This galaxy is no longer far, far away.

The highly anticipated Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge promises to let visitors climb into the cockpit of the Millennium Falcon, build their own droid from spare parts and belly up to a spaceport cantina for an alien cocktail when the new themed land opens at Disneyland in June.

The massive 14-acre project, at a cost pegged at $1 billion by theme park analysts, marks the largest expansion in Disneyland history and represents Disney’s most ambitious attempt yet to immerse visitors in an all-enveloping movie universe.

Disney invited about two dozen journalists from around the world on a three-day media event last week that included stops at Lucasfilm in San Francisco, Walt Disney Imagineering in Glendale and Disneyland for a tour of the new themed land still under construction. Reporters spoke with more than 40 executives from Imagineering and Lucasfilm who have been leading a team of 4,000 working on the bi-coastal project.

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Visitors to Galaxy’s Edge will step into the remote village of Black Spire Outpost on the planet of Batuu, which occupies a new place on the edge of the Star Wars galaxy created solely for the new themed lands opening this summer at Disneyland in Anaheim and this fall at Disney’s Hollywood Studios in Florida. The marquee attractions include the Millennium Falcon: Smugglers Run flight simulator and the Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance trackless dark ride.

Disney guests will traverse the corridors of a Star Destroyer on Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance and join a battle between the First Order and the Resistance  including a face-off with Kylo Ren  when Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge opens in summer 2019. (Photo by Joshua Sudock, Disney Parks)

Black Spire Outpost is the name of the village inside of Star Wars: Galaxys Edge, opening in summer 2019 at Disneyland. (Photo by Joshua Sudock, Disney Parks)

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Disney Imagineers view a life-size TIE fighter as they work on Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance at Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge, opening in summer 2019 at Disneyland. (Photo by Joshua Sudock, Disney Parks)

Millennium Falcon: Smugglers Run in Star Wars: Galaxys Edge will let Disney guests walk the hallways and experience other areas of the “fastest ship in the galaxy.” (Photo by Joshua Sudock, Disney Parks)

The famous chess room is one of several areas Disney guests will discover inside Millennium Falcon: Smugglers Run at Star Wars: Galaxys Edge before taking the controls in one of three unique and critical roles aboard the fastest ship in the galaxy. (Photo by Joshua Sudock, Disney Parks)



Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge will open in summer 2019 at Disneyland. (Photo by Joshua Sudock, Disney Parks)

Millennium Falcon is pictured while under development for Millennium Falcon: Smugglers Run at Stars Wars: Galaxy’s Edge. On Millennium Falcon: Smugglers Run, guests will take the controls of one of the most recognizable ships in the galaxy. (Courtesy of Disney Parks)

A multi-purpose transport shuttle docked on top of a large hangar (left) will beckon guests into Docking Bay 7 Food and Cargo, a designated location for traveling food shuttles inside Star Wars: Galaxys Edge. (Photo by Joshua Sudock, Disney Parks)

Seeking an enveloping experience

The goal for Lucasfilm and Imagineering was to create a 360-degree walk-through embodiment of the Star Wars universe for visitors that felt true to the movies, authentic to the fans and was imbued with the DNA of the film franchise and ancillary TV shows, books, comics and video games.

“We had to think of things in a much different way,” said Carrie Beck, Lucasfilm’s vice president for animation and live-action series development. “Not only what roles were (visitors) looking to go play in the theme park itself, but how would those stories play out for them. And how were all of the stories that were being told throughout the land helping them feel like they had a real conflict, real discovery and real surprise amongst their day and their experience.”

The challenge was to build a planet that appealed to hardcore “Star Wars” fans as well as novices who only had a fleeting familiarity with the 40-year-old landmark science fiction saga.

“When we open Galaxy’s Edge, I think grown men are going to cry,” said Margaret Kerrison, Imagineering’s managing story editor for the Star Wars project. “I think people are going to fall to their knees and start kissing the ground. It sounds like a total exaggeration, but I feel like it’s going to happen. There’s just so much anticipation and excitement for this.”

The new land will be filled with curved overhead archways that frame scenery straight out of a “Star Wars” movie.

“If in three seconds I don’t know it’s Star Wars, it doesn’t belong in the land,” said Wendy Anderson, an executive creative director for Disney Parks live entertainment.

Disney guests will traverse the corridors of a Star Destroyer on Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance and join a battle between the First Order and the Resistance  including a face-off with Kylo Ren  when Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge opens in summer 2019 at Disneyland. (Courtesy of Disney Parks)

Disney guests will traverse the corridors of a Star Destroyer on Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance and join an epic battle between the First Order and the Resistance  including a faceoff with Kylo Ren  when Star Wars: Galaxys Edge opens in summer 2019. (Courtesy of Disney Parks)

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Dok-Ondar’s Den of Antiquities in Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge will feature rare items from across the galaxy for sale, all part of Dok-Ondar’s collection. Items will represent different eras of the Star Wars galaxy, including holocrons, ancient Jedi and Sith artifacts, lightsabers and more. (Courtesy of Disney Parks)

In the Droid Depot at Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge, guests will be able to build their own personal droids. (Courtesy of Disney Parks)

Exotic eats from around the galaxy will be available at Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge when it opens in summer 2019 at Disneyland Park in Anaheim Ronto Roasters will feature savory meats spit-roasted over a former Podracer engine. (Courtesy of Disney Parks)



Black Spire Outpost is the name of the village inside of Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge, opening in summer 2019 at Disneyland. (Courtesy of Disney Parks)

Denizens of Black Spire Outpost

During a tour of Imagineering’s Animation building, reporters saw three key audio-animatronic figures bound for the Galaxy’s Edge land at Disney’s Hollywood Studios in Florida. (The Disneyland figures have already been shipped to Anaheim.)

