Big changes are coming to Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge at Disneyland, as Disney has announced the land’s timeline will shift back several decades to allow original trilogy characters and other major updates to be introduced.
These updates have so far been announced exclusively for Disneyland, with more than ten major changes planned for the park. That has left Walt Disney World fans asking the obvious question: Will these same updates come to Disney World’s version in Hollywood Studios? Below, we break down the newly announced changes at Disneyland and share our perspective on how they could impact the Disney World version of Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge. Mickey Visit brings you the latest Disney news, including details on a big food shift at Disneyland and recent ride closures.
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Big Changes Coming to Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge
Disney has decided to roll back the timeline several decades at Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge at Disneyland, often referred to as Batuu West by fans. This move shifts the land into the era of The Empire Strikes Back and Return of the Jedi. The land will continue to incorporate stories and characters from The Mandalorian and Ahsoka.
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These changes will introduce Luke Skywalker, Leia Organa, Han Solo, and Darth Vader to the land. Darth Vader will be in the land searching for Luke Skywalker, which essentially replaces the narrative role Kylo Ren previously filled in the land while searching for Rey. Because of this, Kylo Ren will be moving to Star Wars Launch Bay as he replaces Darth Vader at the Disney Visa Cardmember and DVC exclusive meet and greet. Rey will still greet guests in the land, but now she will be found exclusively near the Rise of the Resistance attraction.
Other major changes in the land include a major shift in atmosphere as scores from John Williams replace the atmospheric loop and the reframing and changing of narratives of existing stores. The changes go into effect at Disneyland on April 29, 2026, with some enhancements appearing before the official debut date. This raises the question of what all of this means for Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge at Disney World, often referred to by fans as Batuu East.
See all the changes coming listed here from the big announcement.
Disney World Changes That Are Still Very Possible
Unfortunately, there are no official plans from Disney to bring these changes to Disney World’s version of Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge, located in Hollywood Studios. This is disappointing news for Disney World fans. It’s already a common complaint that “Disneyland gets to have all the fun!” when you compare the number of new character appearances and even the amount of Disneyland popcorn buckets.
While these other changes are not coming to Disney World, the land there will also be getting the Mandalorian storyline update coming to Millennium Falcon: Smugglers Run on May 22, 2026. After you take off from Batuu and go to Tatooine, the crew will get to choose the next destination between three new locations: Bespin, Endor, and Coruscant. The engineer position will also be getting some improvements and expanded gameplay, including the ability to communicate with Grogu throughout the mission.
However, I do think it is possible that some of these changes could eventually make their way to Disney World. While Disney has said this decision allows for two distinct guest experiences, it is still too early to completely rule out future adjustments. It is true that Disney appears to be moving away from the long-standing approach of closely mirroring experiences at Disneyland and Disney World, something we see most clearly with the decision to remove the Rivers of America at Disney World. That said, there also does not appear to be strong guest demand to experience the land strictly within its current timeline, and many visitors on both coasts simply want to see classic Star Wars characters regardless of location.
Introducing Classic Star Wars Music is Easy
Let’s start with one of the simplest changes to implement: the music. One of my most favorite changes coming to Disneyland’s version of Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge is a complete overhaul of the land’s musical atmosphere. The area will feature newly arranged versions of some of the most iconic scores by John Williams, music that many guests will instantly recognize. This is a huge improvement to the overall atmosphere of the land, which will put the emotional connection to the films at the forefront.
This would be an easy, overnight change to incorporate this same music into the version of Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge at Hollywood Studios. A change like this would help guests feel that instant connection as they pass through the land. Of all the changes coming to Disneyland, this is the most likely that I could see happening at Disney World.
Roaming Characters Pose a Challenge
The biggest issue with replicating these changes at Disney World is that roaming characters are not as common there. At Disney World, most guests plan trips months in advance and expect predictable access to characters by knowing where and when they are available. Disney World relies on a structured character system with set times and queues to manage interactions because so many guests are visiting for the first time and want a guaranteed experience. At Disneyland, a higher number of repeat visitors and local guests allows character interactions to feel more spontaneous without that same pressure.
Because Disney World has a higher proportion of first-time visitors and much larger crowd sizes, roaming characters carry a higher risk of being overwhelmed. Many guests see their trip as a once-in-a-lifetime experience, so when a character appears without a posted time or formal queue, there is a larger sense of urgency to get an interaction immediately. This can create crowding around popular characters, which could quickly escalate into crowd control issues.
However, Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge at Hollywood Studios has already demonstrated it can handle roaming characters since they also have had Kylo Ren, Chewbacca, Rey, along with The Mandalorian and Grogu in the land. Perhaps there is concern that introducing classic trilogy characters would create greater crowd control challenges than the current lineup. It is easy to see the logic there, as for many fans, spotting someone like Darth Vader roaming the land would be just as exciting as unexpectedly seeing Mickey Mouse.
Demand for Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge at Disney World Is Still Strong
There is also a key difference in how Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge at Hollywood Studios is experienced. It is part of a walkway that guests will encounter as they make their way around the theme park. You can see this on the left of the map of Hollywood Studios above. This is not necessarily the case at Disneyland, where visiting that land requires more intention and effort. Guests are less likely to stumble into it by accident, which naturally limits how quickly crowds build around characters. If you look at the Disneyland map above on the right, you can see how the two entrances near Frontierland and Fantasyland can easily be bypassed.
Hollywood Studios at Disney World is also already considered one of the most popular theme parks at the resort, with many of its attractions drawing high demand. Plus, many new projects are coming soon to this park, like the Monsters Inc. land, a Muppets overhaul to Rock ‘n’ Roller Coaster, and a new Disney Animation experience! Two of these three experiences will be ready by summer, and that’s not even factoring in the many other new and reimagined experiences also debuting at Disney World this year. Disneyland needs a stronger draw to bring in guests during summer 2026 as the Disneyland 70th anniversary celebration comes to a close, while Disney World clearly does not.
Of course, budget considerations will also play a role in these behind-the-scenes decisions. If guests at Disney World are largely satisfied with the current version of Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge, Disney likely does not feel the same urgency to relaunch or overhaul the land there, especially when you factor in the high proportion of visitors who are experiencing it for the first time. This doesn’t mean the changes won’t come in the future, especially if the timeline change at Disneyland’s version is a hit with guests. Let’s hope that once Disney sees the positive response from fans at Disneyland, Batuu East will receive the same updates.
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