John Williams Music Coming to Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge
Disney is finally making several changes to Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge that fans have been begging for since the land first debuted in 2019. One of those is the long-overdue addition of scores from legendary composer John Williams. This post shares full details about the soundtrack, and when you can expect to start hearing music in SWGE.
There have been two things conspicuously “missing” from Star Wars land since its launch, both of which were purposeful. And not coincidentally, both are being added with the changes to Galaxy’s Edge in Spring 2026. The first of those is Darth Vader, who has not appeared in Batuu because he is (spoiler alert) dead during the current timeframe of Batuu.
The other is background music from the Star Wars films by composer John Williams. Since opening, Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge has instead heavily utilized diegetic sound, creating immersion by featuring sounds originating from the things that actually exist within the land. It has eschewed a traditional score because Batuu is supposed to be a real, lived-in place and in life unlike movies, there’s no swooping score when you walk through a space. Or at least, that’s been the excuse up until now.
While the lack of an iconic score from John Williams in most areas of the land has been a disappointing and conspicuous omission, the soundscape of Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge has been an unexpected surprise. When there’s action happening, it’s like the entire land is inside a Dolby Atmos theater.
You hear droids communicating with one another, the bass of ships taking off, aliens conversing in their native tongues above Black Spire Outpost, music spilling out of the cantina, and the relaxing sounds of nature back in the Resistance Forest.
The biggest problem with the organic soundscape is that there simply isn’t enough of it. There are too many times when it feels like the land is eerily silent, and that’s when something is noticeably missing. At least, until now. All of that is about to change…
Star Wars Land Timeline Shift at Disneyland in April 2026
Beginning in April 2026, changes are coming to Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge at Disneyland, with new storylines, characters, and other changes. These updates to Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge will enable visitors to experience even more of the eras of the franchise at Disneyland (Batuu West).
New storylines will be brought to life on Batuu West, spanning multiple eras of the planet’s rich history starting April 29, 2026. These updates will enable you to experience the Galactic Civil War and New Republic, as well as the Age of the Resistance and First Order.
Black Spire Outpost will roll back in time several decades, thoughtfully introducing beloved characters from across the Star Wars timeline, new props and graphics in some areas, musical selections from Star Wars film scores throughout the land and more. Speaking of the music…
Hear John Williams Music in Star Wars Land
As you take in the towering remains of petrified trees that create the skyline of Batuu, you’ll be further transported into the world of Star Wars with the addition of beloved scores from legendary composer John Williams, pulling themes from the first six films.
Passing through the tunnels of Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge, the iconic “Main Title” and “Force Theme” will beckon you to a galaxy far, far away. As you wander through the land, you’ll hear motifs from other classic tracks including “Han Solo and the Princess,” “The Desert and the Robot Auction,” “The Emperor” and more.
And of course, the lively tune “Cantina Band” will be heard from within Oga’s Cantina.
Imagineering worked with composer John Williams and his team, and the result is a soundtrack for Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge that features rearrangements of his classic work, weaved together with the original scores from the first two trilogies of Star Wars films.
This actually is not the first time John Williams has done music for Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge. Back when the land first debuted, Williams and Disney released the “Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge Symphonic Suite.” That ended up winning Best Instrumental Composition at the Grammy awards in 2020.
If you’ve never heard the “Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge Symphonic Suite” (or have but it’s been ~7 years and you’ve forgotten), here’s a first/second listen:
Back when the land first opened, there were rumors that John Williams had already prepared a full soundtrack for the land that just wasn’t used. It’s unclear whether or not that was accurate, and Imagineering is now dusting off something on the shelf from 2019 or if this is brand-new.
It seems to us that if it were brand-new, there would probably be a lot more fanfare about it, highlighting recording sessions with Williams and his team. Whenever new music is prepared for the parks these days, we usually get a behind-the-scenes video sharing a glimpse at its making.
Perhaps that’s still to come; there are several months between this announcement and introduction. Or maybe whatever filming (etc.) done at the time would show obvious signs of datedness, and Disney doesn’t want to fan the flames on speculation about last-minute changes or disagreements over the creative direction of the land.
Our Commentary
Obviously, we’re on board with this change. We say obviously because…isn’t everyone? (Scratch that; there’s never consensus among Disney or Star Wars fans.) Or rather, aren’t 98% of you on board?
As we’ve said regularly and repeatedly, the most glaring and easily fixable problem in Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge is the lack of background music. The soundscape of Batuu is delightful and creates something of a lived-in atmosphere, but not including a soaring John Williams score sets it back.
There’s a reason the Star Wars scores are so iconic, and the films would feel a lot flatter with those removed, and only sound effects in their place. Same goes for Galaxy’s Edge. When you walk into the land, it just feels like something is missing. Even if you can’t quite put your finger on it, that something (or one of those things) is the swooping score.
