Disney simply made the bombshell announcement that they’re in spite of everything “unlocking” the timeline of Megastar Wars: Galaxy’s Edge to incorporate unique trilogy characters, vintage technology storytelling, John Williams’ iconic rankings, and extra…at Disneyland.
Unsurprisingly, this has many Walt Disney International fanatics questioning when the adjustments will come to the model of the land (recognized colloquially amongst fanatics as Batuu East) at Disney’s Hollywood Studios. It’s a transfer we’ve observed a number of instances now with adjustments to Megastar Wars: Galaxy’s Edge, as Imagineering and Lucasfilm maximum indubitably have now not been “truthful to Florida” with Megastar Wars stuff.
Thankfully, we have now solutions! Smartly, now not such a lot solutions as explanations. And in addition, now not pleasurable ones. (Don’t say we didn’t provide you with a warning!) However we did attend a digital briefing previous this week that featured a panel with Walt Disney Imagineering and Lucasfilm ingenious executives. Throughout that, management additional defined those sweeping adjustments, providing further context and solutions to questions–together with what’s up with Walt Disney International’s Megastar Wars: Galaxy’s Edge…
For those who ignored it, or don’t wish to sift via all the different articles for information bearing on Disneyland, right here’s a rundown of the important thing adjustments coming to Megastar Wars: Galaxy’s Edge in California beginning April 29, 2026:
- Rolling again the timeline and produce new storylines to lifestyles on Batuu, spanning more than one eras of the planet’s wealthy historical past. Those updates will make the Galactic Civil Battle and New Republic, in addition to the Age of the Resistance and First Order, a part of the tale in Megastar Wars: Galaxy’s Edge.
- Introducing Darth Vader, Han Solo, Leia Organa and Luke Skywalker as everlasting population of Batuu, along with present characters (albeit in their very own ‘areas’ of the land to maintain thematic integrity to the best extent imaginable).
- The addition of loved rankings from mythical composer John Williams, pulling issues from the primary six movies.
- Updates to constructions and retail outlets right through the land, together with the set up of recent props and graphics to raised mirror a broader historical past of Batuu with the brand new storylines.
Once more, none of this is going on at Walt Disney International (for now). The one upcoming trade that’s been introduced is the Mandalorian and Child Yoda Challenge for Millennium Falcon: Smugglers Run, which debuts on Might 22, 2026 (similar date the film is launched).
It’s been some time since we’ve heard any updates on that enchantment overlay, journey reimagining or no matter it’s thought to be, so perhaps we’re due any other replace on that. And perhaps at the side of that replace, Walt Disney International will make its personal announcement about additions. However don’t depend on it.
Throughout our briefing roundtable with Imagineers and Lucasfilm, the ones reps in particular stated the above adjustments are most effective coming to Megastar Wars: Galaxy’s Edge at Disneyland. Spokespeople for Disneyland likewise showed the similar.
When requested the most obvious query (why?!), Imagineers and Lucasfilm defined that Megastar Wars: Galaxy’s Edge was once at all times envisioned as a “platform for storytelling” which may be a framework for projecting plenty of other and upcoming tales. That this felt like a fantastic time to concentrate on the vintage technology, particularly with the Mandalorian film popping out and the approaching fiftieth anniversary of Megastar Wars.
They additional defined that having the 2 coasts function on other timelines would permit guests to every coast to enjoy other time limits within the historical past of Batuu. That, necessarily, it will inspire visitors to consult with each Walt Disney International and Disneyland, and praise those that do.
Doug Chiang, Senior Vice President and Government Design Director, Lucasfilm added this:
“With the growth of the Megastar Wars: Galaxy’s Edge timeline at Disneyland to incorporate vintage characters from different Megastar Wars eras, fanatics may have a novel alternative to are living the Megastar Wars enjoy in a good larger manner. Each new element, regardless of how small, might be meticulously recreated to make sure an original enjoy. From iconic heroes and villains to droids and extraterrestrial beings, this subsequent section gives an exceptional alternative to immerse your self within the Megastar Wars saga. I’ve had the super excitement of operating aspect by means of aspect with the fantastic Imagineering crew, and I’m frequently inspired by means of their interest for immersive storytelling—a keenness that parallels our movies.”
So far as an respectable resolution is going, that’s just about it. See? I warned you that it wouldn’t be pleasurable. That’s the entire extent of what Disney and Lucasfilm have needed to say at the adjustments at Disneyland vs. Walt Disney International. Thankfully, we will be able to speculate slightly additional.
