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Credit: DisneyLast night was the final event of the season for Disneyland After Dark: Star Wars Nite, and while many looked forward to celebrating this event, coinciding with this year’s Star Wars Celebration held at the Anaheim Convention Center, the event has left Guests feeling frustrated and questioning the worth of Disney after-dark events.
Disneyland After Dark: Star Wars Nite offers Guests the chance to meet beloved Star Wars characters, many of which can’t usually be seen at the Park, enjoy unique themed food offerings, shop for exclusive event merchandise, have photos taken on extraordinary event-themed backdrops, enjoy a Star Wars Fireworks Spectacular and so much more!
According to the event’s official website, Guests can enjoy all of this while wearing their finest Star Wars-inspired costumes and apparel and showing off their lightsabers to enjoy the fantastic world created by George Lucas.
However, last night’s event comments show more disappointment than excitement regarding this experience, pointing out problems in several areas.
We reported that, during a previous night of this event, Guests were being told to “go home” while basically being forced to leave the Park by Cast Members. Last night was the opposite, as Jenny Nicholson (@JennyENicholson) pointed out. She posted a picture of a massive crowd stuck in a trail trying to leave Batuu and being held by Disneyland security officers who were not allowing hundreds of Guests to enter Fantasyland or Frontierland.
We’re trying to leave Star Wars Nite but due to a miscommunication between two security officers we cannot enter Fantasyland and cannot enter Frontierland so like a couple hundred people are piling up on this trail because we can’t leave
We're trying to leave Star Wars Nite but due to a miscommunication between two security officers we cannot enter Fantasyland and cannot enter Frontierland so like a couple hundred people are piling up on this trail because we can't leave pic.twitter.com/xyjZUg0BqY
— Jenny Nicholson (@JennyENicholson) May 28, 2022
In a later tweet, she commented that they were held for about twenty minutes by security guards on both ends of Galaxy’s Edge and that both security guards were equally angry and confident that Guests were going in the wrong direction.
No there were security guards at both ends, we were just trapped in a narrow sliver of the trail for like 20 minutes lol and both security guards were equally angry & certain everybody was going the wrong way
No there were security guards at both ends, we were just trapped in a narrow sliver of the trail for like 20 minutes lol and both security guards were equally angry & certain everybody was going the wrong way
— Jenny Nicholson (@JennyENicholson) May 28, 2022
Crowd control has been a constant issue at Disney Parks recently. Such an unfortunate misunderstanding happening at a separately ticketed event, possibly making Guests lose valuable time to explore the event’s offerings, is undoubtedly unacceptable.
David Daut (@DavidMDaut) voiced his opinion regarding an additional charge he had to cover to reschedule his ticket from the canceled Star Wars Nite during Celebration 2020 and complained that Guests were being turned away from the event due to their costumes, which were initially encouraged by the site’s website.
Disneyland: “Hey, that ticket you bought for our cancelled Star Wars Nite during Celebration 2020? It’ll cost you an extra $70 to move it to a date during Celebration 2022. Oh, and by the way, now that you’ve already paid, don’t try to show up in cosplay. Strictly bounding only.”
Disneyland: “Hey, that ticket you bought for our cancelled Star Wars Nite during Celebration 2020? It’ll cost you an extra $70 to move it to a date during Celebration 2022. Oh, and by the way, now that you’ve already paid, don’t try to show up in cosplay. Strictly bounding only.”
— David Daut (@DavidMDaut) May 28, 2022
He adds that he had already decided he wouldn’t return to the Parks after this event and comments he is not being given any reasons to change his mind.
I’d already sworn I wouldn’t be back to the parks after this event, and boy, I’m not being given a strong argument to change my mind.
I’d already sworn I wouldn’t be back to the parks after this event, and boy, I’m not being given a strong argument to change my mind.
— David Daut (@DavidMDaut) May 28, 2022
David even says he was considering charging back his ticket and calling it a night and mentioned how inconsistent it was to hear Imagineers praise Guests bringing their creativity to the Star Wars spaces of the Parks and have Disneyland security turn Guests away because of face paint hours later.
