Take a closer look at the development of Galaxy’s Edge

Barrons.com take a look at Galaxy’s Edge, including a dive into the rides we can expect to see and the retail outlets and bars that will be scattered around the hotly anticipated park expansion. It also looks at the measures the construction team are going to to ensure the park looks as authentic as possible.

At the Disneyland site, major structures are in place. Walkways and interiors are unfinished, although key set pieces are installed at the attractions. Each land will be 14 acres, compared with 12 acres for Radiator Springs Racers in Disneyland’s sister park, California Adventure.

At the Disneyland site, there are about 600 workers now, down from a peak of 1,000 to 1,100. During our visit, one team was preparing to weld joints and seams to cover screw heads on the Millennium Falcon, which was recently assembled from the contents of 93 crates. Another was lifting an ornamental radar dish to a control tower. Another was attending to the ceiling in Oga’s.

Access to the construction site is strictly controlled; some key executives say their family members haven’t been able to visit. Laborers are told background stories of the areas they build to help instill pride in the work. Visitors will see distant, petrified tree forms that were designed using trees in Southern California for inspiration. For real trees, a team of horticulturalists has taken pains to choose and obtain—and protect—particular species. One sign for the crew on a potted tree awaiting transplanting read, “The cost to replace this tree is $9,000. Please respect all trees and keep this area clean.”

The article looks at retail units, cantinas and more ahead of its opening in Disneyland, most likely in June followed by Disney World later in the year.