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Disney Finally Caved and This ‘Star Wars’ Princess Is Finally Coming to Galaxy’s Edge

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Posted on by Erica Lauren Leave a comment
disney family poses with chewbacca at galaxy's edge in disney's hollywood studios park

Credit: Disney

There are moments in Disney Parks history that feel like a long time coming, and for Star Wars fans who have spent years walking through Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge, wondering why the Millennium Falcon was sitting right there without its most iconic crew members anywhere in sight, April 29 is shaping up to be one of those moments.

Disney has been building toward a significant shift in how Galaxy’s Edge operates at Disneyland, one that moves a substantial portion of the land away from the sequel-era timeline that has defined the experience since it opened and toward the original trilogy beloved by three generations of Star Wars fans. Han Solo was announced first, and the reaction was immediate and loud. Now Disney has revealed the next piece of that puzzle, and it completes the picture that fans have been asking about since the day the Millennium Falcon landed in Batuu. Princess Leia is coming to Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge, and Disneyland just dropped the first look at exactly what that is going to look like.

Millennium Falcon at Star Wars: Galaxy's Edge in Disneyland
Credit: Inside the Magic

The First Look at Princess Leia

The character reveal shows Leia in a white jumpsuit with a brown vest, a costume brand-new to the parks but clearly inspired by her Hoth outfit in The Empire Strikes Back. This is not the iconic white dress from A New Hope, which might surprise some guests expecting the most recognizable version of the character. The outfit choice is intentional and practical, designed to fit the climate and setting of Batuu rather than pulling directly from any single film moment. Her hair is styled in a braid across the top of her head, giving the look its own identity while still feeling unmistakably like Leia. The reveal video shows her meeting R2-D2 in front of the Millennium Falcon, exactly where she will appear when the timeline shift begins.

How This Fits Into the Bigger Star Wars Change

The timeline shift at Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge begins on April 29 at Disneyland, and it is a meaningful restructuring of how the land tells its story. The Millennium Falcon area will shift to reflect the original trilogy era, which is why Leia, Han Solo, R2-D2, and Chewbacca will all be meeting guests near the ship. Luke Skywalker will appear near Savi’s Workshop. Darth Vader will replace Kylo Ren roaming the land with Stormtroopers. Rey will continue appearing near Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance, which remains set during the sequel era, meaning both timelines will coexist within the same land rather than one replacing the other entirely.

Guests visiting Star Wars: Galaxy's Edge at Disneyland Resort
Credit: Inside the Magic

It is worth being clear that this change applies specifically to the Disneyland version of Galaxy’s Edge. Disney’s Hollywood Studios version of the land at Walt Disney World is not part of this timeline shift, so guests planning a trip to Florida should not expect to find Han Solo or Princess Leia near the Falcon.

Han Solo Started This Star Wars Conversation

The announcement of Han Solo coming to Galaxy’s Edge was what set the internet on fire earlier this week, and for good reason. The Millennium Falcon has been a centerpiece of the land since it opened, and the absence of the character most closely associated with that ship was something fans pointed out consistently from day one. His costume for the meet-and-greet pulls directly from the original trilogy: the blue vest, off-white shirt, brown pants, and blaster, instantly recognizable to anyone who has seen the films. Placing him near the Falcon turns the entire area into something that feels genuinely complete in a way it never quite did before.

The addition of Princess Leia alongside him takes that completeness a step further. These two characters together near the Millennium Falcon, with Chewbacca and R2-D2 also in the mix, create the kind of environment that Star Wars fans have been imagining since Galaxy’s Edge was first announced. The core crew of the original trilogy gathered around their ship in a land built to feel like you stepped into the Star Wars universe.

What This Means Going Forward for Star Wars

Disney is filling the Galaxy’s Edge experience with original trilogy characters in a direct response to what guests have been asking for since the land opened. The sequel-era focus made sense as a creative choice when the land debuted alongside the release of those films, but as time has passed, the pull toward the classic characters has only grown stronger. Han Solo and Princess Leia near the Falcon are not subtle. It is Disney acknowledging that the original trilogy is where the deepest emotional connection lives for the largest portion of their Star Wars audience, and building the experience around that reality.

Whether this opens the door to further changes at Galaxy’s Edge remains to be seen, but the timeline shift starting April 29 at Disneyland is already the most significant evolution the land has seen since it opened. For guests heading to Disneyland in the coming weeks, the Millennium Falcon area will feel like a different place, and based on everything Disney has revealed so far, that is very much the point.

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