Big news about Galaxy’s Edge, the Star Wars themed land set to open at Disneyland and Hollywood Studios parks this summer!

We finally know exactly when these two lands will open, and it’s a lot sooner than we thought. But (ugh, why is there always a but) not everything will be fully operational. Bummer.

What to Know About Galaxy’s Edge

Before we dive into the tips about how to get into Galaxy’s Edge, let’s talk about what we know. Aside from just how amazing it’s bound to be.

Opening Dates

Galaxy’s Edge will open on May 31, 2019, at Disneyland.

Rise of the Resistance will NOT be running, no additional information has been released yet about when this will open.

Things to Know

At Disneyland, you will need a reservation just to enter the new land, at least for the first few months, and it will not be available during magic morning hours.

Now let’s get to the good stuff.

How to Access Galaxy’s Edge at Disneyland

If you’ve been to Disneyland in the last year you’re probably familiar with where the entrances to this area will be. They are down a small pathway next to the Hungry Bear restaurant in Critter Country and off to the side of Big Thunder Mountain Railroad in Frontierland.

But knowing where the entrances are won’t be enough to get you in. From what I’ve seen and heard the new Galaxy’s Edge in Disneyland will not be much bigger than Toontown, which means there isn’t much room for the hordes of crowds that are bound to be there.

I honestly can imagine that for the first month, at least, the line to enter Galaxy’s Edge at Disneyland will wrap back all the way to the park entrance. When the Aladdin show closed at California Adventure a few years back, the wait for tickets was 8 hours (boy was that ever fun). Galaxy’s Edge is going to blow that out of the water.

So How do I Get in??

Disney is publishing some conflicting information about the reservation system, so please take this with a grain of salt and I’ll try to keep it updated as new announcements are made.

When Galaxy’s Edge opens at Disneyland May 31, it will employ a unique system reservation system we haven’t seen before. You’ll actually need to reserve a window of time to enter into the new land. At this time there is only 1 way of getting a reservation.

Stay on Site

All on-site property guests (that means you’re staying at the Disneyland hotel, Paradise Pier, or the Grand Californian) will be assigned a reservation to Star Wars Land during their stay. One reservation per guest, so be sure everyone in your party is listed in your hotel reservation.

*Disney is also saying, though, that entry is not guaranteed even to hotel guests. Which I imagine will depend on how long each guest stays in the area. There is obviously a capacity issue, so a reservation may be pushed or canceled if enough people haven’t left yet.

I’ve looked into reservations at Paradise Pier, which is the least expensive on site hotel, and I still don’t know if I can justify the cost. It’s over $400 per night during the first few weeks of June, and you have to stay 2 nights. Between the cost of the stay, tickets, food, and transportation – that’s easily reaching into $1,500.

And keep in mind that entry isn’t guaranteed. Even if you do get in only 1 of the 2 attractions will be open.

Oh. And no fastpasses.

Stay Alert

Now Disney is also saying that off-site guests will have an opportunity to make reservations for Galaxy’s Edge as well, but have not disclosed when or how.

If you’re a risk taker you could go ahead and book a good neighbor hotel and hope for the best. I’ll be e-mailing by subscribers the second I know that the reservation system is available (so, you probably want to sign-up for that list).

Personally, I’m taking this route. As soon as public reservations are available to book I’ll be trying to save my spot. You run the risk here that A) you may not get a reservation at all and B) even with a reservation you may not get in.

There’s a bit more risk than if you stay on site, but there’s also a much smaller price tag. And if it doesn’t work out, you can still enjoy a day at Disney and hope to snag a reservation while you’re there.

Special Events

There are numerous ticketed special events at Disneyland this year, and any one of those could prove to be your best option. Traditionally these events have a very limited number of tickets and guests still have access to all of the park.

Disney has not announced whether Galaxy’s Edge will be open for any these special events. But I’d bet on it, and I’m not much of a gambler.

Disneyland After Dark

This Spring Disney has put on a two Disneyland After Dark events, that were amazing. Last year they even had a Star Was themed After Dark event. 

A third Disneyland After Dark Event was just announced earlier this month, it’s slated to occur before Galaxy’s Edge opens. So i’m keeping my fingers crossed for another event after May 31.

Mickey’s Halloween Party

You can also snag a ticket to one of the Disneyland Halloween Parties in hopes of entering Galaxy’s Edge. Again, no confirmation yet that the land will be open during this ticketed event, but I think it’s likely.

Tickets go fast and run over $100 dollars. If you are only interested in Galaxy’s Edge, don’t rush to purchase this. But it’s a fun event all on it’s own, so still worth every penny if you can fit it into your budget.