Galaxy’s Edge Frequently Asked Questions and Answers
We get a lot of questions about the changes that Disney has put in place at Galaxy’s Edge since the reopening of Hollywood Studios. In this article, we answer some of your Galaxy’s Edge frequently asked questions so you will have a better understanding of what to expect when you plan your trip.
When will Savi’s Workshop be open? Why can they not social distance people in there?
Our understanding of the Savi’s situation has two factors. We do not think it has to do with social distancing. We think that Savi’s isn’t allowing guests to build lightsabers because of a conflict between Disney and the Actors Guild. The Savi’s experience relies heavily on the gatherers. The gatherers play up the experience and add context. If the gatherer is taken out of the experience it would not be as immersive.
We also think Disney was thinking ahead about Dok-Ondar’s Den of Antiquities. The crowds inside Dok’s could get very heavy before the COVID-19 shutdown. Guests usually went inside Dok’s to check out the Legacy Lightsabers. In the past, we have seen lines of guests waiting outside just to go in. But now that social distancing rules are in place and Savi’s Workshop isn’t allowing guests to build custom lightsabers Disney is using the Savi’s space to showcase the Legacy Lightsabers. So Dok-Ondar’s is much less busy.
When will the resistance shops be open?
We are not sure when the Resistance shops will reopen. Disney has closed a lot of it’s open air kiosk style shops. They may be waiting until COVID-19 is more under control. We have noticed that Disney is moving merchandise around and having it more available in the parks and at Disney Springs.
When will the first order shop reopen?
We do not know what Disney’s plans are with the First Order shop. The space is small and doesn’t go well with social distancing rules. If they were to open it I would imagine they would do a virtual queue for the store. What Disney doesn’t want is a lot of people standing in line waiting. The area isn’t really set up for a long line of people and social distancing would be difficult. They may just move the merchandise to another location which is what they have been doing with other stores that are closed.
Is the Marketplace reopening?
The marketplace is actually open. When Disney announced the reopening and listed all of the locations that would be reopening within the park the marketplace was not on the list. Disney figured out a way to make it work. Parties have to wait to gain access to the area. Only a few people are allowed in at a time.
If you want to go inside one of the stalls its only one party at a time. Guests wait in line for their turn and then one party has the whole store to themselves. When you are done another party may enter. All of the entrances are blocked with Cast Members and some are roped off to keep traffic going in one direction.
Do you think rise of the resistance or falcon will be busy and how will the distance people on the falcon.
Rise of the Resistance will utilize a virtual queue system. Guests will have 3 set times to attempt to join a boarding group (10am, 1pm, and 4pm). This process eliminates the problem of the large crowds forming early in the AM in front of the Hollywood Studios gate which is what would happen before the COVID19 lockdown. Social distancing markers, health warning signs, and hand sanitizer stations have been placed throughout the queue. All of the ride elements are still in place but some have been modified to fit social distancing rules.
Smuggler’s Run wait time hasn’t been that bad since the reopening. The longest we had to wait was 40 minutes. They have kept most of the ride components in place. Social distancing precautions are in place but they haven’t affected the ride experience much. The pre-show element with Hondo Ohnaka has become a walkthrough. Social distancing markers are in place and guests use them to remain at least 6feet apart. The Millennium Falcon lounge area has become an extension of the queue. Cast members only put one party per cockpit.
How are they balancing public safety and the authenticity of the experience?
Galaxy’s Edge takes Disney’s immersion and takes it to another level. Batuu is still Batuu. When we walked in through the main entrance we were transported to the same place but with a few noticeable changes like everyone is wearing masks and social distancing markers and signs are in posted.
A few of the changes that you might think take away from the experience are the characters are not out about anymore and can only be seen and interacted with from a distance, you must order food using mobile ordering, waiting in line for everything even if it’s just for a few minutes is commonplace, experiences are like Savi’s Workshop are not available in the traditional sense. So while Disney is keeping everyone safe some of the immersion is taken away.
Are the characters still coming out and interacting with the crowd?
The characters are still present on Batuu but they are not just out in the crowd walking around anymore. The two times that we went to Galaxy’s Edge after the reopening we spotted Vi, Rey, and Chewbacca near the Droid Depot in the Garage area. We also saw Kylo Ren and Stormtroopers in the First Order area on the stage in front of the TIE Echelon. The characters still interact with the crowd just from a distance in order to comply with social distancing rules.
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