Can you believe that Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge (SWGE) at Disney’s Hollywood Studios at Walt Disney World is open!! We, along with millions of other fans have been so excited to explore this land - the planet of Batuu, and now we can! I’ve been twice so far, once with just my husband and once with my daughter. To see our adult must dos, I recommend visiting my previous post 😊 In this post, I’m sharing Youngling approved activities that will hopefully make your trip to Batuu with your little Padawan all the more fun. (Okay I’m done with the Star Wars lingo… actually I can’t promise that, but I’ll try 😉)
1. Interact with the roaming characters – SWGE has some very unique character experiences. To make you feel all the more immersed in your visit to Batuu, it's quite possible that you'll see some recognizable faces (Chewie, Rey, Kylo, Stormtroopers and a Resistance Spy Vi Moradi) as you walk through Batuu. You never know where they're going to pop up, and it really makes for some seriously fun surprises. Since one thing I love about Disneyland is the abundance of roaming characters, I love how Batuu brought that style to Walt Disney World. However if you’re interested in a more traditional meet and greet, you’ll want to take your little ones to Star Wars Launch Bay outside of the Disney Junior show at Hollywood Studios.
2. Stop by and talk with R2D2 at Droid Depot – This was by far the most kid approved activity in the land! The kids were so excited to talk with R2D2 who talks back to them and moves all around the small side of Droid Depot. There are two parts to the shop. One of them has a long queue in front of it. That’s the build-your-own droid add-on experience (I believe it costs right under $100), and the other part of the shop is to the right if you’re looking at the shop. This entrance has solid automatic doors that can be deceiving but they open to a small part of the shop filled with unique items, some of which are really legit kitchen and home decor. (TIP – if you want to check out the build-a-droid area to decide if you want to join in the fun, you can watch fellow guests making theirs while visiting R2.) R2D2 is hanging out in this shop. Sometimes he’s just silently posing for photos and other times he’s talking to guests… mainly kids, and moving around. (TIP – if your kiddo wants a pic with R2 but doesn’t like the noises and movements he makes, you can ask the Cast Members near R2 if he can pose for a pic and they can usually help make that happen 😉)
3. Visit Creature Stall at The Market – Essentially this is a place where your little one can meet the creatures indigenous to Batuu and other planets in the Star Wars Galaxy – in plush and toy form. This little shop is adorable and the Cast Members are fantastic. Tallulah was able to not only snuggle up on some Porgs but she met and befriended a Loth Cat and got to meet some creatures I can’t even begin to describe. It was a lot of fun to learn about the animals and she loved getting to love on them too. It’s definitely more than just a souvenir shop.
4. Visit the ships in Batuu – For your transportation loving kiddos, Batuu is a perfect spot. There are of course the biggies like The Millennium Falcon and Kylo’s Shuttle, but there are various ships and other modes of transportation parked all throughout the land. It’s fun to check them out and learn more from the Cast Members stationed at each parking area.
5. Take Lots of Pictures – This area has some of the best lighting and backgrounds I’ve seen at a park. I’m all for dressing up little ones in a Disney Bound style outfit so we loved taking pictures of her in her Jedi and Sith inspired outfits around Batuu. She had a blast walking around looking the part.
BONUS TIP – Although the food in Batuu is really fun and unique, be prepared that it’s very different even for the kids meals. If you have a picky eater, you may want to grab your meal at one of the restaurants before entering SWGE. Tallulah enjoyed the Fried Endorian Tip-Yip (chicken, mac and cheese and veggies) at Docking Bay 7 Food and Cargo, but the chicken is very thematically shaped and may be a bit confusing for older kiddos.
I so hope this info helps you and your younglings (I had to do it one more time) with fun age-appropriate ways to explore Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge. It definitely is an area that you can explore again and again and see something new each time! I’m excited to find even more little kid-friendly activities in Batuu to share with you during a future visit 😊
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