Like so many Star Wars fans, I eagerly awaited the May 31 opening of Disneyland’s new “Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge.” I recently got my chance to visit the park and its new land, set on the planet Batuu, a busy marketplace and trading post in an uncharted region called the Outer Rim.

At the beginning of my journey, I used The Play Disney Parks app to transform my smartphone into a Star Wars: Datapad, where I could choose my story and allegiance to make the experience come alive in exciting ways. As the story unfolded, I interacted with aliens, droids, shopkeepers and familiar Star Wars characters such as Chewbaca and StormTroopers throughout the day. 

For more than four decades, Star Wars fans have watched Han Solo and his team blast through space in the lovingly named “fastest hunk of junk in the galaxy.”  The premiere attraction for the new land, the Millennium Falcon: Smuggler’s Run put us right in the cockpit! As we stood in line, Hondo Ohkana briefed us on a mission to repair the Falcon in exchange for our help with a run. Each passenger in the Falcon has an important job as a gunner, pilot or engineer. As the group before mine lamented about having crashed their Falcon, I began to understand how important our roles were. As we took off through Batuu to complete the mission, our ship came alive. We worked as a team to pilot the ship and blast the enemy ships with lasers.

Blackspire Outpost also features several stalls with colorful characters and proprietors who have their own unique stories. I watched a demonstration in Savi’s Workshop where Jedi-in-training hand-built their own lightsabers complete with kyber crystals that unlock even more fun experiences throughout the park. 

For the older Star Wars fan, Oga’s Cantina is a perfect intergalactic watering hole. Space aged-bubbling drinks and snacks are served in unique vessels. The DJ R-3X, a cameo character from Disney’s Star Tours ride, spins on the ones and twos. 

Star Wars’ famous Blue Milk is on the menu at a milk station on the outskirts of Black Spire. It has a slushy-like consistency and sweet taste, perfect fuel for exploring.  Ronto Roaster’s draws attention with its large pod-racing engine firing up a barbecue pit for mouth-watering barbecue Ronto Wraps. 

You can still get a reservation to Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge by staying at a Disneyland Resort hotel through June 23. No standby line will be available to enter Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge between May 31 and June 23. Only guests with reservations will be able to access the land during this time. After June 23, reservations will no longer be required.