Star Wars Weekends
| Star Wars Weekends | |
|---|---|
 Star Wars Weekends 2009 logo |
|
| Dates | May–June |
| Location(s) | Disney's Hollywood Studios |
| Years active | 1997-2001, 2003-present |
| Genre | Star Wars/Science fiction |
| Patron(s) | Walt Disney Company Lucasfilm |
| Website | Official website |
Star Wars Weekends is a festival generally held annually at the Disney's Hollywood Studios theme park at 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 actors and crew members from the 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 and Goofy as Darth Vader. The festival began in 1997 and has been held in 2000, 2001, and annually since 2003.
Contents |
[edit] 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.
- Star Wars Parade - features the 501st Legion (a worldwide Star Wars costuming group) parading in Stormtrooper costumes, along with numerous other Star Wars characters.
- Stig and Oopla's Hyperspace Hoopla - Live show also at the stage in front of the Sorcerer's Hat. It is a dance-off show featuring Star Wars characters competing in groups against each other in a dance competition.[1]
- 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.
[edit] Appearances
-
This list is incomplete; you can help by expanding it.
| Guest | Role | Year |
|---|---|---|
| Warwick Davis | Wicket W. Warrick the Ewok | 1997-2001,[2] 2003–09 |
| Amy Allen | Aayla Secura | 2004–08[3] |
| Kenny Baker | R2-D2 | 2000-01,[3] 2007[4] |
| Don Bies | R2-D2 Operator | 2005[3] |
| Jerome Blake | Mas Amedda, Rune Haako | 2004–05[3] |
| Dee Bradley Baker | Captain Rex, Star Wars: The Clone Wars | 2010[3]-11[5] |
| Phil Brown | Owen Lars | 2001[2] |
| Michonne Bourriague | Aurra Sing | 2003[6] |
| Jeremy Bulloch | Boba Fett | 2000-01,[2]2003-04,[3] 2006-11[5] |
| Rob Coleman | Animation Supervisor | 2005 |
| Doug Chiang | Design Director | 2001[2] |
| Anthony Daniels | C-3PO | 2004, 2007,[4] 2011[7] |
| Troy Denning | Author of Star Wars Expanded Universe novels | 2008 |
| Ashley Eckstein | Ahsoka Tano | 2009-11[7] |
| Dave Filoni | Clone Wars Director | 2008-11[5] |
| Carrie Fisher | Princess Leia Organa | 2000-01[2] |
| Warren Fu | Concept Artist | 2005[3] |
| Brian Gernand | Model Supervisor | 2005[3] |
| John Goodson | Concept Model Maker | 2005[3] |
| Tom Kane | Yoda, Star Wars: The Clone Wars | 2010[3]-11[5] |
| Jay Laga'aia | Captain Typho | 2006, 2009[3] |
| Matt Lanter | Anakin Skywalker, Clone Wars | 2009,[3] 2011[5] |
| Jake Lloyd | Young Anakin Skywalker | 2004–2005, 2008[3] |
| Daniel Logan | Young Boba Fett | 2004–05, 2007–08, 2010[3] |
| George Lucas | Creator of Star Wars | 2011;[8][9] Appeared for the Star Tours: The Adventures Continue opening ceremony |
| Peter Mayhew | Chewbacca | 2001,[2]2004-2009,[4] 2010[3]-11[5] |
| Iain McCaig | Illustrator and conceptual drawer | 2000[3] |
| Rick McCallum | Prequel trilogy producer | 2006[3] |
| Temuera Morrison | Jango Fett | 2003,[6] 2006, 2010[3] |
| Ray Park | Darth Maul | 2007, 2009-11[3][5] |
| Lorne Peterson | Chief model maker | 2010[3] |
| Bonnie Piesse | Young Beru Lars | 2007[3] |
| David Prowse | Darth Vader | 2000, 2008-09[3] |
| Hugh Quarshie | Captain Panaka | 2000 |
| Mike Quinn | Nien Nunb | 2001,[2] 2004[3] |
| Steve Sansweet | Author/Fan Relations | 2008[3] |
| Andy Secombe | Watto | 2004[3] |
| Orli Shoshan | Shaak Ti | 2006[3] |
| James Arnold Taylor | Obi-Wan Kenobi, Clone Wars | 2009-11[3][5] |
| Billy Dee Williams | Lando Calrissian | 2010[3] |
| Ryder Windham | Author of Star Wars: The Ultimate Visual Guide | 2009[3] |
| Matthew Wood | General Grievous, Bib Fortuna, Ody Mandrell, Seboca, Magaloof; Prequel Sound Supervising Sound Editor |
2005–06, 2009-10[3] |
[edit] Attractions
[edit] 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 current location of Sounds Dangerous! after the attraction closes in 2012.[10] 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."[11]
[edit] 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.[12]
[edit] See also
[edit] References
- ^ [1] The Official Star Wars Website, 23 July 2010
- ^ a b c d e f g "sww20001main". http://www.starwarsweekends.net/2001/sww2001.htm. Retrieved 2009-07-03.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v w x y z aa ab ac ad "Disney's Star Wars Weekends". http://www.facebook.com/pages/Disneys-Star-Wars-Weekends/105058056197470?v=info. Retrieved 2011-03-15.
- ^ a b c http://allears.net/tp/mgm/m_starwars.htm
- ^ a b c d e f g h http://starwars.com/fans/events/sw_weekends2011guests/index.html
- ^ a b "sww2003main". http://www.starwarsweekends.net/2003/sww2003.htm. Retrieved 2011-03-15.
- ^ a b http://disneyparks.disney.go.com/blog/2011/02/feel-the-force-at-star-wars-weekends-2011/
- ^ http://www.startours2live.com/news/2011/04/29/george-lucas-attend-star-tours-2-opening
- ^ http://www.cfnews13.com/article/entertainment/2011/may/245604/Sources:-George-Lucas-to-make-surprise-appearance-at-Star-Tours-relaunch
- ^ http://www.startours2live.com/news/2011/04/15/crazy-rumor-jedi-training-academy-20-interactive-lightsaber-wielding-yoda-animatroni
- ^ http://starwars.com/fans/media/d23startours/index.html
- ^ "Star Wars Weekends Scheduled Guests". Studios Central. http://sww.studioscentral.com/main/content/scheduled-guests. Retrieved 2009-06-15.
[edit] External links
- Official website
- [2] List of Actors and Characters
|
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
