On April 29, 2026, Disneyland’s Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge saw the biggest fundamental change it has seen since it opened at The Happiest Place on Earth in 2019. This came in the form of a “timeline expansion.” This change added new characters and their stories. It also added beloved classic Star Wars themes written by Disney Legend John Williams. On top of that, there were also some fun details to be found in the shops found throughout the land, including a change for one of the shops.
Daps Magic was on hand for the first day of this new approach for Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge at Disneyland. Throughout the day, fans could be seen streaming into the land to see Darth Vader, Luke Skywalker, Leia Organa, Han Solo, Ashoka Tano, Din Djarin and Grogu, and Rey Skywalker. There were clearly some priorities for fans who were visiting Batuu.
Throughout the day, it was very apparent that fans wanted to see Darth Vader and his stormtroopers. Each time he arrived on his ship, fans could be seen eagerly trying to see and capture moments with their phones and cameras of the Sith Lord. He made his way around Black Spire Outpost after arriving, as he interrogated people as he sought out Luke Skywalker. In general, he stayed near his ship, other than venturing towards the Droid Depot as he searched for Luke.
Another highlight for fans was getting to see the heroes of the original Star Wars trilogy on Batuu. While Luke Skywalker had appeared before on Batuu during last year’s Season of the Force, Han and Leia were making their first visits to the land at Disneyland. Leia was the first to appear in the morning. She was first joined by Chewbacca. Both could be seen under and around the Millennium Falcon. They were working on fixing the legendary ship. Leia was also looking for Han and frequently would ask those around her if they had seen her.
As the day progressed, eventually Han Solo made his way over to the ship. This led to some humorous and charming moments between Han and Leia as they focused on fixing the ship. They also had some cute moments as their love blossomed in a way that involved some bantering. People in the area were enthralled.
Throughout the day, Luke Skywalker could also be seen in the land. He was frequently found in the Market Place. Sometimes this was with R2-D2. Other times, he was on his own. He was seeking out ancient Jedi relics and asking questions about Savi. At one point, he also made his way over to the Millennium Falcon to join his sister and friend. This was a very special moment that people who experienced it seemed to love.
The addition of these new characters to the land wasn’t the only major change, however. The iconic Star Wars music of John Williams was also added throughout the land. This fundamentally changed the experience guests had in the land. Multiple people commented on how different it was and how much they liked it. A common comment that was heard was that it felt more like Star Wars now. My own observation was that it went from feeling like visiting a real-life Star Wars destination to instead putting people into the movies. It really did bring the land to life in a new way. This was a very good thing in this fan’s humble opinion. One thing to note was that the music was pretty loud on the opening day. It wouldn’t be surprising at all if the volume is turned down a bit. It would also be welcomed as it definitely made it hard to hear Darth Vader and other characters at times.
Throughout the land, there are some other changes that aren’t as major to the average guest that can be sought out and explored. This includes changes to props in stores, even to changing the name and story of the shop found by where Darth Vader lands. These all add little details to the stories that are now being told in this land. While they might not be noticed by everyone, they are noticed by many and help make this story more vibrant and immersive.
There are still many questions regarding exactly how all of these new timelines work. There were also many different opinions on how exactly it all worked. For the most part, the people who were on hand on Wednesday loved the changes. There were a few who weren’t as big fans. Overall, this seems like a positive change at The Happiest Place on Earth! It allows fans of all ages to connect with some of their favorite Star Wars characters from the stories that they love the most. It makes things more accessible for a much more diverse group of fans. This is really fun to see as different generations of fans share their love of a galaxy far, far away together. It will be fun to watch fans interact with this new approach to Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge moving forward.
What do you think of Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge getting this timeline expansion at Disneyland? What do you like most about it? Which Star Wars character is your favorite that is now in the land? What character would you most like to meet there? Share your thoughts and opinions in the comments below!
