INTERACTIVE EXPERIENCES AT STAR WARS GALAXY'S EDGE

Immerse yourself in the Star Wars galaxy with a visit to the Black Spire Outpost on the planet of Batuu (aka Galaxy's Edge at Disney's Hollywood Studios theme park in Orlando, Florida). Imagine being on a Star Wars adventure while engaging in a variety of interactive experiences. Enjoying a pint of blue milk, crafting your own lightsaber and taking the Millenium Falcon for a spin provide an out of this world vacation without having to travel to a galaxy far, far away. 

STORMTROOPERS ON PATROL

Be alert for stormtroopers promoting order and snuffing out rebellion within the spaceport of this Outer Rim world. They like to question passersby and pry into their business. These impromptu encounters can make you stand out in the crowd and provide a personal touch to your Star Wars Galaxy's Edge experience. Additionally, you may bump into Chewbacca or Rey who are enlisting people into the Resistance. 

DRINK BLUE MILK

Ever since Luke Skywalker took a gulp of blue milk in the movie A New Hope, Star Wars fans have been fascinated with the beverage. Disney has concocted a specialty drink to provide visitors to Galaxy's Edge with a refreshment that lets you try the stuff out for yourself. It is plant-based instead of dairy so as not to exclude people from the experience with milk allergies or lactose intolerance. My description of Galaxy's Edge blue milk is it has the consistency of a drinkable yogurt with the taste of cotton candy flavored Faygo. 

Blue Milk is actually made with a base of rice milk powder and coconut oil. It gets it color from adding blue-green algae into the mix rather than artificial coloring. Don't tell Aunt Beru but there is also a version of the drink with Bacardi Rum as an extra ingredient to provide some extra kick to the drink.

CRAFT A LIGHTSABER

Who doesn't want to wield a lightsaber?! Stop by Savi's Workshop to learn some wisdom of the Force and craft your very own lightsaber. Personalize its components and blade color to create a fantastic souvenir that matches your own personal style. Reservations are required so don't try to just walk in or you might miss out on this experience. My son was so GEEKED to participate in this!

ESCAPE A STAR DESTROYER

Oh no! You've been captured as a rebel spy and taken to a star destroyer in the Rise of the Resistance ride at Star Wars Galaxy's Edge. Combining cast member theatrical elements with special effects, this ride will have you feeling like you just jumped into the action of a Star Wars movie. Do you have what it takes to escape being imprisoned on a star destroyer and find a way to return to Batuu?

BUILD A DROID

I love droids! I'm such a gearhead! Galaxy's Edge is full of droids and you can even build one to bring home with you. 

Step inside droid depot and construct your very own personalized remote control BB or R series droid. Select pieces off a conveyor belt and get building. Screw together parts just like a mechanic working in a droid factory.

In addition to having a fun remote control toy, these droids can enhance your Galaxy's Edge experience interacting and reacting to elements and objects both on Batuu and around Disney resorts. Plus, when you get home they are still fun to play with around the house.

FLY THE MILLENNIUM FALCON

Participate in a Smugglers Run that utilizes a motion simulator to let you experience what it would be like to fly sci-fi's most famous spaceship. A more intimate version of Star Tours that has you seated in a replica of the Millennium Falcon's cockpit. You aren't just along for the ride as manipulating the spaceship's controls impacts the outcome of your experience. Realistic digital imagery in the cockpit's windows, motion corresponding to the action you are seeing and the interactive elements of the controls make it seem as if you are really taking a flight through the Star Wars galaxy. Hit it Chewie!

The ride queue is amazing too so don't rush through it. It starts off with a life size scale replica of the Millennium Falcon and lets you wander inside this hunk of junk. Don't miss out on taking a photo op at the holochess table!

Have yourself an exciting Star Wars adventure with a visit to the Galaxy's Edge. This experience is also available in Disneyland if California is a more convenient destination than Florida. This is the theme park experience you have been looking for!

DROID DEPOT

During my family's sci fi adventure to the Black Spire Outpost on the planet of Batuu at Star Wars' Galaxy's Edge both my kids wanted a memorable souvenir to bring home with them. My son was infatuated with crafting a handbuilt lightsaber at Savi's Workshop. His twin sister on the other hand was more interested in customizing a creation at the Droid Depot. Both building a droid combined with the Baby Yoda backpack my daughter begged us to buy for her came out to about the same price as my son building a lightsaber so they each had an individualized experience while we were at Walt Disney World's Star Wars Land. 

