Star Wars Weekends

Star Wars Weekends is a festival generally held annually at the Disney's Hollywood Studios theme park at the Walt Disney World Resort in Florida. Included with park admission, the event typically occurs on Friday, Saturday and Sunday for four consecutive weekends in May and June and features appearances by cast and crew members from George Lucas' science-fantasy saga. Many Disney characters also appear dressed as Star Wars characters, such as Jedi Mickey, Minnie as Leia, Donald as a Stormtrooper, Goofy as Darth Vader and R2-MK (Mickey Mouse stylized astromech droid). The festival began in 1997 and has been held in 2000, 2001, and annually since 2003.

Events

 * Jedi Training Academy - Live show at the Rebels stage. Based on the teachings and practices of the fictional Jedi Knights from the Star Wars films, the show depends heavily on audience participation, focusing on children. Each participant is given a lightsaber and Jedi robes and is taught a routine set of swordfighting moves.


 * Carbon Freeze Me - Interactive attraction located at ABC Sound Studio, where guests are able to have their face scanned and reproduced in a prism of carbonite, which is then available for purchase.


 * Star Wars Parade - features the 501st Legion and Rebel Legion (a pair of worldwide Star Wars costuming groups) parading in Stormtrooper costumes, along with numerous other Star Wars characters.


 * Snig and Oopla's Hyperspace Hoopla - Live show also at the stage in front of the Sorcerer's Hat since 2010's Star Wars Celebration V's "Last Tour to Endor" event. Prioir to the show's move, the show was staged at the Jedi Traning Academy stage.  It is a dance-off show featuring Star Wars characters competing in groups against each other in a dance competition.


 * Symphony in the Stars - Presented by Walt Disney Creative Entertainment during the "Last Tour to Endor" event in 2010. A large-scale fireworks show complemented with John Williams' original music, voice and sound clippings from the Star Wars saga. An abridged version of the show was presented on May 19, 2011, during the "Star Tours Galactic Party", in preparation of the opening of the redesigned attraction the following day, and on "May The Fourth Be With You", officially recognized by Lucasfilm and Disney in 2013.


 * Behind The Force- a live show at the Premier Theater hosted by Ashley Eckstein. Guests are given a behind-the-scenes making of the Clone Wars series.


 * Obi-Wan & Beyond - Live 30 minute talk show hosted by James Arnold Taylor. Taylor demonstrates nearly 150 voices that he provides for famous Hollywood stars who aren't available for projects as well as characters for television shows, animated films and video games.

Character Apearances

 * Aayla Secura - 2004–2008
 * R2-D2 - 2000-2001, 2007
 * Mas Amedda, Rune Haako - 2004–2005
 * Captain Rex, Clone Commander Cody Star Wars: The Clone Wars - 2010-2012
 * Owen Lars - 2001
 * Aurra Sing - 2003,2012
 * Boba Fett 2000-2001, 2003-2004, 2006-2012
 * C-3PO - 2004, 2007, 2011
 * Ahsoka Tano - 2009-2012
 * Princess Leia Organa - 2000-2001
 * Yoda - 2010-2012
 * Captain Typho - 2006, 2009
 * Anakin Skywalker - 2009, 2011
 * Young Anakin Skywalker - 2004–2005, 2008, 2012
 * Young Boba Fett - 2004–2005, 2007–08, 2010-20012
 * George Lucas - 2011; Appeared for the Star Tours: The Adventures Continue opening ceremony
 * Chewbacca - 2001, 2004-2009, 2010-2011
 * Jango Fett - 2003, 2006, 2010
 * Darth Maul- 2007, 2009-20012
 * Young Beru Lars - 2007
 * Darth Vader - 2000, 2008-2009
 * Captain Panaka - 2000
 * Nien Nunb - 2001, 2004
 * Watto - 2004, 2012
 * Shaak Ti - 2006
 * Obi-Wan Kenobi, 2009-2011
 * Plo Koon - 2009-2011
 * Lando Calrissian - 2010
 * General Grievous - 2005–2006, 2009-2010
 * Asajj Ventress - 2012
 * Nute Gunray - 2012
 * Ki-Adi-Mundi - 2012
 * Stormtroopers

Jedi Training Academy
Despite being featured daily throughout the year, this attaction is especially popular during Star Wars Weekends. Sixteen or more children are chosen from the audience as Jedi Younglings to participate in a training session by the Jedi Master. They are provided training lightsabers and Jedi robes. As the master completes the instruction of a simple combination of lightsaber attacks to the children, Darth Vader, Darth Maul and a pair of stormtroopers appear. Each Jedi trainee faces off in turn with either Maul or Vader until the villains retreat back to the stage, outnumbered (there was, however, one viral instance of an 8 year old girl who, rather than fighting Darth Vader, instead opted to join the dark side with him, and was subsequently led to 'the Sith Training Academy' by the understandably flummoxed Jedi Master). The children, now Padawans, are congratulated on their mastering of the Force by Yoda, then return the training lightsabers and robe, and are given a diploma for their participation. A duplicate version of the interactive show also occurs daily, as a standalone event at the Tomorrowland Terrace in Disneyland.

The Jedi Training Academy show is rumored to be redesigned into a more elaborate and extended show, at the former location of Sounds Dangerous! after the attraction closes in 2012. This rumored version of the Jedi Training Academy will presumably feature an audio-animatronic Yoda interacting through a Dagobah-themed set. In an interview with Disney twenty-three magazine, regarding the planning stages of future Star Wars attractions, George Lucas said, "I'd love to see more Star Wars rides at Disney parks