Star Wars Weekends Celebrations MR

8/7/2019 Star Wars Weekends Celebrations MR

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Star Wars ans come in all shapes and sizes, se-

nior citizens and children, bankers, bakers, and

lightsaber makers. They all share in the one thing

that may be more powerul than the orce: a pas-

sionate love o Star Wars. While most o the world

would rown on a dentist wearing a Stormtroop-

er outt while perorming a root canal, Star Wars

Weekends has created the perect place or Star

Wars ans to eel comortable dressing up and

acting out. As you roam around Disneys Hollywood Stu-

dios, youll see ans dressed in expensive replica

costumes and even homemade designs. You might

nd yoursel challenging Greedo to a round o

Toy Story Mania! (And it wont matter who shoots

rst.) However, the majority o ans are not wear-

ing any Star Wars gear at all. Theyre the regular

people roaming around wearing Mickey Mouse T-

shirts. One o the most exciting elements o Star

Wars Weekends is created by these ans. While

standing in a queue, you can strike up a conversa-

tion about your history with Star Wars, and they

will gladly share theirs. Its amazing how a group

o lms has created so many memories or peo-

ple the world over.

EPISODE ITHE FANDOM MENACE

oto Disney


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Upon arrival at the Studios, its apparent who is

in charge. A regiment o Stormtroopers and Clone

Troopers are monitoring the ront gate and scattered

throughout the park. They accomplish two things. First,

they keep an eye out or rebels who might take the op-

portunity to overcome and destroy the empire. But

more important, they set the tone or the day.

Be sure to be at the Studios prior to the opening. Be-

ore the gates are opened, troopers commandeer the

turnstiles rom up above and begin their guard duty.

Its suddenly apparent to Guests that they are about to

enter a Star Wars world. It will be a celebratory one as

the troopers interact with each other and with Guests

in a hysterical way that is not to be missed. Throughout

the day, these troopers are everywhere, and they quite

oten provide preshow entertainment or live peror-

mances. Their presence provides a strange sense o se-

curity as wellE

PIS

OD

E

II

AT

TACKO

FTHECLONES

Photo Disney


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EPISODE IIIREVENGE OF THE STARS

I youve ever been to a working studio, its possible

that youve run into a celebrity or two. Star Wars Week-

ends at Disneys Hollywood Studios really jumps that up

several notches. Star Wars celebrities are easily visible

throughout the weekend. I youre a bit more ambitious,

you might even get to speak with them and get their au-

tographs.

A daily motorcade runs the parade route at the Stu-

dios. The motorcade travels to John Williamss imme-

diately recognizable music o Star Wars, a symphony

o adventure and intrigue. Here you will see hundreds

o costumed characters rom Jawas to Jedis, Sand Peo-

ple to Sith, and even Emperors to Apprentices. You can

also see some avorite Disney characters in their Star

Wars costumes! Stormtrooper Donald and Darth Vader

Gooy are not to be missed. The motorcade culminates

in the introduction o that days celebrity guests, each

in their own vehicle. In previous years, weve seen starssuch as Temuera Morrison (bounty hunter Jango Fett),

Jake Lloyd (Young Anakin), Peter Mayhew (Chewbacca),

David Prowse (Darth Vader), Warwick Davis (Wicket the

Ewok), and Anthony Daniels (C-3PO).

Once per day in the newly enclosed and air-condi-

tioned Premiere Theater, the celebrities participate in a

talk show, Stars o the Saga. Its a revealing production

eaturing a Q&A section, behind-the-scenes lms, and

several surprises that are sure to invigorate the Star

Wars an inside.I watching celebrities rom the parade route or rom

theater seats isnt your cup o blue milk, consider pick-

ing up a FASTPASS to meet and greet with the stars.

Youll have an opportunity to talk with them, snap pho-

tographs, and get autographs in a much more personal

manner. This is a very popular option, and it will oten

require a lot o time waiting in a line devoted to one

star. But how oten can you have an audience with the

real Darth Vaderand live to tell about it?

Photos Disney


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EPISODE IA NEW SHOW

In addition to the Stars o the Saga show, other stage shows and

events are well worth attending. In previous years, the people rom Lu-

caslm have put on a show introducing a new or upcoming project. In

2008, they introduced their computer animated eature The Clone Wars

with a backstage and behind-the-scenes look. It was an interesting ex-

amination, studying the journey rom computer to the big screen. The

showing I attended was hosted by Dave Filoni, one o the lms direc-

tors. The subject o each show varies rom year to year.

For the younger Padawans in the group, the ever popular Jedi Train-

ing Academy is still recruiting in an entertaining interactive show.

However, its the evening nale on that Academy stage that is not to be

missed. The Hyperspace Hoopla is a casual, party style event that is sure

to remind you o the un side o Star Wars as well as the reason we visit

Disney parks.

Photo Disney


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EPI

SO

DEV

ATMO

SPHERE

STRIKESBACK

Add everything together, and something magical happens: The Stu-

dios take on a new atmosphere. Darth Maul can size up a guest like a

leopard to its prey, and it doesnt seem out o place. Walk in ront o the

commissary, and youll see the cantina band in action. Actually, it seems

like hal o the park is dominated by that Star Wars atmosphere.

