Credit: LucasfilmTwo familiar faces from a galaxy far, far away surprised Disneyland Guests on May 2.
With Star Wars Day upon us (May the “fourth” be with you), Disneyland is currently in the middle of its Disneyland After Dark: Star Wars Nite celebrations. Taking place on multiple dates throughout May, this sees Guests enjoy the Park at its most galactically spectacular, with special performances, food items, merchandise, and characters.
The original character lineup announced for the event featured plenty of favorites, including Darth Vader, Kylo Ren, Rey, BB-8, and Padmé Amidala. However, fans noticed that the list was missing several key players from the original trilogy – including the Tatooine farmboy who started it all.
Lo and behold, Disneyland dropped a Force-fuelled bombshell by unveiling two surprise meet-and-greets on the night: Luke Skywalker and Princess Leia.
Pictures shared by reporter Scott Gustin show the Jedi siblings alongside R2-D2.
A Star Wars Nite surprise: Luke and Leia. They're hanging out with R2-D2 in Tomorrowland. pic.twitter.com/uNSEkO8vDz
— Scott Gustin (@ScottGustin) May 3, 2023
The trio was available for meet-and-greets in Tomorrowland, where R2-D2 will remain stationed for upcoming Star Wars Nites. Lucky Guests could take pictures with the characters in front of a Millennium Falcon backdrop, and both Luke and Leia wore their costumes from Star Wars: Episode IV – A New Hope (1977).
While there’s no confirmation as to whether Luke and Leia will join him on a regular basis – or if other characters will make unscheduled appearances alongside the droid on further dates – it’s still great to see a Disney Park embracing more hallmarks from the original trilogy.
Princess Leia was previously available for meet-and-greets in Tomorrowland at Disneyland After Dark: Princess Nite, where she joined the likes of Cinderella, Snow White, Rapunzel, Jasmine, Moana, and Tiana in her official capacity as Disney royalty.
Disneyland After Dark: Star Wars Nite returns on May 4, May 8, and May 11. For more information about what to expect, check out our complete event guide.