A Major Reason Why Fans Were Disappointed With Star Wars Galaxy's Edge

Exploring The Fake Buildings of Galaxy’s Edge! Follow along with Hey Brickey and explore why many fans were rightfully disappointed when they got inside of Star Wars Galaxy's Edge because one of Walt Disney Imagineering's tricks worked a little too well.

[@barryselfon9023]

The architecture of Galaxy's Edge is great. I love the layout, and i think it's beautiful, especially at night. I think they nailed the aesthetic. Where they failed were the roaming droids and chacters they promised. The land doesn't feel alive like it should.

[@ZiddersRooFurry]

They have roaming droids and characters...

[@HugeToad]

⁠@@ZiddersRooFurryBarely. Ive been to Galaxys Edge multiple times (i live in Florida) and the only roaming characters ive seen are Rey, Chewbacca and the stormtroopers. Never have I seen any roaming droids

[@MrEd8846]

part of it you kind of have to remember.... they want guests in there overall. they dont want it overwhelmed with cast members. otherwise the complaint would be its too packed. i havent been but.... just looking at the attractions... there doesnt seem to be much to it and most of the star wars audience is older overall. i mean for halloween i showed up to a party where everyone brought their kids and friends and i wore my X-Wing Pilot costume. only the adults knew what i was. the kids just called me a jet pilot or astronaut. i think it fails because... like the movies... they dont really know what audience theyre going for.

[@mangotail6808]

Yeah, after seeing this video i see the issue here. Its like in the video games, theres so many buildings and doors and windows, but all of them are just for aesthetics.

[@briandavis6898]

There's nothing to do there. And they had two attractions and an interactive show they could have incorporated but choose not to

[@jeesmith99]

Being an old man. I was disappointed because I wanted Luke, Leia, Han, Chewy, and Lando. I know they went another direction, but those characters made the lore special to me.

[@blaster-zy7xx]

You and millions of others. They went with the "NEW" version of Star Wars because these new movies were produced under Disney management, so they are promoting their own work. As many others have commented before, there should be more aliens and droids moving through the crowds.

[@vampsith]

I like the new stuff, but ONLY because it gives them the opportunity to tell stories you haven’t seen before

[@2002films]

@@vampsith But the new stories are poop from untalented hacks

[@Volksoner619]

@@2002filmsthe prequels have entered the chat😂

[@jerseyforhawks]

We all did. Thanks idiot new management.

[@kentslocum]

The reason we were so disappointed by Star Wars: Galaxy's Edge is that Disney overpromised and underdelivered. Many of the doors in Galaxy's Edge are real, functioning doors to nowhere because Disney cut the budget and canceled plans.

[@kamb26]

I don’t agree with this. It cost a billion dollars to build. I think Disney’s promise of aliens and living out your Star Wars fantasy with an interactive land is more what people were expecting

[@kenannon5604]

I watched the construction of SWGE obsessively. I don't remember any canceled plans. All I remember being advertised was the cantina, ROTR, and Millennium Falcon. I'd love to hear what planned attractions I'm missing out on.

[@kentslocum]

@@kenannon5604 I'll admit that there were only a few things that they specifically promised and failed to deliver--specifically the interactive storyline that characters that would respond throughout the land (replaced with a stand-alone app, but the full experience put behind the Galactic Starcruiser paywall). However, there were a large number of concrete plans that were cancelled at the last moment and (interestingly) wound up at Galactic Starcruiser, which is now closed. For example, the table-service dinner show (meant to be attached to Oga's Cantina, and the space still sits empty), the unfinished interiors of shop spaces in Galaxy's Edge (the store space across from Oga's repurposed as retail merchandise storage, and the store space across from Savvi's repurposed as live entertainment prep), the live-action entertainment (stunt show and drones) and the original-trilogy timesetting (changed to sequel trilogy). I know that many ideas were pie-in-the-sky and never promised (like the third attraction--riding a Bantha around Black Spire Outpost), but these things were planned, designed, prepped, and then unceremoniously cancelled. The fact that the shells of these grand plans can be seen throughout Galaxy's Edge is what saddens me the most. All these ideas and more can be seen in the amazing coffe-table art book.

[@christhornton3310]

Should’ve been tantooine. I think/feel they decided not to use it to avoid paying Lucas well deserved royalties.

[@zzygyy]

We never got old Star Wars in galaxy edge.

[@disneyworldvacationer]

Imagine Peter Pans flight, but instead of flying with peter pan and wendy over london with the amazing classic “you can fly” soundtrack, you fly in another corner of a london-esque location, new music, and with maybe a unnamed lost boy that wasn’t in the original movie. This is, in a nut shell, Galaxy’s Edge to Star Wars. A total missed mark.

