Savi's Workshop @ Disneyland. Build a lightsaber!
DETAILS:
Location: Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge - Disneyland. 1313 Disneyland Dr, Anaheim, CA 92802
Hours of Operation: Savi’s Workshop - Daily: 9AM to 10:30PM
Parking: Paid parking lots available around Disneyland
Cost: $199 plus tax (which totals approximately $220)
Time Commitment: Approximately 20 minutes. Add another 15-20 minutes to check-in and wait for your experience to begin.
Miscellaneous:
Online reservations are strongly suggested (which you can make via the website below under “resources”). Limited walk-ups possible, but based on availability.
Credit card info must be provided for online reservations.
Cancellations must be made at least one day prior to your reservation to avoid a cancellation fee which is the full amount of the lightsaber experience.
Each lightsaber builder is allowed to bring one guest into the experience.
Each lightsaber comes with a carrying case and a collectible cloisonné pin (based on the theme of your lightsaber).
The finished lightsaber is approximately 42” (give or take an inch based on your customization).
At Savi’s Workshop, four themes (Peace & Justice, Power & Control, Protection & Defense, and Elemental Nature) are currently available to build your custom lightsaber from. This shouldn’t be confused with the “Legacy Lightsabers” that can be purchased at Dok-Ondar's Den of Antiquities (also in Galaxy’s Edge) which are ready-made replicas of lightsabers belonging to various Star Wars characters like Luke Skywalker, Darth Vader, and Asajj Ventress.
Without sounding too obvious, you need to purchase admission into Disneyland in order to access Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge.
If you’re reading this article, I have a strong hunch that you’ve probably swung around an imaginary lightsaber while making “schvrmmmmmmm” sounds at least once in your life… or a few thousand if you’re a Star Wars nerd like me. After all, few images are more iconic in pop culture than that of Luke Skywalker wielding his trusty blue (and sometimes green) plasma blade. #TeamLuke forever! And while the ability to buy replica lightsabers of varying quality have been around for years, you now have the chance to build your very own custom lightsaber at Savi’s Workshop which can be found in the newly opened (as of Summer 2019) Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge at Disneyland.
Building a lightsaber at Savi’s Workshop is an immersive experience that drops you smack-dab into the Star Wars universe, so much so that if you ask any one of the cast members working at Galaxy’s Edge where Savi’s Workshop is, they’ll immediately hush you and direct you to the location in secrecy for fear of being caught by any of the First Order Stormtroopers patrolling the area. Role-playing at its finest! The story behind Savi’s Workshop is based on the premise that you’ve made your way to a covert workshop run by a clandestine group who call themselves the “Gatherers”. Under constant risk of being discovered by the First Order, the Gatherers search the universe for ancient artifacts and rare pieces, some of which can be used to construct your very own lightsaber! The Gatherers also serve as instructors and historians as they help you construct your unique blade while sharing stories of its proud legacy with you.
You’ll begin your experience by checking-in to your reserved time slot (or walk-up opening if you’re lucky). This is where you’ll choose the theme of your custom hilt. There are currently four themes to select from; Peace & Justice (the makings of a traditional Jedi lightsaber), Power & Control (which draws inspiration from the dark side), Protection & Defense (a callback to the Old Republic) and Elemental Nature (featuring the option of a Rancor tooth, this choice seems almost Game of Thrones-ish). They’ll have each theme on display so that you can closely examine each before making your decision. This’ll be the part that you most agonize over, but I promise that you can’t go wrong with any of them. I ultimately went with Protection & Defense. Once you’ve selected the theme of your hilt and finished the business of paying (which momentarily takes you out of the moment), you’ll be presented with an admission pass and a collectible cloisonné pin which is based on the theme of your lightsaber. Since your time slot is secured via a reservation system, you won’t have to wait very long to enter Savi’s Workshop (15-20 minutes max).
Before you know it, you’ll be ushered into Savi’s Workshop by the Gatherers where your experience truly begins. The workshop is very intimate, accommodating only 16 lightsaber builders and guests (each builder is allowed to bring one guest with them to watch). After a brief introduction by the Gatherers, you’ll be given the opportunity to select your own kyber crystal which will determine the color of your blade. You can choose between violet, blue, green & red. I went with violet. In case you’re worried about second guessing this selection, here’s a pro tip: you can buy additional kyber crystals at Dok-Ondar's Den of Antiquities (also in Galaxy’s Edge) to make your lightsaber any color you desire for the reasonable price of $12.99 each. Later on, I purchased an additional white and yellow kyber crystal to go along with the violet one I selected.
With your kyber crystal finally in hand, the Gatherers then provide you with your themed-selected hilt and its building components. Even within one theme, you’ll have multiple options to customize your hilt with. So your lightsaber will still look different even from those using the same theme. The hilt is comprised of 5 parts, each part giving you several options to choose from. These pieces are made of impressive die-cast metals which was a pleasant surprise since many of the pictures I had seen beforehand made the hilts look almost plastic. Thankfully, Disney did not skimp on the manufacturing here, nor should they for the steep price tag. With a little ingenuity and assistance from the Gatherers, you’ll complete your custom hilt in about 10-15 minutes. Regardless of whichever permutation you finished with, the hilt you’ve constructed will not disappoint. In case you’re wondering, you don’t get to keep any of the parts that you didn’t use during the build. Thanks to its die-cast metal pieces, the hilt has some considerable heft which only helps further the illusion of gripping a real lightsaber.
Then comes the pièce de résistance to the entire experience. With great pop & circumstance accompanied by a familiar soundtrack and glowing lights overhead representative of each kyber crystal, the Gatherers collect each hilt and place them into the chamber sitting in front of you in order to join it with its blade. After one last soliloquy by the lead Gatherer, you are instructed to turn your lightsabers on as a group. I can’t even begin to describe the goosebumps I felt as my lightsaber sprung to life in a magnificent hue of illuminated purple. It’s the closest I’ll ever get to being a Jedi, but that’s good enough for me. While the cost will definitely put a dent in your wallet, it’s well worth it for any Star Wars fan because of the totality of the experience and it’s something I won’t soon forget. Of all the amazing things we saw and witnessed at Galaxy’s Edge, my time in Savi’s Workshop absolutely tops the list!
