January 14, 2026, 12:39 PM ·
Disney is giving up on its original concept for its Star Wars land.When Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge debuted at Disneyland and then Walt Disney World’s Disney’s Hollywood Studios in 2019, it represented a particular time and place in the Star Wars universe. Set on the planet of Batuu, Galaxy’s Edge presented the First Order-controlled Black Spire Outpost, with a Resistance camp on its outskirts. This placed the land’s timeline in the middle of the sequel trilogy, in the Age of the Resistance and First Order.That timeline meant that popular Star Wars characters from the original trilogy had no place in the land, including Darth Vader, Han Solo and younger versions of Luke Skywalker and Princess Leia Organa.Star Wars fans missed not having some of their favorite characters in what should have been the Star Wars land of their dreams, so now, Disney is making that change – at least at Disneyland.Starting April 29, Disneyland’s Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge will expand its timeline, placing Black Spire Outpost within the original triology and the Galactic Civil War. Darth Vader, Luke Skywalker, Leia Organa, and Han Solo characters will roam the area, with Imperial Stormtroopers replacing the First Order troopers who now walk around the area.
Darth Vader in Galaxy’s Edge. Photo courtsy DisneylandFirst Order Cargo store will be rethemed to Black Spire Surplus, but the other retail locations in the land will not change – save for a backstory tweak to place them in the earlier time. The land’s background music will include familiar themes by John Williams from the first six Star Wars films, too.The marketplace on the edge of Black Spire Outpost will shift the timeline to the New Republic(-ish), with The Mandalorian and Grogu and Ahsoka Tano greeting guests there. Finally, the sequel trilogy timeline will hold in the Resistance camp, where Rey now will greet guests in front of the unchanged Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance attraction.Again, for now, these changes are happening only at Disneyland, with the current timelime holding at Disney’s Hollywood Studios. The change at Disneyland becomes official on April 29, though Disney says that some of the OG characters and music might appear before then. Disneyland tested the waters last year by sending a Mandalorian-era Luke Skywalker to meet guests in Galaxy’s Edge. See It’s the season of Skywalker at Disneyland’s Season of the Force for Natalie’s report on that.
Meeting Luke Skywalker at DisneylandThe Disneyland’s other big non-animated movie IP land, the Marvel-themed Avengers Campusin Disney California Adventure, also has an indistinct timeline that allows characters from multiple eras to appear. However, Disneyland seems to be trying to enforce some delineation between Star Wars eras in Galaxy’s Edge, by limiting characters from different eras to different parts of the land.Planning a Disney visit?To see all that is available at the Disneyland theme parks in California, please check out our one-page visitors guides, which include our reader rankings as well as on-ride videos and links to reviews:You can find discounts on multi-day theme park tickets at our partner’s Disneyland Resort tickets page.For assistance in planning a Disney vacation, please contact our travel agent for a free, no-obligation vacation quote.
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