{"id":133639,"date":"2026-01-14T20:16:13","date_gmt":"2026-01-14T20:16:13","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/133639\/"},"modified":"2026-01-14T20:16:13","modified_gmt":"2026-01-14T20:16:13","slug":"disneyland-brings-darth-vader-han-solo-and-princess-leia-to-galaxys-edge-san-gabriel-valley-tribune","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/133639\/","title":{"rendered":"Disneyland brings Darth Vader, Han Solo and Princess Leia to Galaxy\u2019s Edge \u2013 San Gabriel Valley Tribune"},"content":{"rendered":"

Darth Vader\u2019s search for Luke Skywalker will bring him to Batuu with a squadron of Imperial Stormtroopers when Walt Disney Imagineering expands the Star Wars timeline in Disneyland\u2019s Galaxy\u2019s Edge to include the original trilogy of movies.<\/p>\n

Darth Vader, Han Solo and Princess Leia meet-and-greet characters will make appearances in Star Wars: Galaxy\u2019s Edge<\/a> at the Anaheim theme park starting on April 29 when Imagineering introduces storylines from \u201cThe Empire Strikes Back\u201d and \u201cReturn of the Jedi\u201d eras of the sweeping space opera.<\/p>\n

ALSO SEE: 3 unused Star Wars ride concepts dreamed up by Imagineering for Galaxy\u2019s Edge at Disneyland<\/a><\/p>\n

The Star Wars storyline expansion is only coming to the West Coast version of Galaxy\u2019s Edge at Disneyland. The Batuu East version of Galaxy\u2019s Edge at Disney\u2019s Hollywood Studios in Florida will maintain its current experience and Star Wars timeframe.<\/p>\n

The Star Wars themed lands on both coasts opened in 2019 with a very limited timeline focused on the sequel era of stories and characters set between \u201cThe Last Jedi\u201d and \u201cThe Rise of Skywalker.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"TheThe Black Spire Outpost on the planet of Batuu at Star Wars: Galaxy\u2019s Edge at Disneyland in Anaheim, CA, on Wednesday, May 29, 2019. (Photo by Jeff Gritchen, Orange County Register\/SCNG)<\/p>\n

The Star Wars galactic calendar marks time on either side of the attack on the Death Star, known as the Battle of Yavin. Dates fall before the Battle of Yavin (BBY) or after the universe-saving attack (ABY).<\/p>\n

Up until now, the twin Galaxy\u2019s Edge themed lands in California and Florida have been set between 34 and 35 ABY in Black Spire Outpost, the outer rim village on the Star Wars planet of Batuu.<\/p>\n

Imagineering\u2019s expansion of the Star Wars timeline in Disneyland\u2019s Galaxy\u2019s Edge will now stretch from 3 ABY during the Empire Strikes Back era to 35 ABY during the Rise of Skywalker era.<\/p>\n

\"TheThe Marketplace inside Star Wars: Galaxy\u2019s Edge at Disneyland in Anaheim, CA, on Wednesday, May 29, 2019. (Photo by Jeff Gritchen, Orange County Register\/SCNG)<\/p>\n

That extra three decades creates opportunities and challenges for Imagineering from a storytelling standpoint.<\/p>\n

\u201cWith these new updates, we\u2019re going to be rolling back the timeline several decades to really start to celebrate an entirely different era of Star Wars,\u201d Imagineering Executive Vice President Asa Kalama said during a press briefing. \u201cThis is going to allow us to thoughtfully introduce some iconic, beloved characters from across the Star Wars timeline, new props in some areas and a bunch of other little details.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"RonanRonan Chavez, 1, from Arizona, stares at R2-D2 as the droid roams around Star Wars Galaxy\u2019s Edge at Disneyland in Anaheim, CA, on Tuesday, Jan. 7, 2020.
\n(Photo by Jeff Gritchen, Orange County Register\/SCNG)<\/p>\n

Disney\u2019s creative arm has been very careful not to introduce any new characters or storylines that would upset the galactic timeline in Galaxy\u2019s Edge \u2014 which is considered canon in Star Wars lore.<\/p>\n

\u201cMuch like all of the incredibly detailed story work that went into the original launch of Star Wars: Galaxy\u2019s Edge, that same level of attention and care and thoughtfulness has gone into this update as well,\u201d Kalama said during the press briefing.<\/p>\n

\"TheThe Black Spire Outpost on the planet of Batuu at Star Wars: Galaxy\u2019s Edge at Disneyland in Anaheim, CA, on Wednesday, May 29, 2019. (Photo by Jeff Gritchen, Orange County Register\/SCNG)<\/p>\n

The Star Wars timeline in Black Spire Outpost has expanded since the opening of Galaxy\u2019s Edge in 2019 with the introduction of characters like the Mandalorian, Grogu, Ahsoka Tano and Luke Skywalker<\/a>.<\/p>\n

\u201cThat has allowed us to redistrict and find these regions throughout the land where these characters can roam and we can experience them,\u201d Disney Live Entertainment Executive Creative Director Michael Serna said during the press briefing. \u201cTheir stories remain locked a little bit in their worlds and that will continue as we move forward.\u201d<\/p>\n

ALSO SEE: Disneyland drops strict Star Wars timeline in Galaxy\u2019s Edge<\/a><\/p>\n

The original trilogy characters coming to Galaxy\u2019s Edge will make appearances in a phased rotation that\u2019s authentic to their locations and relationships to each other.<\/p>\n

\"BatuuBatuu is the setting of Disneyland\u2019s attraction, Star Wars: Galaxy\u2019s Edge, which opened to the public in 2019. (Photo by Jeff Gritchen, Orange County Register\/SCNG)<\/p>\n

