As we stepped foot into the Star Wars themed land, it immediately felt like we’d been transported to a new world in just a few steps. Everything from trash bins, to the street lamps above had been modified to fit the new rustic yet modern feel. That’s when the feeling sank in and it all really hit me. I was one of the first to experience the Galaxy’s Edge.

On August 15, 2015, the CEO and Chairman of the Walt Disney Company, Bob Iger, announced a new themed land coming to the Walt Disney theme parks. The land was to be Star Wars themed and would be “occupied by many inhabitants; humanoids, aliens and droids.” The new area would open on May 31st of 2019 and there would be reservations required to enter within the first month of opening. The reservations would be free to be made but filled up in under two hours.

The date of the opening was soon approaching, and I knew I wouldn’t be able to go enjoy this experience with my family for a few years. Miraculously, my girlfriend Sam told me two weeks before school was out that she had gotten reservations to go on opening day with her family. I was very excited for her, though a little jealous until she told me they got an extra one for me. I was ecstatic and rushed home to tell my parents about the news. They decided to let me go with them, paying for my ticket, and we departed for California on May 25th.

Finally, Friday came and we were all excitedly awaiting our time to step into the new area of the theme park (8 pm to midnight). I vividly remember me and Sam riding “The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh” three times before waiting to get in line. We then ran over to the entrance and waited with her family and the hundreds of others to enter. Finally, the time had come and the mob of excited guests entered the Galaxy’s Edge.

At eight o’ clock, the line started moving. Immediately, it felt like we’d been transported to a new world in just a few steps. Everything from the trash bins, to the lamps above, had been modified within a few feet to fit the new rustic, yet modern theme of the area. We kept walking and soon entered the resistance outskirts. We were greeted by excited cast members dressed to fit the land and walked past a Blue X-Wing ship similar to those from the films. Across from the massive ship was the entrance for the not yet open ride, Rise Of The Resistance, which opens January 17th, 2020.

We kept walking to the center of the land and found the Black Spire Outpost. This is designed as a rustic-looking trading hub with shops and snack vendors all along the open-roofed building. The shops sell different Star Wars merchandise as well as the Creature Stall. The shop has different animals and creatures from the Star Wars movies and universe. They have been turned into plushies or plastic animals, but all have an interactive feature to them, from as little as a squeaker in the Puffer Pig to full head and mouth control of the Kowakian Monkey Lizard that sits on your shoulder. There is also the galactic popcorn stand called Kat Saka’s Kettle. They serve the outpost mix which is a sweet and spicy blend of popcorn.

After the outpost was the main attraction of the opening night, the interactive ride called Millennium Falcon: Smuggler’s Run. We entered the 30-minute line immediately when we entered the land and we were able to go on the ride again at the end of the night. While we were waiting in line, we saw the amazing replica of the Millennium Falcon ship up close. There was also a ship under repair in the middle of one of the rooms in the queue. Closer to the end of the line, we were met with the pre-show that explained the story of the ride we were about to experience. You, the rider, are a part of a flight crew for the smuggler Hondo and have to pilot the Millenium Falcon to transport cargo across the galaxy. The ride is unlike any other Disneyland attraction, however, and is completely interactive. There are six people to a vehicle, which is the cockpit of the ship, and each person has their own task as a part of the flight crew. Two pilots steer the ship up and down and have to avoid obstacles, gunners who shoot the oncoming enemy ship, and engineers who have to hit specific lit up buttons when the ship gets hit. The score you receive and if you fail your mission or not is dependent on how each person does their job. The first time we went on the ride, I was an engineer. It was fun, but I didn’t get to see much of what was happening because I was so focused on my engineer panel and fixing the ship. So the next time we went on the ride, I was a pilot. I controlled the vertical directions of the ship and enjoyed the challenge of it as well as being about to follow what was going on close.

Finally, we went to Oga’s Cantina. This is a bar and drink lounge that serves alcoholic as well as non-alcoholic drinks. There is  a droid named R-3x or “DJ Rex” and behind, upbeat tunes playing in the bar. DJ Rex was a part of a different Star Wars ride at Disneyland from 1987 to 2010 called Star Tours. He was the clumsy rookie pilot of the ride, but got replaced by another iconic character, C-3PO. His return into the Star Wars universe with his new position as the DJ of the Cantina further cements himself into the hearts of many. Another very notable thing about Oga’s Cantina is the sale of alcohol. Ever since Disneyland opened in 1955, Walt Disney had been strongly against the sale and consumption of alcohol at his parks. This is the first time alcohol has been for sale at Disneyland and has been a very controversial talking point for many. I am not the biggest fan of the thought of people being under the influence walking around the park with children around and not being able to make the smartest decisions. On the other hand, I understand that culture has changed in many ways over 60 years, and understand why they are now promoting the sale of alcohol in the park.

Star Wars Galaxy’s Edge is an extremely immersive storytelling experience. When you enter, you can’t see any pieces of the outside world and that makes you feel like you’re a part of this whole new galaxy. Seeing the unique architecture, eating the food unlike anything else in the park, and riding the rides is special, and I am glad I was about to experience it from day one. I recommend this to anybody who enjoys Star Wars, and even if you don’t, anybody can find something to love about the land. I hope to return soon, enjoy the new rides and fully immerse myself into the Galaxy’s Edge once again.