Are you visiting Walt Disney World in May? Do you have plans to visit Hollywood Studios? If so, you want to reconsider, as May the Fourth looms very soon.
With the arrival of Spring in Florida, crowds are swamping Walt Disney World Resort, bringing with them long lines and wait times. Although every theme park has been bustling over the last week, with Spring Break crowds tearing at the gates of Magic Kingdom, EPCOT, and Animal Kingdom, one park is in for a wildly busy time in less than two months.
The world loves Star Wars, and for good reason. The epic space opera put forth from the mind of George Lucas back in the 70s brought with it tales of Sith Lords like Darth Vader, spicy princesses like Leia Organa (Carrie Fisher), and honorable Jedi such as Obi Wan Kenobi (Ewan McGregor).
Star Wars, possibly the most recognizable franchise in the history of film, is beloved by millions. Hence why, Disney wasted no time snatching up the intellectual property once George Lucas put it up for sale.
Since then, Disney has produced three sequel films besides Lucas’s New Hope (1977), Empire Strikes Back (1980), Return of the Jedi (1983), Phantom Menace (1999), Attack of the Clones (2002), and Revenge of the Sith (2005).
Although many have had qualms with Disney’s version of Star Wars, including animated series like Young Jedi Adventures (2023) and new Disney+ shows like Ahsoka (2023) and The Mandalorian (2019), the popularity of the franchise is certainly not waning.
With fandom surrounding Star Wars at an all-time high, fans have unofficially adopted May the Fourth as Star Wars Day! Of course, with Disney World, specifically Hollywood Studios, and Disneyland both building a massive, immersive theme park to celebrate the stories and characters from a galaxy far, far away, there’s no better place to celebrate Star Wars Day than in Galaxy’s Edge.
However, although Star Wars Day, celebrated on May the Fourth, will bring with it plenty of rapid intergalactic fans of lightsabers, Jedi and Sith, Princess Leia, Boba Fett, and Luke Skywalker, more casual fans of the franchise may want to sit this one out.
May the Fourth, unofficially, is Star Wars Day at Disney World. We have already seen park availability at Disney’s Hollywood Studios booked up for Annual Passholders.
In a park that’s already incredibly popular, thanks to attractions like Rise of the Resistance, Star Wars Day will bring with it record crowds, extremely long wait times, and shoulder-to-shoulder traffic. Waits for attractions such as Rise can be expected to hit the three-hour mark, if not higher, while the rest of the park will surely suffer over-crowding thanks to the Star Wars Day festivities.
For those who are extreme fans of Star Wars, a Star Wars Day spent at Disney’s Hollywood Studios may be a dream come true. Still, for others, it could be a walking nightmare of sweaty guests, bumper-to-bumper foot traffic, and exhausted availability of rides and other attractions.
So, you’ve been warned. If you already have tickets and plan to visit Hollywood Studios on May the Fourth, and the intergalactic space opera isn’t really your thing, maybe skipping Star Wars Day is a good idea. If the lore of delicious Star Wars inspired treats and exclusive merch is too tempting to ignore and you do decide to brave the crowds, May the Fourth (force) Be With You!