Star Wars Nite is the Disneyland After Darkish particular occasion throughout Season of the Power that includes galactic leisure, uncommon characters, themed snacks, and distinctive picture ops. This evaluation covers what to anticipate throughout the get together, whether or not the exhausting ticket get together is value your time & cash, and who ought to (and will not) attend.
In case you’re unfamiliar with the occasions, Disneyland After Darkish events are limited-time events that happen after common park hours and have distinctive themes, festivities, character meet & greets, particular nighttime leisure, entry to sights with lowered wait instances, and extra. It’s the Disneyland equal of After Hours at Walt Disney World, albeit sometimes with extra on the thematic entrance. On this case, which means Star Wars stuff.
With every separately-ticketed Disneyland After Darkish get together, attendees get 4 hours of get together time after the parks near day friends. Plus, the Star Wars Nite ticket additionally consists of admission to Disneyland as early as 6:00 PM—that’s 3 hours earlier than the get together begins—on the legitimate date of your ticket. That quantities to a complete of seven hours park time earlier than and through Star Wars Nite.
Along with all of the Star Wars themed enjoyable delivered to life only for the get together, admission additionally consists of commemorative keepsakes akin to a memento credential and an occasion information map, plus limitless digital downloads of Disney PhotoPass images taken all through Disneyland After Darkish, which is a pleasant since so much about these occasions revolves round images and enjoyable.
Listed here are Disneyland After Darkish: Star Wars Nite get together dates:
- April 8, 2025
- April 10, 2025
- April 22, 2025
- April 24, 2025
- April 29, 2025
- Might 1, 2025
- Might 4, 2025
- Might 6, 2025
Tickets to Star Wars Nite value $169 or $179 per visitor (ages 3+), relying on the date. Might the Fourth is $189.
Visitors with a ticket to this occasion don’t have to make a theme park reservation to enter Disneyland at 6:00 PM or later. Parking charges will not be included within the ticket worth. Lightning Lane Multi Move will not be out there throughout the occasion.
Throughout Disneyland After Darkish: Star Wars Nite, get able to dive into an expanded array of themed meals and expertise out-of-this-world leisure choices with new plot twists and enhanced pleasure. Right here’s a rundown of the assorted choices throughout Star Wars Nites:
Star Wars Nites Leisure
- A Gathering of the Resistance with Rey – Convey your lightsaber to the Millennium Falcon and take part in a strong present of unity!
- Lightsaber Educational – Attend an illustration of lightsaber expertise at Fantasyland Theatre and learn to wield a lightsaber from elite instructors.
- Figrin D’an and the Modal Nodes – Contemporary off their gig at Mos Eisley, the well-known Cantina Band will take a fast journey across the Rivers of America, enjoying their most iconic piece of music.
- Followers of the Power Costume Cavalcade – A Star Wars Nite Costume Showcase – Gown as your favourite Star Wars character and take part in a sensational celebration of your fandom on Predominant Road, U.S.A. To take part, meet in City Sq. 10 minutes previous to the present.
- Shadows of Reminiscence: A Skywalker Saga – Watch beautiful projection results rework the spires of Batuu right into a canvas for the legendary story of the Skywalkers.
- Galactic DJ Get together Zone – Dance the night time away when a DJ kicks off a galactic celebration on Predominant Road.
- Select Your Path – Declare your allegiance to the sunshine or darkish facet of the Power throughout an interactive duel of the fates on Predominant Road.
- Fond Farewell – Because the galactic festivities come to a detailed, bid a fond farewell to your Disney buddies Mickey Mouse and Minnie Mouse—wearing costumes impressed by their favourite droids—as you go by the Predominant Road, U.S.A. practice station.
Star Wars Nites Points of interest
Trip a few of the park’s Star Wars-themed sights—together with Star Excursions – The Adventures Proceed, Millennium Falcon: Smugglers Run and Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance (topic to availability, which can range and isn’t assured) all through the occasion, often with shorter wait instances.
Along with the Star Wars sights, nearly each excessive profile trip in Disneyland is open, other than these which might be closed for refurbishment (clearly).
