Star Wars Day at Disney World: Everything you Need to Know

What Is Star Wars Day?

For most people, May the 4th is just another day on the calendar. But for avid Star Wars fans, it is the most anticipated date of the year. May the 4th (a.k.a. Star Wars Day) is a play on the iconic saying, “May the Force Be With You”, made famous by the George Lucas films. It is also arguably one of the most looked forward to days throughout the Disney Parks. Dressed in their best costume, fans of the Dark Side, the Resistance, and alike, gather on the planet of Batuu to celebrate their love of all things Star Wars.

*Our only experience with Star Wars Day is at Disney World, and thus this post will only focus on the parks in Florida.

How Does the Disney world Celebrate?

Star Wars Day is best experienced at Galaxy’s Edge in Hollywood Studios. For one day only, Disney World pulls out all the stops for this special celebration. From specialty foods and merchandise to character meet and greets, the planet of Batuu is a bustling place for most of the day.

Specialty Food Items

For this yearly event, Disney Resorts creates unique food offerings found in many dining establishments in and around Galaxy’s Edge. The specialty menu items are usually announced a week or so prior to May 4th. If indulging in these tasty treats is a must for your family, I would suggest studying the options and their locations ahead of time. Knowing where to find these galactic food items is beneficial so that you are not going on a search amongst the crowds.

Novelty popcorn buckets are also a sought-after item on Star Wars Day. Examples of past buckets include a light-up Death Star, Salvaged Clone trooper Helmet, R2-D2, and Millenium Falcon. The lines to purchase these souvenir buckets can be as long as a stand-by line for Rise of the Resistance, so be sure to get in line early!

Just a tidbit: Check out what food items may be available with Mobile Dining by using the My Disney Experience App. Ordering through the app allows you to pick up your food order instead of waiting for a seat inside the restaurant. While you will not get the immersive eating experience, it will allow for efficiency if saving time is a must for you. Novelty popcorn buckets are also available to purchase through the app. Simply place your order and the app will let you know when it is available for you to pick up! This is a great option if you have other scheduled events, such as lightning lane passes.

Exclusive Merchandise

To commemorate this fan favorite holiday, Disney World has exclusive May the 4th merchandise available for purchase. If scooping up these limited-edition items are at the top of your list for the day, be sure to learn ahead of time how to access the merchandise store. Recently, the only way to shop is by signing up for the Virtual Queue (which is also found in the My Disney Experience App).

What is a virtual queue, you ask? The virtual queue is essentially a way to “put your name on the list” without standing in line. The Disney Parks will sometimes use a virtual queue to help mitigate crowds for highly popular attractions, such as newly opened rides. Once you sign up for the queue, you will be given a “boarding group”, which is like your ticket number. When your boarding group is called, you will be alerted via notification on your phone. Generally, you are given 1-hour from time of notification to check-in for your group. It is very important to note that signing up for the virtual queue does not guarantee your access. They will only call boarding groups as time allows before the park closes. Thus, it is imperative to sign up for the queue as soon as it opens!

Just a tidbit: If you are looking for something in particular, I suggest asking a cast member for an item list prior to shopping. We were lucky enough to snag an early boarding group to access the merchandise store. Our boys were hoping there would be special May the 4th toys to purchase. We were disappointed to find the only items were clothing, Disney Pins, Starbucks mugs (which were actually pretty awesome, but not exciting to a 7 and 4 year-old!), and a couple collector items. I had already purchased official May the 4th shirts online to wear for the special day, so we left the store empty handed. Not a huge deal but can be if you have high expectations.

Just another tip: Some May the 4th apparel and specialty items can also be found at merchandise stores throughout Hollywood Studios, in limited supply. You can also purchase most of these specialty items online at the Disney Store, if you are not wanting to wait in line when at Hollywood Studios.

