Disney Parks and Resorts announced last month that its Star Wars: Galaxy's Edge land would open next summer at Disneyland and in late fall of 2019 at Disney's Hollywood Studios in Florida. But it didn't provide any more specific information than that.
At least, until now. Well... maybe.
Disneyland's new annual pass blockout calendar for June 2019 shows additional blockouts for Deluxe and SoCal annual passholders, compared with the blockout pattern in this year's June calendar.
Presumably, Disneyland would start blocking as many annual passholders as it could when Galaxy's Edge opens, in order to minimize what is expected to be a crush of fans visiting the park to experience the new land. That's why fans — eager to learn the land's opening date — have been awaiting the release of next summer's AP blockout calendar for this clue.
The blockout calendar for June 2018 (i.e. this month) shows Deluxe APs blocked out only on Saturdays. SoCal passports are blocked on all Saturdays and on all Fridays expect June 1, as well as on Wednesday-Thursday, June 20-21. SoCal Select passports' traditional summer-long blockout starts June 8, along with their normal weekend blockout this weekend. Signature and Signature Plus APs are not blocked at all this month.
But in 2019, SoCal and SoCal Select passholders are blocked out the entire month and Deluxe passholders are blocked on Fridays as well as Saturdays, plus Sundays starting the 9th and every day starting June 21. (Signature and Signature Plus continue to get in all month.)
The new blockout calendar for the month makes it clear than Disneyland wants to start reducing weekend crowds in June next summer and weekday crowds starting the last full week of that month. That should raise suspicion that the weekend of June 21-23, 2019 is one candidate for the debut of Galaxy's Edge at Disneyland. (With maybe weekend soft openings before that?)
The first indication that that Galaxy's Edge would open in Anaheim next summer came when Disney pushed the 2019 D23 Expo back to August 23-25, presumably to avoid overloading the resort with that fan fest's huge crowds. Pushing D23 later into the summer suggested to many that Star Wars land would be opening during the festival's traditional mid-summer slot. Disney made the summer opening for Disneyland's Star Wars land official with its announcement last month.
Now fans have another clue with which to start penciling in a possible Galaxy's Edge opening date on the west coast.
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June 21 is officially the first day of summer in 2019.
They only want to keep customers away that have already paid. Take the money and try to avoid giving the service. You can walk up and pay all you want.
The passholders haven't already paid. These are annual passes. They last one year. Any passes already purchased would expire before these new blackouts occur.
if you don't want me blocked out then by the higher pass. I have the signature and I get to go all of June and July and August and September etcetera. you don't get to pay less for an annual pass that I do and get to go to the same days as I do. It doesn't work like that. They're letting you know now a year in advance. You don't like it don't renew don't go. LOL. It's bad enough that pass holders think that they should get everything for free but it's even more worse and embarrassing to watch the lower-tier passholders behave like that. if you want to be treated like a VIP, pay the VIP prices
It would be smart to black out pass holders during soft open so there's no mass crowds during a technical adjustment period. Late June would make the best sense to open after a few weeks of trial and errors.
This makes me wonder how many Annual Passholders feel entitled to anything in the future, or do they feel entitled only to the days and attractions that are open at the time they purchase or renew their AP?
If you review the calendar nothing really changes for anyone to May 2019 so everyone will have a clear choice whether to purchase/renew having full disclosure.
Disney have also stopped the sales of all moderate and most deluxe Disney World resorts from around October 20th 2019. Could this be when SW opens?
Please, let's not forget, there is a maximum capacity allowance for all venues, and Disneyland is no exception. They are required by law to not exceed maximum capacity in the event of an emergency.
Have you ever tried going late in the day during peak season even with a pass? I have, and we weren't allowed in as the park was at capacity. Yes, frustrated, but understandable. Have you ever been in a venue when an emergency occurred? We have! Exiting the park was well executed with minimal issues.
Bottom line is STAY SAFE!
They don't wish to turn away paying customers, but Annual Pass Holders typically are more local to the area and therefor have more opportunities to visit the park often and at different times of the year than people who have planned their vacations and saved for them to be able to stay in hotels, pay travel arrangements and buy tickets and do it all in a short window of time.
I certainly hope Star Wars Galaxy Edge at Disney World will open before we go next year in mid October. My husband was looking forward to it.
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It must be wonderful to be Disney Parks; So successful, they have to plan a year in advance on how to keep their customers away.