Disney Unveils All-New Details About Star Wars: Galaxy's Edge

Imagine you’re standing in a dark tunnel. Dense, textured walls surround you, blocking any senses from the outside world. You cross a threshold into the light, and find a patina of time, culture, energy. This is the experience awaiting Guests who visit Black Spire Outpost on the planet of Batuu.

While we already know a little about Batuu and have grown more familiar with the planet as it pops up in Star Wars stories across the galaxy, there are still a lot of details that need to be unveiled. Here are some of them:

Story and Design

“Black Spire Outpost is designed from the very get-go to be a place that invites exploration and discovery, a place that invites us to become a character in the world of Star Wars,” said Margaret Kerrison, Managing Story Editor. The team explored the bazaars and markets of far off locations like Istanbul and Marrakesh to get a feel for what makes a village come to life. How does it smell? How does it sound? And how do you put just a light spin on those answers to make them familiar, yet distinctly Star Wars? It’s no small task, but one that has brought the teams fulfillment. For Carrie Beck, vice president of Animation & Live Action Series Development at Lucasfilm, “Building this land is the culmination of a fantasy.”

The teams at Lucasfilm have partnered with Imagineering to create a space that is somehow both Star Wars and timeless – inspired by both middle eastern markets and the petrified forests of New Mexico. Erik Tiemens, Concept Design Supervisor, says they were inspired by renaissance art to create “capriccios of wonder” – moments that will pull you out of reality and into a Star Wars place.

New and Familiar Faces

While Black Spire Outpost will play host to characters familiar and fresh, we want to introduce you to some of the more unfamiliar pirates, droids and proprietors you might see in the village. 

Dok-Ondar: Gatekeeper of the black market. If you have a valuable item, you know to come to Black Spire Outpost to find this master of antiquities. At 245 years old he’s no spring tip-yip (Endorian chicken anyone?), which means he’s connected – and dangerous.

Hondo Ohnaka: When the team found themselves in need of a pirate, one Weequay came to mind. Hondo might look familiar to fans of Star Wars: The Clone Wars, and the Lucasfilm team worked with the creator of the series, Dave Filoni, to learn his storyline and how he might find his way to Batuu. If you’re committed to finding out, pick up a copy of “Star Wars: Pirate’s Price” to learn how the Falcon ended up on Batuu and in Hondo’s service.

RX-24 “DJ R-3X”: We all have our talents in life, but piloting Starspeeders for Star Tours wasn’t Rex’s “best fit” role. But, he’s found his way to Batuu and is much more comfortable here – and has taken residency at the local Cantina sharing his remix of the galaxy’s chart-topping hits.

Local Flavors

We now know more about each of the food and beverage locations in Black Spire Outpost, and we hope you’re coming hungry! The concept development team started their creative journey with a brainstorm focused on different planets and the types of flavors you’d find there.

Endor? Botanicals, hops, exotic mushrooms.

Bespin? Sublimating drinks inspired by the gases of Cloud City.

Mustafar? Spicy, volcanic culinary adventures await.

We’d agree with Concept Development Culinary Director Brian Piasecki on this though – “If it looks like one thing, and maybe it tastes like something else, that could be really cool.” Here’s a look at some of the tantalizing treats that await on Batuu.

Ronto Roasters

“All about meat and all about heat.” Guests drawn in by the podracing engine firing up a barbeque pit can enjoy sweet teriyaki and spicy herb turkey jerky, and a Ronto Wrap – a handheld sausage and pork pita wrap. The menu of exotic non-alcoholic drinks will include the Sour Sarlacc or Tatooine Sunset.

Bubo Wamba Family Farms

While the team asked Lucasfilm for a blue milk origin story, they were encouraged to come up with their own. The end result? Guests who choose blue milk will enjoy berry and melon flavors, while green milk offers a more tropical palate. But fear not – no banthas were harmed; both milk options are plant-based and provided by a local farming family.

Kat Saka’s Kettle

What would popcorn look like on Batuu? Ask Kat Saka, local farmer who both harvests and travels the galaxy for different grains and spices. Don’t miss her Outpost Mix of flavored popped grains, a unique popcorn snack with sweet, savory and spicy flavors.

Docking Bay 7 Food and Cargo

The ‘traveling diner for diners traveling’ – imagine a spot where intergalactic freighters (dare we say, food trucks ships?) come in and out to share their culinary masterpieces. One of the most popular spots in the village, Guests can expect huge variety here. From plant-based dishes that push the boundaries to meat dishes inspired by some of the creatures we’ve met on other planets, there’s something for everyone here.

Oga’s Cantina

This spot is the heart of Black Spire Outpost, and Guests can enjoy exotic beverages served in unique vessels and listen to spirited musical entertainment provided by DJ R-3X. Oga is the town’s crime boss; she likes to lurk in the shadows, but has her hand in every single business. Locals are in debt to her, fear her, and know not to cross her – or you may never be seen again.

Guests dining in Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge can expect a “familiar style food with really bold flavors,” said Michele Gendreau, director of Food and Beverage Experience Integration at the Disneyland Resort “We want to use the whole flavor palate with this menu.” 

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Merchandise

I think all the time about what I would pull through the screen if I could have anything from the Star Wars universe. Would I pick my very own droid? The coolest pilot’s jacket to wear while I fly my X-Wing? Or maybe a custom lightsaber to guide me though my adventures.

Chances are, Black Spire Outpost has exactly what you’re looking for. “In 2013 I got the call I’d been waiting for,” Brad Schoeneberg, director, Merchandise Strategy told us. “‘What could merchandise look like in an immersive Star Wars-themed land?’” They worked from a set of guiding principles, including that product developed for the land had to be ambitious, immersive, authentic and innovative.

“We strove to push ourselves further in product and design than we’d ever pushed ourselves before,” elaborated Brad. This included taking a research trip to the Jedha set from “Rogue One: A Star Wars Story” where they explored the streets, poked through merchant carts, and talked to the kids on set about the costumes they were wearing and toys they played with. This helped guide the team in the direction of authenticity – if it wouldn’t be seen in a film, it shouldn’t appear in a shop on Batuu.

Whether you’re a casual fan looking for a cute creature to take home, or a lifelong devotee desperate to get your hands on a powerful kyber crystal, the various stalls and shops in the village will give you plenty to explore.

Cast Members – Daily life in Black Spire Outpost

Cast Members will have the opportunity to lean in to their Black Spire Outpost persona – those working in the land will know their daily life and routine, from where they work and who they work for, to their opinion on the conflict between the First Order and Resistance. Cast will be empowered to play like never before.

PHOTOS: © 2019 Walt Disney World Resort. All Rights Reserved.