Star Wars Weekends

Disney's Star Wars Weekends
Genre Star Wars/Science fiction
Dates May–June
Location(s) Disney's Hollywood Studios
Years active 1997, 2000-2001, 2003-present
Founded 1997
Website
Official website

Disney's Star Wars Weekends is a festival held annually at the Disney's Hollywood Studios theme park of the Walt Disney World Resort. 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 Disney's Star Wars franchise created by George Lucas. Many original 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

Imperial Stormtroopers parade near the Sorcerer's Hat during Star Wars Weekends.
A Jawa, Greedo, Chewbacca and a stormtrooper take on the roles of the famous 1970s disco group The Village People and lead the crowd in the "YMCA" dance.
Chewbacca and a Jawa compete in the contest with Bee Gees'-styled disco moves during Star Wars Weekends.
Warwick Davis and Anthony Daniels greet the large crowd as pyrotechnics are fired from the Rebel Stage.

Appearances

This list is incomplete; you can help by expanding it.
Guest Role Year
Amy Allen Aayla Secura 2004–08[6]2015[7][8]
Kenny Baker R2-D2 2000-01,[6] 2007[9]
Ahmed Best Jar Jar Binks 2014
Don Bies R2-D2 Operator 2005[6]
Jerome Blake Mas Amedda, Rune Haako 2004–05[6]
Steven Blum Zeb Orrelios 2014-15
Dee Bradley Baker Captain Rex, Commander Cody and all other clone troopers Star Wars: The Clone Wars 2010-14[6]-[10]
Phil Brown Owen Lars 2001[11]
Michonne Bourriague Aurra Sing 2003, 2012[12]
Jeremy Bulloch Boba Fett 2000-01,[11] 2003-04,[6] 2006-15[10]
Silas Carson Nute Gunray, Ki-Adi-Mundi 2012, 2015
Rob Coleman Animation Supervisor 2005
Doug Chiang Design Director 2001[11]
Jim Cummings Hondo Ohnaka 2013
Anthony Daniels C-3PO 2003, 2004, 2007,[9] 2011[13][13]
Warwick Davis Wicket W. Warrick the Ewok, Wald 1997-2001,[11] 2003–10, 2013–15
Troy Denning Author of Star Wars Expanded Universe novels 2008
Ashley Eckstein Ahsoka Tano 2009-15[13]
Dave Filoni Clone Wars Director 2008-12[10]
Carrie Fisher Princess Leia Organa 2000-01[11]
Warren Fu Concept Artist 2005[6]
Nika Futterman Asajj Ventress, Clone Wars 2012
Brian Gernand Model Supervisor 2005[6]
John Goodson Concept Model Maker 2005[6]
Mark Hamill Luke Skywalker 2014[14]
Tom Kane Yoda, Star Wars: The Clone Wars 2010-13[6]-11[10]
Jay Laga'aia Captain Typho 2006, 2009[6]
Matt Lanter Anakin Skywalker, Clone Wars 2009, 2011,[6] 2014 [10]
Jake Lloyd Young Anakin Skywalker 2000, 2004–2005, 2008, 2012[6]
Daniel Logan Young Boba Fett 2004–05, 2007–08, 2010-12[6]
George Lucas Creator of Star Wars 2011;[15][16] Appeared for the Star Tours: The Adventures Continue opening ceremony
Vanessa Marshall Hera Syndulla 2014-15
Peter Mayhew Chewbacca 2001[11] 2004-2009,[9] 2010[6]-11,[10] 2013-15
Iain McCaig Illustrator and conceptual drawer 2000[6]
Ian McDiarmid Palpatine / Darth Sidious 2015[7]
Rick McCallum Prequel trilogy producer 2006[6]
Temuera Morrison Jango Fett 2003,[12] 2006, 2010[6]
Frank Oz Yoda, theatrical films and Star Wars Rebels 2015[7]
Ray Park Darth Maul 2007, 2009–15,[6][10]
Lorne Peterson Chief model maker 2010[6]
Bonnie Piesse Young Beru Lars 2007[6]
David Prowse Darth Vader 2000, 2008-09[6]
Hugh Quarshie Captain Panaka 2000
Mike Quinn Nien Nunb 2001,[11] 2004[6]
Tim Rose Admiral Ackbar 2013
Steve Sansweet Author/Fan Relations 2008,[6] 2009
Andy Secombe Watto 2004, 2012[6]
Orli Shoshan Shaak Ti 2006[6]
Tiya Sircar Sabine Wren 2014-15
Catherine Taber Padmé Amidala, Clone Wars 2012, 2014
James Arnold Taylor Obi-Wan Kenobi, Plo Koon, Clone Wars 2009-14[6][10]
Billy Dee Williams Lando Calrissian 2003, 2010,[6] 2013-14[17]
Ryder Windham Author of Star Wars: The Ultimate Visual Guide 2009[6]
Sam Witwer Starkiller, Darth Maul, Clone Wars 2013
Matthew Wood General Grievous, Bib Fortuna, Ody Mandrell,
Seboca, Magaloof;
Prequel Sound Supervising Sound Editor		 2005–06, 2009-10[6]

Attractions

Jedi Training Academy

Disney World

Rebels Stage at the Jedi Training Academy

Despite being featured daily throughout the year, this attraction 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. 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.