[@DcBjørnson]

The worst part is that it was originally designed as tatooine but Disney execs said it had to be sequel

[@chaadlosan]

Blame KK

[@michaelfincham2749]

They dropped the ball there, too. Because none of these buildings look like anything we saw in the sequels. It's a generic destination that has nothing to do with Star Wars. Take away the ships and Storm Troopers, and you've got nothing

[@ryanb4940]

@@michaelfincham2749it looks exactly like buildings we’ve seen over all the films wtf are you talking about lol. Take away the ships and I still only see Star Wars

[@jankk]

I almost cried when I went because it felt exactly like walking into a Star Wars film, and I haven’t even seen the Disney SW movies, just the original three and the abominable prequels.

[@connorallgood0922]

@@ryanb4940 As a Star Wars fan who disagrees with what they say about Galaxy's Edge, I do agree on this part that it doesn't look like Star Wars if you take away the characters. They could've at least made it a planet we actually see in Star Wars.

[@hothotheat3000]

It’s not recognizable. It would be like Universal saying “we’re making Wizarding World” and the whole thing was some other random Wizarding school. No Hogwarts, no Hogsmeade, no butter beer, no characters we know. Like yeah, technically it’s in the world of the films, but this is unfamiliar to us and we don’t care about this. It’s wild how much Disney has fumbled this IP. You build Mos Eisley, you build the Jedi Temple, you are selling tickets like crazy. If they’d made Mos Eisely, they’d have lines out the door every DAY.

[@dispassionateobserver]

The main problem is that Galaxy's Edge is only vaguely reminiscent of Star Wars but not instantly recognizable. A perfect example is that you keep referencing Oga's Cantina. Who the heck is Oga? lol. Owning the Star Wars intellectual property is like having a license to print money, but somehow Disney/Lucasfilm keeps finding ways to fumble the bag.

[@Raven319s]

The wife and I went there once…. Just once. I though it would be suuuper fun to be in a Star Wars cantina. The looks is fantastic, but the vibe is ruined with the techno like music. I was expecting toned down regular Star Wars cantina music. Between that and the overly sweet mixed drinks, I just wasn’t feeling it. We’ve considered popping in a few other times but the wait times are ridiculous for the experience. If rather go to Trader Sams for a fun little immersive bar feel.

[@naturesoneandonly]

I feel more immersed at Harry Potter land at Universal Studios than I ever did at Galaxy's edge. Mind you, I am not even a Harry potter fan or have seen the movies. Actually Star tours gives me more of the Star Wars immersion.

[@riversidecommunityplayers9399]

The difference between NOS / Main Street and Galaxy's Edge is the sheer number of facades I CAN enter. Main street breaks up large blocks of shops into a bunch of small interconnected shops and NOS does the same. I could walk into a candy store, a Penny Arcade, A large clothier, a cinema, a fire house, a magic shop, a crystal shop, a silhouette shop, a coffee shop, etc. With GE, the facades are broken up like the other lands, but I can only enter these buildings in a few places and the insides all feel similar. The best version of this concept is Diagon Alley where not only are the shops so different, but there's so much to interact with as well as different emotional feelings to different parts. GE could have had a Knockturn Alley type area to walk through that felt like the seedy underbelly of Batuu, but instead we got a lot of the same wide paths around similar feeling buildings.

[@michaelfincham2749]

When you go to Harry Potter Land. You step into parts of the movies. Parts of the movie you recognize. Take away the train, the castle the dragon, and you still know where you are. Take away all the ships in GE, and it's a generic town from any sci-fi property. It is nowhere that we recognize. And it's nowhere I want to be. I went a few months after it opened. And I haven't been back.

[@jorgeldejesus8465]

the real problem of Galaxy Edge ( Batuu) is the Lack of real Star Wars Characters there, no Droids, no Aliens, no bounty Hunters walking on the land, looks like a Ghost Town, No real immersion. if They made a Hutt Maquette , with some Jawas and Aliens guarding the crime boss, droids in points of the land and Disney Employees dress up as Smugglers & Bounty Hunters walking around the land ,you will feel some kinf of immerse

[@ZiddersRooFurry]

I feel like you've never been there because they literally have droids, aliens, and characters.

[@jorgeldejesus8465]

@@ZiddersRooFurry I been there twice, 2019 & 2021, galaxy edge west is slightly better than Orlando, but no immersion as promised

[@ryanb4940]

It’s literally full of droids and characters lol. The hell you talking about

[@jorgeldejesus8465]

@@ryanb4940 read again , NO ALIENS, DROIDS, BOUNTY HUNTERS WALKING AROUND IN THE LAND, it was supposed to be full of background characters, that's what I'm talking about

[@DukeCityExplorer]

I'm disappointed with Galaxies Edge because it's mainly themed from the Disney SW movies. We want the original trilogy themes and characters...

[@ZiddersRooFurry]

You're kidding, right? There's tons of references to the OT. Have you even been there?

[@DukeCityExplorer]

​@ZiddersRooFurry yes, multiple times. You are correct that there are subtle references to the original trilogy, but that's just it. Itty bitty Easter eggs. I'm talking full on characters, vehicles as well as the merch.

