I Spent MAY THE 4TH at Star Wars Galaxy's Edge!

Last year, I attended an International Press Event at Walt Disney World where I got to spend May the 4th in Star Wars: Galaxy's Edge! Watch as I share my story and see the whole reaction in real time!

May the 4th, Disney Magic, and My First Visit to Galaxy’s Edge

There are Disney days… and then there are the kinds of Disney days that permanently etch themselves into your brain like the opening crawl of a Star Wars movie.

Last year, on May the 4th, I was fortunate enough to be invited as part of the first international press group returning to Walt Disney World after reopening. I attended on behalf of CGM, and while the entire trip was incredible, one day in particular still feels unreal when I think about it.

Because at the very end of that day, after Disney’s Hollywood Studios had officially closed to the public, I was about to walk into Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge for the very first time.

On May the 4th.

At night.

With only a couple hundred people in the park.

Yeah. My brain never stood a chance.

Rewind to May 3rd

Before we get to Batuu, we need to rewind to the day before.

The first thing that struck me after arriving at Walt Disney World was just how genuinely kind Disney Cast Members and staff are. I know this was a press event, but honestly, every single visit I’ve ever had at Disney has been filled with people going out of their way to make things special.

That first evening there was a welcome reception for media attendees. I barely knew anybody outside of the PR people who invited me, so naturally I gravitated toward a couple other Canadian press members because, well, shared homeland survival instincts.

Then a guy walked over and introduced himself as Jeff.

He asked, “You’re that streaming guy, aren’t you?”

Which felt wildly generous considering I was, and still am, a very small creator. I explained that I mostly write about streaming equipment and tech, and suddenly we were deep into a conversation about how Disney could use streaming for events and experiences.

We talked for about twenty minutes. Other people joined in. It was lively, fun, and incredibly relaxed.

Then Jeff wandered off.

About half an hour later, a voice came over the PA system:

“Please welcome Jeff Vahle, President of Walt Disney World Resort.”

…Excuse me?

So the guy I had just casually been chatting with about streaming technology was literally the President of Walt Disney World Resort.

And the thing that stood out most was how approachable he was. He didn’t talk at people. He talked with people. Anyone who’s met him says the same thing, and honestly, it still blows my mind when I think about it.

Also, somewhere in the middle of all this, I ate tiny bacon-wrapped hot dogs that I remember with alarming emotional clarity.

A Beautiful Disney Gesture

I was lucky enough to bring my wife Carrie along for the trip, and during a conversation with one of our PR reps, Alyssa, we casually mentioned that we were coming up on our 15th wedding anniversary.

We also mentioned that we had honeymooned at Walt Disney World back in 2007.

Later that night, we returned to our hotel room to find a little anniversary surprise waiting for us.

Nothing enormous. Nothing extravagant.

Just one of those thoughtful Disney touches that quietly reminds you why people become emotionally attached to these places in the first place.

Alyssa and Natalie, our PR reps for the trip, were unbelievable the entire time. There was so much happening constantly that I occasionally felt like a confused NPC wandering through a quest hub, and they somehow kept all of us moving smoothly from event to event.

And with that, we rolled into May the 4th.

The Day Begins

The morning started peacefully enough.

We were staying at Disney’s BoardWalk Inn, and before the chaos began, we sat near the water with a light breakfast enjoying the calm. It was the eye of the hurricane before the day turned into a full-speed Disney whirlwind.

The schedule was packed.

We attended a press event showcasing all the Walt Disney World 50th Anniversary celebration offerings, from food to merchandise. We did a photo op with Mickey Mouse. I filmed a ton of footage because my original plan was to make one giant documentary-style video covering the entire four-day experience.

Then disaster struck.

Half my footage corrupted.

Gone.

Vanished into the digital abyss like Alderaan.

It was heartbreaking, but thankfully all the work I needed for CGM was safe. The articles were written, the social content was delivered, and professionally everything was accomplished.

Still hurts though.

