It’s Revenge of the Sith for Disney Visa Cardholders at Hollywood Studios! That’s because one of the best perks for the Disney Visa Credit Card and Disney Visa Debit Card members has made its return. Much like the Disney Rewards PhotoSpot in EPCOT, Hollywood Studios now has a character meet and greet exclusive for Disney Visa Cardholders, and it’s a chance to come up close and personal with one of cinema’s most iconic villains: Darth Vader. As long as you have a valid Disney Visa card, you can take a step on the Dark Side and get your picture taken with the Sith Lord himself – with a much shorter wait.
We’ve loved this meet and greet in the past because you can meet Darth Vader with a much shorter wait. Plus, you can download the pictures from the session without needing to purchase PhotoPass. However, it’s been closed for several years. Fortunately, Disney World brought back this great cardholder perk.
In this post, we’ll navigate you through the asteroid field of information (never tell me the odds!), delving into every detail of the Disney Visa Cardmember-Exclusive Character Experience at Hollywood Studios, sharing insider tips on how to locate it, access it, and what you can anticipate from this extraordinary encounter. Get ready to find out why this is one of our top recommendations for meeting Disney characters without a long wait.
Location: Star Wars Launch Bay in Hollywood Studios
Located in the Animation Courtyard at Disney’s Hollywood Studios, you can find this character meet and greet inside Star Wars Launch Bay, right next to the Disney Jr Play and Dance attraction. Look out for the signs that say “Disney Visa Cardmember Experience” with Darth Vader on them. The Disney Visa Cardmember Meet and Greet is located to the right of the BB-8 meet and greet.
Tip: Star Wars Launch Bay now has two Darth Vader character meet and greets: one for all guests, and one for Disney Visa Cardmembers. Make sure you are following the signs to go to the right one, because the Disney Visa meet and greet should have a much shorter wait.
Encountering Darth Vader at Hollywood Studios
Upon arriving at Star Wars Launch Bay, head towards the right until you make your way to the entrance of the Disney Visa Cardmember Experience. You will need to present your Disney Visa Card to a cast member to gain access. Once inside, you’ll step into a galaxy far, far away and find yourself standing before Darth Vader himself. After a brief interaction, you can pose with Darth Vader for some pretty memorable pictures. Just be sure to not give away any allegiance to the Rebel Alliance, or you may find yourself in the same position that I was in – being stared down by the Lord of the Sith.
Here’s an important tip: This cardholder perk does not run all day long. For instance, the hours for this experience are between 11 am and 4 pm. However, always refer to the Disney World app for the most accurate hours during your vacation.
Who Has Access: Disney Visa Credit and Debit Cardmembers
If you’re a frequent visitor to Disney World, securing the no-fee tier of the Disney Visa Card is a must, unlocking this magical experience alongside numerous other valuable benefits.
Why the Force is Strong with this Meet and Greet
There are three primary reasons why we adore this Disney Visa Card perk:
Short wait times: Over the years, we have consistently experienced minimal wait times for this meet and greet. We expect that there might be a small spike in wait times now that it’s made its anticipated return, but that should go back to normal soon enough.
PhotoPass Photographer: As BlogMickey notes, there’s an actual PhotoPass photographer rather than an automated photo robot. While the photo robot sounds exciting, there are no droids here taking your picture, just an automated camera in a box that isn’t that great at its job. I always much prefer the quality of pictures from a PhotoPass photographer over the robot.
Free Photo Downloads: If you’re wondering whether you need to purchase PhotoPass to access the pictures taken during this meet and greet, the answer is no! As a Disney Visa Cardmember, you’ll receive free photo downloads of your Disney Rewards PhotoSpot pictures.
For more insider advice for your next Disney World vacation, take a look at our Hollywood Studios Tips and Tricks.
If you have taken advantage of the Disney Visa Cardmember-Exclusive Darth Vader Meet & Greet at Hollywood Studios, let us know in the comments below!
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