From my point of view, there are a couple of imaginable the explanation why no adjustments are being made to Megastar Wars: Galaxy’s Edge at Walt Disney International…
First, there’s the face worth one who Imagineering and Lucasfilm need other reports on every coast. If this have been 5 years in the past, at a time when Disney was once cloning the whole lot below the Brilliant Suns, my response to that will be “hahahahaha.”
Within the time since, there has if truth be told been a a lot more concerted effort to have distinctive reports on every coast. Disney (in spite of everything) acknowledges that there are lots of bi-coastal fanatics, to the purpose that the whole lot introduced on the remaining D23 was once distinctive for every.
They aren’t even cloning Pandora to cut back the differently astronomical building prices on that. And if Lion King does finally end up coming to Walt Disney International, it most certainly received’t be the similar log flume as in Paris. (Now that is a brand new excessive–now not cloning world points of interest locally.)
On the similar time, Megastar Wars: Galaxy’s Edge is other than all of that. Whilst they didn’t state as a lot all through the briefing, those adjustments are an implicit admission that the unique imaginative and prescient for Batuu didn’t resonate with visitors as anticipated. Those adjustments are taking place based on visitor comments, and I promise you that it’s now not as though first-timers in Florida love the sequel trilogy while Californians don’t. The motivations to make adjustments are equivalent on each coasts.
2d, there’s the easy truth that Disneyland has observed many extra characters in Megastar Wars: Galaxy’s Edge than Walt Disney International. They were given Mandalorian and Child Yoda first. Following that, Boba Fett, Fennec Shand, Sabine Wren, and Ahsoka have all seemed at Disneyland.
Then there are the BDX “Duckling Droids” that made their first look a few years in the past all through Season of the Power at Disneyland, lengthy prior to being delivered to DHS. There’s additionally the “Shadows of Reminiscence: A Skywalker Saga” projections display, the Baird droid, and different little issues I may well be forgetting.
The key is that there were a large number of little tactics Megastar Wars: Galaxy’s Edge has been plussed in California already, even prior to this. I’m steadily reminded of this when returning to Walt Disney International after spending time at Disneyland. The vibe is already reasonably other.
This isn’t actually an evidence, despite the fact that. Extra a observation of reality, previous historical past, and belief of provide setting.
As for the why of the preferential remedy for Batuu West, there were a large number of excuses/explanations for this through the years. It began with Megastar Wars: Galactic Starcruiser implementing stringent tale regulations at Walt Disney International, which was once a handy villain in explaining why Disneyland was once getting the good things. However the observe has persevered lengthy after Starcruiser was once shuttered, and I’m quite skeptical {that a} bunch of workplaces in house are dictating the rest.
In conjunction with that, Walt Disney International management is notoriously-averse to restricted time leisure and characters, even if funded by means of the studio or streaming advertising budgets. There are a number of causes for this, a few of which if truth be told are affordable.
It’s our working out that this explains Mandalorian and Child Yoda now not coming to Walt Disney International till lengthy when they have been massive hits at Disneyland. At that time their good fortune was once too large for Orlando management to forget about, or even then, it was once a hard-fought fight. That is likewise why the less-popular Disney+ characters since have now not come, with the exception of for restricted engagements when DVC is footing the invoice.
The attempted and true “Walt Disney International is affordable!” excuse is a a laugh one, however frankly, I don’t assume it applies right here. For something, none of that is limited-time and it nearly without a doubt isn’t coming from a streaming or studio advertising finances. Those are everlasting timeline adjustments, the price of which is able to probably pay for themselves over the years.
A extra believable clarification is that the Imagineering and Lucasfilm groups which might be proceeding to increase new ingenious ideas for Megastar Wars: Galaxy’s Edge are California-based. Whilst Imagineering establishes a bigger presence in Florida, the whole lot we’ve heard about Megastar Wars stuff has at all times been spearheaded by means of California groups.
It’s more uncomplicated for them to check characters or have the correct make stronger technical body of workers for the BDX Droids, as an example, at Disneyland. It’s a brief pressure slightly than a cross-country flight. The WDI groups who’re keen about Megastar Wars can come right down to Anaheim to tinker with stuff, they usually steadily do.
There’s additionally the topic of casting. Han Solo, Leia Organa, and Luke Skywalker are all face characters. For the relaunch of Megastar Wars: Galaxy’s Edge, Disney and Lucasfilm most likely need lifeless ringers for the ones characters. And even supposing the distance isn’t what it as soon as was once, it’s more uncomplicated to solid in Southern California. That’s only a sensible truth of the 2 places.
