The Pirates League vs Jedi Training at Disney World
I have a question for all of the kids out there: If you could live in the movies, would you choose to be a sea-farer who captains his/her own ship in Pirates of the Caribbean? Or can you picture yourself jumping to light speed and fighting the very next Stormtrooper you encounter? When you’re playing at home, you can use your imagination to put yourself in the middle of the stories, but if you’re traveling to Walt Disney World you can truly become a pirate or Jedi! Let’s find out how!
The Pirates League
At Magic Kingdom Park, you can make a reservation for your swashbuckling son or daring daughter to become a real pirate! Set your heading for Adventureland and when you drop anchor, sail your dinghy to The Pirates League! Parents, listen up: For an additional fee you can make a reservation for The Pirates League beginning 180 days ahead of your trip. Spots fill up quickly so make sure you don’t miss your chance! There are various levels to choose from when making your reservation, so exploring which level of pirate your child wants to achieve will absolutely matter for booking. Once your reservation has been made, the only thing left to do is arrive for the makeover!
All right ya scurvy buccaneers, time to put on yer pirate regalia! Yer experience will start by pickin’ ya a pirate name. Roll the dice and see what name yer number corresponds to and yer well on the way to becoming part of the pirate crew! Next, it’s time for yer makeover! You’ll be painted, bearded, scarred, and branded to look just like a member of Captain Jack’s crew, and when yer look is all complete, not even yer parents will recognize ya! Seal the deal by reciting the official Pirate oath, and you’re officially a real pirate.
Right from the get go of this experience, the immersion into the story is unparalleled. Choosing a pirate name is how it all starts, and after rolling dice and choosing a name that corresponds with the number, thoughts of the outside world dissolve and soon, you’ll be thinking of sea-faring and rum-slugging like you grew up sailing the open waters. Included with each level of package is my favorite part of the Pirates League: a parade around Adventureland! Another great aspect of the Pirates League is that adults can sign up too! If your husband and son want to look scary and skeletal as your family takes on the Magic Kingdom, this is the experience for you!
Jedi Training Academy
If your child’s imagination aligns more with droids than krakens, take them to Hollywood Studios and enroll them in the Jedi Training Academy! This experience runs as a free-of-charge, first come, first serve sign-up beginning at rope drop each day. Younglings aged 4-12 are welcome to enroll in the Academy where seasoned Jedi masters will teach them the ways of the Force!
The participants will don the robes of a Padawan in training before beginning the lessons of a Jedi hopeful. Once the children have reached a certain level, they will be invited to participate in Jedi Training: Trials of the Temple where they can showcase their newly learned skills for spectating loved ones. Anytime a Jedi hopeful uses the Force, all Force users feel the disturbance. Force users loyal to the Dark Side will try to tempt, seduce, and twist the young Padawans during the show, and only true wit and devotion to the light side will save them from turning! So kids, do you have what it takes to become a Jedi?
Both experiences are immersive ways to let your child’s imagination run wild on your next Walt Disney World vacation and instead of just being immersed into the various stories that unfold in the parks, they have the chance to be in the story themselves! Other than the obvious differences between a Pirate and Jedi, here are the outstanding differences in the two experiences that should be considered when choosing which to try!
- Cost– The Pirates League is for purchase, the Jedi Academy is included with the price of admission.
- Age– The Pirates League is open to every age (adults too!), the Jedi Academy is open to children ages 4-12.
- Reservations– The Pirates League requires 180-day advanced reservations with a credit card guarantee (just scroll to the bottom and we’ll be happy to enroll your family!). The Jedi Academy’s reservations open with Hollywood Studios each day and cannot be signed up for in advance.
Now that you’re armed with information, all that’s left to do is let your child choose! We want to know, which is it? Let us know in the comments below.
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Special thanks to Maria Salerno for writing this article: Hiya pal! I am a NYC-based writer thrilled to be bringing you all things Disney! I’m a WDW Annual Passholder, so you can find me in the parks regularly throughout the year. In addition to being a Disney Parks loving girl, I’m also a Disney toy and merchandise collector, a runDisney enthusiast, and Disney music and movie aficionado. You can follow me on Instagram: NYCtoAP and find me on YouTube: NYCtoAP. Thanks for reading, hope to see ya real soon!