I get why Imagineering originally opted for only an organic, diegetic soundscape on Batuu. I strongly disagree with the decision and think it should’ve been obvious to them they made a mistake within 10 minutes of entering the land during soft openings. But I get the (very misguided) direction they were coming from.
Not having background music in a theme park land because there wouldn’t be music at random if Batuu were an actual planet is a bridge too far. Batuu probably also wouldn’t have public restrooms, drinking fountains, outdoor vending carts selling Coca-Cola, or credit card readers. Yet all of those things are accepted as the practical realities of existing in an operational theme park.
When it comes to these intrusions, the threshold question should be whether the average guest (not the hardcore Star Wars fan in search of thematic or storytelling inconsistencies or “plot holes”) would easily notice them and if they’d ruin the illusion. Would certain additions impede the suspension of disbelief or enhance the overall experience and atmosphere?
In the case of a John Williams score, the answer is a no-brainer. This will be an unequivocal improvement that no normal person would question. It would give the land a greater sense of energy and exhilaration, and make it feel more “Star Wars-y,” which is critical for the sake of authenticity since it’s an original planet.
Disney has had a tough time selling Batuu as part of the Star Wars universe to fans who would prefer Tatooine or a recognizable location. Introducing John Williams’ scores should help. Same goes for fan-favorite characters like Darth Vader, Luke & Leia, and Han Solo.
But honestly, I think the simplicity of a score is bigger than the characters. I’m actually surprised this didn’t happen within the first month of opening Galaxy’s Edge, when the land was underperforming expectations. There have been rumors (or wishful speculation?) since then that Disney was considering a soft reboot, and I’m surprised that–at minimum–there wasn’t John Williams music added when Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance opened. Or as a “test” during Star Wars Nites to see how fans would react.
Theme park fans routinely compare Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge to the Wizarding World(s) of Harry Potter at Universal, in particular the original Hogsmeade that’s been cloned at multiple parks, including Universal Studios Hollywood.
This has always been a funny comparison to me, because there’s certainly some truth to it. Hogsmeade is the template for the modern single-IP theme park land, and so much of what’s been done since is the direct result of Harry Potter’s success. This includes Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge, but over a decade before that, it also includes Cars Land and other lands that Disney has done.
If anything, Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge strikes me as a deliberate break from the Wizarding World of Harry Potter mold. They’re both single-IP lands, of course, but there are a lot of little ways Imagineering rejected that template, almost obstinately so, for the sake of differentiation. One is the original location for Batuu, another is the characters that are and aren’t featured. But the biggest of all is the background music.
Walk into the Wizarding World of Harry Potter, and you are immediately enveloped in the iconic, swooping scores from the films. The music lifts you up, and makes you feel like you’re a main character in that universe. I have zero emotional attachment to Harry Potter, but the music is still somehow incredibly impactful. It’s emotional, inspiring–I don’t even know. It makes me feel as if I’m soaring.
There’s nothing that’s completely analogous in Disneyland. The closest lands that come to mind are New Orleans Square, Grizzly Peak, and Cars Land. And all of them are still very different. The best example of something else that makes me feel like I’m soaring is, unironically, Soarin’.
Imagine that without the music. It would lose so much of the impact, and cease to be the same level of multi-sensory experience. You’d probably lose some suspension of disbelief, despite it being “more real” since flying over those locations in real life would’ve involve a score.
Ultimately, it’s still kind of crazy to me that Imagineers undoubtedly experienced the Wizarding World of Harry Potter and heard that score upon entering the land, had their own version of that on the table for Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge, and decided against it. That they instead used Mysterious Island as the template (arguably the bigger inspiration for Batuu than Harry Potter) for the soundscape. Crazier still that Disney stuck to that decision for the next 6+ years.
The introduction of iconic scores from John Williams is going to be a game-changer for Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge. This is a little thing, but it’s going to make a massive difference, giving the land a new cinematic quality that will lift it to new heights. This might seem like hyperbole to anyone who hasn’t visited the Potter lands at Universal, but for those who have, it’s probably impossible to overstate the difference this one small change will make.
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YOUR THOUGHTS
Are you excited to hear the iconic scores from John Williams in Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge? Are you surprised that it’s taken this long to introduce themes from the films into the land’s background music? Do you think Walt Disney World will follow suit with this change? Agree or disagree with our assessment of Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge? Any questions? Hearing your feedback–even when you disagree with us–is both interesting to us and helpful to other readers, so please share your thoughts below in the comments!
I’ll add my voice of also being torn on this. The soundscapes now are really relaxing and help me recover VS the energizing music in the rest of the park. However, I do really like the soundtracks in Epic Universe’s lands, so I think it could be good? Best of both worlds if one coast keeps the old while the other gets the new.
I cannot wait to hear the John Williams scores in Galaxy’s Edge! I remember taking my children to Hollywood Studios during Star Wars Weekends and it was amazing to hear the iconic music along with seeing all of the characters! The parades were fantastic, my son was part of the group of padawans that led the parade, unforgettable!
