- Disney has created a fun, free, interactive game within Galaxy’s Edge.
- With a MagicBand+ and smartphone you can join the Bounty Hunters’ Guild.
- Technology in the band and across the country allows you to explore and find abundance.
One of the best things about visiting the Disney Parks is being immersed in the storyline of whatever park you’re in, and the company is known for going the extra mile. One of the best examples is Galaxy’s Edge, found at Disneyland in California and Disney World in Florida.
The Imagineering arm spared no detail; I mean, you can walk straight to the Millennium Falcon – and pilot it or part of it with Smuggler’s Run – go on a mission in Rise of the Resistance, or just walk around Batuu, spend credits and drink blue or green milk. You might even spot a Wookie, a resistance hero or a Stormtrooper.
One of the more hidden, compelling aspects, however, is the opportunity to become a bounty hunter, much like Mando The Mandalorian. You can use your MagicBand+ with an iPhone or Android app (or just the latter) to join Bounty Hunters’ Guild and roam Batuu in search of bounty.
It’s one of the many benefits of a MagicBand+, which there’s a good chance you’ll already need to gain entry into the park and can use to interact with other aspects of parks, including other attractions, and even create a mini light show during fireworks and parades.
How does this work in Batuu though? When you enter Batuu at Disney World or Disneyland, your MagicBand+ will light up and you’ll need to find a terminal to sign up for the Bounty Hunters’ Guild. You tap the terminal with your band and you are awarded a bounty. From there it’s kind of a treasure hunt – more like a bounty hunt – around the Black Spire Outpost area of Galaxy’s Edge in both parks. When you get close to a place where a bounty could be hiding, your MagicBand+ will light up and vibrate – faster or slower – essentially telling you if you’re hot or cold.
Once you’ve identified an area, take out your iPhone or Android phone and open the ‘Play Disney’ appwhich in turn turns your phone into a Data Pad Scanner that you can scan and see behind doors or walls thanks to its epic technology. Maybe you’ll find the reward you’re looking for and conquer it. This is all possible thanks to AR (augmented reality) overlay on your phone’s camera, but being in the park draws you further into yourself Star Wars story.
It is also an example of how technology is not the focus, but creates a sense of wonder or magic behind the scenes, like Disney Imagineer’s beautiful path to success. Through the power of the technology in wearable sensors that can communicate with sensors across the country – while simultaneously being your ticket to the park, payment, reservation unlock and more – it can also be used to deliver an interactive game.
If you’re at Galaxy’s Edge with a MagicBand+, I’d recommend giving the Bounty Hunters’ Guild a try, and while it may not be as exciting as an actual ride, of which there are two to do, it’s a bit more adventurous because you never know what you will encounter.
After you get some bounty, you can go back to the terminal and see how many credits you can score. And the best? You can get another bounty and explore more of Batuu, and it’s very repeatable, with lots of different bounties to potentially score. And considering Star Wars: Batuu Bounty Hunters first hit the scene in 2022, it’s something of a sleeper hit and makes me wonder what experience could be prepared next.
@jakekrol
♬ Duel of the Fates (from “Star Wars: Episode I – The Phantom Menace”) – Robert Ziegler