Yes, People Are Buying That $25,000 Droid At Star Wars: Galaxy's Edge

When /Film's Peter Sciretta returned from his first visit to Star Wars: Galaxy's Edge and told us that the most expensive thing guests can purchase in the park costs $25,000, I was floored. How many diehard Star Wars fans would really drop that much money on a custom droid from a theme park? But in only the first week of Galaxy's Edge being open to the public, multiple people had already purchased their own full-size droid. Looks like I underestimated the power and passion of the fandom.

The OC Register, a local paper based in Orange County, learned from Disneyland employees that three custom-made, remote-controlled R-units were purchased at the Droid Depot shop during the first week that Galaxy's Edge was open. I can't find how many have been purchased since then, but if that pace kept up throughout the year, Disney would sell $3.9 million worth of R-units annually. (It seems unlikely that they'd sell three per week for the entire year, but then again, it also seems unlikely that anyone would buy a remote control droid that costs as much as a car.)

As you might expect, the customization options are pretty impressive for $25,000: not only can you choose the color scheme and design options, but you can also select whether you want a droid with a shiny new exterior, or one that feels more beat-up and battle-worn. (That decision feels like Star Wars in microcosm: part of what set that film apart from its contemporaries at the time was the dusty, lived-in feel as opposed to the cleaner, sleeker designs in sci-fi movies like Logan's Run.) For 25k, buyers get the droid, which features working lights, sounds, electronics, an aluminum head, wireless remote control, and a charger.

But that price doesn't include tax or the cost of shipping (which is probably significant for something metallic that's three-and-a-half feet tall), and Disney won't send units internationally or even to Hawaii or Alaska. It takes up to 90 days to be delivered – and don't even think about asking for a refund or exchange, because that ain't an option with this baby. And if you're hoping for a cast member or annual passholder discount, you're fresh outta luck on that front, too – Disney is charging full price for these things across the board.

If you don't have an extra 25 grand earmarked for exorbitant theme park spending around, you can opt to customize a smaller, 18-inch R- or BB-unit for around $100.