A short time ago in a galaxy about 1,100 miles away…our family was fortunate enough to attend the preview of Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge in Disney’s Hollywood Studios at Walt Disney World. While we may not be the biggest Star Wars buffs, we certainly appreciate the movies, and the opportunity to see quite possibly one of the most anticipated new lands that Disney has ever created.

Star Wars fan or not, the planet of Batuu is very well done. At first glance I was feeling a bit underwhelmed, but then I took a step back and realized this isn’t Pandora, the setting is not a lush area with copious amounts of vegetation. Batuu appears to be more barren by comparison, but once you settle in you’ll realize it is just as rich with detail.

From the moment we stepped inside the gates we were immersed in the sights and sounds of Batuu.

The cast members are in full costume with personalities to match. If you want to fit in with the citizens of Batuu you might want to brush up on some of their lingo. The cast members definitely enjoy when guests play along. Check out this list of helpful phrases to get you on the right track:

Ok, let’s cut to the chase and discuss the highly anticipated ride Millennium Falcon, Smuggler’s Run!

Here it is: the ride is awesome – pretty awesome – just ok awesome, depending on what your position is. Pilots have the most awesome job because they are really flying the plane and controlling the ride. Gunners have a pretty awesome job because they are involved and have a purpose. Engineers, well, they are observers and potential cheerleaders for the rest of the group, so just ok awesome in this rating scale.

Let’s back up for a moment and go step by step. The line itself has a decent amount of things to look at while you wait, and it was nice to be inside for a good portion of the time in the air conditioning. However, I imagine the outside queue will become very long once this opens so be prepared.

When we arrived to the pre-ride area we were handed the assignments of pilots, gunners, or engineers.

The cockpit of the Millennium Falcom fits six guests, which was perfect for our family to experience the ride together. We all played a part and it was really fun to work as a cohesive unit.

If you’re wondering about motion sickness or how scary it is I would say yes to motion sickness, no for scary. I really couldn’t watch the screen for too long and decided to focus on Brooke. If you feel queasy looking away or closing your eyes will help tremendously.

We saw a lot of storm troopers (and some other characters) roaming around the land and interacting with the guests, which just enhances the entire experience. I even had Chewy pose for a selfie!

Don’t forget to use your Memory Maker to the fullest extent! They have a decent number of locations to take photos and it’s a great way to stay in the moment and not have to worry about getting all of your own shots.

Our family’s overall opinion is that we loved Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge. There is something to be said about having an immersive experience and feeling transported to another galaxy. Die hard fans and average fans alike will enjoy the land for different reasons, but it’s a must see for all!

Update: the second ride in Galaxy’s Edge, Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance is now open!

by Ellen Volpe – Co-Owner of ET Family Travel