Disney has introduced that the fan-favorite BDX “Duckling Droids” are coming to Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge in Hollywood Studios at Walt Disney World, in addition to Tomorrowland in Disneyland Paris and Tokyo Disneyland. This shares the official information, my response to seeing them in particular person, and different commentary concerning the evolution of Star Wars land.
In case you missed it, the Disney Analysis Workforce has been engaged on ‘Duckling Droid’ robots for a couple of years now, and doing playtesting with them within the parks for over a yr. Following that, Imagineering launched the BDX Droids throughout each day operations in Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge at Disneyland throughout final yr’s Season of the Drive, the place they appeared from April 5 via June 2. After that, the droids had been proven once more throughout final yr’s D23 Expo, however to my information, they haven’t executed any main appearances since.
The BDX robots are able to an infinite quantity of expression in its child-size physique, with a highly-expressive head, two wiggly antennae, and little legs. What units this bipedal robotic aside from others that easy appear to be it’s the way it walks. The BDX Droids is stuffed with character, emoting because it strikes in a manner that makes it look alive and teeming with character.
These bipedal robotic characters have impeccable steadiness mixed with procedural animation, modular {hardware}, and reinforcement studying. That makes the droids able to distinctive gaits and traits–they usually can be taught these traits inside months.
This isn’t the primary time Imagineering has showcased a robotic with child-like emotion; we noticed one thing comparable with the Judy Hopps Bunny Robotic at SXSW a pair years in the past. There was additionally the Duke Weaselton, who appeared throughout the grand opening of Zootopia at Shanghai Disneyland and confirmed his dynamic maneuvers.
Properly, Disney Experiences Chairman Josh D’Amaro and Disney Leisure Co-Chairman Alan Bergman are again at SXSW once more in 2025, and simply held a characteristic presentation, The Way forward for World-Constructing at Disney, that exposed main information for the Disney Parks. This included particulars concerning the BDX Droids going world–to Walt Disney World and the worldwide parks!
The most recent information is that Imagineering has shared that these BDX Droids are coming to Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge in Hollywood Studios at Walt Disney World, in addition to Disneyland Paris and Tokyo Disneyland later in 2025.
The BDX Droids will seem at numerous areas round Black Spire Outpost all through the day. Like different roaming atmospheric characters, we’d anticipate to see them from round 10 a.m. to five p.m., however there’s not a printed set schedule but.
Jon Favreau additionally confirmed that the BDX Droids will seem in “The Mandalorian and Grogu,” coming to theaters on Could 22, 2026.
I’ve had the chance to see the BDX Droids on a number of events because of Season of the Drive and different occasions. When Disney calls these “highly-expressive” robots, they actually aren’t kidding. I used to be stunned at simply how emotive and lovable the droids are, and able to conveying a lot character by way of hops, head wiggles, little gentle beams, and different actions.
Having seen droid playtesting up to now that, uh, didn’t go so nicely because of ‘overly-aggressive’ friends, I used to be curious simply how sturdy these droids are. To my shock, not solely are the BDX Droids able to self-correcting by way of their footwork, however they’re additionally pretty resilient after they encounter an impediment. Or higher but, when an impediment encounters them.
Additionally to my shock, friends behaved fairly nicely across the BDX Droids throughout Season of the Drive. Possibly I simply obtained fortunate and there’s a viral video of those little fellas taking abuse, however I discovered friends to be shockingly respectful. Maybe that’s as a result of these really are emotive and expressive, so friends really view them as akin to ducklings and are extra mild consequently? I don’t know. However this stunned me and I assumed it was noteworthy. Our personal daughter was in awe of the duckling droids simply as she is with precise ducklings, for no matter that’s value.
Right here’s our video of the ‘Duckling Droids’ assembly precise Geese of Disneyland:
These are going to be a huge hit with Walt Disney World friends given their aforementioned feelings.
These can be like Child Yoda, however in droid kind (and minus the tv present). The cuteness issue is off the charts, and the benefit that they’ve over the in-park Grogu is that they’ll really be capable of work together with and make connections with friends.
It’d sound odd, however these will draw an enormous crowd. I’m actually happy that the Season of the Drive take a look at went nicely and these at the moment are making their strategy to Walt Disney World and past. That is precisely the type of factor that may breathe new life into Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge!
Including free-roaming Duckling Droids is one other step that helps carry Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge nearer to its unique imaginative and prescient.
Again when the land was first introduced, idea artwork featured quite a lot of alien life types (not that ALF), droids, and unique characters. Over time, new idea artwork was launched lowering the variety of droids (and so forth.), however anybody who has seen e-book is aware of what might have been.
Many excuses have been supplied through the years for why cuts had been made to Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge. One is that the land had already gone over price range, and cuts are an peculiar a part of the event and refinement of any venture. Imagineering espresso desk books are a veritable graveyard of deserted concepts.
