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Category Archives: Star Wars Weekends
Star Wars Weekends 2012 Maps
It’s that time of year for the galaxies to come together and celebrate Star Wars Weekends!
Star Wars Weekends has officially begun and if you’re attending you’ll need to get a look at the park maps for the events on May 18th and May 27th to make your plan of attack.
Star Wars Weekends offers:
- Celebrity autograph sessions
- Character meet n’ greets
- Exclusive Star Wars motorcade parade
- Hyperspace Hooplah show
- Jedi Training Academy
To learn more about Star Wars Weekends or to plan your dream vacation, email Michele@PixieVacations.com or click here for more information.
These are the Droids You’re Looking For! Video Walk Through of the Droid Factory at Disney Hollywood Studios
Disney Hollywood Studios recently opened up the new Droid Factory a few days before Star Wars Weekends 2012.
This build-a-droid experience is located inside Tattoine Traders, the Star Tours gift shop. As neat as this was to customize your own R2 unit I found the area to be really small and it was due to it’s size and location that my wife and I opted to build them the day before Star Wars Weekends started. I’m sure the lines will be LONG!
If you’re not able to attend this year’s Star Wars Weekends have no fear! I’m told that this kiosk will be a permanent fixture at the shop. No word on weather this factory will make it out to the west coast but should it be a smash success I can see Disneyland getting their own factory sooner than later.
Related articles
- Star Wars Droid Factory Now Open at Disney Hollywood Studios (chipandco.com)
- Collector’s Corner: Build Your Own R2 Unit at Disney’s Droid Factory at Disney’s Hollywood Studios (slideshow) (jedimouseketeer.blogspot.com)
Star Wars Droid Factory Now Open at Disney Hollywood Studios
The “Droid Factory” experience, a new attraction where you can build and name your own R-series astromech droid action figures, is now open at Disney’s Hollywood Studios!
“We began discussing the Droid Factory in 2009,” says product developer Cody Hampton. “We know that personalization is an important aspect of the popular build-your-own lightsaber experience. We felt the same thing could be done with action figures but on a much larger scale.”
Located at the park’s Tatooine Traders location, the Droid Factory has 71 different pieces to create the 3 3/4-inch scale astromech figures. To get started, guests choose a dome, a body and legs offered in a variety of colors and styles (availability of various parts and colors may change). There are optional third legs and novelty hats that can be added as well.
“We wanted lots of options for [the Droid Factory],” continues Cody. “There are literally thousands of combinations making each droid unique. Guests can also name their droids with sticker sheets provided at checkout.”
Three domes — R6, R8 and R9 — were created exclusively for this experience at Disney Parks. The multi-colored ear hats, which are inspired by Jedi Mickey’s astromech droid, R2-MK, will be joined by four additional hats later this summer including a Goofy hat, a pirate hat, a fedora (very Agent P) and a Yoda cap.
Droids will be sold either in single or dual packs (the latter has a value price). They can also be used with playsets like the Starspeeder 1000.
I’m looking forward to building a few astromech’s myself as I head down to DHS for this year’s Star Wars Weekends. Be sure to follow me on Twitter and listen to my reports for the Sorcerer Radio Network and the WDW After Dark vidcast LIVE this Friday May 18, 2012!
SRSounds.com – Sorcerer Radio, All Disney Music, All Day Long
WDWAfterDark.com – The Live and Uncensored Vidcast for Adult Disney Fans
Related articles
- Behind the Scenes for an R2-D2 Photo Shoot for Disney’s Star Wars Weekends (video) (jedimouseketeer.blogspot.com)
Celebrities, Details and Tips Announced for Star Wars Weekends 2012
Following the post earlier in the week about the return of James Arnold Taylor (voice of Obi-Wan Kenobi – Star Wars: The Clone Wars) and Ashley Eckstein (voice of Ahsoka Tano – Star Wars: The Clone Wars) as Celebrity Hosts for Star Wars Weekends, we received a new transmission from an R2 unit that reveals more Star Wars celebrities scheduled to appear this year at Disney’s Hollywood Studios park. The annual event takes place each Friday, Saturday and Sunday from May 18-June 10, 2012.
With Donald Duck doing his best Darth Maul impression in the 2012 event logo, seen here, Star Wars Weekends 2012 will welcome several celebrities from Star Wars: Episode I The Phantom Menace for the Force-filled fun. In fact, Donald will have the chance to meet Ray Park, the action star who portrayed Darth Maul, during an extended engagement. Ray (pictured below) is scheduled to appear in both Weekends I and II.
Another 2012 highlight: keep a sharp eye during Weekend IV when bounty hunters — a favorite among many fans — take center stage in their very own weekend (doesn’t that seem appropriate, considering Star Wars bounty hunters generally work on their own anyway?). As an added surprise, Weekend IV will be a “Bonus Boba” weekend! Both actors who portrayed laconic enforcer Boba Fett in the saga — Jeremy Bulloch and Daniel Logan — will appear during the event’s closing weekend.