People bought tickets *FOR THIS*. People paid your stupid ransom in order to keep these tickets *FOR THIS*. Honestly tempted to just charge back the ticket and call it a night.
Scott Trowbridge, literally one hour ago: “we love seeing the ways that our fans have brought their own creativity to the Star Wars spaces in our parks.“ Disneyland security, right now: “no face paint.“
Scott Trowbridge, literally one hour ago: “we love seeing the ways that our fans have brought their own creativity to the Star Wars spaces in our parks.“
Disneyland security, right now: “no face paint.“
— David Daut (@DavidMDaut) May 28, 2022
Hastin (@hastin) commented that he considers Disneyland After Dark events are not worth it anymore, mentioning the extra charge David was referring to, the fact that several special food offerings were sold out, that character meet and greets had over 45-minute lines, and that the event felt oversold overall. He adds the events “are FOMO machines,” with no real effort to make them unique beyond face value.
Can’t really say the #DisneylandAfterDark events are worth it anymore.
Especially given the $66 upgrade cost for tonight. Many of the special food items were sold out, M&Gs had 45+ minute lines, and event felt overall oversold for the specific offerings.
These events are FOMO machines, for better or worse. I don’t really feel like the effort is there. Nothing really interesting beyond face value, and a real inability to make it feel like a special event.
These events are FOMO machines, for better or worse. I don't really feel like the effort is there. Nothing really interesting beyond face value, and a real inability to make it feel like a special event.
— Hastin (@hastin) May 28, 2022
We previously reported Guests had frustrating experiences during the first nights of this event, on May 3rd and 4th, complaining about queues, crowds, and food and merchandise supplies running out, not allowing Guests to enjoy the offerings the event had entirely. Many hoped Disneyland would correct these mistakes for the event’s final night, but it seems things worsened instead.
Related: Guest Shares Frustrating Experience During Disneyland After Dark: ‘Star Wars’ Nite Event
More on Star Wars at Disneyland
At Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge, Guests can enjoy the two attractions Black Spire Outpost offers, Millennium Falcon: Smugglers Run and Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance. Batuu is also home to Dok-Ondar’s Den of Antiquities, Docking Bay 7 Food and Cargo, Savi’s Workshop, and Oga’s Cantina. Guests can also interact with Rey, Chewbacca, Vi Moradi, an exclusive character of Galaxy’s Edge, Kylo Ren, and even First Order Stormtroopers.
Disneyland Imagineers and Lucasfilms creatives announced that starting today, Guests will be able to meet the legendary bounty hunter Boba Fett and mercenary Fennec Shand, opening a whole galaxy of possibilities for Guests to meet and interact with different characters from the ever-expanding Star Wars universe.
This announcement has Guests and fans of the Star Wars franchise beyond excited, as different characters had not been able to be introduced in the immersive land due to the strict place in the timeline in which Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge exists.
While Darth Vader, Boba Fett, and Darth Maul have previously made appearances at Disney Parks, it is true that since the closure of Star Wars Launch Bay, both at Tomorrowland in Disneyland Park and Disney’s Hollywood Studios in Walt Disney World Resort, these characters have not been seen as often as Guests would like.
We previously reported on reactions from Guests regarding the frequent arrival of new characters from the Marvel Cinematic Universe to Avengers Campus at Disney California Adventure and how they demanded more Star Wars characters needed be added to the Parks. At that moment, this was impossible due to the strict and elaborated timeline crafted for years specifically for Black Spire Outpost. However, with this new announcement, Guests will finally be able to join different characters from the Star Wars universe on their adventures.
With characters from the Marvel Cinematic Universe like Loki, Captain America, Hawkeye, Kate Bishop, The Eternals, Shang-Chi, Moon Knight, Scarlet Witch, and America Chavez arriving at Avengers Campus in Disney California Adventure, days after the release of their movie or series, Guests can look forward to new announcements and characters landing at Black Spire Outpost very soon!
Have you visited Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge? What has been your favorite experience in Batuu? Let us know in the comments below!