Star Wars Nites Picture Ops
Let Disney PhotoPass photographers seize photographs towards event-themed backdrops, together with:
- Gentle Facet Picture Location
- Darkish Facet Picture Location
- Star Wars Nite Lightsaber Picture Op
- Scarif Postcard
- Speeder Bikes
- Endor Postcard
- Mythosaur
- Mustafar Postcard
- Tatooine Postcard
- Jabba the Hutt
- Hoth Postcard
- Boba Fett’s Throne
- Emperor Palpatine’s Throne
- Bo-Katan’s Throne
For probably the most half, these had quick strains. That was very true with the postcard backdrops, all of which appeared like they have been 5 minutes or much less.
Star Wars Nites Characters
There are a selection of character meet & greets round Disneyland, in addition to character encounters. The distinction is that the previous is one thing with a line with a posed picture, whereas the latter is one you see from a distance.
For instance, Padme Amidala was beforehand one of the fashionable character meet & greets at Star Wars Nites, commanding a 2+ hour wait. For 2025, she has a selfie station (with a personality attendant) permitting for images of friends on benches. It’s a lot larger capability, and took me solely ~5 minutes. To every their very own, however I’ll take this over a prolonged line.
One other extra excessive instance is Darth Maul. He was up on the highest degree of the Star Wars Launch Bay constructing, twirling round his lightsabers, placing on just a little present and interacting with friends. I assume a selfie would’ve been attainable, however it will’ve regarded simply as very similar to Puddy in Devils face paint as Darth Maul.
Different characters it’s possible you’ll spot throughout Star Wars Nites embody Anakin Skywalker, Emperor Palpatine, Ewoks, BB-8, Boba Fett, Jawas, Mandalorian with Child Yoda, Ahsoka Tano, R2-D2, and plenty of others. The Ewoks and Jawas have been each meet & greets, they usually had actually lengthy strains.
Star Wars Nite Technique
When you’re into assembly characters, it is best to begin your night time by lining up on your highest precedence one at the very least half-hour upfront. You may line up earlier, however there’s diminishing returns–particularly should you’re not an Annual Passholder and would in any other case be having fun with Disneyland. Character strains can get lengthy throughout the occasion, so ready now means not having to attend later.
When you’re not into characters or they’re low-priority, it is best to begin with the 1-2 punch of “Shadows of Reminiscence: A Skywalker Saga” and “A Gathering of the Resistance with Rey,” each of that are held within the courtyard in entrance of the Millennium Falcon. Shadows of Reminiscence is improbable, however it’s not party-exclusive. You additionally need to arrive half-hour early for this, because the courtyard does replenish upfront of showtime.
You can even do both of these items on the tail finish of Star Wars Nites. There’s one other “Shadows of Reminiscence: A Skywalker Saga” and “A Gathering of the Resistance with Rey” showtime on the finish of the night time, so you may end with that should you begin with characters. Or you may end with characters should you begin with the exhibits.
If Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance is one thing you need to expertise, contemplate doing it round official park closing. It’s technically open throughout Star Wars Nite, however continuously closes midway into the occasion. It additionally remains to be breakdown inclined. After I handed Rise of the Resistance at round 8:30 p.m., it had a posted 30 minute wait and I noticed no line outdoor–so it most likely wasn’t even that lengthy.
Nothing else actually requires technique, at the very least from what I skilled. I’ve heard folks point out Cellular Order time slots, however there was no meals that was must-eat for me. I ended up ready ~5 minutes in line at Hungry Bear Barbecue Jamboree for a “Porg” Stomach Sandwich. It was completely improbable. I’ve lower than zero curiosity in merchandise, so I can’t communicate to that in any respect.
Is Star Wars Nite Price It?
Within the curiosity of transparency, I ought to disclose a few issues. The primary is that we have been invited friends of Disneyland, and thus didn’t pay for these tickets. You may need to weigh our opinions accordingly or take this evaluation with a grain of salt. I’d wish to assume the evaluation is honest and wouldn’t differ had we paid out of pocket, however you might be the choose of that.
