We now know when to book our tickets to Disney’s brand-new Star Wars theme parks. The company announced today that it will open Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge on May 31st at Disneyland in California and on August 29th in Florida’s Disney World Resort. There’s a caveat, though: both parks will open with only one of the two major planned rides ready to run right away.
Disney says it’s bumped the opening dates for the parks up a bit (they were previously expected this summer and late fall, respectively) due to “high guest interest.” But the company is also spacing out the release of its two announced rides, Smugglers Run and Rise of the Resistance. Smuggler’s Run, which will let guests pilot the iconic Millennium Falcon, will open in May as “phase one,” with Rise of the Resistance — where riders wind up in the middle of a battle between the First Order and Resistance — following “later this year” as “phase two.”
The company also says guests in Disneyland will need a park pass to make a reservation to Galaxy’s Edge between May 31st and June 23rd, although visitors staying at one of the park’s resort hotels will get a dedicated reservation automatically, provided they have a theme park ticket. Reservations won’t be needed for now at Disney World in Florida, although you’ll still need a regular admission ticket to Disneyland to visit Galaxy’s Edge.
At today’s shareholder’s meeting, Disney CEO Bob Iger said that Rise of the Resistance is “the most technologically advanced and immersive attraction we have ever imagined.” Both rides are set in the sequel trilogy era and will come with a soundtrack composed by John Williams. Disney is also setting up a tie-in novel for the world from Phasma author Delilah S. Dawson called Black Spires.
Update March 7th, 1:05pm: Dates for park openings were accidentally swapped on this article — Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge will open May 31st at Disneyland in California and on August 29th in Florida’s Disney World Resort. Additionally, clarified reservations will only be offered in Disneyland in California, not in Disney World.
