Everything you need to know about Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge, Walt Disney World

A second version of Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge is finally open at Walt Disney World’s Hollywood Studios. After years of waiting, guests are streaming into the 14-acre land in Orlando, Florida for the first time. Luckily, we’ve already put its West Coast clone at Disneyland through its paces. Here’s our guide to everything you need to know before you land “on planet” to visit the world of Batuu.

Black Spire Outpost

The planet of Batuu is home to the Black Spire Outpost, a seedy little spaceport on the edge of the known galaxy. The land is roughly divided into three parts, one controlled by the Resistance, another by the First Order, and a more cosmopolitan space in between. Themed shopping and dining opportunities are available in all three.

Be sure to dress accordingly. That means protecting yourself from the sun, but also knowing that you can’t wear a costume if you’re aged 14 years or older — not even the ones you can buy in the park.

Access to the land is expected to be available to any Disney World guests with tickets to Hollywood Studios. However, anticipate a kind of virtual queuing system to be put in place. Your best bet is to download the My Disney Experience mobile app. With that same tool you can also manage your FastPass+ rides, character experiences, and meals throughout your trip.

Millennium Falcon: Smuggler’s Run

Job one during your visit will be to hitch a ride on the fastest hunk of junk in the galaxy, the Millennium Falcon. Don’t rush. In our experience the wait times have hovered around 60 minutes at Disneyland, and the extra capacity expected at Galaxy’s Edge in Orlando should help mitigate the wait. The in-line experience itself is worth the wait, including detailed props and a recreation of the iconic lounge area inside the ship itself.

Be sure to download and install the Play Disney Parks app ahead of time, since there’s an extensive quest that you can only complete while waiting in line. You can also earn points based on your performance on the ride itself that can increase your rank with the various factions around Batuu.

Oga’s Cantina

Getting the opportunity to visit the cantina at Galaxy’s Edge may actually be a bit more dicey than riding Han Solo’s ship. We recommend keeping tabs on the Play Disney Parks app and watching the wait times for Oga’s Cantina like a hawk. There may also be opportunities to grab a FastPass+ for certain times of the day, including breakfast, which includes small portion meals and alcoholic drinks.

Food and drink

Eating and drinking at Galaxy’s Edge is an adventure in and of itself, and includes just as much theming as other areas of the park. Docking Bay 7 Food and Cargo is the place to go with a family, since it offers sit-down dining and a decent selection of food for the entire crew. For smaller groups on the go, hit up Ronto Roasters for a wrap. There’s also the Milk Stand, offering “imported” blue Bantha milk from Tatooine and green Thala-Siren milk from Ach-To. Don’t be surprised if it doesn’t quite taste the way you expect it to.

App-based food and beverage ordering was recently added to the My Disney Experience Mobile App, so use that system to your advantage to maximize your downtime waiting in lines or moving between attractions.

Shopping

The epicenter for shopping at Galaxy’s Edge is in the Marketplace. That’s where you’ll find open air stalls like the Toydarian Toymaker selling children’s toys and games, Jewels of Bith selling mugs and pins, and even the Creature Stall where you can purchase your own Kowakian Monkey-Lizard puppet. There are also themed shops and stalls in the Resistance and First Order areas of the park.

The main attraction, however, is Dok-Ondar’s Den of Antiquities. Part museum, part high-end retailer, the shop is still worth a visit, even if you’re not looking to spend hundreds on screen-accurate lightsaber replicas. Check our our complete guide to Dok-Ondar’s for exhaustive details about the bits of lore hanging on the walls.

Savi’s Workshop

Speaking of lightsabers, we’ve already visited Savi’s Workshop and built our own. The small-group experience only manages to serve a few dozen guests every hour, so if you can grab a FastPass+ ahead of time you can save yourself a lot of trouble.

However, know that Savi likes to keep a low profile. Many park maps don’t even show where his workshop is located. Take our advice and start asking any cast members you can find where to get the best “junk” and they might be able to tip you off on where to find him.

Droid Depot

Another unique retail experience is called the Droid Depot. That’s where you can build your own custom R-series or B-series droids. The $99 units interact with the park itself, reacting to the different areas that you visit. So pick up a backpack and strap on your new little buddy so he can participate in the adventure all day.

Live shows

Speaking of participation, know that every single Disney cast member that you meet will have their own unique backstory related to Batuu. Spend your time in line chatting them up about their sympathies toward the Resistance or the First Order.

There aren’t any traditional character meet-and-greets inside Galaxy’s Edge, so don’t expect to spend time in line waiting to get your picture taken with Rey. Instead, look for characters like super spy Vi Moradi, Chewbacca, and Kylo Ren wandering the park and interacting with guests along the way. It’s all part of a canonical story set in the larger Star Wars Universe.

Be sure to check with the cast to learn when the twice daily shows — which include special effects like blaster fire and pyrotechnics — will be happening around the park. Expect to find them on stage in front of the TIE Echelon spaceship parked in the First Order area, and on top of the speeder garage.

Photo: Joshua Sudock/Disney Parks

Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance

Last, and definitely not least, know that the biggest attraction at Galaxy’s Edge hasn’t even opened yet. It’s called Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance, and it’s reportedly more ambitious than any amusement park ride that’s ever come before.

Rise of the Resistance enlists guests as recruits fighting against the First Order. The journey begins when they board a transport shuttle in the wooded area of the land, similar to the one seen carrying General Leia Organa into the Battle on Takodana in Star Wars: The Force Awakens. As the ride progresses, the First Order captures guests and brings them aboard a Star Destroyer. At that point, they’re treated to a space battle raging outside a large hangar bay, complete with at least one life-sized TIE fighter in the foreground. But it doesn’t stop there. It’s reportedly four different rides in one, and by far one of the longest experiences that Disney has ever created.

Sadly, Rise of the Resistance doesn’t open in Orlando until December. Fans can experience the same attraction at Disneyland in January.

For all of Polygon’s coverage of Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge, including more tips and tricks as well as analysis and interviews, see our dedicated guide.