Somewhere in an alternate universe, there’s a glorious 30-minute Disney epic sitting on a hard drive that survived.

Drawn to Life at Disney Springs

Later that day, we headed to Disney Springs to see Drawn to Life, the Cirque du Soleil show created in partnership with Disney.

If you’ve never seen a Cirque show before, fix that immediately.

I’ve seen several over the years, including La Nouba back when it was at Disney Springs, along with a bunch in Las Vegas, and they’re consistently spectacular.

But Drawn to Life hit differently.

The show centers heavily around family, imagination, and parent-child relationships, which lands with extra force once you become a parent yourself. Especially when you’re at Disney without your kids.

I absolutely did not cry.

The moisture near my eyes was clearly aggressive air conditioning.

Hollywood Studios and a Special Dinner

After some more time exploring Magic Kingdom, we headed over to Disney’s Hollywood Studios.

Because we arrived early, we got to ride Mickey & Minnie’s Runaway Railway, which was my first trackless ride experience ever.

The technology blew me away immediately. It’s easy to understand why Disney is leaning so heavily into trackless systems because it opens the door to ride movements and transitions that feel almost dreamlike.

Then came dinner.

And not just any dinner.

We were brought onto the actual Indiana Jones Epic Stunt Spectacular set floor for a special press buffet event.

There we were, surrounded by food, Disney characters, live entertainment, and an acapella group performing while sitting in the middle of one of Hollywood Studios’ most iconic shows.

Somewhere during dinner, we found out that Jodi Benson was there.

One person at our table nervously went to meet her and came back in tears because Ariel had been her favorite Disney princess growing up.

And that’s the thing about Disney.

No matter how professional the environment is, no matter how old you are, eventually Disney reaches over and presses the giant glowing “inner child” button hiding in your chest.

Everybody becomes a kid again.

At some point during all this, I texted Carrie a photo of the incredible food spread.

She responded:

“For dinner I had two margaritas and a pizza.”

Honestly? Strong counterattack.

Finally Entering Galaxy’s Edge

Then it happened.

Hollywood Studios officially closed to the public, and our group was guided toward Galaxy’s Edge.

The Cast Members taking care of us knew I was a massive Star Wars fan, and they also knew this was my first visit. They seemed almost as excited to watch my reaction as I was to actually experience it.

Walking toward Batuu felt surreal.

You could see lightsabers glowing in the distance while May the 4th celebrations echoed through the night air. It was still brutally hot outside, even after sunset, and I remember rambling into the vlog camera mostly to stop myself from completely short-circuiting emotionally.

And then we crossed the threshold.

The transition from Hollywood Studios into Black Spire Outpost is astonishing. One moment you’re in a Disney park.

The next moment… Star Wars exists.

Not “inspired by.” Not themed after.

Exists.

The Millennium Falcon appeared in front of me and my brain essentially blue-screened.

There’s no elegant way to describe that feeling.

Imagine the most important thing from your childhood suddenly materializing in physical form around you. Every sound, every texture, every tiny detail layered together into something impossibly immersive.

I remember standing there completely overwhelmed while trying to narrate coherent thoughts into the camera.

I failed magnificently.

And then came the final blow:

Rise of the Resistance.

On May the 4th.

With almost no wait.

I was sweating through my clothes, emotionally overloaded, and operating on pure adrenaline by that point.

Absolute perfection.

Final Thoughts

The funny thing is that this wasn’t even the main reason I went to Walt Disney World on that trip.

I was there to cover the 50th Anniversary celebration and review Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind.

But when I think back on that visit, this single day rises above almost everything else.

Not because it was flashy.

Not because it was exclusive.

But because it felt genuinely magical from beginning to end.

From the kindness of Cast Members, to surprise anniversary gestures, to emotional Disney moments, to finally stepping into Galaxy’s Edge after years of waiting, it became one of those rare days you know instantly you’ll remember forever.

And honestly, that’s probably why people keep going back to Disney Parks in the first place.

We’re all chasing that one unforgettable day.