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| Galaxy's Edge. Finally |
A lot has changed since our last trip here. Two new areas
have opened: Galaxy’s Edge, the 14-acre Star Wars themed area inside Disneyland,
and Avenger’s Campus, the Marvel Cinematic Universe themed area inside
California Adventure. Oh yes, we also endured a global pandemic that changed
everything and everyone, and I had to re-learn how to navigate certain aspects
of the park. Specifically, virtual queues.
- Research! Read blogs and watch YouTube videos for a week before your trip.
- Train everyone in your group/family how to use the app and link your tickets.
- Plan and rehearse joining a boarding group as if you’re coordinating a bank heist. You only get 2 chances a day to join, one at 7 am and one at 12 pm.
- Set your alarm for 6:45 am, wake up your family, and run some speed tests to find where in your hotel you get the fastest internet speed.
- The second the clock hits 7:00 am, everyone attempt to join a boarding group. You have precisely 3 seconds before all available boarding groups fill up and every single place in line is taken until the next opportunity at 12 pm.
See? Piece of cake.
This morning, at exactly 7 am, all 4 of us attempted to join
a boarding group for Web Slingers. Ashley stood outside our hotel room and
managed to snag a boarding group for all of us. A girl in the room next to us
was also outside trying but didn’t get a group. I felt a little bad that
we were celebrating so loudly. Just a little, though.
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| Web Slingers |
From there we explored the campus and rode Guardians of the
Galaxy before heading over to the Incredicoaster for some more stomach-dropping
excitement. We spent a few hours wandering the park until my alarm went off
warning us that it was almost 12 pm and time to try to join a boarding group
for Rise of the Resistance. We found some tables in the shade at Pacific Wharf,
and so did hundreds of other guests. Jackson counted down for us, “three, two,
one, now!” and the moment I tried to join, it was already over. All the boarding
groups had been grabbed within seconds. And Jackson was one of the lucky ones.
We crossed the esplanade and entered the gates of Disneyland. The park is currently operating at 35% capacity as it phases in its reopening, so the crowds were thin and it was easy to get around. We walked to Bengal Barbecue to pick up our snacks that we had mobile ordered to avoid waiting in line. We ate chicken skewers, vegetable skewers, and safari skewers (bacon wrapped asparagus). Then we walked to Indiana Jones which was (and always is) our first ride.
As we left Adventureland, we set our sights on Galaxy’s
Edge. Making our way through Critter Country, we followed the trail we’d been
on many times during the years this land was under construction. We always tried
to catch a glimpse or peek through a fence and see what kind of wonders were
being built. And nothing we ever imagined could’ve prepared us for Galaxy’s
Edge.
Everything was perfect. We spent hours wandering, shopping, and riding Smugglers Run, where we got to fly the Millennium Falcon, and it left all of us giddy and speechless. We had 6:30 reservations at Oga’s Cantina, which gave us just enough time to run over and ride Splash Mountain. Ashley wanted to stay in Galaxy’s edge, so the three of us went on the ride that is soon going to be reimagined into something else, and this will probably be the last time we get to ride it. Standing in line, Jackson was quiet and we asked how he was doing. He said, “It’s hard without Ali, you know?” He was really missing her, and I texted Ali to let her know. She replied with 50 crying emojis. Splash Mountain soaked every square inch of our bodies, but it felt good in the 80-degree weather.
We sloshed back to Galaxy’s Edge to meet Ashley and go to the cantina. On the outside, the cantina is unassuming and completely blends in with the dusty sand-colored buildings. You would never think there is a lively bar where bounty hunters and smugglers drink weird concoctions. We were allowed 45 minutes and a 2-drink max, so we ordered 2 rounds. The drink names were as interesting as they tasted:
· Hyperdrive (Punch It!)· Blurrgfire
· Fuzzy Tauntaun
· Jedi Mind Trick
· Takodana Quencher
· The Outer Rim
· Jet Juice
· Coruscant Cooler
45 minutes and $135 later (outer space is not cheap), we
were ready to go on Rise of the Resistance. I’ve decided that I’m not going to
try to explain this ride. I’ll just say it’s like nothing we’ve ever experienced
before, and I don’t want to spoil anything for those of you who are making
plans because you just saw that you, too, can buy 8 drinks for $135, and now you can’t
get to Disneyland fast enough.
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| Trying to process Rise of the Resistance |
Ashley said that Rise of the Resistance was the perfect way to end a 12-hour park day, so she walked back to the hotel. Jackson, Chad, and I rode Big Thunder Mountain and Pirates of the Caribbean. As we exited Pirates just after 9 pm, the park was closing, so we headed towards Main Street. We were completely surprised when all of a sudden, the fireworks started. Because of COVID, the fireworks have been canceled and are supposed to start on July 4. So, thousands of us gathered on Main Street and watched the unexpected show. And then we all shuffled out of the park. Shoulder to shoulder, maskless and vaccinated. Happy and satisfied. And exhausted to the core.
"We are the spark that will light the fire that will burn the First Order down."
-The Niemeyers
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