It was so much fun to see life-size droids displayed around Star Wars Galaxy's Edge at Walt Disney World Hollywood Studios theme park. Droids are such a huge part of the Star Wars! Who wouldn't want their very own droid?! The Droid Depot allows you to construct a quarter scale remote control astromech unit that you can bring home with you. Fun to play with and a great memento from a Walt Disney World vacation.

Step inside the Droid Depot and you'll find yourself surrounded by realistic looking BB and R-series droids and shelves full of parts for building and repairing them. A conveyor belt also carries an assortment of quarter scale parts that people can customize in creating their very own droid. There are a variety of body colors and dome head styles to choose from in putting together you droid.

For the BB-series droids like the Resistance's heroic BB-8 (The Force Awakens) or First Order's villainous BB-9E, Droid Depot lets you pick from a selection of items off the conveyor belt that include a dome, dome connection plate, body sphere and motivator. Make a replica of your favorite BB droid from the Star Wars movies or build your own original design. When done these droids move about like a spinning beach ball with a personality.

You can also choose to build a droid in the R-series style of astromechs like the Rebellion's R2-D2 or Empire's R2-Q5. Droid Depot's available parts to select from include a dome, body, center leg and set of side legs. My daughter decided to build an R2-D2 inspired droid with a purple dome head and black/silver legs. 

Unfortunately, while customization is really touted in the Droid Depot promotions she found that color combinations were somewhat limited for the parts. While she loved the purple and silver head, a matching body wasn't available so she included a white and blue R2-D2 body which left her somewhat disappointed. Overall though she loves her creation and really enjoyed the activity of putting it together at the Droid Depot.

Once your parts have been selected from the Droid Depot conveyor belt, you move to a build station. Placing everything on a placemat that highlights directions for builders to assemble a droid. Screw together your parts just like a mechanic working in a droid factory.

Once complete, your droid is placed within an activation station which pairs it with a remote control and adds some theater to your experience in showing the droid come to life. I really like that these Star Wars droids come with their own remote controls because it annoys me when you spend a bunch of money on a toy then it is linked to your phone or tablet in order to use it. I don't want to have to be badgered about handing over my phone so one of my kids can play with a toy through an app.

Building an astromech at the Droid Depot not only provides an exciting toy but it also is an entertaining Star Wars immersive experience that provides a memorable moment during your time at the Black Spire Outpost. Additionally, these build your own droids are equipped with bluetooth technology that lets them communicate with other astromechs created at the Droid Depot as well as as interact and react with other elements and objects both on Batuu and around Disney parks and resorts.

Just note you aren't allowed to drive your droid around the theme park with its remote control. Carrying your droid in your hands or in an add-on extra purchase backpack designed specifically for use at Star Wars Galaxy's Edge is required for transporting it around the theme park. If you just want to take the droid home with you there is a nice cardboard container great for storing it that is included in the purchase price.

We visited Droid Depot near the end of our last night at Walt Disney World so didn't have time to play around with it at the theme parks. My daughter was geeked about the experience of building it at the Droid Depot and has been having a lot of fun playing with it since we arrived home. She really loves her custom astromech unit so I'm glad we let her build one during our Disney World vacation.

For those of you who don't mind interconnecting your phone with toys, there is also a free app that you can download to control the droid via a mobile device.  Because I use my smart phone both for work and family matters I tend not to want to do that but admit there are features like augmented reality and artificial intelligence that can make this option very worthwhile. So it is really cool that you have both options with these droids from Star Wars Galaxy's Edge.

The Droid Depot App is available on Apple and Android devices. It lets you pilot a droid without using the remote control provided with the toy. The app also lets you program maneuvers so you can make your droid dance. My daughter has been have a great time with that feature. Plus through the app you can also play a strategy game against your droid like tic tac toe. For those who can't make the trek to Batuu there is also a virtual mode where app users can create a digital droid to play with on their mobile device's screen.

For those who want to enhance their Droid Depot toy there are also personality chips that can be purchased for an additional fee that expand upon how your droid interacts with you and its surroundings. You can pick those up at the Droid Depot or if you decide later on that it would be a nice addition to your droid personality chips are available from Amazon.com as well. 

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