Bright Suns, Kathryn!
Thanks for stopping by planDisney with a question about your upcoming visit to Batuu! My family just returned from Disney World, and
Star Wars: Galaxy's Edge was a must-explore for the Star Wars fans in my family. Let's take a look at how to make the most of your time there.
Disney's Hollywood Studios officially opens at 9:00 AM, but as you know, it opens at 8:30 AM for Disney Resort hotel Guests and Guests staying at select Good Neighbor hotels. For Early Entry, several attractions are open, and wait times are typically short. If you'd like to have a shorter wait, I recommend arriving at Hollywood Studios well before the 8:30 AM entry - even 30+ minutes beforehand.
Cast Members at the main entrance will direct Guests, and they will be held at the entrance until the park opens at 8:30. Once you've scanned into the park with a MagicBand+, physical card or MagicMobile Pass, you'll head up Grand Avenue and then hang to the left. (You'll know which way to go based on the crowd that's moving the same way.) When you enter Galaxy's Edge, you'll show your proof of hotel stay to the Cast Members (stick to the right-hand side, as the left side will be queuing for the 9 AM entry for
Rise of the Resistance). They'll direct you ahead and to the left to join the queue for Rise of the Resistance.
If your crew has their sights set on other Early Entry favourites - like racing through Andy’s backyard on Slinky Dog Dash, joining the Resistance for Smugglers Run, or braving the thrills of The Tower of Terror - you can always plan to experience Rise of the Resistance later in the day with a Lightning Lane return time. As a Guest visiting from the UK, you can purchase your Lightning Lane once you've arrived in the USA and up to 3 days in advance of your day at Hollywood Studios. Lightning Lanes can either be purchased directly through the My Disney Experience App or on the Disney World official website (be sure to log in to your MyDisney account first).
It's easy to spend a good chunk of your day on Batuu. My family stopped in at
Oga's Cantina for a drink (my youngest daughter was giggling as she was interrogated by a Stormtrooper while sipping on a Carbon Freeze - it's a fun drink for kids!), wandered the shops of Black Spire Outpost, grabbed a bite to eat at Docking Bay 7, and met the incredibly cute BDX droids. As we were roaming the streets, we spotted Kylo Ren, a few Stormtroopers, and my daughters were thrilled to meet The Mandalorian and Grogu.
While you're visiting Batuu, I recommend jumping through hyperspace and helping Hondo Ohnaka steal a shipment of coaxium from a First Order train on
Smugglers Run. Your ride will be as smooth as your pilots make it - my family had a lot of laughs and still managed a successful run!
If your group would like to meet Characters, check the My Disney Experience app and click on the location icon (second from the left at the bottom of the screen). From here, you can scroll through the menu across the top of the screen and select "Characters" to pull up a list and the corresponding time and location where to find the Characters.
I hope this information helps with your preparations for your day at Hollywood Studios. If you have any other questions, please don't hesitate to
reach out - I'd love to help!
Til the spire,
Candace