Our second day in Disneyland took us to a different planet. One of the reasons we decided to go to Disneyland this year was that the new Star Wars Galaxy's Edge was opening. We realize it may sound crazy to try to visit when a new attraction is opening and I completely agree however we seem to have lucked out. Crowds have been small, ride lines have been short and we had no trouble getting into Galaxy's Edge on our first attempt. We made it into the park and onto the only ride in under 30 minutes.
The path to the new area takes you through Frontier Land and the transition from forest and rocks to a completely different planet is slow and subtle. I will admit I heard the phrase "Please stop running sir!" more than once, however in my defense this was because I kept stopping to take pictures and then had to run to catch up to the rest of the family. We knew we were in the right place when we saw Chewbacca standing on a hill welcoming us. The funniest phrase I heard from a cast member was "please slow down everyone. This is our least favorite part of the day."
There is surprisingly only a single ride open in the entire 12 acres of new park. There are plans for a second ride and I suspect they will add others in the future as there is plenty of space. I'm sure it's on purpose because they always want to have a new reason for you to come back and visit. The line up for us was quick and as per usual Disney line-ups are an experience in themselves. There were droids, ships and plenty of bits of foreign technology along the way to keep you interested. You could even sit at the table where Chewy plays chess.
The ride itself was amazing. Not only does it really feel like you are walking through the hallways of the Millennium Falcon but the ride itself is interactive. You are one of six crew members, each with a specific role including Pilot, Gunner and Engineer. During the ride you have specific tasks to perform. I didn't realize until almost the end but as gunner you are actually firing a weapon on the screen and your actions as pilot have consequences as well. Each button click resulted in a laser fire on screen. Quite realistic. (For a spaceship firing at aliens anyways.)
Disney isn't content with just realism on the rides anymore. This time they took their magic to the restrooms themselves. Restrooms are typically subtlety placed and Galaxy's edge is no exception however this time the insides stayed in theme. The doors were rusted metal and they had painted all the equipment a utility black including the soap dispensers and hand dryers. I think they frown on people taking pictures in restrooms so you'll just have to take my word for it or go yourself.
The last part of the experience is of course shopping. Because you can't just have one ride in 12 acres. You have to have plenty of shopping as well. There was a whole promenade of shops to choose from with themed bottles of coke, stuffed animals and lot's of other memorabilia to choose from. There was an entire shop dedicated to just cute animals from the newest Star Wars movies. We avoided buying anything, however I may go back to get something small that says Galaxy's Edge 2019 on it, since we are here the first year.
When we were done with Galaxy's edge we spent a bit more time in the park before heading back to the hotel. After a nap and a swim we were back at the park to meet up with Melissa, Josh and her mom. They had just arrived today and our first ride attempt was the new Guardian's of the Galaxy. It's a drop ride which I hate so I sat this one out. We managed to get pictures with Groot after they were done. My favorite part was when he was yelling "I am Groot!" and gesturing at the bushes. I'm sure it was an amazing conversation.
The remainder of our evening was spent at on the California Adventure pier. The adventurous members of our group went on the Incredicoaster while Callie and I shopped for a new set of ears for her. She's decided she will get a new set with each visit. We also had dinner on the Pier. Callie and Kerry shared a bread bowl and I was once again disappointed that they don't have fish and chips on the pier anymore. I'm not sure how you can say it's the San Francisco pier without fish and chips. Even so, still an amazing day and looking forward to at least one more trip to Galaxy's Edge during our stay.
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