[@ryanb4940]

@@DukeCityExplorerthere are full on characters and vehicles from original trilogy lmao. You’re type of person that just loves to complain. Galaxies Edge is awesome. You even said you’ve been “multiple times” yet chose to ignore anything from original trilogy so that’s on you lol

[@DukeCityExplorer]

@ryanb4940 thank you for reminding me of what I said! You're absolutely right, I'm one of those people who just LOVES to complain. Sorta like you and your comment. Oh, the hypocrisy! Can you point out anything in Galaxies Edge that only appeared in the original trilogy? Enlighten me, please... 🧀🍷

[@BIGGER_RED]

We do?

[@davidnevolo4402]

The wandering streets aren’t unlike new orleans square, except new orleans square has so much more kinetic energy; the riverboats, canoes, railroad, water. Bands playing live music. I know they wanted to have a vehicular attraction of sword, except it was themed to wild animal that you were riding on the back of. If this is still at all doable, they should. They have so much open midway between rise of the resistance, and the main entrance land from Frontierland. If that ride was too complex (a vehicle thats also an animatronic) then just put other vehicles out there near the land cruisers. If the busy streets of main street usa can handle a bus, cars and a horse drawn streetcar, they can definitely fit something there. It will give families something to do and provide land kinetics while also allowing guests to see the gorgeous land from a new perspective. The roaming drones and characters are cool but not enough because of the lands size. I have less of a conviction about these next recommendations, but honestly, I wonder if they should ditch the story juust enough to offer star war merchandise found elsewhere in the resort, like the gigantic shop in downtown disney or the offerings at the launch bay just to increase attraction density and sell more merchandise in the land. People have had three years now to experience the land as it was (mostly) intended to be experienced and it is time to give guests what they want. The star wars theme at the end of rise is perfect, but guests aren’t wrong to want to hear and feel that music elsewhere in the land. It could be used very carefully and not everywhere so that the diegetic noise they worked tirelessly to create can still be appreciated. Maybe some of those “empty buildings” (i always assumed there were shops accessible elsewhere that filled those buildings) could be home to meet and greets and retail that has the extradiegetic star wars themes in them without disrupting the rest of the land. Pair the nightly fireworks with a star wars score so that the show is completely different when viewed from in front of the millennium falcon. These are not all original ideas but they remain quite obvious. You cant add water features where there is no water, and a flat ride would kill immersion, so vehicles are the clear winner for providing land kinetics. The one mission on millennium falcon just doesnt resonate with me frankly because it doesnt deliver on my expectation of a flight on the millennium falcon. Switch the ride story up, give us a new mission based on popular disney + series or something else. Star tours is still incredibly popular and I wish they could fit it in batuu. Having said all that, the land design is absolutely breathtaking and rise is an absolute masterpiece.

[@furlupendicott1203]

I am a pass holder and of course I was really excited when it opened up. It was fun and exciting at first.. I remember riding ROTR for the first couple of times and just smiled through the whole thing. Now, I won't wait if the line is 60min+. The smugglers ride was also kinda neat at first.. Now I don't even bother with it. Now, when I visit, sometimes I don't even go over to GE. I remember being there one time and overheard some lady say "This is the most boring area here". Yea, kinda have to agree with her now.

[@JTKell]

Love the look at Galaxy's Edge! Wish they'd gone all the way with their promises!

[@Lbrisbois2000]

💯!

[@shaynejenkins446]

Because it is not Star Wars. Its more of a sci-fi steam punk vibe. Hardly any interactions going on either.

[@GrumpyGolf4]

Disney, as usual, promised the Universe, and delivered very little. Where is the cosplay? Where are the droids roaming the streets? Where is the total immersion? Yet again, Disney saw an opportunity to put all of that behind pay walls (The ill fated Star Wars hotel, which also promised the Universe and delivered little more than the Dating Game and a scavenger hunt for an obscene cost, was an attempt to deliver the immersion that was supposed to be an inherent/free part of GE). Add to all of that the fact that the E Ticket ride, Rise of the Resistence, is often not working, and you have an unmitigated disaster.

[@kencarp57]

I know someone who stayed at that silly Galactic Starcruiser thing. They paid nearly $5000 for what was basically a 36-hour experience. I thought they were insane to drop that much money on something like that. I hope they think that they got their money's worth. I would never have even considered doing that. I could have taken a 7-day cruise for less than that!

[@GrumpyGolf4]

@@kencarp57 my wife sent me to Pebble Beach for 3 days last year for less than $5k. I had a round of golf on the world famous course, a clinic and dinner with Mark O'Meara, and stayed at the Inn at Spanish Bay. That included airfare, a car rental, and a caddy for the 18 holes. I received DAILY housekeeping, complimentary Miss Vickies Snacks and Coke beverages in my room, valet parking, and every evening my gas fireplace was turned on and my bed was turned down with mints on my pillow. Concierge delivered complimentary chocolate covered strawberries on my Birthday, Dec 4th. That resort is emaculate and modern. Nothing Disney offers includes so much value for the money and as a DVC member at WDW, I can honestly say that Disney's "Deluxe" hotels are a garbage dump in comparison.

