Women Behind the Magic: The Passion and Skill That Brought Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge to Life

All across Disney Parks, Experiences and Products, women are making magic for Disney guests and fans every day.

To kick off our new #WomenBehindtheMagic blog series, we’re excited to introduce you to several women who brought the planet Batuu to life in Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge, now open at Disneyland Resort and opening August 29 at Walt Disney World Resort.

From leveraging design talents to create Black Spire Outpost, to penning the stories that guests will uncover as they explore, these women used their diverse perspectives and skills to create this groundbreaking land and transport visitors to a galaxy far, far away. Over the next five weeks, we’ll highlight each of these women in weekly blog posts where we’ll share more about their unique roles, experiences and inspirations.

• Kirstin Makela, Art Director responsible for upholding the creative integrity of the project, guiding various teams through the design and fabrication process to ensure that everyone was working towards a cohesive final product.
• Margaret Kerrison, Story Editor responsible for guiding Star Wars related story initiatives throughout all Disney lands, resorts, and attractions, including the backstory of Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge and its characters.
• Kristina Dewberry, Construction Manager responsible for managing the logistics of the construction aspects of the land, coordinating with various teams to ensure the project ran smoothly.
• Kappy Thorsen, General Manager at Disneyland Park, responsible for recruiting and training cast members as they prepared for their important roles as inhabitants of the planet Batuu.
• Kathryn Yancy, Audio-Animatronics Technology Mechanical Engineer responsible for the technology behind the creation of some of Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge’s colorful characters.

We’re excited to welcome galactic travelers to Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge at Disneyland Resort and Walt Disney World Resort, where you can experience the result of this group’s hard work. These women are just a few of the thousands of cast members who have used their talents to create Black Spire Outpost on the planet Batuu, and we’re excited to share their stories with you.

Check back here next week for the first post in the #WomenBehindtheMagic series, where we’ll share weekly blog posts that highlight each of these remarkable women!