Galaxy’s Edge is about to take the Disneyland Experience to Hyperdrive
On May 31, Galaxy’s Edge opened in Anaheim, California, the first of two $1B Star Wars-themed parks to open.
The Orlando attraction is set to open in August 2019. The Star Wars franchise boasts a $9.49B worldwide box office (before inflation) across the whole franchise, but that’s just the tip of the iceberg. We all know “where the real money from the movie is made”:
Merchandising.
Anyone remotely familiar with Star Wars (or any Disney franchise, really) knows that the merch is where it’s at, and Galaxy’s Edge is set up to deliver in a way no theme park ever has. Star Wars merch was big BEFORE Disney bought the rights. Put the two together? They’re about to take their merch game to ludicrous speed.
The whole experience is designed to be deeply immersive, to make you feel like you’ve stepped into a galaxy far, far away. They have a bit of everything — a galactic bazaar filled with hand-crafted “antiquities”, the galactic cantina, a build-your-own-droid workshop, spacetime apparel and costumes, and even a shop where you can custom-build your own lightsaber.
Not to mention the aftermarket value of such prized collectibles. Most of the merchandise is made available on a limited basis, compounded by the limited availability of entry to the park in the first place. Did somebody say eBay?
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