Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge at Disneyland and Disney’s Hollywood Studios offers an immersive experience for fans to build their own custom astromech droid at Droid Depot. With high demand and limited capacity, many guests wonder how far in advance they need to plan to reserve a spot at this popular activity.
When Does Droid Depot Open?
Droid Depot opens each day when Galaxy’s Edge opens to the public:
- Disneyland: Opens at 8:00am daily
- Disney’s Hollywood Studios: Opens at 9:00am daily
The depot stays open until park closing each night. You can find the park hours on the My Disney Experience app or the Disneyland website.
Droid Depot Reservations
You can make reservations up to 60 days in advance if you are staying at a Disneyland Resort hotel. For day guests, reservations open up at 7:00am PST each day for that day’s spots.
Here are the steps to make reservations:
- Log into your Disney account
- Search for “Droid Depot” in the My Day section of the Disneyland app
- Select your party size and desired time
- Confirm your reservation
You can have up to 6 people in your droid building party. Each person builds one droid to take home. Same-day reservations are limited and go quickly, so booking as soon as possible is recommended.
Standby Availability
If reservations are full, you can try waiting in the standby line. There is no guarantee of availability though, since all spots could be taken by reservations.
Tips for standby:
- Arrive very early – right at park opening
- Ask a cast member if there has been any standby availability that day
- Keep checking the app for any cancellations that open up reservations
- Go on a weekday if possible for lighter crowds
- Avoid peak seasons like summer and holidays when crowds are high
Standby lines are typically much shorter in the final hours before closing. But keep in mind the experience takes about 45 minutes to 1 hour to build a droid, so arriving too late runs the risk of not having enough time before the park closes.
Virtual Queue
When demand exceeds capacity, Disneyland may implement a virtual queue system for Droid Depot instead of standby. This allows you to sign up for a boarding group on the app and come back at your assigned time.
Tips for using the virtual queue:
- Select Droid Depot as one of your top priorities for boarding groups right at park opening.
| Time Slot | Description |
|---|---|
| 7:00 to 7:59am | Regular park opening time – access Galaxy’s Edge with reservation or entering from certain hotels. |
| 8:00am | Park opens to remaining hotel guests and general public with valid admission. This is when you can join the virtual queue on the app. |
| 10:00am to 11:00am | Typical 1-hour return window for virtual queue boarding group. Check your app for your actual assigned time. |
- Link your tickets and Disney account ahead of time so you can quickly join the virtual queue right at 8am.
- Have everyone in your group try for a boarding group on their own devices.
- Keep checking for people who cancel their boarding groups. You may be able to join later in the day.
Extra Magic Hours
If you are eligible for early admission or extra magic hours at Disneyland, take full advantage! Droid Depot opens during the early entry hour giving you first access before regular park opening. This can greatly increase your chances of reserving a spot or having shorter standby waits.
These guests can access Droid Depot early:
- Disneyland Resort hotel guests
- Magic Key holders with the Dream or Believe tiers
- Guests booking special early park admission tickets
Check the park hours calendar for when Disneyland has scheduled early admission or extra magic hours. Typically it’s 1-2 days per week, and more frequently during busier seasons.
Droid Costs
Building a custom droid is not included with your park ticket. It is an add-on experience with these costs per droid:
- BB Unit Droid: $99.99
- R Unit Droid: $99.99
- Personality Chip Accessories: $14.99 each
Payment can be made by credit card, Disney gift card, or Apple Pay. Note that annual passholder and other discounts do not apply for Droid Depot. The total cost for a droid with personality chip is $114.98 plus tax.
Tips for Booking Droid Depot
Here are some top tips for successfully reserving a spot at Droid Depot:
- Book your reservation online at 60 days in advance if staying at a Disneyland Resort hotel.
- Check for reservation availability the morning of your visit right at 7:00am PST if staying off-site.
- Link tickets and accounts ahead of time if needing to join a virtual queue.
- Take advantage of early admission with valid theme park admission and eligible hotel stay.
- Be flexible – if not able to reserve your desired time, keep checking back for cancellations.
- Have a backup plan such as mobile ordering a blue milk or building a lightsaber if Droid Depot is unavailable.
- Consider a weekday visit for lower crowds and less competition for reservations.
Is It Worth It?
For big Star Wars fans, building your own custom droid is an incredibly unique and immersive experience that makes a visit to Galaxy’s Edge truly unforgettable. The high level of interactivity and personalization with the droids may be worth the effort of securing an advance reservation.
That said, the add-on cost can be hard to justify for some guests. Spending over $100 for a droid toy may not seem reasonable compared to other theme park souvenirs. If you won’t get much extended enjoyment from the droid or budget is a major factor, you may be just as satisfied exploring Galaxy’s Edge without this experience.
After weighing the pros and cons, decide how much effort you want to put in to reserve Droid Depot. For many fans who dream of customizing their own R2 or BB unit, the chance to build a personalized droid makes it absolutely worth any planning needed to book a slot on their Disneyland trip.
Conclusion
Booking Droid Depot takes advance planning due to its popularity and limited capacity. Reservations open up 60 days out for Disneyland hotel guests, and each morning at 7:00am for day visitors. Standby may be available but isn’t guaranteed. A virtual queue boarding group system can help when demand exceeds capacity. Extra magic hours provide early access for eligible guests. Cost per droid is $99.99 plus accessories. Weigh the time and effort needed to reserve Droid Depot versus the unique experience of building your own customized Star Wars droid. With smart planning, you can secure a reservation on your next Disneyland trip and make unforgettable memories bringing home your very own droid unit.