Maybe the extra damning disclosure is that we aren’t diehard Star Wars followers and, as such, realistically wouldn’t have paid to attend this explicit Disneyland After Darkish within the first place. To be clear, we don’t dislike Star Wars–we’re simply informal. We’ve watched the unique trilogy greater than as soon as, and the Disney films 1-2 instances every, in addition to all seasons of The Mandalorian.
However after that, we fell off. Not for the explanations some indignant followers cite–I’m not on some ethical campaign towards Star Wars or no matter. We simply really feel that the standard has been scattershot within the Disney+ period. (I really feel the very same means about Marvel.) I do type of marvel how Kathleen Kennedy remains to be employed given the latest output and cancelled tasks, so maybe that does make me a diehard fan in any case!
Anyway, Star Wars Nites may be very clearly aimed on the most hardcore followers. I’d take {that a} step additional and say that it’s geared toward a selected sort of probably the most hardcore followers: cosplayers.
This isn’t to say that you just couldn’t have enjoyable should you’re not a Star Wars cosplayer. You may. I’d truly take {that a} step additional and say that even informal friends can have a improbable time at Star Wars Nites. However the goal demographic is sort of clearly and undeniably cosplayers. Everybody else gained’t get as a lot out of Star Wars Nites.
To get probably the most mileage out of the Star Wars Nites, you’ll completely need to gown in costume. And most friends did! I felt just a little misplaced carrying my ’84 Los Angeles Olympics sweatshirt, despite the fact that I shouldn’t have; it’s a rad sweatshirt. Past dressing for the event, you actually ought to have a lightsaber. That’s virtually obligatory. Fortunately, we did have one in all these because of our previous expertise doing Savi’s Workshop for Handbuilt Lightsabers (which we extremely advocate).
Star Wars Nites is sort of a park-wide model of the ‘Reside Your Personal Star Wars Journey’ slogan for Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge. Which is to say that this occasion is oriented round friends, and supplying you with the prospect to be an lively participant in Star Wars enjoyable, festivities, and fandom.
For these friends, Star Wars Nites is sure to be a ton of enjoyable, because it affords the chance to immerse themselves in all issues Star Wars with fellow followers, take a ton of images with cool backdrops and characters.
The occasion additionally has a palpable vitality, and there’s pleasure amongst the viewers. There’s one thing to be stated for communal experiences like this, and Star Wars Nites jogs my memory of the D23 Expo–which I completely adore as a hardcore Disney fan–from that perspective. No less than, that’s the charitable framing.
Much less charitably, Star Wars Nites is a guest-centric occasion as a result of virtually not one of the leisure can stand by itself from a passive perspective. That means that should you’re simply hoping to take a seat again and revel in leisure, you’re going to be upset. Nearly none of it really works until you’re an lively participant.
Actually, I’m not even certain it really works from that angle until you’re a child (or child at coronary heart?). The Lightsaber Educational, for instance, isn’t even pretty much as good as Jedi Coaching Academy (RIP) and looks like its goal demo is elementary faculty aged children, regardless of attendees and members skewing my age. Then there’s the costume cavalcade, which is in regards to the saddest cavalcade ever. It’s mainly only a bunch of friends strolling to Sleeping Magnificence Fortress whereas being led by a automotive with Minnie & Mickey. Nobody will take pleasure in watching this–it’s all in regards to the group picture on the finish.
It is a sharp distinction to Oogie Boogie Bash – A Disney Halloween Get together, which is the gold customary of occasions at Disneyland Resort. As somebody who’s each an informal Star Wars fanatic and an informal Halloween fanatic (which means we don’t beautify and didn’t put on costumes when it was simply the 2 of us), I view Oogie Boogie Bash as head-and-shoulders superior to Star Wars Nites. Now that is a powerful occasion, and one we’ve got paid to attend each single 12 months it’s been supplied.
The one good piece of leisure that’s distinctive to Star Wars Nites is “A Gathering of the Resistance with Rey.” It is a comparatively easy and easy Resistance vs. First Order scene, the type of transient story second initially deliberate to happen night time in Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge.
It culminates within the many friends with lightsabers activating them to assist defeat the First Order. The friends are what actually make this punch above its weight and switch it into one thing particular. In any other case, at some other exhausting ticket occasion, it’d be a minor leisure providing.