[@jankk]

@kencarp57 If I had $5k to drop on a vacation I’d WAY rather drop it on a Star Wars themed weekend than a boring asf cruise lmfao.

[@kencarp57]

@@jankk To each their own I guess.

[@AA-db9cb]

​@@jankk I'm laughing at you

[@alanytical]

There are only 2 rides. The rest is shopping and eating. The buildings and details don’t matter much after you’ve seen them once. There’s not much fun in Galaxy’s Edge.

[@kencarp57]

And that's where Disney failed on it. They want people to spend money buying stuff, not be entertained. Sadly, EVERYTHING at Disney is about getting as much of guests' MONEY as fast as possible these days. It's pretty crass, and it really turns me off.

[@JBearwa]

The bar is fantastic to go to and you don’t have to be over 21 to access it as long as you have an adult with you. It’s a phenomenal part of the experience there.

[@WaybackRewind]

And it takes most of the day to ride those two rides

[@lalalol36]

At Disney world. Disneyland is chiller ​@@WaybackRewind

[@CarolCityCane305]

They have room for more hopefully D23 will confirm this

[@stunsisacul]

It’s a Star Wars themed mall and food court with two semi-functional rides.

[@amandak1683]

Love the night and day storytelling combo. GE is so beautiful, especially at night. And I would totally love a video revealing all the machinery and engine parts that were repurposed for GE decor

[@SusanM.]

Though I’m not a SW fan, I can appreciate all the details and thought that was put into GE. Would’ve been amazing for Star Wars to have had it’s own park. The space used at Disneyland for GE could’ve been used for new attractions that are Disney themed ( like the ones they are thinking of making if they were to expand the park).

[@kalzium8857]

Disney owns star wars. But galaxys edge seems like a knockoff of star wars. Imagine if universal had an actual star wars land and Disney wants to copy it without the license, you would end up with something similar to galaxys edge.

[@Vespyr_]

They don't own Star Wars. Lucas still gets full royalties on old star wars. This is why Disney still has to make their version distinct so as to not share with Lucas.

[@Vespyr_]

It's also why you don't see Luke, Han, Leia, Chewie, Yoda. It's why they hated the name BABY Yoda. etc. It's why they're destroying the lore with the acolyte.

[@psychomagalor4902]

Idk man, the first thought I had when I went to Star Wars land wasn’t “man look at all the doors that surely lead to crazy exciting rooms!”

[@starbeast6313]

they missed the mark when they wanted to make someplace new. I feel like star tours and the old walk thru where you could trade junk to jawas was better

[@RionGreenhouseKit]

It’s a one and done land. Looks pretty but not enough to do for how much space it uses.

[@edstoy-o-rama4004]

Im a big star wars fan from the beginning and I used to love Disneyland. Disney has destroyed the franchise and has made to expensive to really renjoy the Disney experience for me.

[@jerseyforhawks]

Exactly, come spend big bucks at a glorified flea market.

[@bruiser666]

Galaxy's edge is my favorite place to hang out at the park. I love the sights and sounds. Great ambiance. Thanks for sharing all the designer details with us!

[@edstrong597]

I love the details of GE. It’s a great spot to catch vibes and have some great character interaction. Thanks for a great breakdown of GE. Your videos like this give me a better appreciation for the imagineers. I love to see some great problem solving. Keep up the good work !

[@modemlooper]

The reason people where disappointed was that it was not based on the original trilogy

[@KaiyaKramer]

Really awesome breakdown of the buildings in galaxy’s edge! To this day it remains my favorite as an avid Star Wars fan, so thank you for exploring those curves and corners for us all to explore!

[@Tortidis987]

This video gave me a lot more appreciation for the land and it's awesome to learn about the backstage facilities being hidden by these façades. But I still think it simply fails to deliver on fan service. Batuu falls into this weird middle ground where it's both an original concept and IP, so it doesn't fully satisfy Star Wars fans who want to immerse themselves in a location directly from the movies, and also fails to win over traditional theme park fans who prefer the non-IP attractions that Disney used to be known for. Which is the exact same problem that I think Epic Universe will face when they open their new Potter land set in magical Paris - a location most fans are unfamiliar with that doesn't feature any of the characters they know and love.

[@GLJosh]

Star Wars Galaxy Edge really needs more kinetic movement, the two main rides take place indoors. It is neat seeing some characters walk around, the Bounty Hunter, and Data pad games are nice, but it really needs some movement instead of just sounds effects.

[@rapunzel1701]

Well...not exactly. Believe me, guests at Universal aren't the slightest bit disappointed by non-functioning doors in The Wizarding World. We're disappointed that Disney wasted a billion dollars and decades of talent on stories and characters _no one cares about._ Galaxy's Edge is a creative failure. It's also a business failure but they'll never admit it (broken cannons, the Star Cruiser, GE at DLP). There's a reason wait times for Hagrid's and VelCo are routinely longer than RotR.