Each weekend will also feature a visiting celebrity voice actor from the popular animated TV series, Star Wars: The Clone Wars.
Here’s the scheduled celebrity lineup for Star Wars Weekends 2012 (subject to change):
Weekend I (May 18 – 20)
- Ray Park – (Darth Maul – Star Wars: Episode I The Phantom Menace)
- Jerome Blake (Rune Haako/Mas Amedda – Star Wars: Episode I The Phantom Menace)
- Dee Bradley Baker (voice of Clone Captain Rex and Clone Commander Cody – Star Wars: The Clone Wars)
Weekend II (May 25- 27)
- Andy Secombe (Watto – Star Wars: Episode I The Phantom Menace)
- Ray Park (Darth Maul – Star Wars: Episode I The Phantom Menace)
- Tom Kane (voice of Yoda – Star Wars: The Clone Wars)
Weekend III (June 1 -3)
- Jake Lloyd (Anakin Skywalker – Star Wars: Episode I The Phantom Menace)
- Silas Carson (Nute Gunray/Ki-Adi-Mundi – Star Wars: Episode I The Phantom Menace)
- (Star Wars: The Clone Wars voice talent – currently TBD)
Weekend IV (June 8- 10)
- Michonne Bourriague (Aurra Sing – Star Wars: Episode I The Phantom Menace)
- Jeremy Bulloch (Boba Fett – Star Wars: Episode V The Empire Strikes Back and Star Wars: Episode VI Return of the Jedi)
- Daniel Logan (Boba Fett – Star Wars: Episode II Attack of the Clones)
- Nika Futterman (voice of Asajj Ventress – Star Wars: The Clone Wars)
While most daily events are still being scheduled, we have received a few additional news of note and tips for Star Wars Weekends 2012 (all activities & entertainment subject to change):
- “Hyperspace Hoopla”: This high-energy, one-of-a-kind show is a chance to see some of the famed Star Wars characters performing like never before. It will take place on a stage in front of the Sorcerer Mickey hat on Hollywood Blvd., and is scheduled to begin at 8 p.m. each event evening.
- Autograph Opportunities: As always, there is no additional charge for the celebrity autograph sessions at Star Wars Weekends. The autograph lines will once again be handled via a FASTPASS-type system. The meet-and-greet session/autograph opportunities are extremely limited, so guests need to arrive early to receive a FASTPASS. Please refer to this link, which will take you to the official Star Wars Weekends event page on DisneyWorld.com. There, you’ll find more detailed information under “Celebrity Autographs.”
- Star-Studded Event: Keep in mind, autograph opportunities are not the only place to see the celebrities. Star Wars stars take part in fun throughout the day in Star Wars-themed talk shows, behind-the-scenes presentations, the gala “Legends of the Force” parade and more.
That’s the latest for now. Keep checking back as we confirm more scheduled activities for Star Wars Weekends 2012. Do you have any special memories of past Star Wars Weekends or of any of the celebrities that will attend this year? If so, please share in the comments.
Related articles
- Sneak Peek at Star Wars Weekends 2012 Merchandise (jedimouseketeer.blogspot.com)
- Actors Ashley Eckstein and James Arnold Taylor Host Star Wars Weekends 2012 at Walt Disney World (chipandco.com)
Actors Ashley Eckstein and James Arnold Taylor Host Star Wars Weekends 2012 at Walt Disney World
Ashley Eckstein and James Arnold Taylor Return as Celebrity Hosts for Star Wars Weekends 2012 at Walt Disney World
Disney Parks announced today that Ashley Eckstein and James Arnold Taylor are reprising their roles as hosts for Star Wars Weekends 2012 at Disney Hollywood Studios at the Walt Disney World Resort.
James Arnold Taylor will be the the emcee of the festivities while Ashley Eckstein will host “Behind the Force,” a look into “Star Wars: The Clone Wars” animated series.
Taylor is the extremely talented actor whose versatile vocal range has given him success in every facet of the voice-over industry. Star Wars fans know him as the voice of the venerable Obi-Wan Kenobi in Star Wars: The Clone Wars, and he has performed celebrated roles in animation and video games, as well as exacting voice-doubling for such stars as Christopher Walken, David Spade, and Michael J. Fox. Taylor debuted his high-energy one-man performance “Talking to Myself” in 2011.
Eckstein, the voice of Ahsoka Tano, Anakin Skywalker’s Padawan on “Star Wars: The Clone Wars,” is a former Walt Disney World Resort cast member at Disney’s Hollywood Studios. Not only did she grow up around the parks but also stared as Muffy on Disney Channel’s “That’s So Raven.” In addition to doing film and voice work, Eckstein also started Her Universe, a company that produces licensed merchandise targeted specifically for women and girls.
Related articles
- Star Wars: The Clone Wars’ Ashley Eckstein as Ahsoka Tano (jedimouseketeer.blogspot.com)
- Register Now for the Star Wars Celebration VI Costume Pageant (chipandco.com)
