Darth Vader Has Moved Again at Disney's Hollywood Studios. Here Is Where to Find Him Now
Darth Vader is no longer meeting guests in the Star Tours queue at Disney's Hollywood Studios. Here is his new old location as of October 28.
Guests heading to Disney's Hollywood Studios for a Darth Vader meet-and-greet will need to change course again. The Star Wars character has been shifted out of the Star Tours extended queue and back to a familiar nearby spot.
As of Wednesday, October 28, Darth Vader is no longer greeting guests in the extended queue for Star Tours: The Adventures Continue. He is currently meeting visitors at the stage between Star Tours and Backlot Express, next to the AT-AT statue.
That change matters for anyone who has been using his more recent location near Tatooine Traders. Guests looking for Vader should now head toward the AT-AT area instead of the Star Tours queue. He is listed for appearances daily at various times between 9:00 a.m. and 4:00 p.m., and the My Disney Experience app remains the best place to confirm times.
The move is notable because this is not a brand-new location for him. Vader previously appeared at that same stage in March, then returned to the Star Tours queue. Now he has shifted back again. Another sign that something has changed: the "Encounter Darth Vader" sign that had marked the queue entrance is gone as of October 28.
Disney has not said whether this latest relocation is temporary or meant to last longer, so for now the only clear update is where guests can find him right now.
Why Vader keeps getting shuffled around
The back-and-forth started after Star Wars Launch Bay stopped serving as Vader's home base. That space had long housed Star Wars character encounters, merchandise, and interactive offerings. In September 2025, Vader was moved into the extended Star Tours queue, in the shaded Endor set area near Tatooine Traders.
His original home changed because the building shifted back to an animation focus. It had once hosted an animation experience before becoming Star Wars Launch Bay, and it has now been turned into The Magic of Disney Animation, where guests learn about how animated films are made.
The wider area has also been in flux. Animation Courtyard was being reworked into a space inspired by The Walt Disney Studios in Burbank, California, and that project is now open. The area received new paving, landscaping, trees, and additional green space. The old awning and wait time signs were removed, the Little Mermaid: A Musical Adventure building was repainted, and the area also gained The Magic of Disney Animation and a new Disney Jr. show.
For now, the practical takeaway is simple: if Darth Vader is on your Hollywood Studios checklist, skip the old queue location and look by the AT-AT statue.