An audio-animatronic DJ R-3X played tunes behind a console in a cavernous warehouse-like space next to the Imagineering welding shop. The former Star Tours pilot takes on a new career in Black Spire Outpost spinning songs in Oga’s Cantina.

A dreadlocked space pirate with six tusk-like protrusions from his chin serves as the host of Millennium Falcon: Smugglers Run flight simulator. The fully costumed Hondo Ohnaka audio-animatronic pivoted back and forth on feet-less legs as he repeated his pre-ride spiel that riders will hear as they wait in the attraction queue.

Dok-Ondar, the owner of a black market antiquities shop in the land, will barter with customers who want to haggle over prices. Imagineering show programmer Amy Goodwin peppered Dok with questions and the surly alien creature responded in an alien tongue.

“He has two moods,” Goodwin said. “He can be happy or frustrated.”

The Imagineering tour also included a visit to the Digital Immersive Showroom — or The Dish. The square, white, empty space about the size of a suburban living room had walls that curved at the seams and corners of the cube. Projections on the walls allowed about a dozen viewers to virtually walk through a digital rendering of Galaxy’s Edge with the help of an operator using a video game-like controller.

The powerful technological tool lets Imagineers examine the sprawling themed land before, during and after construction from endless points of view. Our group walked through the village marketplace and past renderings of X-wing fighters and land speeders before ascending to a bird’s eye view for a flyover of the land.

The final stop on the Imagineering tour took us to a hockey rink-like space surrounded by dark curtains where new rides are tested. A “pre-visceralization” trackless ride vehicle with five seats was demonstrated by Imagineer Dawson Dill who wore virtual reality goggles. Viewers watched at the edge of the test space on a television monitor what Dill saw as he traveled through a simulation of the Rise of the Resistance attraction.

“This is prevising the actual physical, real sets that our guests are going to be moving through and how we reveal certain moments within this ride with actual animated figures and special effects,” said Imagineering executive creative director John Larena. “You can see our full-size AT-ATs were actually established with this big wide shot as we roll into the scene and then punching in between the legs as we engage with stormtroopers that will be in this scene firing on us.”

Souvenirs from space

If the Disney merchandise team does its job right, visitors won’t realize they’re in a theme park gift shop until they pull out their credit card. Some of the merchandise will have a handmade look, as if it was crafted by villagers from Black Spire Outpost.

Many of the shops along the outdoor marketplace consist of tiny storefronts that will be stuffed floor to ceiling with props designed to make them look like vendor stalls in an ancient Mediterranean city. Every shop in the themed land has an elaborate backstory and is run by a proprietor from the “Star Wars” universe.

In the marketplace creature stall, creepy and cuddly toys come to life when you squeeze, stroke or poke them. A scary/cute Rathtar comes to life when you pet the tentacled predator before eventually vibrating so wildly you can barely hold it.

Mass-produced Chewbacca, Yoda and stormtrooper plush dolls are designed to look like they were hand-sewn from left-over scraps of material by a mother for her child. Upcycling — reusing discarded items — plays a prominent role in many of the toys sold throughout the land. A metal AT-AT toy looks like it was assembled from spare parts scavenged from a droid junkyard.

The Creature Stall in Star Wars: Galaxys Edge will offer creatures of the galaxy, including porgs, tauntauns and more. (Photo by David Roark, Disney Parks)

At Black Spire Outfitters inside Star Wars: Galaxys Edge, guests will be able to mix and match clothing to create their own galactic style. (Photo by David Roark, Disney Parks)

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Disney guests visiting Star Wars: Galaxys Edge will be able to stop by the Droid Depot to build their own R-series or BB-series droids that will act as a friend throughout the village of Black Spire Outpost. (Photo by David Roark, Disney Parks)

At Black Spire Outpost in Star Wars: Galaxys Edge, guests wanting to showcase their loyalty to the Resistance will find gear, badges and more at Resistance Supply. (Photo by David Roark, Disney Parks)

The Toydarian Toymaker stall in Star Wars: Galaxys Edge will feature an assortment of artisan-style plush characters, wood and tin toys and musical instruments. (Photo by David Roark, Disney Parks)



At Black Spire Outpost in Star Wars: Galaxys Edge, guests wanting to showcase their allegiance to the First Order will be able to choose among the gear and supplies that the 709th Legion brought with them to First Order Cargo. (Photo by David Roark/Disney Parks)

