New Disney Parks Footage Gives Us Our First Look At Star Wars: Galaxy's Edge

We're still at least a year away from the opening of Star Wars: Galaxy's Edge, the new land that will debut at both Disneyland and Walt Disney World, however, a new video gives us our best look yet at the new planet of Batuu. The video flies over the construction of the new theme park space, showing off what's been done as well as the construction that's currently ongoing. Check out Galaxy's Edge in the video below.

If you find yourself at Disneyland or at Disney's Hollywood Studios, the two parks where construction is currently underway on the new Star Wars land, you'll meet some pretty big walls between you and where the planet of Batuu is being built. This makes this video the best look that we've yet had at the actual space. While most of what we're looking at can't really be distinguished, it is clear which parts of the land will be "natural," mountains, etc, and which parts will be structures of some kind, which will house the attractions, shops, and restaurants. At the end, the camera pulls back and is replaced by the concept art of the land that has been previously revealed, giving us an idea of how the land will fit together.

Considering the sheer size of the space, this is the largest single construction a Disney park has ever undertaken, one wonders if all this can really be done in a year. The exact opening dates of the two spaces have not been announced, so an opening at the end of 2019 is as likely as the beginning. We do know that Disneyland will see its Galaxy's Edge open first. I would guess they're eyeing a spring 2019 opening for that, in order to capture the summer vacation crowd. If so, that gives them just over a year to be ready.

One thing that we do see clearly is the collection of peaks that will surround the planet of Batuu. These are the Black Spires, which lend their name to a few locations within the new land.

Galaxy's Edge promises to be a unique place within the Disney Parks. While all of the lands in the theme parks would be considered immersive, Galaxy's Edge takes it all to another level. The land has been created to reflect a new planet within the Star Wars Galaxy, Batuu, and everything about the space will reinforce the idea that you're on an alien world. You won't even be able to purchase Star Wars branded merchandise within the land because doing so wouldn't fit with the illusion that you're on another world.

I certainly can't wait to travel to Batuu myself, though, one expects the I'm not the only one. Be ready to deal with some massive crowds when Star Wars: Galaxy's Edge opens at Disneyland and Walt Disney World next year.

Dirk Libbey
Content Producer/Theme Park Beat

CinemaBlend’s resident theme park junkie and amateur Disney historian, Dirk began writing for CinemaBlend as a freelancer in 2015 before joining the site full-time in 2018. He has previously held positions as a Staff Writer and Games Editor, but has more recently transformed his true passion into his job as the head of the site's Theme Park section. He has previously done freelance work for various gaming and technology sites. Prior to starting his second career as a writer he worked for 12 years in sales for various companies within the consumer electronics industry. He has a degree in political science from the University of California, Davis.  Is an armchair Imagineer, Epcot Stan, Future Club 33 Member.