[@InfectiousGroovePodcast]

Galaxy's Edge is one of those things that I was soooooo let down by when I finally visited. I hope they expand it to something worthwhile some day.

[@JBX302]

Brickey is a master at showing the opportunities in our imaginations. His insight and storytelling add value to every DL visit. I’m so grateful for this channel!

[@EricKaufman-yc2yv]

As a CM, we’ve seen the doors that can open, after the park closes or before it’s open. If you get close to the doors, you can see around the edges which ones are functional doors and which ones are fake. The big gate at the end with the First Order flag is almost right behind a roller coaster in Toon Town. There’s nothing for expansion back there.

[@HeyBrickey]

A pathway behind those doors leads to one or two backstage buildings that would be removed like they did for SWGE and MMRR. If it touches the park, it's to be considered expansion for the parks, and backstage buildings can be moved offsite. That's the longterm plan to grow Anaheim.

[@williamelewis464]

It triggers my PTSD from Afghanistan so so bad, I've been using Hollywood Studio's as a control so I can trigger myself so I can learn to control it better.

[@michelelyons9410]

Galaxy's Edge was a disappointment because it had such enormous potential and failed to deliver on any of it.

[@chrismurray6606]

Thanks for a great look at Galaxy’s Edge. So much to take in. If Disney were to have a few more characters ala Avengers Campus it would go a long way up the overall experience.

[@TheAngryKilljoy]

So if you imagine it’s really a Star Wars land that you never saw, imagine your favorite characters are there, and imagine buildings are more than facades then it’s great! 😄

[@QuatroAtYale]

I really enjoyed your analysis and tour. I love Galaxy's Edge on both coasts, although I've only been to the eastern version once. You hit it right on the head. I was a little disappointed to find I couldn't go through all those doors, but I did find in actual visits AND your video that my imagination took me places way beyond where facades and show buildings have in other parks and other lands in the Disney parks. It's an amazing experience. My most memorable experience was actually during a pouring rainstorm in Batuu East. I was standing in the shadow of a building avoiding the rain while my daughters used the 'fresher (old sci-fi term for bathroom). The rain was pouring down right in front of me, and the light from the lights and the light of the sky were so alien. As I stood there, I noticed the sounds of the "inhabitants" in the second and third floors of the buildings around me. I could feel the vibrancy and life of this little part of another planet. That's exactly what it felt like. It was amazing. I have looked at the Google Maps overview of the land and compared it to the Disney app map, and I too was struck by the mystery of that wall/door at Disneyland , the equivalent of which used to lead to the arrival port of the Chandrilla star cruiser shuttle. And you know what, it didn't make me disappointed. It made me imagine what could be in there (in that world) and what could someday be built there (in this one). Good work.

[@328am]

Though I'm a former Disney enthusiast and have no desire to return, I'm also an architectural enthusiast. I've listened through 3 of your design videos and I really enjoy them. Your content is very well put together!

[@jenjerman.lifeafterfive.2451]

I was just there on Saturday, my niece asked me why the ground was wet and slippery, I told her there was a waterfall on the other side, and when it gets dark, and it’s cold out, it gets slick.

[@rxdawrld]

So cool at first and still fun to walk through, but I only go over there to ride RotR. Ways to resolve the boredom once the initial awe wears off: 1. More character interactions...more storm troopers constantly roaming. Give us the feel of it being a base of operations. Give more entertaining, interactive shows. Help us to be more immersed and involved into the land. 2. Add another ride. Give us another reason to walk all the way over there. 3. Make the Millenium Falcon like Star Tours. Give different missions or scenarios. Have a top ten of scores, like Webslingers or Buzz. 4. Add in elements on the borders of ships flying in and out. It is supposed to be a planet with spaceships landing and taking off. Imagineers could have put that in somewhere around the land to give you the feel of that happening. 5. Add a stop for the train closer to the entrance. It doesn't even need to stop on the side of Galaxy's Edge, but add a stop on the Disneyland side so we don't have to walk all the time to get there.

[@randouploads]

They were trying to promote the movies that people did not like. Guess who is going to be paying for most of the park tickets. Yes you guessed it the parents.

[@just_inhawaii]

I love Galaxy’s Edge. For me, it’s not about what there is to DO. It’s about just being there and feeling like I’m part of the story. It’s about being inside the VHS box set that my dad and I wore out in the 80’s.

[@caseydalton1234]

THIS. I’m so sick of alllll the complaints and complaining. I love it. Okay so they cut things but I still find it amazing and can and have spent hours there on single trips. I feel like I’m in the universe.

[@l.c.3118]

Complaints AND complaining, huh?

[@damilla1958]

Off topic, but nothing beats watching the fireworks from Galaxies Edge!

