14 Tips for Your First Star Wars Nite at Disneyland
Whether you’re a Star Wars fan or not, for a few select nights in Disneyland each April and May, Star Wars Nite is a great time full of fun and surprises. Think Star Wars characters, Star Wars themed food, and entertainment options that include a Galactic DJ Party Zone. Here are some top tips so you know what to expect and so that you can make the most of your first Star Wars Nite at Disneyland!
If your first Star Wars Nite coincides with your first Disneyland Park trip (or the first in a while), be sure to grab my guide with the 12 Things to Plan for a (practically) Perfect Disneyland Trip! For now, let’s get with the force!
1. Star Wars Nite starts at 8 pm, but you can enter as early as 6 pm.
If you are new to Disneyland After Dark Events, here are some of the basics. The park closes early for the party, but partygoers can enter a few hours early for the “mix-in” time. This is when regular park goers are still in the park, but party guests are also arriving.
For some events, like certain days of Oogie Boogie, mix-in is very busy, but for the first Star Wars Nite of 2025, it was very manageable. This special event is also on the later side, which may impact crowds. Also note that non-event guests with a park hopper ticket will likely hop to the other park, so on Disneyland special event nights like this one, expect Disney California Adventure Park to get busier in the evening and vice versa.
Here is the basic timeline:
6 pm: Party guests may enter (if they don’t already have a regular park day ticket)
8 pm: Disneyland Park closes early for regular guests without an event ticket
1 am: Star Wars Nite ends
2. The app is everything.
Just like during a park day visit, you will use the app a lot. Ahead of your trip, you can get answers to most of your questions, including costume guidelines, entertainment, and photo ops. Scroll across the top where it lists ‘Attractions,’ ‘Dining,’ etc., and go to ‘Events and Tours.’ And, on the day of the event, you can mobile order food, check attraction wait times, etc.
3. You’ll see some costumes, lots of Star Wars t-shirts.
After seeing several influencers’ posts from previous years’ Star Wars Nites and after attending Oogie Boogie Bash, I expected almost everyone in costumes. In reality, at least on the very first Star Wars Nite of 2025, when we were there, it was approximately ¼ to ⅓ of people in costume and almost all of the rest in Star Wars t-shirts. If you’re on the fence, I say dress up! It’s so fun to dress up at Disneyland! Kids love it when you get in on the fun, and adults can only dress in costume during very specific events throughout the year.
4. Review and reference the booklet.
Cast members will give you an event guide booklet as you enter that lists all the specialty food, photo ops, characters & entertainment with photos of the food, entertainment schedule, and a map. Basically, a more specific and in-depth version of what you can find in the app, on the Disney Parks Blog or on Instagram ahead of time.
5. Take advantage of short wait times.
One of the biggest benefits of attending a Disneyland After Dark Event is the short attraction queues. Even if you aren’t that into Star Wars, you might consider Star Wars Nite for this reason alone. And as much as Oogie Boogie reigns king of after-hours events, this is where Disneyland has an extreme advantage. There are so many more attractions at Disneyland than at Disney California Adventure that the crowds can disperse throughout the park, and it has that exclusive party feel.
During the first Star Wars Nite of 2025, almost all attractions had 5 min wait except Peter Pan and the mountains (Big Thunder Mountain Railroad, Matterhorn Bobsleds, Hyperspace Mountain 15-45) and Rise of the Resistance had between a 5-20 minute wait everytime we walked by or checked during the party.
If you aren’t familiar with the park on a regular day, Rise of the Resistance is usually one of the longer wait times and isn’t included in Lightning Lane Multi Pass. The only ways to shorten your wait time on this attraction (aside from pure luck) is to purchase a Lightning Lane Single Pass (typically around $28-$35 per person, per ride), a Lightning Lane Premier Pass ($299-$399 per person, per day), or have a really strong park strategy.
6. Skip Hyperspace Mountain.
But only if you’re doing another park day any time during Season of the Force. This is the busiest ride during the party because Hyperspace Mountain is a Star Wars-themed overlay but it runs during the entirety of Star Wars Season of the Force, not only on Star Wars Nites.
7. Skip the Lightsaber instructional.
The Lightsaber Instructional is in Fantasyland Theater, and it’s a cute concept, but even my kids, who love playing with lightsabers, thought it was boring.
8. Skip Shadows of Memory Show.
This show plays regularly, and it’s very busy during Star Wars Nite, so I recommend catching it another time if possible. If you must view the show during Star Wars Nite, get to Galaxy’s Edge very early to get a spot. If you try to show up right before showtime, cast members are likely to turn you away.
9. Don’t miss A Gathering of the Resistance with Rey (aka the lightsaber meet-up)
This is one of the most unique experiences at Disneyland. I thought it was amazing, and that’s coming from a non-Star Wars fan! Pro Tip: People will gather in front of the Millennium Falcon. Stand near the bottom of the stairs, below Dok Ondar’s Den of Antiquities. It will seem like you’re in the back, but you’ll get the most amazing view when everyone activates their lightsabers.
10. Most of the park is open all night.
Although you can enjoy short wait times throughout most of Disneyland Park, Toontown and the Disneyland Railroad do close early, so prioritize these earlier in your visit if you’d like to enjoy either.
11. Don’t miss the specialty macaron.
If you’re a macaron fan like me, don’t miss the specialty macaron. The 2025 special was a galaxy macaron with caramel buttercream and a brownie center. The menu can vary year-to-year, but in recent years, they have always had a special macaron available only during Star Wars Nite on the menu.
12. Mobile order party food earlier in the day
Most restaurants with mobile order allow orders much earlier in the day, and you don’t need to be in the park to order! It’s a good idea to pre-order any foods you have your heart set on, since some menu items will sell out. Note that on the first Star Wars Nite of 2025, Jolly Holiday Bakery wasn’t accepting early orders before the party started, but they did open mobile ordering once the party started.
13. Prioritize character meet & greets
Expect some fun and rare character meet and greets during Star Wars Nite, but know that the character lines can get very long. That is actually the most common negative review I’ve heard about the party. So, if characters are a priority, have a game plan, get in line early, and expect to wait a while for popular favorites.
14. Don’t pass up special event merchandise
If you find merchandise specific to Star Wars Nite, you might want to act fast. I’ve heard of event-specific items selling out quickly, and some items are only sold during the event, so you might not get another chance during your Disney trip.
May the force (and these tips!) be with you on your first Star Wars Nite!
