Disney today began rolling out details for guests looking to access the Disneyland version of Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge between May 31 and June 23. If you’re interested in reading more about the land, we have a Guide to Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge.
Background — Galaxy’s Edge at Disneyland
Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge, aka Star Wars Land, will open in Disneyland on May 31 and Walt Disney World on August 29. Because of the anticipated high demand, a special reservation will be required to access the Disneyland version of the land from May 31 through June 23. The Walt Disney World version of the land is not expected to use this or any similar system, and nothing in this post applies to Walt Disney World.
At the time the land was announced, it was also announced that guests who booked stays at Disney hotels at Disneyland during this initial timeframe would be guaranteed a Galaxy’s Edge reservation. These would be guests staying at Disneyland Hotel, Disney’s Grand Californian Hotel & Spa, and Disney’s Paradise Pier Hotel.
The Latest — Disney Hotel Guests — Reservations Now Scheduling
Today (April 22), Disney sent out the first emails to hotel guests with details of their reservations. After a brief glitch involving getting a ton of dates wrong, Disney sent out corrected emails to guests with Disney hotel reservations giving them their Galaxy’s Edge time slot. It contains a block that looks like this:
As you can see, the blocks are four hours in length. Disney also says in the email: “You and your party will be required to leave Star Wars: Galaxy's Edge at the end of your reservation time period.”
There are still Disney hotel reservations available between May 31 and June 23, which means you still can guarantee a reservation to get into Galaxy’s Edge during this soft opening phase. If you’re interested, we recommend contacting Lauren Quirk at Travel With Character LLC.
The Latest — Other Guests — Reservations Begin May 2
Guests seeking to visit Galaxy’s Edge without a Disney hotel reservation between May 31 and June 23 can still get a reservation, but we don’t really know how yet.
Disney is apparently planning on playing this close to the chest until the last minute. Today, Disney announced that on May 2 at 8AM Pacific Time they will announce details for how to book a Galaxy’s Edge reservation. The announcement will be made at the Disney Parks Blog and on Disneyland.com. On May 2 at 10AM Pacific Time (two hours later) the reservation system will open.
Obviously we’ll be eagerly anticipating May 2 to see what Disney goes with, but it is a little frustrating the system will open with only two hours of notice.
All Your Other Disneyland Planning Questions Answered
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Just starting out? Check out our Disneyland Planning Guide. If you're still picking dates, we've got everything you need to know about Disney crowd calendars.
When it comes to hotels, we’ve got reviews of all three Disney hotels: Disneyland Hotel, Disney’s Grand Californian Hotel & Spa, and Disney’s Paradise Pier Hotel. As for tickets, check out where to find discount Disneyland tickets.
Know what to ride with our: Disneyland Rides Guide and Disney California Adventure Rides Guide. And just as important, know how to get on the best rides without the wait with our Disneyland and Disney California Adventure FASTPASS and MaxPass Strategy! For the complete guides to a day at the park, we have a One Day Disneyland Itinerary and a One Day Disney California Adventure Itinerary.
We always recommend arriving at the parks early. If you can get access to Extra Magic Hour at Disney California Adventure or Extra Magic Hour and Magic Morning at Disneyland, you’ll have the most time in the parks. Even without those bonus hours, you’ll need to know Rope Drop Strategy at Disneyland and Rope Drop Strategy at Disney California Adventure.
Finally, before you head out, be sure to check out our to-the-point packing list, 10 essentials you forget to pack for every Disney trip. And if you're interested in saving, there's no better list than our 53 Ways to Save on your Disney trip from start to finish.