Droid Depot is a construct your personal droid store in Celebrity Wars: Galaxy’s Edge at Hollywood Studios in Walt Disney Global and at Disneyland. On this assessment, we’ll element the revel in, whether or not it’s definitely worth the cash, and the way it compares to even pricier lightsaber revel in in Celebrity Wars Land. (Up to date February 9, 2025.)
As just a little of background, Droid Depot is a cut up retail house, with one part of the shop having standard off-the-shelf Celebrity Wars pieces you’ll be able to purchase (together with the Batuuan Spira Credit score Medallion, one of the most absolute best saved secrets and techniques in Celebrity Wars: Galaxy’s Edge), whilst the opposite part is a workshop with stations for droid customization and buy.
Droid Depot’s constructing house is stocked with portions, chips, manuals visitors can accumulate to customise, assemble–and buy, after all!–droids. After you’re accomplished, you’ll be able to take the droid you’ve constructed to discover the remainder of Black Spire Outpost and Batuu, even ‘test-driving’ them within the droid playground.
Over a 12 months in the past, Disney higher the cost of the construct your personal droid revel in in Black Spire Outpost, from $99 to $119.99 according to astromech droid, plus tax, at Walt Disney Global. This was once the primary time the price has long gone up for the reason that opening of Droid Depot. There was no such build up at Disneyland, which remains to be priced at $99 according to builder.
This follows two worth will increase at Savi’s Workshop for Handbuilt Lightsabers, with the price of that transferring from $200 at opening to $250 lately. Regardless of the differential, Savi’s Workshop stays a lot more fashionable than Droid Depot. In equity, the lightsaber constructing workshop has a miles decrease capability, which contributes to creating reservations tougher to attain.
February 9, 2025 Replace: Disney has introduced that, beginning March 17, 2025, Droid Depot will now not be offering reservations at Disneyland, and can handiest settle for walk-ups for the droid constructing revel in. At the moment, there are not any adjustments for Droid Depot at Disney’s Hollywood Studios.
The disparities in pricing and insurance policies for Droid Depot between Walt Disney Global and Disneyland is most likely because of demographics. Disneyland remains to be disproportionately a locals’ park, and the majority of Californian Celebrity Wars fanatics who sought after to construct a droid, have constructed a droid. Against this, Walt Disney Global caters to vacationers, so there’s a theoretical by no means finishing circulate of first-timers.
Even so, we’ve observed a precipitous decline in call for for Droid Depot on each coasts. Although Walt Disney Global nonetheless gives reservations, they’re on no account required. Maximum days, there’s plentiful availability all day lengthy, for each unmarried reservation time slot. Stroll-ins generally don’t have any wait on both coast, and there are many empty droid-building slots more often than not.
We’re nonetheless questioning what your entire shedding of reservations will accomplish. It doesn’t look like Droid Depot is missing in call for because of the reservations, with other folks shying clear of doing walkups as a result of they believe they received’t be accommodated. If the rest, I’d suppose the other is correct–that providing reservations will get other folks to dedicate after they in a different way may now not. However what do I do know.
Both means, there’s gotta be a greater longer term plan. Whether or not that’s reducing the cost, operating particular gives or competitive reductions, including new droids, or reimagining the gap solely.
Although Savi’s Workshop for Handbuilt Lightsabers has additionally observed its recognition drop, it nonetheless has sky-high call for relatively. That’s because of a mix of decrease capability and Savi’s Workshop for Handbuilt Lightsabers being a lot better within the first position.
Now let’s flip to how the droid constructing procedure works at Droid Depot in Celebrity Wars: Galaxy’s Edge.
After opting for a BB-series unit or R-series unit, you’re given a basket and blueprint for portions. From there, you head to the portions station in the back of Droid Depot, which is actually a conveyor belt from which you pull pieces as they go by way of. That is cool, and provides Droid Depot a undeniable authenticity. Plus, it’s amusing to peer and snag items as they go you.
From there, it’s directly to the construct station, the place you are taking the 4 portions (dome, connection plate, frame sphere, and motivator for the BB-series or dome, frame, and two units of legs for the R-series) to observe placemat directions. Bring together the droid its the right kind collection earlier than the activation procedure starts.
Establishing your personal custom designed droid at this improbable business workshop in Celebrity Wars: Galaxy’s Edge is beautiful easy and fast. All informed, the whole Droid Depot revel in takes underneath quarter-hour from begin to end (plus no matter time it’s important to wait in line to start out constructing a droid, if any).
As soon as completed, you’ll be able to purchase further equipment, together with a character chip or wearing backpack. If you need your droid to have interaction with components in Celebrity Wars: Galaxy’s Edge or different droids visitors have constructed, the backpack is your best choice.