It’s pretty wild that WDI, apparently the top tier creative talent in the industry, failed to understand how fundamental music is to the theme park experience, let alone for a franchise with some of the most iconic scores in American film history. Major props for acknowledging the misstep but it shouldn’t have taken six years to happen.
I really wonder if there’s more to the story. Maybe this is just a matter of creatives getting carried away and taking things too far in the name of thematic integrity.
It’s also possible there’s something we don’t know. Perhaps an accountant came along at the last minute and determined the royalties would be too costly; maybe something was amiss with the contracts for the scores, their usage rights, etc. and legal shut it down.
I have no clue–just presenting some potential possibilities. Otherwise, it’s very odd that it took this long to resolve something that was obvious to 98% of people with ears nearly 7 years ago.
I am not sure this is all good. I guess it depends on deployment. Williams’ main themes are so strident that I think they would take me out of Batuu vibes. I *love* the ambient sounds, THE RADIO STATION that plays in the bathrooms, and most especially the magical, transportive soft theme music in the tunnels as you enter Galaxy’s Edge. I literally ripped a 45-minute loop of it and play it in my car when driving through the countryside to our preferred lake.
Cantina Band at Oga’s is a must. I wouldn’t mind if stormtroopers had hidden speakers to play the Imperial March as they escort Vader. I wouldn’t mind Rey’s Theme playing when she’s out fixing the Falcon. I definitely would love the main theme as you triumphantly exit Rise or Smuggler’s. But the more bombastic, iconic themes don’t suit chilling through the marketplace. Leia’s Theme or Across the Stars could be repurposed, reconfigured for that area, I guess. I’m interested to see what they choose to do, but I mourn the sounds I like that might be lost. I’m still looking for a good copy of the Batuu radio broadcast.
I was just at WDW this weekend on vacation so this is super fresh in my mind. While in Galaxy’s Edge I specifically noticed and disliked the lack of Star Wars music!! WDW’S GALAXY’S EDGE NEEDS THE JOHN WILLIAMS MUSIC TOO!
There were times during my visit that it was almost completely silent. Silence, tons of concrete, and no kinetic action. And no music. It was not appealing.
I appreciate ambient boops and beeps, but they were inaudible in most spots. It just felt dead and dull. I saw one character walking about, and he didn’t really stop for interactions. At one point I was *trying* to hear the ambient sounds, so I went and stood alone in a hidden corner to try and hear better. It makes no sense.
WDW’s Galaxy’s Edge needs an overhaul. JW music and more frequent appearances/shows with recognizable characters (for us casual SW fans) would be a small but good start.
Why does Mysterious Island at TDS work with ambient noise but not SWGE? Is it just that they have more ambient noise all around?
IMO it comes down to the vibe they’re trying to achieve. Mysterious Island is supposed to be ominous; like you’re on an ill-fated expedition to an uncharted area. Galaxy’s Edge has shades of that, but at the same time, it’s more lighthearted. And it’s based on a space opera with a great score.
I’d also add that the soundscape is just flat-out better in Mysterious Island, and there’s way more kinetic energy to begin with. The land benefits from the eerie ambient noise because it doesn’t need a soaring soundtrack to spice things up.
That’s just my take, though. Maybe Mysterious Island would also benefit from a score, and I just can’t imagine what that would sound like because there’s not an obvious choice, as is the case with Star Wars. (I really don’t think so, though–it’s such a great land.)
Hi Tom. Is this only coming to CA and not FL?
Just CA for now.
The article refers to “Disneyland” and “Batuu West”. The only mention of WDW is at the end under “YOUR THOUGHTS”:
“Do you think Walt Disney World will follow suit with this change?”
Adding music from the films is a great choice. I think that maybe their experience with Pandora also colored this decision. Pandora was the first Disney are without music and it worked well there, so they repeated with SW:GE. James Horner is a top-tier composer and I think Pandora might also be better with some of his music, but John Williams stands alone.
I guess I’m part of that 2%? I love the ambient stuff in Galaxy’s Edge *deeply.* Watching people look up when they heard something “fly over” was actual magic to me. Still, I get it. I’m in the minority on this one.
Now, fill all of those performance spaces around the land with action and that’ll get me truly hyped.
Absolutely. Check out Batuu East for the true SWGE experience. The cast still hold on to theming and living in the world. And the ambiance really sells the reality of the world.
Adding movie music cheapens in. Bringing in characters from other time periods also breaks it. The fun is getting placed in a real moment in time. Would I have preferred a different time period? Yes. But what we got, at least still in Florida, is the only good thing to come from the sequels
This is fantastic news!!! I hardly spend any time in Galaxy’s Edge right now because it’s so depressing without the score. Can’t wait to finally get the full experience! I literally screamed when I saw this post.