Dok-Ondar’s Den of Antiquities in Star Wars: Galaxys Edge will offer items such as “relics” left behind by the Sith. (Photo by David Roark/Disney Parks)

Holocrons, pictured here, are ancient repositories of wisdom. Jedi and Sith used them to record their teachings for future generations seeking to understand the mysteries of the Force. Kyber crystals can unlock additional content in both the Jedi and Sith Holocrons. (Photo by David Roark/Disney Parks)

Other toys have a more traditional look, but will only be sold at Galaxy’s Edge. Kids can rip the head off of a C-3PO toy that elicits a cry of terror from the humanoid robot. Put his head on backward and he says: “What’s going on? Turn around. I can’t see.” A remote-controlled robotic R-3X — the former Star Tours pilot turned cantina DJ — talks, rolls and wirelessly plays music from your smartphone.

Disney’s merchandise team worked closely with Lucasfilm’s archives division to turn movie props into authentic-looking collectibles and clothing. Hardcore fans will be able to purchase tunics, scarves and belts based on wardrobe pieces from the “Star Wars” cinema universe. The hope: Visitors will look more like extras from a Mos Eisley movie set than typical theme park tourists in Mickey Mouse T-shirts. Disneyland employees will dress as First Order officers, Resistance fighters or villagers.

Food and drink that fits the concept

What do Wookiees eat when they go out for dinner? What kind of alcohol do you use to make a Jedi Mind Trick? Members of Disney’s culinary team had little experience preparing interstellar food and drink when they set out to create menus for the restaurants and cocktail bar in Galaxy’s Edge.

“What does it taste like? What does it smell like? What does it look like?” asked Brian Piasecki, Disney World culinary director for concept development. “We had the opportunity to really bring all of those touch points to every single guest that’s going to visit Galaxy’s Edge.”

From left to right, alcoholic beverages: The Outer Rim, Bespin Fizz, Yub Nub, and Fuzzy Tauntaun can be found at Ogas Cantina inside Star Wars: Galaxys Edge. (Photo by Kent Phillips, Disney Parks)

The Oven-roasted Burra Fish, found at Docking Bay 7 Food and Cargo inside Star Wars: Galaxys Edge, features Dijon-crusted sustainable fish with mixed greens, roasted vegetables, quinoa and pumpkin seeds with a creamy green curry ranch dressing. (Photo by David Roark, Disney Parks)

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Blue Milk and Green Milk can be found in the Black Spire Outpost market inside Star Wars: Galaxys Edge. (Photo by David Roark, Disney Parks)

Pictured here, left to right, are the Meiloorun Juice, the Turkey Jerky and the Ronto Wrap filled with spiced grilled sausage and roasted pork found at Ronto Roasters, located in the Black Spire Outpost market inside Star Wars: Galaxys Edge. (Photo by Kent Phillips, Disney Parks)

Left to right, non-alcoholic drinks: Carbon Freeze, Ogas Obsession provision and Cliff Dweller can be found at Ogas Cantina inside Star Wars: Galaxys Edge. (Photo by Kent Phillips, Disney Parks)



The Smoked Kaadu Ribs, found at Docking Bay 7 Food and Cargo inside Star Wars: GalaxyÕs Edge, features smoked country sticky pork ribs with blueberry corn muffin and cabbage slaw. (Photo by David Roark, Disney Parks)

Left to right, non-alcoholic beverages: the Phattro and Moof Juice can be found at Docking Bay 7 Food and Cargo inside Star Wars: Galaxys Edge. (Photo by David Roark, Disney Parks)

The Fried Endorian Tip-Yip, found at Docking Bay 7 Food and Cargo inside Star Wars: GalaxyÕs Edge, is a decadent chicken dish with roasted vegetable mash and herb gravy. (Photo by David Roark, Disney Parks)

From left to right: Moogan Tea, Blue Bantha, Bloody Rancor (contains alcohol) and the Black Spire Brew can be found at Ogas Cantina inside Star Wars: Galaxys Edge. (Photo by Kent Phillips, Disney Parks)

Guests can indulge in a raspberry crème puff with passion fruit mousse (left) or chocolate cake with white chocolate mouse and coffee custard (right) at Docking Bay 7 Food and Cargo inside Star Wars: Galaxys Edge. (Photo by David Roark, Disney Parks)



And of course, no visit to Galaxy’s Edge would be complete without a tall glass of blue milk. Disney is still tinkering with the concoction and didn’t let reporters taste the non-dairy frozen beverage during a sample menu demonstration.

“It’s not actually milk,” said Scott Trowbridge, the Imagineering creative executive overseeing the Galaxy’s Edge project. “If you’re walking around Florida in the middle of August, the last thing you want is a heated glass of milk. It’s refreshing, delicious and great.”

Looking ahead

While plenty of work remains before the opening day of Galaxy’s Edge at Disneyland, Imagineers are already planting seeds for future expansion of the bi-coastal themed lands.

“We are being open to wherever Star Wars goes over the next decade,” Trowbridge said. “I would never put a limitation on what we might be able to do in the world of Star Wars.”