Galatic Grill aka Tomorrowland Terrace + Pizza Port
After braving going-home traffic on the 5 we were famished and ready to sample the themed food. Let’s just say I bought ALL THE THINGS. Fields of Naboo Salad? Check!
Oh 13 bucks for a plastic cup molded in the shape of BB8? TAKE MY MONEY. People were lined up for these cups including the bucket one with Darth Vader’s face. There is also a TIE Fighter popcorn bucket that I didn’t get my hands on but NEXT TIME. PART TWO, I will (try).
Darth Vader and his Light Saber cast in chocolate surrounded by red velvet cake and cookie crumbs called… DARTH BY CHOCOLATE? I SAID TAKE MY MONEY!
My companions also tried the Dark Side Curried Chicken Pizza and the Endor Vegetarian Pasta, all were pretty tasty considering Disneyland’s (and Pizza Port’s in particular) sometimes subpar food offerings.
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Jedi Training
We visited at night, so there was no Jedi Training show happening but I heard it’s a new and updated show featuring new characters and will begin December 8th! Still can’t beat this girl though:
Star Wars: Path of the Jedi
What used to be the Captain EO and Honey I Shrunk The Kids theater has been used in recent years to preview new films (and are given a 4D make over) including Guardians of the Galaxy. Since we had to divide and conquer, the BF went to Path of the Jedi while I waited out the 90 minute Hyperspace Mountain line (god help us). While reviews of this have been pretty positive, recounting Luke’s path from (moisture) farm boy to Jedi Master, my sometimes droll BF’s review was a little less stellar, his text review to me in line:
“A spoiler filled clip show from the old movies followed by The Force Awakens trailer. It’s just a recap really but it gives everything away so if you’re trying to get your kids into Star Wars then they’ll know all the surprises.”
So, ok not the most glowing review and BF wouldn’t take his imaginary children to see it, but I will try to sneak in during Part 2 of this review to bring you the real down low myself. These boys can’t be trusted.
Hyperspace Mountain!!
This is one of the reasons we couldn’t fit it all in, in one visit. Hyperspace Mountain was a whopping 90 minute wait (all Fast Passes gone by around 230PM)!!! I haven’t waited in a line that long for a ride at Disneyland in ages. Thankfully it moved pretty steadily but still it was loooong. I keep saying this ride is sorely missing a single rider line. Upon entering the loading area we saw multiple cars empty along with several single seats empty. It could also have been the feeder cast member who seemed a tad overwhelmed but come on Space Mountain, get a single riders line!!
After you FINALLY make it through the line, you enter to a new intro video which features Admiral Ackbar explaining the mission and of course, the safety features and rules like: not being an idiot and standing up during the ride, pulling down the lap bar and not engaging the angry rebel fighters, or something etc. Once into the loading area, the screens display new videos showing the X-Wing Fighters, the secret mission plans and of course the Death Star. Well, I can only assume it was the Death Star since either the screen or the video seemed pretty low budget or the product of a Middle School Mindcraft project.
If you’ve ridden Space Mountain during Halloween when they add in the Ghost Galaxy overlay then you’ll understand how Hyperspace Mountain works. This time instead of ghosts that moan and scream and that weird eye ball that follows you around, you’re flying through the stars, chasing X-Wings and engaging in battles with star ships.
SEE! Empty seats and a 90 minute wait!! Can you see me cheesin’?
The new overlay was so engaging I couldn’t take it all in, I kept looking around at the images and became totally disoriented on a ride I’ve been on countless times. I can’t wait to go back (wait another 90 minutes) and do it again! Hyperspace Mountain was definitely the highlight of Part 1 of the Season of the Force trip!
The Merch!
Last stop was the Star Trader which always has the best merch in the park and this time it did not disappoint. Beyond all the new plush and plastic toys featuring The Force Awaken’s characters, Disney has brought in a heavy dose of Her Universe wear. As luck would have it, I had been debating which items to buy from their online store but was able to see them first hand in the shop. This entire wall featured Darth Vader themed items. While one fellow shopper mulled over which shirt to buy her man friend explained “well, if you’re gonna go Dark Side, you might as well bling it out.” And so she bought Vader’s face on a tshirt in black crystal.
Behold the best tshirts in the place. Probably my favorite dialogue from the movie, now on 100% cotton beefy tee. Disney loves to come out with these types of matching His/Her tshirts that I would NEVER wear but the sentiment remains. Best shirts.
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When I saw shoes like this online a few weeks ago, I thought they were a joke, but no, they are real, live and in living color at the Star Trader in Disneyland. While fascinating to see and look at, I can’t imagine wearing the booties with the light saber heel unless I was going to a rave on Tatooine or to the grocery store as YA author Tahereh Mafi.
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Part Two is coming as soon as we go back… so like next week on Thanksgiving Day, expect a follow up after that. On the real though, the real reason why there will be a Part 2 is because Disneyland thought it would be a smart idea to close the Innoventions/Launch Bay area TWO HOURS before the park closed. UH? OK? AND because we spent half our time sipping out of BB8’s plastic body and the other half in line for Hyperspace Mountain we didn’t get to experience the new Star Tours scenes which we hear features Jakoo the new planet in The Force Awakens. So if you’re not going to the park for the whole day, either make sure you hit up the Launch Bay first or figure out two times you can go because there was simply not enough time to take all of Season of the Force in during one night.
Have you been to Disneyland’s Season of the Force yet? Any requests for Part 2?
