Jedi Training at Disney’s Hollywood Studios
During our most recent Walt Disney World vacation, my son was lucky enough to participate in the Jedi Training Academy at Hollywood Studios. If you haven’t heard about Jedi Training, I’ll tell you all about the experience (which I have to admit was pretty awesome!)
What You Need to Know
First of all, you must understand that Jedi Training is a very popular activity at Hollywood Studios. Really, what child between the ages of 4 and 12 wouldn’t want their chance to use the force and defeat Darth Vader and Kylo Ren? For the best chance of getting a spot in one of the shows, make your way over to the Indiana Jones Adventure Outpost (located between the Indiana Jones Epic Stunt Spectacular! and the 50’s Prime Time Café) as soon as the park gates open. There will be Cast Members along the way to point you in the right direction. Keep in mind that any child who would like to participate in Jedi Training must be present with you at registration. If there is space available, you will be given a list of shows with availability and you can choose which one fits your schedule best.
Check-In Time
You will need to arrive 30 minutes prior to your scheduled showtime to check-in. Your child will stay with the cast members and at that time, they will be given instructions, along with an overview of how the Jedi Training Academy works. Each child receives a Jedi robe to borrow, which will be given back to the cast members at the end of the show. One parent must stay in this area during the 30 minutes prior to the show. You can take photos and have fun watching your child transform into a Jedi.
About 5-10 minutes prior to showtime, you will join your child for the Jedi march to the main stage. There will be chanting by the Jedi recruits and applause from crowds passing by. After all, the Jedi are about to battle the dark side!
The Main Stage
Once at the main stage, parents take their spots around the stage to cheer on the kids, while the new Jedi trainees receive their lightsabers and prepare for their lessons. The Jedi Master comes out and teaches the recruits the basic and most effective moves to defeat the dark side forces. As they are mastering these techniques, they are faced with the ultimate test of defeating Kylo Ren and Darth Vader.
Each trainee has his/her turn to use the newly acquired skills to take down the forces of evil. Fortunately, during the show my son was in, the recruits came through and fought off the dark side successfully! As a final fight, the recruits, along with the Jedi Masters, united to use the force to send Darth Vader and Kylo Ren back to the dark side and the universe was safe for one more day (or at least until the next show!)
The looks on the kids’ faces and the determination that came through as they were fighting their ultimate enemies were incredible. It was so much fun, as a parent, to watch the story unfold and have your child be a part of this story.
Don’t Forget Memory Maker
Since Disney thinks of everything, you don’t even need to worry about getting the perfect photos! PhotoPass photographers are there to capture every moment for you. You will receive a photo card that you can link to your My Disney Experience account. Each child has several photos taken throughout the show. If you have Memory Maker, the photos will load directly into your account for you to download when you get home. If you haven’t purchased Memory Maker, but would like to download any of these photos, you can purchase them individually.
I know that this was an experience that my son won’t soon forget. He even went over to Star Wars Launch Bay after the Jedi Training Academy to meet Kylo Ren. He took this opportunity to remind Kylo Ren that he recently defeated him, which I don’t think made Kylo Ren very happy! They had a stare down, which I believe my son won, and that became a topic of discussion for the rest of the afternoon!
Final Thoughts
A few things to keep in mind…there is no additional charge, but just remember that you need to register, with your child(ren) present, as soon as possible in the morning. Shows run throughout the day. In total, plan on needing an hour from start to finish (to check-in, march to the stage and watch the show.) Finally, this was a truly amazing and fun experience and is one that I will definitely recommend to anyone who may have a future Jedi traveling with them!
Want your child to experience Jedi Training during your next Disney vacation? Contact me for all the details and FREE Disney vacation planning!
Kathryn Finkelstein
Authorized Disney Vacation Planner – Platinum Level
MickeyTravels, LLC
1-844-MICKEY-0 (direct)
1-203-982-8961 (cell)
kfinkelstein@mickeytravels.com
www.mickeytravels.com
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