It’s no secret that I love Star Wars, especially the sequel trilogy. I had even Disney bounded as Dapper Rey for Dapper Day. So when Disney announced a Star Wars: Galactic Nights event at Hollywood Studios, I had to go.
Before the new Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge land opened at Hollywood Studios, the most Star Wars we could get in the parks was the simple meet-and-greet area in Star Wars Launch Bay. To be honest, as much as I loved meeting Chewbacca and Kylo Ren, this was pretty weak. I was so stoked at the prospect of getting some Star Wars in the parks.
The first thing I had to do was plan out my outfit. My favorite Star Wars character is Ben Solo aka Kylo Ren, but he’s a boy character, and I wasn’t sure if I could pull it off. Then again, I successfully Disney bounded as Donald Duck just fine, so I figured I could pass as female Kylo Ren.
I found a Kylo Ren mask at a local flea market for super cheap, so I figured that was a sign. I then found a leather dress at Nordstrom Rack, and the outfit was starting to come together. I had knee-high black boots with heels, but I opted for my Tory Burch thigh-high riding boots because I figured it would be easier to walk around the park in flats, even if the knee-high heels looked better. I got a plastic toy Kylo light saber and inexpensive elbow-length leather gloves from eBay, and I finished the look with some messy hair and red lipstick.
Because I was pregnant, I couldn’t go on any rides, so I spent most of my time going around, taking photos and admiring everyone else’s outfits. My husband and my friend Joy went on the rides with practically no wait though. That’s the nice thing about going to Disney’s After Hours events or parties like this one. We also got to see a panel hosted by Warwick Davis, who is known for his several appearances in multiple Star Wars movies, starting with his role as Wicket in Star Wars Episode VI: Return of the Jedi. We even watched a live interview with Joonas Suotamo, aka the new Chewbacca.
The whole event was so much fun and totally worth the price. It wasn’t any more expensive than a regular After Hours event, and it had so much more to offer, especially for a Star Wars fan — between the panels, interviews, special photo areas, extra character meet-and-greets (like Rey and Darth Vader), and more. I would highly recommend it if they ever offer this again. And it would be even better now that Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge is open. But if they don’t offer it again, then maybe I’ll try out either the holiday or the Halloween parties at Magic Kingdom next time.