Recently I talked about my experience with solo travel to Disney’s Magic Kingdom; Today I’m going to talk to you about my solo travel experience to Galaxy’s Edge at Disney’s Hollywood Studios.
Galaxy’s Edge Early Entry
In my last post, I highly recommended staying at a Disney property if you can, even though Rise of the Resistance was down when I entered the park early, it still gave everyone the chance to be farther up in line than they would have been rope dropping. You can enter Galaxy’s Edge by either going left towards the Muppets, or right towards Toy Story land. I always go left, and recommend anyone headed towards Rise of the Resistance take the left as well, since the ride is much closer to that entrance.
However, don’t be surprised if the shops and food stalls aren’t open yet when you enter the land early. That time is mostly for folks who want to get in line for either Rise or Smuggler’s Run before the lines get too long. If you’re not heading onto the rides straight away, this is the PERFECT time to get photos around the land. You’ll find the areas outside of the rides to be mostly empty and perfect for clear shots of all the beautiful scenery. This is also the perfect time to ask a cast member outside Savi’s Workshop if you can add your name to the waitlist to build a lightsaber- if you weren’t able to snag a reservation beforehand.
Building a Lightsaber at Galaxy’s Edge
One of the main purposes of my solo travel to Galaxy’s Edge was to build a lightsaber. I had visited the cast members the night before about rescheduling my appointment (which would have been for the end of the day) when they told me to come back first thing the next morning to put myself on the waitlist. I did as they suggested, and within 15-20 minutes I was called back to come make my lightsaber!
Just a note for my annual passholders out there, you do NOT get a discount on your lightsaber build. When you’re called for your appointment, they have you choose which build type you’re interested in at the counter, and they give you a special pin to wear over your heart that denotes your choice.
Once inside the actual room, the atmosphere is electric. As someone who’s waited since they were about 6 years old to have their own lightsaber, it was certainly an emotional experience. I chose the “peace and justice” build, as it looked the closest to the Skywalker lightsaber I’ve always loved. You get to choose your kyber crystal, and then choose your pieces and put them together. Obviously, my build was HEAVILY inspired by the Skywalker legacy saber, with a blue kyber crystal (although I did stop at Dok-Ondar’s afterward and grabbed green and red crystals as well). I may or may not have cried a little when we lit the sabers.
Solo Travel: Galaxy’s Edge
Galaxy’s Edge may not be the best for some when it comes to solo travel. Personally, I didn’t ride Smuggler’s Run on my own because I didn’t want to frighten a group of strangers with my intensity of needing to have a successful run. However, for the Star Wars die-hards out there- just being in that atmosphere is an amazing experience. Seeing the Millennium Falcon never gets old, or any less magical when you’re on your own. You can head to the milk stand and enjoy your drink off to the side while watching the stormtroopers do their thing.
If you’re in the mood for more Galaxy’s Edge content, go ahead and click here. If you’re interested in a daily dose of geekery, you can follow me on Instagram @glamgeekguru.