[@dovesmum8521]

Love how you broke down what we see visually and how it helps our imagination to create more. As someone who sat in the movie theatre for the first Star Wars movie, im still blown away that we have a land to enjoy. #glasshalffull

[@seanmcnally2077]

YES! this is the kind of design-focused content I love seeing from you! This is the kind of stuff that sets you apart from all the other disneyland-related creators! Keep it up!

[@kalaoahaole]

Having to pay to make light sabers and droids instead of having the option to make and then discard was a REAL bummer there.

[@buildingthemagic]

I think for me the most exciting potential is in the doors under the backside of Dok Ondar’s. On the original site plans, those would have been the Adventure Supply, jewelry, and high fashion shops. Those voids still exist in those facades as small expansion pads as well.

[@coolthunder9160]

I personally feel in the future they should make different planet areas in different eras of Star Wars like the prequels and originals

[@JoeyNuggies]

A speeder ride going through a forest would be cool though. sort of like Hagrids ride in universal.

[@scottwendt9575]

No… there is a huge difference between Galaxy’s Edge and Main Street. On Main Street, most of those doors actually go somewhere. The entire street is filled with shops. And the only reason Frontierland is starting to feel hollowed out is because they are literally dismantling it piece by piece! They are no longer able to hide their agenda, they have cut too deep. Frontierland and original Star Wars do not fit their ideology and it shows!

[@BIGGER_RED]

These architecture design elements blow my mind! I could watch this stuff all day

[@nzjonty]

Jeez, Brickey at his absolute best. Weaving storytelling, design, secrets, architecture and engineering with theme park practicalities. If this is what 2024 has in store sign me up

[@kentslocum]

I don't believe that the Disneyland Railroad necessarily sits directly on top of the Fastasmic float storage facility. It certainly sits above it, but I think that the storage facility sits between the railroad and Galaxy's Edge.

[@HeyBrickey]

This comment is the definition of nitpicking. Well done, you are a master at your craft.

[@dougmartin7129]

If you look at construction photos the train does go over the warehouse. But directly under is a long bay of water that all the rafts park. Reminds me of the wwll underground submarine docks.

[@Chieftracyhorse]

Visited Disneyland LA last year, I loved it, but it felt weirdly empty. Needed more characters.

[@Steve_in_NJ]

We went to Disney World back in fall, 2020 after reopening from the Pandemic shut down. VERY disappointed in Orlando's Galaxy's Edge for 3 reasons. First, couldn't just stroll around the "shops" in Galaxy's Edge because the courtyard area was so crowded, couldn't get into that pavilion. Damn those Florida kids on break (in October!?) after rest of the country just opened up again. Second, Rise of the Resistance still was a Virtual Queue reservation, and all "boarding groups" sold out in like 2 minutes after Hollywood Studios opened at 9:00 am!!! I had an older Android phone that wasn't as fast as the iPhones so we lost out. Third, you cannot just walk into Olga's Cantina to look around without a dining reservation. We spent about an hour or two in Galaxy's Edge, then left. Oh, and that was the last time we've gone to Orlando (sold out Disney timeshare).

[@Steve_in_NJ]

Oh, and back then, characters were perched on the upper bridge to avoid germs/contact with us guests. Even Stormtroopers didn't walk around the park.

[@sonicimperium]

Wow! A bunch of foam and plaster with nothing but an overpriced gift shop and fast food joint.

[@michshire1936]

I think there really should have been some smaller childrens experiences , like an JAWAS experience, trading and collecting robots, an EWOK dark ride through an Endor forest, ending in their treehouses, and maybe JABBAS palace room w gamorrian guards, the musical band, and look down to see the RANCOR below.

[@RetroGirl1967]

And this is why setting the entire land in the sequel era on a new planet doesn't work. It doesn't allow for fans to interact with/have experiences relating to characters from the original trilogy (or prequel trilogy if that's what you're into). I love all of your ideas. I'm picturing Jabba's palace as a sit down restaurant. The story is he's having a gathering of allies/potential allies/what not. The ewok ride sounds awesome.

[@KevinAguiar-y2t]

To save It, I think they should convert it into a Star Wars themed LARP park. Where the visitors can come in dressed in star wars garb and do quests or missions and join different factions etc.

[@ivegasliveentertainmentinc4698]

To me Disneyland's relatively new land, Star Wars Galaxy's Edge, is nothing more than a major cash grab for them.

[@quitegoodandawesome5964]

Would love a comparison video b/t Galaxy’s Edge and wizarding world. I’m not even a Harry Potter fanatic and yet it is absolutely amazing to step into what feels like the story has come to life.

[@RetroGirl1967]

It's not even close. It's no contest. The Harry Potter sections at Universal put you right smack dab into the middle of places you knew and loved from the books/movies. It is amazing and wonderful. Galaxy's Edge overall is meh. I will never understand how Disney saw what Universal did, and then went in the total complete opposite direction. From Disney's perspective: Universal is giving the fans the chance to explore the world they love. We will give them something totally new and different they have almost no connection to.