Original trilogy storytelling will be focused near the Millennium Falcon, Oga\u2019s Cantina and TIE Echelon Fighter. Sequel trilogy characters will hang out near the Rise of the Resistance. Mando and Ahsoka will stay in the middle amid the village shops.<\/p>\n

\u201cThey will be staying in their respective storylines,\u201d Serna said during the press briefing. \u201cThat\u2019s very important to us to make sure that you don\u2019t have a crossover that gets very confusing and unpleasant. We are going to keep them where they belong storywise.\u201d<\/p>\n

Han Solo will linger near the Millennium Falcon and Oga\u2019s Cantina. Leia Organa will also show up near the Falcon recruiting travelers and locals to help keep Luke safe. Darth Vader will make appearances near the TIE Fighter with a show moment before roaming the land with a pair of Imperial Stormtroopers.<\/p>\n

\"TheThe Market at Star Wars: Galaxy\u2019s Edge inside Disneyland at the Disneyland Resort in Anaheim, CA, in 2024. (Photo by Jeff Gritchen, Orange County Register\/SCNG)<\/p>\n

Leia will sport an adventurous look while Han will wear his distinctive black Corellian vest. Vader will be unmistakable in his intimidating black armor and helmet.<\/p>\n

The newly-introduced original trilogy characters will often roam in familiar pairs: Luke and Leia, Han and Leia or Han and Chewie.<\/p>\n

No word yet on whether Darth Vader will be running into Luke, Leia or Han in Batuu. Additional details about the original trilogy characters will be shared in the coming months.<\/p>\n

\"GregGreg Daniels is questioned by Kylo Ren and stormtroopers in Black Spire Outpost on opening day at Star Wars: Galaxy\u2019s Edge at Disneyland in Anaheim, CA, on Friday, May 31, 2019. (Photo by Jeff Gritchen, Orange County Register\/SCNG)<\/p>\n

The Kylo Ren meet-and-greet character will leave Galaxy\u2019s Edge and head over to Star Wars Launch Bay in Tomorrowland for photo ops \u2014 replacing Darth Vader once he moves to Black Spire Outpost.<\/p>\n

Rey, the main protagonist in the Star Wars sequel trilogy, will stick around the forested area on the outskirts of Black Spire Outpost near the Rise of the Resistance attraction. Chewbacca and R2-D2 may join Rey from time to time at the Resistance base camp.<\/p>\n

The backstory for some of the Black Spire Outpost shops will also change a bit with the timeline shift in Galaxy\u2019s Edge.<\/p>\n

\"IsabelIsabel Luck and her sister, Elizabeth Luck, play with remote control droids they built at Droid Depot on opening day at Star Wars: Galaxy\u2019s Edge at Disneyland in Anaheim, CA, on Friday, May 31, 2019. (Photo by Jeff Gritchen, Orange County Register\/SCNG)<\/p>\n

First Order Cargo will become a military salvage operation offering Imperial and Rebel artifacts from the Galactic Civil War. The new Black Spire Surplus will be run by two brothers who fought on opposite sides in the Clone Wars.<\/p>\n

Droid Depot will be taken over by an earlier generation of the Mubo family that currently runs the droid-building shop in Batuu.<\/p>\n

\"Dok-Ondar'sDok-Ondar\u2019s Den of Antiquities in the Black Spire Outpost on the planet of Batuu at Star Wars: Galaxy\u2019s Edge at Disneyland in Anaheim, CA, on Wednesday, May 29, 2019. (Photo by Jeff Gritchen, Orange County Register\/SCNG)<\/p>\n

Dok-Ondar\u2019s Den of Antiquities will offer a new line of merchandise tied to the expanded Star Wars timeline.<\/p>\n

Oga Garra will still run the cantina, but the proprietor will now be relatively new to Black Spire Outpost in the expanded timeline and yet to take control of the Batuu underworld as the local crime boss.<\/p>\n

\"AnAn R-3X droid spins music at Oga\u2019s Cantina at Star Wars: Galaxy\u2019s Edge at Disneyland in Anaheim, CA, on Wednesday, May 29, 2019. (Photo by Jeff Gritchen, Orange County Register\/SCNG)<\/p>\n

Rise of the Resistance will go down for a short refurbishment on Jan. 20 unrelated to the timeline changes coming to Galaxy\u2019s Edge.<\/p>\n

The new extended Star Wars timeline in Galaxy\u2019s Edge will roll out just before Millennium Falcon: Smugglers Run gets a new mission starring the Mandalorian and Grogu<\/a> on May 22 and ahead of the 50th anniversary celebration of the epic space saga in 2027.<\/p>\n

\u201cSince the very inception of Star Wars: Galaxy\u2019s Edge, we really always imagined it as a platform for storytelling,\u201d Kalama said during a press briefing. \u201cThat\u2019s part of the reason we designed this neutral Wild West space town, because it allowed it to be a framework under which we could project different stories.\u201d<\/p>\n

Disneyland fans looking for more backstory related to the Galaxy\u2019s Edge timeline expansion will want to get a copy of the Echoes of the Empire comic book coming out April 22 that will preview the new characters coming to Batuu.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Darth Vader\u2019s search for Luke Skywalker will bring him to Batuu with a squadron of Imperial Stormtroopers when…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":133640,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[36],"tags":[2223,163,165,164,7,2222,1341,611,420],"class_list":["post-133639","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-anaheim","tag-amusement-parks","tag-anaheim","tag-anaheim-headlines","tag-anaheim-news","tag-california","tag-disney-california-adventure","tag-disneyland","tag-orange-county","tag-things-to-do"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/133639","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=133639"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/133639\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/133640"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=133639"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=133639"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=133639"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}