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Credit: DisneyDisneyland Resort guests report that Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge is a “ghost town,” even during one of the busiest times of the year at The Happiest Place on Earth. Has the Star Wars land failed after just five years in operation?
Inside the Magic has recently reported on continuing technical issues with Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance and Millennium Falcon: Smugglers Run. The latter has seen plummeting wait lines in recent months as fans tire of the dated storyline and getting assigned roles other than pilot.
Amid issues with the Lucasfilm-inspired attractions, Disneyland Park guests say that visitors are avoiding Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge altogether. Redditor u/goodvibe61 recently pointed out that the land was a “ghost town” this week as the rest of the Southern California Disney park was slammed with holiday visitors.
“It was a pretty crowded day in the park,” the Disney Park guest recalled. “New [Orleans] Square was packed all day, as was Fantasyland and ToonTown. And in the evening those parts of the park were jammed, I mean packed. Main Street was crazy.”
“We decided to make the walk from Tiana’s, through Galaxy’s Edge to get over to Fantasyland,” they continued. “There was nobody there. I mean, empty. There was no queue for The Cantina. I don’t know what the wait times were for Resistance or the Falcon, but we didn’t see any lines for them. I assume the people that WERE there were in line for Rise of the Resistance.”
The Disney Park guests ordered food at Docking Bay 7 Food and Cargo without waiting. They received their order in two minutes, “if that.”
“I mean, it was stunning,” the Disney Parks fan wrote. “There was one point where we just stopped, looked at each other and were saying, ‘what’s going on’. The park was crowded, and there was NOBODY in this entire area.
Half hour later we’re standing in line for the incredible Mickey’s Runaway Railway and my wife says: ‘you know, there are more people waiting in line for this ride right now than there were in all of the Galaxy’s Edge area.’ I agreed.”
Dozens of Disney Parks fans agreed. Many argued that although Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance and Oga’s Cantinas are big draws, nothing keeps guests in Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge.
“Galaxy’s Edge is out of the way and there are only two rides,” u/forlorn_hope28 replied. “One of which tends to have one of the highest wait times in the park. There’s nothing that incentivizes people to walk over to that side of the park (unless the Rise wait is low, they have an Oga reservation, or they’re going to see the fireworks).”
“Galaxies edge is a glorified gift shop of an area,” said u/kickeroftale. “There is zero reason to want to repeat ride either Smugglers Run or Rise.”
Others said Walt Disney Imagineering needed to add more to Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge.
“Outside of Rise and some cool shops, there isn’t much to do or worth doing,” u/conick_the_barbarian wrote. “They should add a new ride or something in there.”
“Theres not much keeping you there,” u/jeffwinger007 agreed. “That area could really use a smaller ride suitable for young kids (though the IP may not be for them) that keeps people there. Right now, it’s head up for Rise and then leave. It also seems like Smugglers Run could be better.”
Change is coming to Star Wars land, but not until 2026. At D23 Expo 2024, Walt Disney Imagineers announced that a new storyline featuring The Mandalorian and Grogu will come to Millennium Falcon: Smugglers Run at Disneyland Park and Disney’s Hollywood Studios.
Do you still visit Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge? In the comments, share your thoughts on the land with Inside the Magic.