Disneyland is once again getting exclusive Star Wars content, and this time, it’s what fans have wanted from the start: Luke Skywalker in Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge.
Disney teases Luke Skywalker in Galaxy’s Edge. More details will be revealed on Feb. 10.
— Scott Gustin (@ScottGustin) February 7, 2025
But don’t get too excited—this isn’t a permanent addition. Instead, Disney is only allowing Luke to appear at Disneyland for a limited time as part of the Season of the Force event. Meanwhile, Walt Disney World, the company’s biggest cash cow, continues to get shortchanged when it comes to Galaxy’s Edge offerings.
Disney’s Reluctance to Break the Sequel Trilogy Mold
Since its inception, Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge has been anchored in the unpopular sequel trilogy, restricting which characters could appear in the land.
Imagineer Scott Trowbridge once explained: “While we as visitors may be able to experience different stories throughout *Star Wars* history, the characters on Batuu can not. They will remain in their specific story and timeline and won’t intersect with other characters or stories that would not be appropriate for them.”
A photo of Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge at Disneyland Park via Disney Parks blog
This rigid approach has meant that major characters from the original and prequel trilogies—like Darth Vader, Han Solo, Princess Leia, and Obi-Wan Kenobi—have been excluded from Galaxy’s Edge. Even though the sequel films have struggled to maintain a strong fanbase, Disney has refused to adapt, instead doubling down on its exclusive focus on the era of The Last Jedi and The Rise of Skywalker.
However, cracks in that approach have been forming. Both parks introduced The Mandalorian and Grogu to Galaxy’s Edge, and a new Mandalorian storyline is coming to the Smuggler’s Run attraction. But since The Mandalorian always keeps his helmet on and Grogu’s species ages slowly, this could be explained away as the two characters continuing on into the sequel trilogy.
Disneyland has also introduced Boba Fett, Fennec Shand, Ahsoka Tano, Chopper, and Sabine Wren, all characters that exist outside the sequel trilogy’s timeline.
Luke Skywalker Finally Arrives—But Only in California
Starting March 28, Disneyland will introduce a new projection show, Shadows of Memory: A Skywalker Saga, which will light up the spires of Batuu with imagery from Star Wars history. More importantly, a “shadowy visitor” wearing Jedi robes will appear in the land, heavily implying that Luke Skywalker himself will finally make an appearance at Galaxy’s Edge. However, this is being billed as a temporary experience, meaning fans have to scramble to Disneyland before Disney inevitably removes what is arguably the most requested Star Wars character from the land.
This follows a pattern where Disneyland gets Galaxy’s Edge exclusives while Walt Disney World gets nothing. As mentioned before, California has already seen appearances from Boba Fett, Fennec Shand, Ahsoka Tano, Hers Syndulla, Chopper, and Sabine Wren—none of whom have ever set foot in Florida’s version of Batuu.
THE MANDALORIAN AND GROGU ARE COMING TO MILLENNIUM FALCON: SMUGGLERS RUN AT STAR WARS: GALAXY’S EDGE! pic.twitter.com/JXBSgAWezd
— Drew Smith (@DrewDisneyDude) August 11, 2024
Now, with Luke Skywalker being relegated to Disneyland as part of a seasonal event, it’s clearer than ever that Disney is unwilling to give fans what they actually want in any meaningful or permanent way.
The company’s biggest money-making resort is once again being left behind. While Disneyland keeps getting new characters and enhancements to make the land feel more alive, Walt Disney World’s Galaxy’s Edge remains frozen in time. Despite its larger crowds and importance to Disney’s bottom line, Florida has been consistently passed over for the character appearances that make Galaxy’s Edge actually feel like Star Wars.
It’s not entirely surprising when you consider one very important fact…
Character “Encounters” in Galaxy’s Edge Are a Mess
Even when characters are added, Disney’s insistence on maintaining an in-universe experience makes these encounters frustrating for guests. Instead of a standard meet-and-greet where fans can line up and get their picture taken, Galaxy’s Edge forces characters to “wander” the land, leading to chaos. Crowds form instantly whenever a popular character appears, blocking pathways and turning the experience into a free-for-all where only the most aggressive guests get their moment. This has already been a problem with Mandalorian and Grogu, Ahsoka, and more. The addition of Luke—especially as a temporary, hyped-up experience—is only going to make things worse.
(It’s not a big problem for Rey or Kylo Ren though…)
#ahsoka has arrived at galaxy’s edge #disneyland #StarWars pic.twitter.com/Yt4pYBzMNE
— 🔥 FIVE FIRES 🔥 (@thecalibae) August 23, 2023
It’s yet another example of how Disney refuses to adapt to what fans actually want. Traditional meet-and-greets exist for a reason—they create an orderly way for guests to interact with beloved characters. But at Galaxy’s Edge, Disney clings to the idea that the land must function as a “living” part of the Star Wars universe, even when that makes the guest experience actively worse.
Will Disney Ever Give Fans What They Want?
Luke Skywalker coming to Galaxy’s Edge—even in this temporary, half-measure form—is proof that Disney knows what fans actually want. But instead of making Luke a permanent fixture or bringing him to both coasts, they’re restricting him to a limited-time engagement at Disneyland only. Meanwhile, Walt Disney World continues to be neglected, with no sign that it will receive the same attention or enhancements.
Luke Skywalker (Mark Hamill) in Lucasfilm’s THE MANDALORIAN, season two, exclusively on Disney+. ©.
This raises a bigger question: when will Disney stop treating Star Wars fans like an afterthought? The demand for classic characters has been there since day one, yet Disney continues to resist making meaningful changes to Galaxy’s Edge. Instead of clinging to the failed sequel-era timeline and frustratingly restrictive storytelling rules, it’s time for Disney to embrace what actually works. Luke Skywalker’s arrival should be a turning point—but if history is any indication, Disney will likely continue making fans beg for the Star Wars experiences they actually want.
Do you think Luke Skywalker could come to Galaxy’s Edge on both coasts on a more permanent basis? Sound off in the comments to let us know!
One step forward, two steps back with Disney making any sort of strides to regain favor with actual fans of IPs they’ve destroyed. Every. Single Time.
Luke Skywalker is only there temporarily. They intend for Rey Palpatine to stay.
When things are fixed, it makes sense that they’ll likewise fix that.
Yet another reason Galaxy’s Edge is just another money sink. Darth Kennedy needs to be taken to the top floor of Disney’s new NYC HQ and then thrown out the window.
You have to wonder how many boys growing up are going to see the stuff with Darthleen Kennedy the Woke and will end up really believing that her capabilities are the apex to which a woman can reach. It’s similar to what I said in the article about the View.
All this disney siht is conjecture. Star Wars never had a problem with encouraging boys to aspire to that which was greater than them. Now it’s encouraging that fat yuck rose chick. I’m tired of girls hijacking boys properties. It’s smacks of jealousy, and Freudian pecker envy.
Sadly, the last bit is all its dissolved into. kennedy stole the boys toys and usurped it. With ever alarming results. Yet, there she is, still holding the reigns
Biggest failure ever, on an epic scale. “kennedy’d” should go down as a worse negative handle than “Munson’d” from the movie “Kingpin”.
“Kennedy’d”!
To have the world in the palm of your hand,.. and completely blow it. To take a potentially trillion dollar franchise and turn it into a million dollar franchise.
To “kennedy,d” something is a special type of ineptitude, seldom seen in the competitive corporate world.
I hope to never “kennedy” anything in my personal life.
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