4Some fans were left disappointed earlier today when Disney closed lines to meet Star Wars voice actress Ashley Eckstein at 9 a.m. – essentially cutting off all guests without early access to the park.
Eckstein, who voices Ahsoka in animated Star Wars projects, was present at Disney World’s Hollywood Studios this morning (January 27) to launch the new Star Wars Ahsoka by Ashley Eckstein, featuring original artwork by Bret Iwan (AKA the voice of Mickey Mouse).
Related: New ‘Ahsoka’ Villain Will Change ‘Star Wars’ Forever
First announced by Eckstein on January 25, meet and greets were available at Star Wars Launch Bay between 9.30 a.m. and 11.30 a.m. for any guest purchasing an item from the collection, which includes sweaters, tumblers, bags, and Minnie ears.
Videos shared on X (formerly known as Twitter) show lines forming out of Animation Courtyard and down Hollywood Boulevard as guests waited for their opportunity to take a picture with Eckstein.
this is how long the line was to get into the store to buy @HerUniverse’s new “I am no jedi” merchandise line at hollywood studios this morning.
this is how long the line was to get into the store to buy @HerUniverse’s new “I am no jedi” merchandise line at hollywood studios this morning pic.twitter.com/mmbzpXcaNP
— robby ☻ (@robby_weidemann) January 27, 2024
Unfortunately, high demand meant that this line was closed before 9 a.m. With the park only open to guests with 30-minute early entry until that point, those not staying at a Disney World hotel (or one of the select hotels that also offer the perk) had next to no chance of meeting Eckstein.
The actress is set to meet guests again tomorrow. This time Eckstein will be at Disneyland Resort’s Downtown Disney District (which means everyone’s in with a chance, early access or not), where guests can meet her between 1 p.m. and 3 p.m. at Star Wars Trading Post.
Related: 7 Most Believable ‘Star Wars: Ahsoka’ Fan Theories
Both meet and greets come just in time for Ahsoka Tano Day – a “fan-proclaimed” holiday that marks the day Ahsoka was first introduced to the Star Wars universe – on January 29.
To mark the occasion, Eckstein also handed out signed script pages to some of the first fans shopping the collection. She’s expected to do the same at Disneyland Resort.
Did you manage to meet Ashley Eckstein at a Disney Park this weekend? Share your experience with Inside the Magic in the comments!