Walking into Galxay's Edge for the first time. Best impression?

[tehSAC]

In a few weeks I will finally get to Galaxy's Edge for the first time. As a huge Star Wars fan, I really want to get that "wow" view when I first walk into the land. I've not been to Hollywood Studios since May of 2012, so I will be seeing all kinds of new things. However my focus will be Galaxy's Edge.

My thought would be coming in from Toy Story, but would like to know others opinions.

 

[GBRforWDW]

At Disney World, I really like going in by Muppets. The entrance tunnel is pretty cool and it really feels like you're entering a new world whereas the toy story entrance is more subtle. Tho to be fair, that was the first entrance I used. I started in toy story Land though, riding all those rides before moving on to Galaxy's Edge.

Also, are you planning to use early theme park entry and rope drop RotR? If so, it's really close to the entrance tunnel by Muppets. I wouldn't risk a spot in line traveling clear through TSL and GE, especially since you may not be able to go all the way through right away. Ie. I think they hold up toy story rope drop before getting into TSL.

 

[tehSAC]

At Disney World, I really like going in by Muppets. The entrance tunnel is pretty cool and it really feels like you're entering a new world whereas the toy story entrance is more subtle. Tho to be fair, that was the first entrance I used. I started in toy story Land though, riding all those rides before moving on to Galaxy's Edge.

Also, are you planning to use early theme park entry and rope drop RotR? If so, it's really close to the entrance tunnel by Muppets. I wouldn't risk a spot in line traveling clear through TSL and GE, especially since you may not be able to go all the way through right away. Ie. I think they hold up toy story rope drop before getting into TSL.

Cool! The first time we will be there will be park hopping in the evening. So no attempt to do RotR then.

 

[gharter]

I agree that the view walking through the tunnel by muppets is better. You also get the full effect with RoTR close to this entrance and a short distance later you see the rest.
From TSL, it isn't bad, but lacks the wow factor the other side has.

 

[rangerxenos]

Yes, through the tunnel! I was literally in tears walking through for the first time in 2019, it was a dream for this Star Wars fan!

 

[TigerlilyAJ]

I understand why people like the tunnel, but for me it was too obstructed in the sense of the RotR crowd, the general crowd, and then you hit the "mall." So I prefer entering from TSL. It feels more organic, natural as you walk by the rocks and into "town." The tunnel feels more like a tourist spot.

 

[lovethattink]

If you enter from Toy Story Land, off to the left along the wall will be a photopass photographer. When you get a chance, get your photo taken there. That’s where an awesome magic shot is!

Either entrance is good. And the land is done so well! There are a couple books where Batuu is a setting, you might want to read them.

My son plays Battlefront and another Star Wars game. He absolutely loves the standby queue of RotR (once you get to the indoor part of the queue). He’s autistic and Star Wars is an area of special interest. I get a guided tour telling me what every single thing is and does, makes the wait time more bearable. He’ll even choose standby over DAS for RotR queue.

Enjoy your day! Take time to take in every detail!

 

[barb969]

First I want to say I am not a Star Wars fan, know very little about it and have only seen about 5 minutes of the beginning of the movie where the ship is a garbage scow. The first time I entered I thought it was dark and dreary. The buildings are kind of grey and dirty looking. There was nothing cute or pleasant looking. I know SW fans think differently because the stuff means something to them. I have not been on either ride, but would like to try them if the wait was short.

 

[butterscotchcollins]

I vote TSL entrance, the tunnel near Rise you have to walk quite a ways past the queue entrance to see anything of interest, whereas coming from TSL when you hit the land entrance (and can choose to go left or straight to explore) there are immediately things to see and interact with.

 

[CynBeth]

We went for the first time yesterday and used the entrance near Muppets. As soon as we entered the tunnel felt like we were in a different world. We wanted to get our bearings to see where everything was as we got a 7 something Smugglers LL and we don’t see that great in the dark. Unfortunately went on at 7 am to pay for Rise but experienced issues and could not get it and the line was 3 hours long all day. We have park hoppers so will try again today. Definitely see GE at night as well.

 

[Miffy]

@tehSAC: Because you'll be there in the evening, you might want to ride RotR, because the wait times near park closing are often very good. And you'll get to see Batuu at night! Enjoy!

 

[tehSAC]

@tehSAC: Because you'll be there in the evening, you might want to ride RotR, because the wait times near park closing are often very good. And you'll get to see Batuu at night! Enjoy!

