Darth Vader & Other Original Trilogy Characters Coming to Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge at Disneyland

Characters from the original Star Wars trilogy will begin appearing regularly in Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge at Disneyland when Black Spire Outpost shifts to the classic period in April.

Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge Characters

A figure resembling Luke Skywalker in a black robe and cape stands outdoors on a stone path, surrounded by lush greenery and pink blossoming trees, evoking a scene from a distant galaxy.

While Luke Skywalker appeared for a limited time during Season of the Force 2025, he will now appear consistently at Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge along with Darth Vader, Leia Organa, and Han Solo.

Darth Vader And Other Original Trilogy Characters Arriving in Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge Disneyland

According to the new backstory, Vader’s search for Luke brings him to Batuu. He is joined by Imperial Stormtroopers. Press photos imply he will appear near Kylo Ren’s ship (which is not being changed despite the timeline shift).

Leia and Han will be reunited with Luke and Chewbacca. Luke will be roaming the outpost seeking knowledge of the Force and artifacts related to lightsaber building, kyber crystals, and more. He’s specifically interested in meeting Savi at Savi’s Workshop, so may appear near the build-your-own lightsaber experience.

Guests will see Leia near the Millennium Falcon, recruiting travelers to help keep Luke safe. Han will also be near his ship.

The original trilogy characters join characters that already roam the land, like Chewbacca. Ahsoka Tano, The Mandalorian, and Grogu will stick near the marketplace. R2-D2 will roll around near Droid Depot and the garage. The Age of Resistance will remain represented in the forested area, with Rey wandering the camp around Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance. There has been no word on if Vi Moradi will appear in this area as well.

The characters and other updates will arrive on April 29, 2026, although guests may see some changes in the months before. The timeline change has only been announced for Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge at Disneyland, not Disney’s Hollywood Studios.

Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge Timeline

Hera Syndulla and Chopper in Star Wars: Galaxy's Edge

Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge is currently set between Star Wars: Episode VIII – The Last Jedi and Star Wars: Episode IX – The Rise of Skywalker, because it opened between the release of those films. The timeline at Disneyland has always been a little looser than at Walt Disney World, which tried to keep a strict story that matched up with Star Wars: Galactic Starcruiser, even though the hotel is now closed.

Previous timeline breaks at Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge in Disneyland include the appearances of Din Djarin (The Mandalorian), Grogu, Boba Fett, Fennec Shand, Luke Skywalker, Ahsoka Tano, Sabine Wren, and Hera Syndulla. All of these characters were in their outfits from The Mandalorian and Ahsoka. The shows are set just a few years after the events of Star Wars: Episode VI – Return of the Jedi, decades before The Last Jedi. Most of these meet-and-greets were only for a limited time, however. And characters like Din Djarin and Boba Fett wear helmets, so it’s easy to assume they have aged, while Grogu’s species ages slower than humans.

Are you ready to meet these characters at Disneyland? Let us know on social media.

For more Disneyland Resort news and info, follow Disneyland News Today on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram. For Disney Parks news worldwide, visit WDWNT.