changer. When Disneyland’s Season of the Force begins in March, Luke Skywalker will make his Disneyland debut. This is the first time that a core character of the Original Trilogy has appeared at Disneyland, and it’s the clearest indication that the old timeline is dead.

If that’s the case in California, it should also be the case in Florida. Hopefully we’ll see Luke Skywalker, Ahsoka, and all the rest of the characters that have never appeared in Florida finally make that jump.

It doesn’t need to become a free-for-all. As long as you don’t have characters playing Kylo Ren and Darth Vader walking around Batuu at the same time, fans can still imagine themselves in a Star Wars world, just one that might feel like it’s set in different eras at different times of the day.

I honestly wish Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge as it was originally intended had been more successful, just as I wish that the Star Wars: Galactic Starcruiser was still around. They were incredible concepts that just didn’t connect with guests for any number of reasons. With that being the case, it’s time for Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge to appeal to all Star Wars fans. Let’s bring all the great characters from all the stories we love and let guests at both Disneyland and Walt Disney World enjoy them equally.