Magic Kingdom opened when it was half finished, so that's been SOP since day one.
Star Wars merchandise did not sell well at the time, in spite of the movie kicking ass. I think it's harder to do branded stuff than it looks. But this is Disney's bread and butter, you'd think they could knock it out without even trying.
I have a 3BR condo just outside the park that I never use. Y'all feel free to contact me if you want to find a price for an agreeable week. Makes being there with young kids much easier, but my youngest are 16.