Disney World Locks Once-Free ‘Frozen’ Experience Behind a Paywall

With the closure of most of Animation Courtyard on Thursday, a lot has changed at Disney’s Hollywood Studios. Darth Vader has left his Star Wars Launch Bay home for a new meet-and-greet location in the Star Tours – The Adventures Continue queue, the Disney Junior characters are busy developing a new show to replace Disney Junior Play and Dance!, and now, Disney Visa Cardmembers have premiere access to a Frozen (2013) attraction.

Earlier this year, Walt Disney World Resort announced that Animation Courtyard would close on September 25 to make way for the Walt Disney Studios Lot. The new area will be inspired by the Walt Disney Animation Studios campus in Burbank, California, and feature a brand-new Disney Junior show. Star Wars Launch Bay is transforming into the Roy E. Disney Animation Building–complete with a Sorcerer Mickey hat–and will house an all-new version of an original Disney’s Hollywood Studios attraction: “The Magic of Disney Animation.”

Aerial view of a theme park area at dusk, featuring tree-lined walkways, people strolling, colorful lights, and large buildings—including one housing the Star Wars Launch Bay and another with a giant blue sorcerer’s hat above the entrance. — Credit: Disney

The closure of Star Wars Launch Bay meant that the Darth Vader and Chewbacca character greetings had to move to other parts of Disney’s Hollywood Studios. The Sith Lord now greets Disney Park guests near Star Tours – The Adventures Continue, while Chewie meets fans near the Millennium Falcon in Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge.

A lesser-known character meet-and-greet in Star Wars Launch Bay had to be replaced, too. The Disney Visa Cardmember exclusive character greeting once offered guests a private meeting with Darth Vader or Kylo Ren. With the closure of Animation Courtyard, Disney’s Hollywood Studios has introduced a new meet-and-greet experience for Disney Visa Cardholders.

According to photos from X (formerly known as Twitter) user @Laughing_Place, Disney Visa Cardmembers now receive priority access to the Olaf meet-and-greet at Celebrity Spotlight in Echo Lake between 9:00 a.m. and 12:00 p.m. Standby access to the Frozen character greeting is still available, but Disney Visa Cardholders will essentially get Lightning Lane access to the experience.

With the closure of Star Wars Launch Bay, Olaf at Celebrity Spotlight is now the park’s Disney-Visa meet & greet. Between 9am-12pm, cardholders get priority access – but anyone can get in line. #WaltDisneyWorld

With the closure of Star Wars Launch Bay, Olaf at Celebrity Spotlight is now the park’s Disney-Visa meet & greet. Between 9am-12pm, cardholders get priority access – but anyone can get in line. #WaltDisneyWorld pic.twitter.com/6yuuswFQlz

— LaughingPlace.com (@laughing_place) September 25, 2025

Walt Disney World Resort also offers a Disney Visa Cardmember meet-and-greet near the Imagination! Pavilion at EPCOT. Cardholders can access a private greeting with a random pair of the following characters (availability varies): Mickey Mouse, Minnie Mouse, Goofy, Pluto, and Donald Duck.

Guests with Minnie Mouse and Pluto at the Disney Visa character meet-and-greet at EPCOT. — Credit: Inside the Magic

“The Magic of Disney Animation” and the rest of the Walt Disney Studios Lot will open sometime in 2026. “The Little Mermaid – A Musical Adventure” will remain open during construction.

Will you miss Star Wars Launch Bay at Disney’s Hollywood Studios? Let Inside the Magic know in the comments!