Inside Oga’s Cantina at the brand new Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge attraction, Disneyland Resort President Josh D’Amaro is relaxed.
“People keep asking me if I am nervous, and maybe I should be, but I really just feel confident and excited about what we have pulled off,” D’Amaro told the Business Journal during a media preview of the park’s opening last week.
The heavy lifting is done; four years and nearly $1 billion later, the most hyped addition to Orange County’s largest tourist destination is open.
The cantina, Disneyland’s first public bar, is one of about a dozen new attractions included in the 14-acre land. The spot’s also a personal favorite for D’Amaro, who has been prepping for the opening since he started his position early last year.
Managing Crowds, Expectations
Now, the challenge is quality—and crowd—control.
“When you are doing something of this size and scale, it attracts [a] lot of attention,” D’Amaro said. “Disneyland Resort is very popular, and we are always looking to preserve the guest experience and maintain the legacy and heritage of the park.”
With the opening, the park is on track to be more popular than ever. Nearly 20 million visitors could make their way to Disneyland over the next year, perhaps more, according to estimates.
One way the resort plans on managing that size of crowd is through a reservation-only system that Galaxy’s Edge will enforce during the first three weeks of the opening.
The company has been coy about how they intend to do this, but the most likely option is a color-coded wristband system that allows four-hour time slots for each group.
“We are known for being successful at managing our guests,” D’Amaro said, from stationing employees at busy intersections to moving planters to improve traffic flow.
Sales Force
On the planet of Batuu, retail and restaurant options are mostly grouped together.
There are nine retail options in all, from a pet store to a droid depot, to an apparel store selling robes, tunics and belts, inspired by those worn by Luke Skywalker and Obi-Wan Kenobi.
Inspiration for the merchandise and attractions have been pulled from the entire Star Wars franchise, including films, books and television series, while some touches—including the setting itself of Black Spire Outpost on the planet of Batuu—are new.
“We wanted to design a new place that is immersive and real, and still stay true to the Star Wars universe,” said Doug Chiang, vice president and creative director at Lucasfilm Ltd. “You are the director of your own journey.”
Food vendors sell fare native to the fictional land: Fried Endorian Tip-Yip, Batuu’s version of chicken, can be paired with Blue or Green Milk, a plant-based frozen beverage that can be seen in several of the franchise’s films.
Coming Soon
Next up for Galaxy’s Edge is the opening of the second and final attraction, Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance.
The ride, described by the company as “the most ambitious, advanced and immersive experiences ever undertaken by Walt Disney Imagineering,” is slated to open in the fall or winter.
Disney is looking ahead still.
“We never stop planning,” D’Amaro said, referencing the next big development planned for the resort: a Marvel superhero expansion planned for Disney’s California Adventures.