[@ct6852]

I've never been...but would imagine around every corner the pressure to buy something is INTENSE. The theming indeed looks incredible...and appropriately old/modern. But I would hope it feels like more than a glorified shopping mall.

[@KforFreedom]

well, as a Star Wars fan, who can't get most of this merchandise any where else, I can't wait to shop there

[@ct6852]

@@KforFreedom Yeah for sure. Looks like a dream come true for people who can afford it. But for others who are already spending a small fortune for plane, entrance tickets, food, lodging etc. the idea of spending another $400 on merch is pretty intimidating. I wonder if Galexy's Edge has a store online or if they just really want the stuff to be exclusive to the park?

[@jeffstoeger2974]

Brickey the view at night makes GE much more attractive. Gives a totally different perspective. Love the daylight view as well for your able to see more details with more light. You are the master of store telling and sharing so much info. Thanks keep up the great work.👏👏

[@MrTrevcarter]

You are bloody fantastic, your vision is unbelievable. Watching most of your output, I think that the Imagineers should be knocking on your door. Keep up the vision. You're doing what I wanted from the company 😊

[@mattmcintosh4337]

As a designer I love these breakdowns and always wondered about this type of stuff being there!

[@AJ-hy9si]

Galaxy's Edge is just boring. There is no kinetic energy there. Nothing moves in the outside area. We never got the experiences that they promised. The 2 rides are ok but they have a real hard time keeping Rise of the Resistance operating consistently. They should have themed it to the older movies. The new ones I can't even get through them.

[@JBearwa]

People saying there’s only two things to do is ridiculous the dining areas have Star Wars design in it. Also the BAR where people do not have to be 21 to enter, is fantastic! And very worthwhile to spend some Star Wars time in.

[@unclewob99hard24]

The shots of GE at night are so spectacular! I’ve not yet had a chance to see this in person but followed the construction closely. It’s sad that the Galactic Hotel was an overreach but I’m still hopeful it might still be repurposed. We can hardly say GE was done on the cheap when it cost $1 billion. However, Disney certainly over promised on the interactive and character elements. I’m not sure what the lessons are, but there are still valid reasons to be disappointed with the lost opportunities.

[@jankk]

I first fell in love with Star Wars when I was 10 years old in 1977 and I wasn’t disappointed in GE in the slightest. It felt like walking into a Star Wars film and was literally all my childhood dreams come true.

[@gregcollins5585]

Excellent insight from a master designer interpreting his craft for us laymen. Thanks Brickey!

[@DeltaKiloCharlie69]

Sadly, it was the main reason my kids were excited to visit WDW for the first time, but it was also the biggest disappointment and turned out Hollywood Studios was the park they enjoyed the least.

[@christopherlum7318]

In 1995 the thx vhs versions of the original trilogy came out when I was 11 years old and there was no new Star Wars content besides books and video games. It's so lame so many people can't appreciate how far we have come as Star Wars fans, instead always know exactly how much better everything should be.

[@rolfathan]

Some people are really salty about this section. I've spent some good time in this section, right after it opened. The entire lore thing was like a coordinated ren fair. Employees had backstories, they knew a lot about the history of shops, and would just info dump this. There was also the AR cellphone game that only a few people seemed to know about. I absolutely loved the experience, it was one of my favorite things Disney has ever done. But it went over so many people's heads, and so many people didn't actually seek out the lore or want to talk to employees about any of it, so the new hires since then weren't trained on all the lore. I'll treasure the great experience that it was. The land still has a TON of cool features, relics from all the movies, etc. but no one cares to look. I guess society needs to be spoon fed ALL experiences with a bullhorn. EDIT: I will say, though, I 100% agree that they needed more iconic characters. Heck, gut the build a lightsaber (exclusive expensive) experience, and replace it with a character meet and greet area! I hope the expanded area does focus on a couple of more iconic locations. They could make that door a "resistance/rebel base" and split it off so you could leave the base on the other side in a Y shape two two small representations of other planets or something.

[@thegood9]

This is very true, I believe! I was VERY disappointed (and still am) by the lack of content in what SHOULD be a larger area, with more to do and see INSIDE those amazing structures.

[@mn7392]

While I still want to visit Galaxy's Edge, I have come to realize that it is mainly a shopping mall.

[@RetroGirl1967]

Docking Bay 7 has a drink that's amazing. It's a peach iced-tea.

[@barometricfunk]

14:17 Any thoughts on if they’ll do the same type of expansion at East?

[@BarbaraA.MertzRN-CCRN]

Dude! Your title here is the antithesis of what you are saying. "It's great, it's great, it is GREAT" But, ahhh...no it's not.

[@tomhudson4696]

I know I'm the minority but there are a lot of us out there that LOVE GE. Batuu is our home away from home. Disney gave us a place to play and let our imaginations run wild. We have built Mubos droid builders club, the droid smith union who will be there on the 28th for a meet up. 1pm at the picnic tables outside the park and 5pm in Batuu. Also, our Batuu Bounty hunters guild where we post phrases on instagram and hunt for people to claim bounties. Batuu is what you make it. To and our community, it is an adults playground. We dress up and interact with the citizens and heroes.