Yep. Hoping to experience it that evening, and possibly again a couple days later on our full HS day. :fingers crossed:

 

[BrotherCraig]

We walked in from Toy Story Land and I did cry. An incredible site. I didn't want to leave. Gets better at night.

 

[disneyseniors]

We have been SW fans for the first episodes but not the "new" ones.
We entered via TSL and felt the whole area looked gray, drab, and depressing. I guess that fits in with the story line? But it did not impress us.
The only thing we found to be great was seeing Chewbacca sneaking around and surprising guests, much to their delight I wish other SW characters would do that. Maybe we didn't take enough time to check it all out the first time and would have liked it better, but we were rushed for time. I imagine real SW fans will love it.

 

[CynBeth]

We finally did get a Rise extra fee LL but when we arrived for our time it had broken down. Luckily was back up in an hour. We saw the different days we were there some storm troopers interacting with guests and also Chewy with Rey or some Jedi not sure we came at the very end and another day were storm troopers with Kylo Ren interacting with guests. We had the soda in the little robot on one day and the blue milk and green milk with no alcohol another day. It is dairy free which is perfect for my DH.

 

[fdecker]

First I want to say I am not a Star Wars fan, know very little about it and have only seen about 5 minutes of the beginning of the movie where the ship is a garbage scow. The first time I entered I thought it was dark and dreary. The buildings are kind of grey and dirty looking. There was nothing cute or pleasant looking. I know SW fans think differently because the stuff means something to them. I have not been on either ride, but would like to try them if the wait was short.

I think context might help you understand. I was a teenager when the original came out and it was the only movie I ever saw more than once in a theater. I saw it 7 times in 1977. It wasn't so much the "fantasy world aspect" as it was something revolutionary. Up to that time (with minor exaggeration in the telling) science fiction was rockets with strings visible holding them up and a lit sparkler in the back for an "engine". Things set in the future were pristine, often a lot of white and everything shiny and new. The vision of a "lived in" world from Lucas changed all that. Seedy bars were grimy. Ships had dirt and blaster marks on them. Characters died. It had a different scale. Special effects were unlike anything seen before. It took corny science fiction and made it real, you felt immersed in a world and fell in love with its characters. It was an epic, a space western. So SW fans like the realism of a "town" that looks the way we think it would as if we truly had space travel and could visit different planets the way we can visit different countries. It is wartime and there is a resistance. Think the movie "Casablanca". I can see where for people who like character greetings and expect Tomorrowland, this would be very different.

I feel similarly to what I believe was one of the very few mistakes Walt Disney ever made, the pristine look of the haunted mansion. The imagineers submitted drawings for a dilapidated house and he said no, "We'll take care of the outside and let the ghosts take care of the inside". He didn't want to clash with the pristine look of the other buildings. Yet we all have an idea of what a haunted house looks like and expect it to have overgrowth and broken shutters. With all the effort that Disney went through to create an atmosphere everywhere else as you walk up to an attraction and in the queue, it seems Walt missed a big opportunity here. it is the one thing I would change first, at least for Halloween, if I got to be Chairman - right after I put the fastpass machines back

 

[Miffy]

First I want to say I am not a Star Wars fan, know very little about it and have only seen about 5 minutes of the beginning of the movie where the ship is a garbage scow. The first time I entered I thought it was dark and dreary. The buildings are kind of grey and dirty looking. There was nothing cute or pleasant looking. I know SW fans think differently because the stuff means something to them. I have not been on either ride, but would like to try them if the wait was short.

Just to get another take on this--I'm not a Star Wars fan either. I've seen a couple of the movies but I basically don't care. However, I thought SWGE was fantastic. Why? Because it's immersive theming done really well. You're taken out of your daily life and put in a world unlike anything you've ever seen. I love it maybe in the same way that I love traveling to somewhere I've never been before that has a different look than anything I've ever seen. I also couldn't care less about Avatar, but I love Pandora in DAK. Same thing--great theming, super attention to detail, an immersive atmosphere.

RotR is an experience, not just a ride. There's a reason people are standing in line for 4 hours or paying $15.98/each to do it. It's worth it (imo). Unlike anything in any amusement or theme park I've ever been in. So innovative, full of surprises, and you don't have to know squat about Star Wars to appreciate it. Of course, if you were a Star Wars fan, you'd love all the details. It's just that if you're not, then, sure, there are things that won't have any resonance for you, but that doesn't mean you couldn't appreciate it and enjoy it all the same.