For my part, this proximity to the park level is most likely a contributing issue. I additionally would by no means rule out Walt Disney International being affordable, however they do appear to be getting clear of that, so I don’t assume that’s the most likely clarification. That brings us to the remaining level, which we view as the largest reason why…
Disneyland actually wishes one thing for Summer season 2026 to pressure attendance. Disney’s Hollywood Studios does now not.
In truth, I feel it’s so simple as that. Too steadily as Disney fanatics, we take into accounts what is sensible from a storytelling or thematic point of view. As we must! However actually, choices so steadily come right down to what’s wanted the place to pressure attendance and hit objectives.
Disneyland is within the waning days of the seventieth Anniversary, which roughly feels find it irresistible’s already transform performed out (no less than from the point of view of riding attendance–I’ve loved the development). This may be most likely why we’re seeing extremely competitive price ticket offers for Californians–the most productive in kind of a decade!
Against this, Summer season 2026 is jam-packed for Disney’s Hollywood Studios. Right here’s a rundown:
- The Walt Disney Studio Lot (reimagined Animation Courtyard)
- “Disney Jr. Mickey Mouse Clubhouse Reside!” (rad dance birthday celebration from DCA)
- “The Magic of Disney Animation” (reimagined fan-favorite enjoy from the Nineties)
- Rock ‘n’ Curler Coaster Starring the Muppets
- Millennium Falcon: Smugglers Run feat. Mandalorian & Child Yoda
That is on best of “The Little Mermaid – A Musical Journey” and “Disney Villains: Unfairly Ever After,” that are nonetheless new to maximum Walt Disney International visitors since they’re kind of a yr previous.
This may now not look like an ideal ambitious slate. In truth, if we’re going again to objects that debuted a yr or so in the past, Disneyland most certainly has greater than Disney’s Hollywood Studios. However demographics do vary, and Disneyland nonetheless leans extra closely on locals to select up the slack. Take into account, Pandora – International of Avatar, which opened in 2017, remains to be new to a big proportion of holiday makers to Walt Disney International.
Accordingly, the most simple and most simple clarification is that Disneyland wishes one thing this summer season to lure visitors to consult with, while Walt Disney International does now not. Disneyland is taking part in this Megastar Wars timeline card now; Walt Disney International will cling it till it is sensible.
My bet is that those adjustments will come to Megastar Wars: Galaxy’s Edge at Walt Disney International someday within the first part of 2027. That is the timing that makes essentially the most sense for timeline leisure.
Walt Disney International doesn’t have the rest (that we find out about but) within the first part of subsequent yr. Tropical Americas is not going till the second one part of 2027, and Monstropolis received’t open till 2028. That leaves Summer season 2027 because the ‘candy spot’ when Walt Disney International will need/want to pressure crowds, whilst now not being overshadowed by means of the monstrous new additions at the horizon yearly that follows.
If we needed to actually put an constructive spin in this, my further hypothesis or wishful pondering can be that Walt Disney International is ready to make extra formidable and consequential adjustments multi function fell swoop. In Why Megastar Wars Land In spite of everything Breaking the Laws is Nice, However Extra Adjustments Are Wanted, we talk about one of the crucial chances, which in part revolve round recycling belongings and concepts from the failed Starcruiser.
Whilst that is my hope and must now not be misconstrued as a rumor, it does make sense. Disneyland can break out with making smaller adjustments to pressure incremental visitation amongst locals and diehard Megastar Wars fanatics. Even supposing “unlocking” the timeline must be massively sure, what’s been introduced nonetheless most commonly isn’t going to get other folks to plot cross-country journeys to Walt Disney International. A extra marketable suite of adjustments and additions can be wanted.
Walt Disney International may announce one thing larger, bolder and higher that will accomplish precisely that during Summer season 2027. This may well be “cope” (as the children say) for the “be truthful to Florida” staff, however we have now began to peer Walt Disney International outshine Disneyland on a few of these form of improvements within the remaining year-plus. Simply now not but with the rest Megastar Wars-related. Perhaps that’ll trade quickly with a press release on the 2026 D23 Expo–both manner, we’ll stay you posted!
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YOUR THOUGHTS
Do you favor having other access issues into the timeline of Batuu at WDW vs. DLR? Do you assume Megastar Wars: Galaxy’s Edge must spoil its personal regulations at Walt Disney International or keep on with the mounted timeline and tale? Do you want to listen to John Williams’ song within the land? What about encountering Darth Vader and different unique trilogy characters? Assume Galaxy’s Edge must center of attention on a laugh, canon, or a mixture of each? Do you compromise or disagree with our evaluation? Any questions? Listening to your comments–even whilst you disagree with us–is each fascinating to us and useful to different readers, so please proportion your ideas beneath within the feedback!
