New aerial photos taken of Disneyland on the Fourth of July show an uncrowded Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge on what is typically one of the busiest days of the year for the Anaheim theme park.

The Nearmap aerial images show light crowds in Galaxy’s Edge with some areas of the new Star Wars land virtually empty.

Disneyland has been experiencing some of the lightest summertime crowds in decades after the debut of the new Star Wars themed land. The unexpectedly slow summer season has forced Disneyland to institute resort-wide budget cuts, according to MiceChat.

Uncrowded Disneyland: How long can it last? These photos show what Mickey’s ‘ghost town’ looks like

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Nearmap aerial image of Disneyland from July 4, 2019. (Courtesy of Nearmap)

Nearmap aerial image of Ronto Roasters, Savi’s Workshop and Droid Depot at Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge in Disneyland from July 4, 2019. (Courtesy of Nearmap)

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Nearmap aerial image of the Millennium Falcon: Smugglers Run area of Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge at Disneyland from July 4, 2019. (Courtesy of Nearmap)

Nearmap aerial image of the Rise of the Resistance area of Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge at Disneyland from July 4, 2019. (Courtesy of Nearmap)



Based on the shadows, the July 4 aerial photos appear to have been taken in the mid-afternoon.

Approximately 600 visitors can be seen along the Galaxy’s Edge pathways in the Nearmap aerial photos. What can’t be seen is how many visitors are in the outdoor marketplace or the indoor shops, restaurants and attractions.

The wait time for Millennium Falcon: Smugglers Run was 50 minutes between 2 and 3 p.m. July 4, according to Touring Plans, which uses big data and statistical analysis to calculate daily crowd sizes and ride wait times at theme parks. Smuggler’s Run can accommodate up to 1,800 riders per hour.

Oga’s Cantina, which is filled to capacity most days, has a posted maximum occupancy of 276 people. Savi’s handbuilt lightsaber workshop can accommodate 14 builders at a time.

SEE ALSO: 7 reasons why Disneyland feels less crowded this summer

Disneyland certainly anticipated big crowds for Galaxy’s Edge. Theme park planners spent more than a year preparing for the opening of the new Star Wars land, pulling levers to manage attendance and holding other measures in reserve in case they were necessary.

So far, Disneyland hasn’t seen a massive influx of visitors since Galaxy’s Edge opened. In fact, just the opposite has happened. By Disneyland standards, the place is a ghost town.

SEE ALSO: These photos show what Disneyland’s ‘ghost town’ looks like

At midday on a summer weekday, the wait times for the Haunted Mansion, Pirates of the Caribbean and Jungle Cruise were all 25 minutes or less at Disneyland. Across the promenade at Disney California Adventure, the wait time for the Incredicoaster was 15 minutes.

Even Disneyland is bragging about the thin crowds and short wait times, promoting pleased fans posts on social media. A recent Disneyland Today tweet highlighted 5-minute wait times in Fantasyland.

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