Photo opportunities are scattered throughout. Picture yoursel on a

speeder bike on Endor, bursting through the doors o the Tantive IV, or

hanging in a giant, plastic Star Wars Figure case. Youll pass by Tusken

Raiders and Wookiees . This is also the perect time to gure out i your

riend is indeed taller than a Jawa. The exterior o Star Tours is ripe with

great photo opportunities as well, even though its in no way exclusive

to Star Wars Weekends. Where else but in Disneys Hollywood Studios

could you take pictures in the tall trees o Endor or under the oot o an

approaching AT-AT walker?

This Star Wars atmosphere is great un or ans o all ages. Now i only

we had some way o commemorating the event

Photos Disney


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EPISODE VITHE RETAIL OF THE JED

Our Star Wars Weekend Saga comes to an end with the

most expensive, most dangerous episode o them all! Yes, I

have gotten through all ve o the previous episodes with-

out dropping several hundred Galactic Credits. But this is

Disney and Star Wars working together, so Im sure to strug-

gle when I see whats or sale. The Studios oers a healthy

oering o regular Star Wars and Disney merchandise

throughout the parks, plus it has a large amount o limited

edition merchandise that is sure to have some people quick-

ly restructuring their monthly expenditures.

Limited edition collector pins and watches are only the

beginning, each one careully crated with the collector in

mind. Where I personally get into trouble is the Star Wars

Big Fig collection, with their balanced mixture o Star Wars

and Disney. My eyes bug out like a Mon Calamari pilot when

I look at them. Last years Donald as Darth Maul and this

years Donald in Carbonite will soon be sharing space atopmy television.

O course, other products are available as well, including

clothing or all ages, artwork and photographs, and collec-

tor-caliber lightsabers.

For the Disney enthusiast, one o the other ascinating

aspects o the Star Wars Weekend retail is that the selling

point, Wickets Warehouse, is located in what used to be one

o the soundstages used on the original backlot tour. Last

year, I was not the only one taking photographs o barren

walls, stairwells, and one-way windows. Ater it was all saidand done, I spent more than I had budgeted and was imme-

diately relieved that Star Wars Weekends only happens or

our consecutive weekends a year.

Star Wars Weekends speak to so many people in so many

dierent ways. I you are lucky enough to attend, check on-

line resources or scheduled events and times because they

dier rom day to day and year to year. Also be aware that it

can be hot as a Tatooine desert during the Florida summer.

Dress appropriately, remain ully hydrated, bring enough

lm or camera memory, and most importantmay the

orce be with you!

Photos Tim Devine


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THE FORCE IS STRONGWITH THIS ONE...

I

n the time o year when Star Wars

Weekends are here, its only appro-

priate to examine the complex and in-

teresting relationship between George

Lucas and Walt Disney World. Ater

achieving unparalleled success with his

Star Wars lms, Lucas resides over an

Empire. Quite oten, Lucas is compared

with Walt Disney because they both

sought to change how entertainment

is delivered and appreciated. When the

creator o Star Wars gets involved withDisney, remarkable things happen.

Star Tours: The most obvious connec-

tion between Lucas and Disney is the

simulator attraction that takes travel-

ers light speed to the moon o Endor. Star Tours very

successully places participants inside that galaxy

ar, ar away. Ater returning rom your fight, you

enter Tatooine Traders (ormerly Endor Vendors),

which is a store devoted solely to Star Warsrelated

merchandise.Indiana Jones Epic Stunt Spectacular: Just north

o Star Tours is an attraction based on Lucass other

monumentally successul lm series: the Indiana

Jones Adventures. This warhorse at the Studios trans-

ormed the studio theme park stunt show into the

world o our avorite bullwhip-cracking archeologist.

I youre lucky, you might be picked to participate in

the danger! Ater leaving the theater, you can visit the

Indiana Jones Adventure Outpost, where adventure-

themed merchandise is all the rage.

Body Wars: Over in Epcots Future World was a simu-

lator attraction inside the Wonders o Lie Pavilion.

Identical in technology and execution to Star Tours,

Body Wars took you through the process o miniatur-

ization and injection into a human body. This antastic

voyage was directed by Leonard Nimoy, and it starred

Oscar-nominated Elisabeth Shue. Lucass Industrial

Light and Magic created the computer special eects.

Captain EO: Across Future World inside the Journey

into Imagination Pavilion came another space age

departure or Lucas. He acted as executive producer

and wrote the story or this 3-D lm starring Michael

Jackson and Anjelica Huston. Adding to the star pow-

er, the lm was directed by Francis Ford Coppola o

the Godather lms.ExtraTERRORestrial Alien Encounter: Lucas teamed

up with Walt Disney Imagineering again or this ter-

riying update o Mission to Mars. It included state-

o-the-art aural eects and audio-animatronics. The

attraction was soon revised to tone down the scary

actor, but it never became a amily attraction. Thus

it became vulnerable to a takeover by Stitch, who now

lives in its location.

Pixar: Even more important but less obvious is

Lucass involvement in the creation o Pixar, which

has obvious connections throughout the parks at this

point.

But will we have a Lucasland in the Studios one

day? It is possible. Many ans have clamored or Dis-

neylands Indiana Jones Adventure to journey to this

coast. However, that seems unlikely because that at-

traction and the Animal Kingdoms DINOSAUR share

the same vehicles and track layout, which would be

obvious i it was added as is to Walt Disney World.

Photo Disney


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Star Wars Weekends Celebrations MR

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