How to Bring a Lightsaber From Disney World Through TSA

Jedi and Sith alike should be ready for this airport obstacle…

If you’ve ever built a lightsaber at Savi’s Workshop or grabbed one anywhere in Disney World’s (or Disneyland’s) Galaxy’s Edge, you already know two things: Lightsabers are some of the coolest souvenirs Disney sells…and traveling home with them is a little intimidating. While you can absolutely bring your lightsaber through airport security,  there are a few VERY important things you need to know first so your Force-sensitive souvenir actually makes it home with you.

So, yes, we can confirm that TSA allows lightsabers and has for years. This can surprise people, since lightsabers are an intergalactic weapon (albeit the ones here on Earth will have difficulty cutting through cardboard, let alone enemies of the Republic or starships).

TSA officially allows lightsabers in both carry-on and checked luggage, but how you bring it matters A LOT.

Packing it in your carry-on is almost always the best option because — if you built a lightsaber at Savi’s Workshop — Disney gives you a padded carrying sleeve designed to fit in the overhead bin or be stored along the wall of the plane.

The hilt counts as your personal item, and the blade is treated like a jacket or umbrella. Most airlines — especially those flying in and out of Florida — are familiar with lightsabers at this point, and flight attendants usually help stash them safely if needed.

With that said, board earlier if you can. Overhead bin space disappears fast, and lightsabers don’t exactly fold in half.

While you technically can check a lightsaber, we’d advise against it. This is still a plastic souvenir, after all. The blade is long, lightweight plastic — the sort of thing that gets bent, cracked, or snapped during baggage handling. Once that blade is damaged, there’s no fixing it. You just threw away all that money on a bent and broken lightsaber.

If you must check it, separate the blade from the hilt, wrap the blade in clothes or bubble wrap, and use a hard-sided suitcase if possible.

Carry-on is the way to go, but if you check the lightsaber, at least try to follow those steps.

Another thing you have to take into account is the existence of batteries. Many lightsaber hilts contain lithium batteries, which TSA wants on carry-ons.

Remove the batteries if possible and pack them in your carry-on instead if you check the lightsaber. It’s one of those small details that can trigger a bag inspection if you’re not careful.

Disney will ship your lightsabers for you, but depending on where you live, shipping can be shockingly expensive and slower than you’d expect.

If you’re already flying home, carrying it on yourself is usually faster, cheaper, and far less stressful…but if you’re seriously worried about it, you can just let Disney take care of it!

Overall, don’t sweat it! Bringing a lightsaber through TSA checkpoints is completely allowed, and plenty of Disney fans do it every single day. Just follow these tips, and it’ll be a breeze.

If you’re looking for a travel agent to help with your vacation, we recommend our friends at Mouse Fan Travel. They’re experts in the field with over 20 years of vacation planning experience, and they can help take a bunch of the stress out of the entire booking process for you!

We’re always keeping you up to date on the latest travel tips and Disney Parks hacks that will help you make the most of your next vacation, so keep it posted right here at AllEars to stay in the know!

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Have you flown with a lightsaber? Share your experiences in the comments below!

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