[@fsj197811]

I spent a day wandering around there and have to agree that a lot of it is just fake fronts. However, at night, it's gorgeous. Thanks for sharing.

[@user-yn7ql6yh7l]

Galaxies Edge hits so much harder at night

[@zippydog09]

Biggest problem is not the theming, it is the complete lack of kinetic energy. The rides (one of which is brilliant) are fully enclosed but there's nothing introducing life into the place - its a ghost town! Needs characters, droids, and some kind of permanent movement - how about a people mover!!

[@vectorwolf]

See.... I hate IP attractions. My favorite rides at the park are Haunted Mansion, Pirates, Matterhorn, Tiki Room... (yes, I know they became IPs later, but they weren't designed as such). IPs are a crutch, so the fact that they tried to do something original with SWGE is a point in their favor, in my book. However... while the land is visually amazing, the 'living story' they promised fell short, as they don't have enough characters that do enough guest interaction for people to form any kind of bond. To look at how this SHOULD have gone down, look at Knotts, with Ghost Town Alive. It's a character driven adventure that rewards guests exploring and engaging with their environment. As it stands now, I feel like SWGE is a beautiful matte painting, aesthetically pleasing but devoid of real substance.

[@WhitneyDawe]

I can tell you I am very familiar with what the BOH area looks like prior to Galaxys Edge as a former Disney security cast member. What it appears they’ve done is demolish the old parade warehouse and entertainment warehouse in favor of what can only be described as a much bigger and longer show building. You can see part of it from Mickey and Friends parking now. Obviously I no longer have backstage access but it looks too big to be solely a show building housing one of the attractions. My guess is it’s both. Judging by its placement. I’m thinking based on where big thunder ranch used to sit is another show building housing smugglers run. But that could also be part of the bigger building. Though it seems like it houses Rise because of its size. The layout has me believing they could have constructed part of it on the space the old stables were for the horses. But again I’m just going by the size of the building you see from parking.

[@randolphwilliams2365]

I wanted more aliens or more interactions with aliens and cast members. Cast members can't be entertainers.

[@finned958]

I spent more time at Super Nintendo World and Wizarding World of Harry Potter than any time spent at Galaxy’s Edge. Didn’t buy anything at all. Did not dine or drank there. Skip out after Rise of Resistance and the terrible Smugglers Run. It has the layout of Tatooine before it was converted to Batuu that was never featured in the Sequel Trilogy. It could be Jakku, but they didn’t think of it. The timeline is inexplicable since the design is not that different from the original trilogy, but Disney hated the OG. The alleys are nothing special.

[@developingexplorers9956]

Really cool meeting you today.Thanks for the awesome video!

[@kb6lcw99]

From the guy who said hello to you on your bench sit at 1313.. major hellos and we will see you at the park when we get back in town. Thanks!

[@MAGAsandra]

I appreciate your efforts for the vid. I'm 56 years old, watched all Lucas Star Wars in the theaters. Disney corp is making excuses with the lore. NO EXCUSES. Fix it! And May the Force be With US ALL!

[@Mr.SlashX]

GE is dark and creepy at night, but I love it.

[@higher_designs]

7:10 No lie Brickey I think it would be fun time if you brought in a few seasoned Mechanics for boats, planes and cars to see if they recognize any of the repurposed parts used for decoration of the land. They could probably give some interesting history about those parts and why they think disney used those parts they way they did for Galaxies Edge. It could give a fun look into the history and stories of "The parts that built the parks." :)

[@joet7136]

Main reason: It's a 2nd rate wannabe Tatooine/Mos Eisly.

[@gpla-ster9032]

I didn’t realize the disappointment until now.

[@Gryphonisle]

This video shows us a lot of nothing, so what IS the attraction at Galaxy’s Edge? What is there to see and do? I appreciate the design but I’m not seeing what the land offers.

[@priyonjoni]

Do most fans even feel this way? I discovered Disney/Batuu-bounding and it's wonderful community of fans because of Galaxy's Edge. I remember when all we had was Star Tours. I really don't think the sensationalism of this video represents the majority of fans. I guess saying "some fans" doesn't merit as much engagement.

[@HeyBrickey]

It’s the number one comment I get on nearly all of my SWGE content from the last 5 years. So in my experience yes.

[@java9594]

Appreciate the storytelling background of Galaxy’s Edge … makes me appreciate it more & wander more slowly through it.

[@marcusruss]

Star Wars should’ve had its own standalone gate/park. With all of the past, current & ongoing SW media projects, there could’ve been multiple lands/planets guests could visit within a single park. A missed opportunity on Disney’s part IMO. Don’t get me wrong tho, I still enjoy a nice stroll through GE at night… Just wishful thinking I suppose.

[@skaetur1]

It was not Tatooine.