5 (Minor) Problems with Galaxy’s Edge

Now that Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge has been open for a few weeks, we had the opportunity to visit Batuu a few times! Our first impression was one of wonderment, if you are a Star Wars fan this is a place that you MUST visit. We had a fantastic time taking in all the things to see, taste and buy! That being said, we did have a few issues with visiting Galaxy’s Edge. While these things didn’t ruin our experience I did want to share my thoughts on some minor problems with other Disneyland fans! Here are 5 (minor) problems with Galaxy’s Edge!

Not Enough Photo Ops or Instagram Walls

The major photo opportunity is in front of the Millennium Falcon and I counted five cast members in front of the photo opportunity directing visitors and snapping photos.  Wandering around the rest of Batuu though, there wasn’t nearly enough photo backdrops or instagram walls. 

Most of the characters are moving throughout Batuu so there isn’t any set area to wait in line for a character.  One of the best things about Disneyland is the fun backdrops and areas where can see exclusive characters, I wish that Galaxy’s Edge had the same!

Smuggler’s Run is tough…Maybe Too Tough!

Smuggler’s Run is such a tough ride mostly because you are experiencing it as either a pilot or crew member of the ship.  Because each rider has a “job” it’s easy to miss just how cool the graphics are on the screen!  Piloting the ship is the hardest crew job as the controls are super sensitive.  The other roles involve flipping switches and pressing buttons at a rapid pace which means you are missing what’s happening on the screen. 

On our first go around we were able to collect two of the bounties but on subsequent rides we did terribly!  

Not enough outdoor tables for Dining 

OK, so this complaint is a biggie.  When I visited Galaxy’s Edge, it was cool in the morning and perfect weather to enjoy my meal outdoors.  The problem was that lots of other people had the same idea!  There were so many that it felt like I either had to sit on a bench and balance my food on my lap or eat standing up. 

Unfortunately, there simply aren’t enough tables surrounding Black Spire Outpost.  Sure, there are benches but the lack of tables was disappointing. During our afternoon trip, it felt even more crowded and a table to rest it would have been a great option.  

Needs more characters from the universe 

During our visit to Batuu, I spotted these 5 characters. but I was hoping there would be one more character from the Star Wars universe roaming through space.  Batuu is filled with cast members who create their own personalities throughout the land but I was hoping to get pictures with droids, Finn, or Poe. 

I’m still holding out hope that Disneyland will bring more characters to Batuu.  What I DO like is that the characters like Vi and Rey are constantly on the move hiding from stormtroopers.  They will chat and snap a pic with you but in order to spend time with as many visitors as possible, they peek around corners, duck behind guests and keep moving.  It’s really fun to witness and to take part in!

Oga’s Cantina Reservations….UGH!

Rounding out my 5 (minor) problems with Galaxy’s Edge was the reservation mess that was Oga’s Cantina. Here’s the thing- to our disappointment this was a MAJOR problem….as we never got into Oga’s Cantina. After trying two separate times, we were so disappointed that we never got the chance to stand in line at the entrance. Everyone we talked to suggested heading to the cantina FIRST to put our name down on the list. But here’s the thing, there were so many other people trying to do the same thing. We were directed into a line that I stood in for 45 minutes JUST to put our name on a waitlist. We were given a reservation time that was 2.5 hours later. I asked a cast member if the wait times were accurate and was told “Well, it depends on how long people stay inside but we are finding the times to be accurate.”

As it turns out that wait time wasn’t accurate. At the end of our 4-hour window, we hadn’t been notified about our reservation. There was no way we would get in since there to get in yet another line to actually enter the cantina. Disneyland should put together an online reservation listing like at Disney World so visitors can make reservations way in advance.

EDIT: You can now make reservations to Oga’s Cantina and Savi’s Workshop through the Disneyland app!

While I don’t think that these 5 problems with Galaxy’s Edge will destroy your experience, I do think that these issues need to be worked out by Disneyland. Have you visited yet? Did you experience any of these problems?