Do you have some Star Wars fans in your family who can’t wait to get to Disney World and live out their dreams? Well you are in the right place as I’m going to take a look at meeting Star Wars characters at Disney World. Let’s find out who you can meet and where to find them.
Star Wars has always had a home in Hollywood Studios, but when the House of Mouse brought the franchise into the Disney fold, the amount of real estate that Star Wars occupied in Walt Disney World became a lot bigger.
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A Word To The Wise
If you’re heading to Walt Disney World and have Star Wars on your mind, you’ll need to know where you can indulge your passion for the Dark and the Light Side and where you’re most likely to see and meet the characters from the films.
And there’s only one park in Walt Disney World where you can let your inner Jedi out to play and that’s in Disney’s Hollywood Studios
Sure, you’ll be able to indulge in a little Star Wars retail therapy in the other parks, but if you want to get up and close and personal with the heroes and villains from the films that made you a fan, the only place to do it is in Hollywood Studios. So, which characters can you meet and where can you find them? Well, young Jedi, let’s find out, shall we?
The March Of The First Order
I know, you’ve probably heard about the March of the First Order from a friend of a friend, the jaw-dropping parade that saw Captain Phasma lead a squad of Stormtroopers down the main thoroughfare of Hollywood Studios, and believe me it was a magnificent sight to behold.
But if you were thinking about hanging around in the park to try and see it, don’t. The Order marched for the last time in July 2019 a month before the gates of Galaxy’s Edge finally opened. Don’t worry though, because even though March is missed by fans, the character interactions that replaced it were, and are just as, if not more, exciting.
Trials Of The Temple
I mentioned the Jedi Temple a little earlier, and it’s been training young Padawan to use the Force against the Dark Side since it welcomed its first students in 2007. Master Yoda isn’t there in person to teach the young Jedi what they need to know and learn to stand firm against the Empire, but his voice and the Jedi that he taught are.
And it’s a good job that anyone brave enough to become a lightsaber-wielding Jedi Knight is taught by the wise old master who helped Luke because the enemies that they’ll have to face are the champions of the Dark Side.
After they’ve been instructed in the ways of the Force, the apprentice Jedi will find themselves confronted by Darth Maul and Darth Vader, and the Jedi Training: Trials of the Temple experience, is the only place in Walt Disney World where you’ll be able to see and meet both of the Sith.
However, it isn’t the only place where you might bump into Vader, whose presence can also be felt
Star Wars Launch Bay
Where else can you see and meet Darth Vader? At the franchise’s base of operations in Hollywood Studios, the Star Wars Launch Bay. The Launch Bay is where you can meet Vader in person during a character meet and greet and interaction, and he’s just intimidating in person as he is on screen.
Vader isn’t the only character that you and your family can meet at the Launch Bay. Han Solo’s infamous Wookie side-kick and one of the Rebel Alliance’s greatest heroes Chewbacca regularly appears for character meet and greets.
Poe Dameron’s astromech droid BB-8 also spends his afternoons and evenings in the Launch Bay, so if you’ve ever wanted to know what makes a droid tick, and wondered just how well BB can move, the only way that you can find out, is by heading to the Launch Bay.
The character interactions in the Launch Bay run on a tight schedule, so make sure you know what time the characters are due to appear, and if you do want to meet them get them in line early, as it’s one of the most popular meet and greets in Hollywood Studios.
You don’t have to take my word for it though, scrolling through Instagram should tell you all you need to know about how popular Chewbacca and BB-8 are. Okay, Vader is too, but then everybody loves a bad guy don’t they?
Star Tours: The Adventure Continues
If he is the droid that you’re looking for, you can see C-3PO while you’re waiting to board your Star Tours shuttle, as the protocol droid who is fluent in more than six million forms of communication is waiting to greet you while your flight is fueling up.
Okay, so maybe greet is a little over-ambitious as you can’t actually meet him, but he is there and he’s also the tour “guide” on your flight, but again you can’t actually meet Threepio before you take off or after you land.
I know, it’s probably not the character interaction that you’re looking for, but it is the only way that you’ll get to see C-3PO. R2-D2 is an entirely different story though because you can, and almost certainly will bump into him when you “land” on Batuu and visit Galaxy’s Edge.
Galaxy’s Edge
If you’ve dreamed about losing yourself in, or taking a trip back in time to that galaxy far, far away, then you’ll need to visit Galaxy’s Edge, the “land” in Hollywood Studios that was created to let guests completely immerse themselves in the Star Wars universe.
The minute you walk through the gates, you’ll be transported to the Black Spire Outpost, a settlement on the planet of Batuu that lies somewhere in the Outer Rim of known space.
Be warned though, character interaction works a little differently on Batuu, and instead of having to stand in line to meet the heroes and villains of the Resistance and the First Order, you’ll just need to know where to find them, as even though they spend a good part of each day wandering around the Outpost, the more you know about where they are, the more likely you are to see them.
Rey
The figurehead of the Resistance and their last, best hope can usually be found close to the Resistance Encampment or hiding among the various ships and cargo nearby.
As she’s also on a recruitment drive, don’t be surprised if she approaches you and your family and asks you to join her cause. Whether or not you do though, is entirely up to you.
Chewbacca
When he’s not hanging around the Launch Bay, Chewbacca spends most of his time trying to figure out a way to fix the Millennium Falcon so that he, Rey, and their Resistance friends can get as far away from Batuu as possible.
That means that you’ll probably see the “walking carpet” as Princess Leia once called him, on your way to Smuggler’s Run, and if you do, he’s always more than happy to pose for photographs and give you a friendly roar. And let’s face it, what Star Wars fan doesn’t want a hug from their favorite Wookie?
Kylo-Ren
Sometimes you need to be careful what you wish for, as Kylo-Ren spends his time patrolling the Black Spire Outpost searching for Resistance members and spies and isn’t afraid to approach and question anyone and everyone he suspects of being allied to the Resistance cause.
If you are foolish enough to “force” an encounter with the leader of the Knights of Ren, he can usually be found near, or close to the Rise of the Resistance when he isn’t on patrol.
First Order Stormtroopers – One of the highlights of any visit to Galaxy’s Edge is the interaction with the Stormtroopers. They wander around the settlement all day and will approach guests at random to quiz them about what they do and don’t know about the Resistance.
Of course, you could always make your presence felt and approach them, but if you do be warned, they might give you a very public (and often hilariously funny) dressing down. I’ve been on the end of one a couple of times, and they will not go easy on you. But as I said, they are incredibly funny…
There’s also a whole host of lesser-known characters walking around who you can, and should interact with as their valuable advice and wisdom can help you to make the most of your day in Galaxy’s edge.
And don’t be afraid to talk to the cast members in character, as those special Star Wars and Disney moments can materialize at the most unexpected moments. It’s up to you to make the most of your adventure.
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Meeting Star Wars Characters at Disney World
If you do want to take the time out in the middle of your magical Walt Disney World trip to spend an afternoon meeting the characters from that galaxy far, far away, the only place you can, and will see them is in Disney’s Hollywood Studios. Have fun on Batuu…
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