Harrison Ford dedicates new 'Star Wars' ride to late Chewbacca actor Peter Mayhew

Disneyland’s out of this world new realm, Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge, threw open its doors to the press this week, with the general public — those with reservations anyway — soon to follow.

Ford took a moment to pay tribute during the opening ceremony to a beloved member of the extended Star Wars clan, Peter Mayhew aka the Wookiee warrior Chewbacca, who died earlier this month. “Peter, this one’s for you,” the actor proclaimed as their old bucket of bolts, the Millennium Falcon, lit up and fireworks exploded over Batuu.

The planet of Batuu and its many delicacies couldn’t officially join the far, far away galaxy without the express approval of creator, George Lucas.

Sure enough, the Star Wars guru was front and centre at the Galaxy’s Edge dedication ceremony, welcomed onstage by Disney chairman and CEO, Bob Iger. “It could have gone very bad,” Lucas said semi-jokingly. “But it didn’t. It’s Star Tours on steroids.”

But Lucas wasn’t the only Star Wars legend to give their blessing to Galaxy’s Edge.

Three of his most popular creations — Luke Skywalker, Han Solo and Lando Calrissian, in their terrestrial forms of Mark Hamill, Harrison Ford and Billy Dee Williams — also took the stage in succession to the wild cheers of the crowd. “Look at where we are today,” marvelled Hamill. “We get our own land!”

The last Jedi went on to get personal about the franchise’s legacy. “Your parents tell you not to speak to strangers, and everywhere I go, people treat me like I’m family.”

Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge opens to the public on May 31.

By Ethan Alter, Yahoo Entertainment