One other is that Disney feared that the land can be too crowded upon opening, and that droids would merely get in the way in which, be trampled, or in any other case trigger points. Clearly, this didn’t develop into the case. The primary few months had been actually gradual on each coasts. However hindsight is 20/20.
Yet one more is that plenty of leisure deliberate for Galaxy’s Edge was pulled and put behind the paywall of Star Wars: Galactic Starcruiser. That the dearly-departed Bob Chapek didn’t really feel droids and different leisure had been “crucial” for the success of the land, they usually needed to monetize that to assist recoup the large sunk prices of SWGE and Galactic Starcruiser.
Properly, with Galactic Starcruiser now long-dead and Galaxy’s Edge needing a shot within the arm as a result of it’s not practically as well-liked as anticipated, none of these excuses maintain water anymore. The land wants extra leisure and droids to be able to really feel lived-in and alive. Mandalorian & Child Yoda, together with different added characters, have been a great begin.
However the BDX Droids are a very totally different sort of providing, and it’ll be nice to see them out each day. They’re actually going to wow friends–I can not watch for all of the Walt Disney World followers to lastly see them firsthand. (And extra selfishly, for our daughter to see them once more now that she’s a bit older and loves animals much more.)
The land is at its greatest with characters; with out them it could actually really feel soulless, impersonal, and lifeless at instances and in spots. Characters are an incredible addition to Galaxy’s Edge, whether or not in human or droid kind, and have already improved the visitor response to the land.
As I’ve been saying for some time now, I strongly suspect that these droids are a part of a much bigger image plan to do a comfortable reboot and relaunch of Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge within the subsequent couple of years. There are a selection of causes for this, from Galactic Starcruiser closing to the strengths of Avengers Campus being evident to Disney not having a lot within the near-term and needing stop-gap methods to maintain friends coming to the parks.
In numerous interviews, Josh D’Amaro has hinted in latest interviews that he desires to carry again atmospheric leisure Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge, however hasn’t dedicated to something. Performers from Starcruiser are one strategy to accomplish this; droids are one other. These two comparatively easy issues would each breathe new life into the land and carry it extra intently in-line with its unique imaginative and prescient, earlier than components had been reduce resulting from considerations about crowds and/or a need to place them behind the Starcruiser paywall.
It’s not troublesome to examine a situation the place an announcement is made on the 2025 Vacation spot D23 a few comfortable reboot of Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge to launch the land to thrilling new time durations and locations–breaking the sacred timeline (however tastefully!) and utilizing the setting of the land as a leaping off level for brand spanking new adventures. (I do know that is controversial with followers and I’m not trying to relitigate that argument. See Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge Must Break the Guidelines for my tackle all of that. Spoiler: my opinion is correct there within the title!)
It could seem to be an eternity in the past at this level, however there have been credible rumors of this again in late 2019. On the time, Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge was underperforming expectations and there was already a need to “repair” it to raised comport with visitor expectations and generate curiosity. Clearly, it’s been a couple of years for then and different occasions “intervened” again in 2020 to forestall any adjustments from occurring.
Quick-forward 4 years, and Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge is now not new. Not solely that, however there’s nothing main within the pipeline till Tropical Americas at Animal Kingdom in 2027…and possibly late 2027. As we’ve beforehand identified, Disney building timelines being what they’re, the corporate will essentially must depend on leisure, overlays or reimaginings because the tentpoles for his or her massive advertising and marketing pushes within the subsequent two years.
A reboot of Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge might provide precisely that. Along with droids and performers, there’s additionally tangible know-how that was produced for Starcruiser by way of Imagineering R&D that Walt Disney World and Disneyland would possibly need to reuse within the land. New leisure might be created for the catwalks within the land, Savi’s Workshop, Oga’s Cantina, and elsewhere.
It shouldn’t be too troublesome for Imagineering to take the teachings discovered and persuade firm management to take a position extra into Star Wars Land. It’d be well worth the funding as a marketable addition that generates new curiosity, and would fill the hole till Tropical Americas and the opposite blockbuster additions to DHS, DAK, and Magic Kingdom are able to launch. It’s additionally merely the sensible transfer–Imagineering had Galaxy’s Edge principally proper from the start, and friends would love that model of the land much more.
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YOUR THOUGHTS
What do you consider the BDX Droids? Excited to satisfy the Huey, Dewey and Louie robotic ducklings at Walt Disney World, Disneyland Paris, and Tokyo Disneyland? Suppose that Bob Iger and Josh D’Amaro will log out on a comfortable reboot of Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge? Ought to extra be added to the land, or is it time to maneuver on to different tasks? Do you agree or disagree with our assessments? Any questions we may help you reply? Listening to your suggestions–even once you disagree with us–is each attention-grabbing to us and useful to different readers, so please share your ideas beneath within the feedback!
