First-time visitors to Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge at Disneyland may be confused by villagers speaking in Batuuese about refreshers, hydrators, younglings, bright suns, rising moons and data pads, but with a little bit of practice anybody can talk like a Black Spire native in no time.
Disneyland employees dressed in Star Wars costumes will speak an in-universe lingo to intergalactic travelers visiting the new Galaxy’s Edge themed land coming to the Anaheim theme park.
MiceChat columnist David Koenig revealed a list of Galaxy’s Edge lingo that will be used in the new Star Wars land in a recent post.
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On any trip overseas it always helps to learn a little of the local tongue when trying to navigate a foreign place. Yes, no, please, thank you. One, two, three, four. How much? Which way? And the all important, Where’s the bathroom? A few phrases go a long way.
It’s no different in the Black Spire Outpost village on the Star Wars planet of Batuu, the setting for the new Galaxy’s Edge lands at Disneyland and Disney’s Hollywood Studios.
The first thing you need to know about Black Spire Outpost is that it got its name from the towering petrified trees that dot the village and form the backdrop for the 14-acre themed land. In Star Wars lore, Batuu is a planet on the outer rim of the galaxy near the edge of wild space. Hence the name Galaxy’s Edge.
The people of Batuu are Batuuans and they speak Batuuese. Fortunately for us, the common tongue is remarkably similar to English with a few regional catch phrases that might take a bit of getting used to. But with a little bit of preparation, you too can sound like a native Batuuan.
Cast members, Disney-speak for employees, will be dressed like Black Spire villagers, Resistance troops or First Order soldiers in Galaxy’s Edge and will remain in character while in the land. That includes speaking a Batuuese dialect that might be a bit off-putting at first.
As a visitor, you will be asked to declare your allegiance to the Resistance, swear loyalty to the First Order or strike out on your own as a scoundrel. The goal is to get you sucked into your own Star Wars story in which you are the hero. Language helps with the immersion.
Even a casual Star Wars fan will be familiar with the phrase, “May the Force be with you.” But you don’t want to say that in the wrong part of Black Spire Outpost or you might end up with a stormtrooper in your face asking a lot of questions about your allegiances. First Order stormtroopers control a sector of Black Spire. It will be easy to spot. Just keep an eye out for the red 709 Legion flags draped over all the buildings. The menacing Echelon TIE fighter docked in front of the First Order Cargo gift shop will be a signal to keep your mouth shut about the Force and anything to do with the rebel Resistance or the Jedi Knights. Unless you like being followed by stormtroopers around Black Spire Outpost. Save your “May the Force be with you” talk for the hidden Resistance base camp on the other side of the village.
Like any traveler, the first word you’re likely to learn is “hello.” Batuu has two greetings depending on the time of day. “Bright suns” is the appropriate salutation during the day. “Rising moons” works for the evening. Think of them as the equivalent of “good morning” and “good evening.”
The most common phrase you are likely to hear shouted in Galaxy’s Edge is “Til the Spires.” It’s one of several ways of saying farewell. But Batuuans often turn it into a fervent rallying cry. Say it with the panache of an Italian “arrivederci.”
You can also say goodbye with the more formal “May the spires keep you” or the more casual “Good journey.”
Children in Black Spire Outpost are referred to as “younglings.” Or possibly “padawans” if they are particularly strong with the Force. The littlest ones travel via “youngling transport” — or what we on Earth would call a stroller.
Restrooms in Galaxy’s Edge are known as “refreshers.” Water fountains are “hydrators.” Star Wars fans looking for Easter eggs hidden throughout Galaxy’s Edge will want to ask a cast member for directions to the refresher near the Blue Milk stand. Across from the refresher — conveniently labeled “restroom” for visiting non-Batuuans — you’ll find a hydrator boasting an Instagram-worthy special effect. Press the button for water and an audio-animatronic Dianoga beast will pop up in the glass cistern tank feeding the drinking fountain. The one-eyed space squid from the Death Star trash compactor scene in the original 1977 “Star Wars” movie lives in the pipes supplying the refresher and hydrator.
If you still need help speaking Batuuese — or the Star Wars languages of Aurebesh or Huttese — you can always check your “data pad,” the local word for smartphone. The name references the Galaxy’s Edge Data Pad, a mobile app created for the land that turns Black Spire Outpost into an immersive real-world role-playing universe. A translation tool inside the app let users deciphers languages spoken by alien creatures and carved into building facades throughout the land.
And if you are completely lost for words, you can always turn to the old standby: “Only the ancients know.” Simply translated, it means “I don’t know.”
Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge debuts on May 31 at Disneyland and Aug. 29 at Disney’s Hollywood Studios.
READ MORE about Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge at Disneyland
- Millennium Falcon: Inside Smugglers Run | Flying tips
- Rise of the Resistance: 4 rides in 1 | Bathroom pass
- Experiences: Savi’s Workshop — Handbuilt Lightsabers | Droid Depot | Mobile games
- Cantina: Inside Oga’s | Inspiration | co*cktails |
- Food: Docking Bay 7 | Ronto Roasters | Blue Milk | Kat Saka’s Kettle | What to eat
- Shops: Dok-Ondar’s Den of Antiquities | Toydarian Toymaker | Creature Stall | Clothing
- Black Spire Outpost: Construction tour | | Animatronics | Set-dressing props
- Soft Opening: Reservations | Crowds | 4-hour time limit | Parking garage | Hotels | Project Stardust
