Darth Vader and Star Wars meet and greets at Disneyland Paris

To meet Darth Vader, head to Star Port in Discoveryland (Disneyland Park), right next to the Star Tours ride. One key point as you plan your visit: every Star Wars meet and greet takes place in Disneyland Park, never in the second park. On a typical day, Darth Vader is the one you’ll mostly find there, sometimes Chewbacca. The other characters (Rey, The Mandalorian, Grogu) depend on the current schedule.

You’ll find Star Port in Discoveryland, Disneyland Park’s land with a retro-future look. Since the building shares a wall with the Star Tours entrance, it’s hard to miss when you get there. Inside, Darth Vader greets you in person for a real meet and greet: you get your photo, and you can ask him to sign an autograph.

This meet and greet runs all year round, not only during Star Wars events. When I stop by, things are simple once you’re there: you wait your turn, then you get a few moments face to face with the character for your photo.

Getting into Star Port typically means joining a virtual queue, and it costs nothing extra: your park ticket already covers it. Here’s how it plays out: open the Disneyland Paris app, reserve a time for Star Port, then come back at the time shown, with no standing in line in the meantime.

For all the details (how to book, when slots open up, how many reservations you can hold at once), head to the virtual queue guide.

At Star Port, on a typical day, Darth Vader is the character you’ll meet most often. Chewbacca sometimes takes his place.

Characters like Rey don’t greet guests on a permanent basis. You’re most likely to spot them during big events, such as Star Wars Day around May 4. Since the lineup shifts daily, there’s no way to be sure ahead of time that a particular character will be out.

The Mandalorian (Din Djarin) and Grogu mostly appear around Star Wars Day (every year in May), with a dedicated meet and greet area in Discoveryland and PhotoPass photographers, the park’s official photo service, on hand. Good news for planning when they’re around: their meet and greet uses a standby line, no booking needed. You just show up and wait your turn, unlike at Star Port.

Keep in mind that their appearances are tied to what’s happening at the time and aren’t guaranteed outside that period. It’s best to think of them as a special-event appearance. Check the app on the day of your visit to see if they’re scheduled.

Getting a close-up photo and an autograph is one thing. Seeing a character from afar is another. Disneyland Paris has no year-round Star Wars parade and no year-round Star Wars character dining.

What you do get, around May 4 each year for Star Wars Day, are event highlights: an Imperial march featuring Stormtroopers and Darth Vader, plus droids making appearances. It’s a chance to watch them go by, but that’s no substitute for an actual photo-and-autograph meet and greet. If that’s what you’re after, Star Port is where you need to be.