It sort of feels awkward to simply lift them round, so I assume the opposite choice is getting a kind of child slings. Joking apart, it’s a laugh to listen to the droids beeping at one every other every now and then as you wander Black Spire Outpost.
I feel it’s price discussing how Droid Depot compares with the $250 Handbuilt Lightsaber Enjoy at Savi’s Workshop, which we lavished with reward. Whilst Celebrity Wars Land has a lot of stores and retail stalls, those are the 2 with a ‘pay-to-play’ display part. The remaining will also be loved in complete without cost.
Relatively merely, I don’t suppose Droid Depot stacks as much as Savi’s Workshop the least bit. Until you actually need this sort of droids, you’re completely at an advantage doing Savi’s Workshop–although it’s double the price. It’s a subsequent degree revel in; Droid Depot is cool, however now not on that degree.
Don’t get me mistaken, constructing an R2 unit at Droid Depot was once neat, and the completed droids are lovely and amusing. Then again, there’s no emotional resonance to it.
Savi’s Workshop is that this communal revel in of making one thing by way of hand. Savi’s has a robust display part that’s steeped in lore, custom, and makes you’re feeling hooked up to one thing larger. Yeah, it’s theme park retail, however it’s nevertheless tough stuff.
Against this, Droid Depot feels virtually just like the anthesis of that. The atmosphere is cool (as is actually all over the place in Celebrity Wars: Galaxy’s Edge), but additionally vaguely paying homage to an automotive meeting plant.
As you grasp portions from the conveyor constructed and take them on your workstation, there’s a undeniable coldness to the revel in.
The atmosphere may be loud and discordant, with a float of visitors ready in line, getting into, and leaving their very own workstations. The introduction procedure is interactive and tasty, however it’s about as communal as an meeting line, and there’s no display part that’s related to Savi’s.
While the lightsaber revel in makes you’re feeling hooked up to one thing larger, Droid Depot is basically disconnected.
The only exception to that is when the droid is first positioned into its activation slot, paired with a far off, and powered up for the primary time.
There’s a flurry of blinking lighting and sounds, and also you witness the droid come alive. Arguably, the coldness of the primary part of the revel in is this kind of sharp distinction with this second that it makes the droid “being born” extra poignant.
After all, that second was once fleeting, and the full Droid Depot revel in didn’t actually stick to me. It’s simple sufficient to peek into the customized droid constructing facet of the store and notice what it’s all about, and I feel that’s a enough model of this ‘revel in’ if you happen to don’t need to drop $120 on a droid.
Value noting here’s that whilst I constructed my very own droid, I did Droid Depot as a part of the media match and was once not able to stay my completed droid. Most likely I’d really feel in a different way if I had an ’emotional bond’ with my introduction and needed to care and supply for the droid when I were given it house. I’m guessing now not, as I don’t actually really feel a bond with the lightsaber I purchased and constructed.
After Sarah noticed quite a few pals with very lovely droids, we debated going again and doing Droid Depot. Then again, we additionally noticed a number of falling aside whilst roaming round Celebrity Wars: Galaxy’s Edge (technically now not allowed, however we actually by no means noticed this enforced) and the construct high quality felt affordable.
It’s worthwhile to purchase each the superb Sphero R2-D2 and BB-8 app-enabled droids for just a little extra money than one introduction from Droid Depot. Now not precisely an apples to apples comparability, however I’d relatively have the Sphero merchandise. (Or, you have to purchase the DJ Rex non-customizable droid from Droid Depot.)
In the long run, Droid Depot is a neat revel in that I actually loved and most definitely would’ve reviewed a lot more enthusiastically had I now not additionally accomplished Savi’s Workshop. Although it feels just a little such as you’re churned thru a manufacturing facility, there’s sufficient middle and substance to make it one thing particular. Then again, when put next facet by way of facet to the lightsaber constructing revel in, there’s a stark distinction, and Droid Depot leaves you in need of extra.
Should you’re making plans on visiting the brand new land, you’ll additionally need to learn our Celebrity Wars: Galaxy’s Edge Information. This covers a spread of subjects from fundamentals concerning the land and its location, to strategically opting for a lodge on your keep, advisable technique for the land, and the best way to beat the crowds. It’s a excellent primer for this massive addition. As for making plans the remainder of your shuttle, we now have a complete Disneyland Holiday Making plans Information in addition to an intensive Walt Disney Global Making plans Information.
Your Ideas
Have you ever constructed a custom designed droid at Droid Depot? Do you compromise or disagree with our review? Should you accomplished each Droid Depot and Savi’s Workshop, which did you favor? Should you’ve accomplished neither, which is extra interesting to you? Any questions? Listening to your comments–even while you disagree with us–is each fascinating to us and useful to different readers, so please proportion your ideas underneath within the feedback!
