One of the newer and most unique souvenir opportunities is building a custom droid at the Droid Depot in Galaxy’s Edge, in both Hollywood Studios at Walt Disney World and Disneyland. Because this is such a unique and highly sought-after activity, I highly recommend having a reservation, as you may not be able to secure a spot as a walk-up. Another thing to keep in mind is what to do with your droid once you’ve made it. This location did not offer resort delivery or front of park pick up. We took advantage of our hopper passes and had my husband return them to the room. If you are cruising after your trip, you may want to check their guidelines for these as well as lightsabers prior to making reservations. As with any other Disney reservation, we recommend you check-in 15 minutes early.
Upon entering the Droid Depot you are given a menu of parts. These droids come in two basic models R2 and BB, and the menu lists all the parts you will need for each model. My girls each made a droid during our visit so that we would have one of each model. Each participant will fill their basket with the parts they will need to assemble their droid.
There are many colors, and slightly different shapes to make your droid unique. Only one person is allowed to accompany the person making the droid and if you have a younger child, they will need an adult to assist them. At least one member of the party must be 14 or older and because these droids are essentially robots, some power tools are used to assemble them. Although there are cast members available to assist, smaller children will need an adult to help them. The minimum age for this experience is 3. The entire process from start to finish took about 20-30 minutes and that included time waiting in line to choose parts.
Included in the price of $99.99 are your choice of droid and remote control. There are personality chips available as well for an additional cost. My girls love their purple BB and red R2 droids. Immediately after purchasing, we went outside where there is a small area to test out your droid with other guests. This is the only area inside the park where you can play with your droid. It is suggested that you carry your droid throughout the rest of Galaxy’s edge so that it can still interact with other droids and objects in Batuu. They do use Bluetooth technology to communicate and interact. This is probably one of their favorite souvenirs as they play with them often.
Audra Bass
Travel Specialist
