Is Oga’s Cantina Still a Disney Must-do?
Back when Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge opened, a reservation at Oga’s Cantina was a highly sought after affair. So much so that earlier and earlier reservations were added to the lineup, and before we knew it, guests were having drinks at the space bar well before sunrise. The fervor has died down these days, but does a reservation at Oga’s Cantina still deserve a spot on our Walt Disney World vacation itineraries? The answer is complicated.
Just last week, I had a chance to return to Oga’s Cantina for the first time in years when my youngest’s fiancé added it to his Walt Disney World must-do list. He’s a Star Wars fan who was visiting the Magic for the very first time, and with all of the hype surrounding Oga’s Cantina, he wanted to experience it at least once. As a fellow Star Wars devotee, I can’t blame him. Who wouldn’t want to spend time in a bar themed to our favorite universe?
These days it’s much easier to get a reservation for Oga’s Cantina via the My Disney Experience app. Reservations are typically plentiful throughout the day, and guests who hold a one will want to check in via the app. Yes, if you don’t have a reservation, there is a standby line, but I highly recommend getting a reservation if at all possible. I’ve even seen day-of availability.
After a short wait, your name will be called and a cast member will run through the details of the experience with you just to ensure that you are fully on board before settling in. This is where things tend to get a little sticky.
First things first: you have only 45 minutes in which to experience Oga’s Cantina. Your time is observed by cast members and you will absolutely be encouraged to stick to it. Guests are also held to two drinks maximum per person. This isn’t a place to spend a leisurely afternoon. It’s hot in Batuu, and you’ll have to get back out into the light of those bright suns in 45 minutes or less.
Secondly, you will be standing or sitting (you get no choice) with people whom you do not know. If you’re standing, you’ll either be standing along the bar or at a very narrow hightop table. Our party of four was allowed to stand at the end of one of these narrow tables and another party was placed at the other end. If you try to spread out or take up space to which you were not assigned, a cast member will ask you to move back to your spot. If you‘re seated at one of the bar’s coveted tables, unless you are a large party, you will be seated at a table with strangers. Apparently, real estate is at a premium in the Star Wars universe, and Oga’s is no exception. Again, this is not a venue for a leisurely afternoon; you get in, have your Star Wars-adjacent experience, and you get out.
Before you are ushered into Oga’s, your cast member will make sure that you understand all of the specifics. You have to confirm that you’re fine with everything before being led inside. it’s a weird start to a Disney experience, but I understand that it’s most likely the result of having many a guest not fully comprehend what they were getting themselves into. You cannot ask for your own table here, and they want you to know it before the word go.
With all of this being said, I highly recommend that you stop by Oga’s at least once. Yes, the drinks are pre-mixed, but my youngest and their fiancé loved their choices. The Outer Rim ($20) was basically a pomegranate margarita, and the Fuzzy Tauntaun ($19) ended up being a delicious mixture of fruity flavors.
My hubby and I loved our mocktails: the Jabba Juice ($7.75) and the Cliff Dweller ($7.25). Mine specifically reminded me of my parents’ New Year’s Eve punch (before the rum was added) circa 1983. The flavors of pineapple and citrus and ginger ale all married together to be a fun and nostalgic concoction.
The vibe inside Oga’s Cantina is something that I really believe all Star Wars fans need to experience. From DJ R-3X spinning the tunes in the corner and the bar’s lighting effects moving in coordination with his music to the iconic bar and all the hoses, wires and paraphernalia hanging overhead, it all creates a wonderful space opera melange that is not to be missed.
Tommy, who inspired last week’s trip to Oga’s Cantina, loved every minute and thought it incredibly worthy of a Walt Disney World vacation. What about you? Would you recommend that Star Wars fans stop by Oga‘s or skip it in favor of something else?
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