Disneyland

A duplicate version of the interactive show also occurs daily, as a standalone event at the Tomorrowland Terrace in Disneyland.

Character appearances

In addition to traditional Disney characters dressed in their Star Wars costumes, a number of Star Wars characters from the films and television series appear for photo opportunities and autograph signing. Characters have included Clone Wars‘ Captain Rex, Ahsoka Tano, Queen Amidala, Aurra Sing, Boba Fett, Figrin D'an and the Modal Nodes, Princess Leia, Luke Skywalker, R2-D2, C-3PO, Chewbacca (often has a sack containing a busted C-3PO), Clonetroopers, Darth Maul, Darth Vader, Ewoks, Jango Fett, Jawas, Palpatine, Shaak Ti, Greedo, Stormtroopers, Tusken Raiders, Kit Fisto, Mace Windu, Anakin Skywalker, Boushh and Zam Wesell. Most appearances are in preset locations in front of themed backdrops but some characters freely roam the parks and pose for photos with guests as well.[18]

See also

References

  1. ↑ The Official Star Wars Website, 23 July 2010
  2. ↑ "May the 4th Be with You!". Disney Parks Blog. Retrieved 28 April 2013.
  3. ↑ Buchanan, Gary. "The Rebel Alliance Adds Another Weekend to Star Wars Weekends 2014 in Response to a Decree Issued by the Evil Sith, Emperor Palpatine". The Disney Parks Blog. Retrieved 21 February 2014.
  4. ↑ Lussier, Germain. "Star Wars Bits: Disney’s Carbon-Freeze Walkthrough, Updates On Live Action TV Series, Boba Fett Movie and More". /Film. Retrieved 23 May 2012.
  5. ↑ Miller, Steven. "Cast Yourself in Carbonite with the Carbon-Freeze Me Experience During Star Wars Weekends 2012 at Disney’s Hollywood Studios". Disney Parks Blog. Retrieved 23 May 2012.
  6. ↑ 6.0 6.1 6.2 6.3 6.4 6.5 6.6 6.7 6.8 6.9 6.10 6.11 6.12 6.13 6.14 6.15 6.16 6.17 6.18 6.19 6.20 6.21 6.22 6.23 6.24 6.25 6.26 6.27 6.28 6.29 "Disney's Star Wars Weekends". Retrieved 2011-03-15.
  7. ↑ 7.0 7.1 7.2 Bevil, Dewayne (April 3, 2015). "Disney: Frank Oz, Ian McDiarmid to make Star Wars Weekends debuts". Orlando Sentinel. Retrieved April 4, 2015.
  8. ↑ "Disney's Star Wars Weekends 2015". Retrieved 2015-04-05.
  9. ↑ 9.0 9.1 9.2 http://allears.net/tp/mgm/m_starwars.htm
  10. ↑ 10.0 10.1 10.2 10.3 10.4 10.5 10.6 10.7 http://starwars.com/fans/events/sw_weekends2011guests/index.html
  11. ↑ 11.0 11.1 11.2 11.3 11.4 11.5 11.6 "sww20001main". Retrieved 2009-07-03.
  12. ↑ 12.0 12.1 "sww2003main". Retrieved 2011-03-15.
  13. ↑ 13.0 13.1 13.2 Smith, Thomas. "Feel the Force at Star Wars Weekends 2011!". Disney Parks Blog. Retrieved 4 May 2012.
  14. ↑ Buchanan, Gary. "Mark Hamill, aka Luke Skywalker, to Make Historic First Appearance at Star Wars Weekends". The Disney Parks Blog. The Walt Disney Company. Retrieved 21 March 2014.
  15. ↑ http://www.startours2live.com/news/2011/04/29/george-lucas-attend-star-tours-2-opening
  16. ↑ http://www.cfnews13.com/article/entertainment/2011/may/245604/Sources:-George-Lucas-to-make-surprise-appearance-at-Star-Tours-relaunch
  17. ↑ Buchanan, Gary. "Billy Dee Williams, aka Lando Calrissian, Set to Appear at Star Wars Weekends 2013 at Disney’s Hollywood Studios". Disney Parks Blog. Retrieved 6 April 2013.
  18. ↑ "Star Wars Weekends Scheduled Guests". Studios Central. Retrieved 2009-06-15.

External links