My largest frustration with Star Wars Nite, as a complete, is that there’s next-to-nothing that couldn’t be taking place nightly in Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge or day by day throughout Season of the Power. Except for the costume cavalcade and probability to cosplay within the park with tons of different friends, there’s nothing right here that feels prefer it necessitated a tough ticket occasion. And even the participatory angle was already achieved higher a decade in the past throughout the (free) Star Wars Weekends at Disney’s Hollywood Studios.
Nonetheless, I don’t assume it’s solely honest to dismiss Star Wars Nites as an providing just for hardcore followers who need a night oriented round them and immersing themselves within the fandom.
Star Wars Nites can be an excellent occasion for informal friends who couldn’t care much less about Star Wars and simply need a low crowds night time within the park. Principally, when considered as Disneyland After Darkish with a light-weight layer of Star Wars stuff on high, that’s finest loved in passing or at arm’s size.
From my perspective, what made Star Wars Nite cool was seeing all the different friends and the vitality they gave off–not collaborating in any of that, myself. It was a chance to experiencing Disneyland with very low crowds (minus Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge) and extremely quick strains (minus the Star Wars rides).
Just about each trip was a walk-on throughout the date we did Star Wars Nites, from Matterhorn to Huge Thunder Mountain Railroad. Star Wars Nites makes quite a lot of sense from this attitude, and you may simply get extra achieved throughout the 7 hours of ticket validity than throughout common working hours on the identical day throughout Star Wars Nites.
With occasion tickets costing lower than $30 greater than 1-day tickets, I’d completely advocate this Disneyland After Darkish occasion over an everyday day within the park (particularly since Lightning Lane Multi-Move isn’t supplied–the shortage of that bridges the hole).
That is actually the place all the Disneyland After Darkish (or After Hours at Walt Disney World) occasions are winners from my perspective. They’re all superior to an everyday day within the park, and provide a quasi-VIP expertise with quick wait instances and no have to problem with Lightning Lanes. Actually, the argument may very well be made that this occasion is sort of akin to Lightning Lane Premier Move, which is far more costly.
Finally, Star Wars Nites strikes me as a worthwhile exhausting ticket occasion for hardcore followers who’ve disposable revenue and need to ‘reside their very own Star Wars journey,’ be immersed in a fandom-centric expertise, and are available house with tons of cool images. The get together has an amazing vibe, and the vitality alone most likely makes it extremely interesting to followers who need to actively interact.
It’s not an excellent occasion–in any respect–for many who aren’t into participatory choices and need to take pleasure in passive leisure. The most effective factor on that entrance is “A Gathering of the Resistance with Rey,” and even that isn’t that good. Different choices are cute, just like the Cantina Band floating across the Rivers of America, however they’re so fleeting (lower than 5 minutes for a set) that they’re barely a blip on the radar.
As locals and Annual Passholders, distinctive leisure and different worthwhile choices distinct from day-to-day Disneyland experiences is generally what we wished out of Star Wars Nite. Actually, I walked away extremely underwhelmed. However I acknowledge that not everyone seems to be us, and this Disneyland After Darkish occasion will maintain much more enchantment for vacationers, rare guests, and others.
On the different finish of the spectrum, Star Wars Nites might be nice as a Disneyland After Darkish occasion for informal friends who need low congestion & crowds, quick strains & wait instances. Visitors who may like seeing the Star Wars stuff from afar, however aren’t there for it.
Somewhat, they’re there for the rides, at the beginning. So whether or not you’re a Star Wars diehard or an informal visitor who doesn’t know a Wookie from a Wampa, this occasion may very well be value your money and time. Undoubtedly not should you’re into having fun with leisure, although. Keep on with Oogie Boogie Bash for that.
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YOUR THOUGHTS
Are you excited for Disneyland After Darkish: Star Wars Nite ? Excited or upset in regards to the leisure and different choices? Do you agree or disagree with our evaluation? Any questions? Listening to your suggestions–even whenever you disagree with us–is each fascinating to us and useful to different readers, so please share your ideas beneath within the feedback!