Star Wars Launch Bay Closing at Disney’s Hollywood Studios: Final Day Details

Disney has announced that September 24, 2025, will be the last day to experience Star Wars Launch Bay at Disney’s Hollywood Studios. The attraction will permanently close on September 25th as work begins on a new park area to be called The Walt Disney Studios.

Star Wars Launch Bay is currently home to several exhibits featuring movie props, costumes, models, and other memorabilia related to the Star Wars film series. Launch Bay is also home to several traditional character meet-and-greets, namely Chewbacca, Darth Vader, and BB-8, an astromech droid. (Chewbacca can also be found in Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge.)

This news means that the Disney Visa Card meet-and-greet featuring the Commander on the Bridge (usually Darth Vader) will conclude. At this time, there are no announcements on whether or not anything will replace this offering for Disney Visa cardholders.* The Disney Junior Play and Dance, which is adjacent to Launch Bay, will also officially close on the same day (details here). Per Disney,

Update: Disney has shared that a new character opportunity is coming soon for Disney Visa Cardholders. The current Disney Visa Star Wars photo op will close in September.

If you would like to know more, Disney shared initial details about the new animation-inspired experience coming to the park. As you likely know, Disney’s Hollywood Studios will see many changes over the next few years. To make way for the new Monsters, Inc. themed land, the following attractions and park areas have already closed:

• Grand Ave (Muppet Vision 3D, Mama Melrose’s Ristorante Italiano, and Pizzerizzo)

Additionally, the Muppets will take over Rock ‘n’ Roller Coaster in 2026. Disney has not announced an exact closing date for the current version of the attraction, but it’s expected to remain open through the end of 2025.

More Planning

Resorts Gal specializes in Disney World Resorts, Characters, and Dining. Explore our resources, including our Disney World Resorts Guide. It provides an overview of everything you need to know about the Disney Resort Hotels. For dining, our Disney World Dining Guide is an excellent place to start. Our Disney World Transportation Guide is a wonderful resource for planning your routes. It’s one of our most popular resources. If you plan to meet characters in the parks, we have an updated list of Disney World Characters. It includes every available character meet-and-greet in the parks and where to find rare characters throughout the year. Lastly, our Disney Parks Guide provides a complete overview of all four theme parks and water parks.