I Love You to Galaxy's Edge and Back

Although I love my little Jedi to galaxy's edge and back, I'm not here to talk about him today. Today, I'm talking about Disney's newest themed land, Galaxy's Edge! First, I'll give you a little insight on how I became a fan of the Star Wars franchise and what I'm most excited about for my upcoming visit to Batuu in November.

Not a Star Wars fan? Yeah, neither was I until about two years ago. Fall was turning into winter, and I had hit my lowest low. I had reached the one year mark of trying to conceive and it felt like I was never going to become a mom. Let's just say I threw myself a big pitty party everyday. Anyway, Star Wars: The Last Jedi had recently been released and Chris (a very frequent movie-goer) had gone to see the film. When he got home and began discussing the movie with me, he was shocked to learn that I had never seen a Star Wars movie. I knew Disney had acquired Lucasfilms and that they had plans to bring a Star Wars themed land to their theme parks soon, so I was interested to learn more about the franchise and what all the hype was about. It was evident-- a movie marathon was a must!

I know tons and tons of Star Wars fans will hate me for this, but I chose to watch the movies in episode order, not in order of their release... so we started with Star Wars: Episode I – The Phantom Menace. I'm trying to remember how long it took us, but I'm pretty sure we watched one movie every night or every other night until we got through them all. And although I enjoyed the main story line of the light side versus the dark side, what really drew me in were the characters. I became emotionally invested in their relationships, their personal struggles and their triumphs.

In the prequel trilogy, I was obsessed with Natalie Portman's character, Padmé-- her look, her wardrobe, her demeanor... and how about her romance with young Anakin?? Scandalous-- I loved it! I also loved learning the back story of the infamous Darth Vader and how he came to be. (even if you're not a star wars fan, you know who Darth Vader is.) Oh, and how can I forget Yoda! There's something so ethereal about Yoda-- His knowledge, wisdom and sense of peace. I know the prequel trilogy is probably the least popular, but I actually really enjoyed all three movies and could not wait to see the OG trilogy next!

In the original Star Wars trilogy, I obviously took to Carrie Fisher's character, Princess Leia, right from the start (no surprise there). Seriously though, how cool is she? She is a total badass and her relationship with Han Solo is feisty & imperfect (so basically all real-life relationships). And how about her connection with Luke?? It's so complex and deep-- almost like there's some greater force connecting them... (wink, wink)

Lastly, the current trilogy-- the sequel trilogy. Rey, the female lead, is so independent, headstrong, and a natural born leader. What an amazing character for little girl's to look up to and admire. Her connection with Kylo Ren reminds me so much of Leia and Luke. The suspense waiting for last movie to come out (this December) is killing me! Do you see a trend here? I absolutely love all the female characters. They possess such strong, fierce qualities. If I have a daughter, I would want these women to be her role models.

Aside from the trilogies, the franchise has put out two other movies, Rogue One and Solo. Rogue One is definitely my least favorite movie. I just really don't connect with it at all-- probably because there are no concrete characters to become invested in. But Solo... I loved Solo! Again, I loved this one because I already love the Han Solo character, so it was fun to learn about his past-- how and why he is who he is. Oh, and how Chewie became his side kick! Gotta love Chewie. (In case anyone is wondering, Chris does an awesome Chewie impression.)

So that's that on the Star Wars movies & how I became a Star Wars fan. Now, let's talk about Galaxy's Edge! The plans for 14-acre land were announced at the D23 Expo in 2015 and construction began in both Disneyland and Disney World in 2016. Batuu (baah-too) is the name of the planet we are transported to when entering the land. Although Batuu is not featured in any of the movies, it is a planet from the novel Star Wars Thrawn Alliances by Timothy Zahn. I think using the planet of Batuu was such a great move on Disney's part-- it creates curiosity for fans and leaves opportunity to the future of the franchise. The planet is described as a wild frontier planet on the outer rim of the galaxy. Doesn't that description alone just make you want to visit?!

Galaxy's Edge has been open for a few months in California and is set to open in WDW this Thursday, August 29. However, cast members and annual pass holders have already gotten a sneak peek and they've been posting like crazy on social media. From what I've seen and heard, here's what I'm most excited for...

BUILDING A DROID! How childish-- I'm most looking forward to building a (probably overpriced) robot! haha... But seriously, they look so cool! I know they're remote controlled, but not exactly sure the extent of what they can do. If I can program mine to change diapers, that would be excellent.

OGA'S CANTINA! Chris and I love a good cocktail! I'm super excited to try the fun, boozy, themed beverages. I got a peek at the menu on on insidethemagic.net and I'm thinking the Jedi Mind Trick will be my first order -- no pun intended (but if you know Star Wars, you'll get it). If you're not into cocktails, they also have fun non-alcoholic drinks too!

MILLENNIUM FALCON! Who wouldn't want to ride the fastest hunk of junk in the galaxy?! Very excited for this experience. I thought Disney outdid themselves with the Avatar Flight of Passage ride (opened in 2017), so we'll see how this ride sizes up!

Lastly, I see everyone comparing these blue & green drinks inspired by something that Luke drinks in the movies. I've read up a little bit about them on disneyfoodblog-- They are called "blue milk" & "green milk" and they are non-dairy & plant-based frozen drinks... hmm, sounds interesting. I will definitely be super basic and get both, take a picture for Instagram, and caption my taste test. (because that's what you're supposed to do right?)

If you're not already a Star Wars fan, maybe this post has enticed you to have yourself a little movie marathon. I know just writing this post has made me wish I was visiting Batuu sooner-- but maybe come November the hype will have died down a bit and the land won't be so crowded (wishful thinking). My nephew, Michael, may be visiting Galaxy's Edge this weekend (so jealous!), and if that happens I will possibly update this post or do an Instagram Q&A with him about his experience!

I hope your day is out of this galaxy!

xo Courtney

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