Unique Experiences

Simply strolling through Galaxy’s Edge is a unique experience in itself. The people watching is magnificent. We thoroughly enjoyed looking at all the costumes. I am not a Star Wars fanatic myself (we went for the sake of our boys), but I was amazed by how involved the fans get. There were several times where I could not determine if a character was “official” or just a super big fan.

For those wanting to meet “official” characters, there are several opportunities throughout the day to do so. We noticed that one key difference with Star Wars Day versus any other day in Galaxy’s Edge is that the characters are not walking around. The meet and greets are scheduled and require you to wait in line. I am not sure if this was just a fluke for when we were there or if this was purposeful. Based on the sheer volume of guests, I imagine it was the latter. If you or your little one is set on meeting Darth Vader, the Mandalorian, or other Star Wars characters, be sure to arrive early to the meet and greet locations as the lines will be long.

Once the sun has set below the horizon of Batuu, Galaxy’s Edge is illuminated with the colorful glow of lightsabers. We did not stay for this evening event as we were all tuckered out. But from what I hear, this is a magical experience that no Star Wars fan will forget.

Other Events Outside Hollywood Studios

Can’t make it to Hollywood Studios for the big event? Head to Disney Springs for some fun out-of-this-world activities. All weekend long, the LEGO store offers Star Wars activities. such as a mural build, photo opportunities, giveaways, and a “make and take” build freebie. There are also Star Wars-themed snacks available for purchase at participating dining locations.

Tips to make your Star Wars Day a Success

• Crowds – Be prepared for massive crowds. May the 4th is arguably the busiest day at Hollywood Studios. Visiting on Star Wars Day should be more about the immersive experience than anything else. There will be a line for everything…and I mean EVERYTHING! Disney does do a fantastic job with crowd control, and the chaos is very well organized. But moving through the crowds can be very slow moving at times. Prior to our visit, I had read that Galaxy’s Edge will close if capacity is reached. Especially during the lightsaber meet up. We did not experience this, but something to be aware of.

• Rides – If riding as many rides as you can is important to your family (which it was for our boys), there are ways to maximize this. It will come with added costs but can be well worth it. Staying at a Disney Resort will allow you access to the Early Entry hours (30 minutes prior to the general public). We utilize this perk to ride the “Single Lightning Lane Pass” rides that have notoriously long waits throughout the day, such as Rise of the Resistance. Purchasing the “Lightning Lane Multi Pass” will also increase your ability to enjoy more rides. We were pleasantly surprised with how many rides we were able to do (including all the Star Wars themed rides) by utilizing these park perks.

• Get an early start – We noticed the crowds dramatically increased in size by late morning. If your goal is to experience as much as you can, I suggest arriving at the park as early as possible.
• Dress for success – Disney is known to have strict costume guidelines when visiting their parks. Exceptions are made for Star Wars Day, allowing fans to fully enjoy the special day. However, there are still some rules that need to be followed. Be sure to read up on these rules beforehand to ensure you make it through security smoothly.
• Book your reservations early – Disney no longer requires park reservations for general entry. However, there are some exceptions to this rule. If your ticket requires a park reservation, book it early. Hollywood Studios will likely sell out as May the 4th nears. This also goes for Oga’s Cantina, the only dining option in Galaxy’s Edge that accepts reservations. I made our reservation when the 60-day advance window opened, and I’m glad I did.

Going into Star Wars Day with a good plan and set expectations can make a difference in your overall experience. This is especially true if your little ones are avid fans. We made sure our boys knew, 1) rides will have long waits, 2) you may not be able to meet your favorite character, and 3) what to do if separated from us. Preparing them on what to expect allowed for less tantrums and disappointment!

Would we do it all over again? Likely not. And not because we didn’t enjoy the experience. It was a day we will always remember (and in a good way!). We will likely not do it again simply because of the crowds and long waits. We are all glad to have experienced this incredibly unique opportunity. But with the cost and how much time you spend, we look forward to visiting any other day of the year!