Showing posts with label Star Wars Weekends. Show all posts
End Of An Era: Disney Announces That Star Wars Weekends Will Not Return To Disney World
Disney officially announced that the annual event held at Disney's Hollywood Studios each May-June called Star Wars Weekends will not be returning. After 16 fun-filled Star Wars themed years of delighting Star Wars fans, the end of an era has arrived.
Star Wars Weekends
For 4-5 weekends each year, Disney World had hosted an incredible event that combined Actors and key contributors to the Star Wars Films, costumed characters from the Star Wars movies, and a heavy dose of Disney magic with special interactive events for fans to enjoy.In our post entitled:
What Is Star Wars Weekends...and Why Is It Our Favorite Disney World Event?
we take you through all of the great features of a Star Wars Weekend to enjoy.
Star Wars Celebrities Galore
It was always great to see the Star Wars celebrities ranging from the famous to the obscure. Among our favorites were:
- Peter Mayhew (Chewbacca)
- Billy Dee Williams (Lando Calrissian)
- Jeremy Bullouch (Boba Fett)
- Kenny Baker (R2-D2)
- David Prowse (Darth Vader - the actor not the voice)
- Ray Park (Darth Maul)
- Ashley Eckstein (voice of Ahsoka Tano)
- Warwick Davis (Wickett the Ewok)
Star Wars Characters
There are no shortage of costumed Star Wars characters representing all of the movies and animated series. They pose for pictures and roam about when you may least expect them. These characters really allow the Star Wars fan to "escape" reality for a day and become part of the Star Wars universe.
No matter whether your favorite characters represent the Empire, the Rebel Alliance, or are just Bounty Hunters for hire you could find them at Star Wars Weekends.
Hyperspace Hoopla
No review of the magic of Star Wars Weekends would be complete without mentioning the Hyperspace Hoopla. This irreverent end of the day show that pitted the Rebel Alliance vs The Galactic Empire in a dance off to prove supremacy was the stuff that legends were made of.
From seeing Chewbacca impersonate Axl Rose to Darth Vader moon-walking like Michael Jackson, each year sought to top the previous one in dancing skill and over the top showmanship.
This was truly the one distinctive Star Wars event that you could only witness at Star Wars Weekends.
The Force Awakens At Disney World
The old makes way for the new and the same is to be said at Disney World. The reason that the brief annual event called Star Wars Weekends will be going by the wayside is that it is being replaced by a new 14 acre dedicated Star Wars Land at Disney;s Hollywood Studios with construction in full swing during 2016.
Disney promises that a bigger and better year round Star Wars presence will more than make up for the short term annual event. The jury is still on whether you can re-create the special excitement that those few weekends in may and June brought each year.
Star Wars Weekends: Legends Of The Force Motorcade
When the Walt Disney World Resort invites the celebrities and characters of Star Wars to Disney's Hollywood Studios each year for Star Wars Weekends, no single event is more enjoyed than the Legends of The Force motorcade. This Star Wars themed parade combines Star Wars fandom and Lucasfilm characters along with a few Star Wars celebrities for added excitement.
Legends Of The Force Motorcade
Each day of the five weekends that make up the Star Wars Weekends have a special parade at 11:00am that is called the Legends Of The Force Motorcade. The parade is led off by Mickey Mouse portraying the brave Jedi Mickey!
Jedi Mickey is followed by fellow Disney animated legends Minnie (Princess Leia), Goofy (Darth Vader), Donald Duck (Stormtrooper), and Chip 'n Dale (Ewoks).
501st Legion - Star Wars Diehard Fans
A regular part of this parade now belongs to the most loyal of Star Wars fans. The 501st Legion and the 501st Florida Garrison march in the parade in their homemade Star Wars costumes. They have truly taken cosplay to another level and their costumes rival the ones developed by the film studios.
We are constantly amazed by the awesome collection of dedicated Star Wars fans that dutifully march each year in every parade for the entire Star Wars Weekends. Al of these characters represent the Empire and the Dark Side of the Force.
The Good Guys - The Rebel Legion
The Empire may be mighty, but it is not the only side of the Force represented by the loyal fans. The Rebel Alliance is supported by the Rebel Legion and they take their costumed roles just as seriously as their Empire supporting counterparts.
On the good side we find, Jedi knights, fighter pilots, clone trooper, and an odd assortment of characters including Ewoks and one very tall Wookie.
Star Wars Characters - Jedi, Sith, and so much more!
The official characters are not to be outdone. All of your favorite Star Wars characters usually make an appearance along the parade route. There is equal representation for both the Empire and the Rebel Alliance during this peaceful parade.
Fans love to take pictures of their favorite characters as they pass by. There is also excitement to capture the newest characters from the latest Star Wars movies and animated series. Currently Chopper, Ezra, and Sabine from Star Wars Rebels represent the newest characters.
Star Wars Celebrities!
No Legends Of The Force Motorcade would be complete without Star Wars Celebrities! Each weekend brings a different collection of Star Wars actors, voice characters, and/or people that were intimately involved in making the Star Wars Movies or the animated series.
During this particular weekend we captured: Warwick Davis (Wicket the Ewok), Silas Carson (Nute Gunray), James Arnold Taylor (voice of Obi Wan Kenobi during Star Wars: The Clone Wars & Star Wars Rebels), Ashley Eckstain (Voice of Ahsoka Tano during Star Wars: The Clone Wars & Star Wars Rebels), & Vanessa Marshall (voice of Hera Syndulla during Star wars Rebels)
Star Wars Weekends Parade
Don't miss the Legends of the Force Motorcade during your visit to Star Wars Weekends. This is your best opportunity to see all of the Celebrities and Star Wars Characters at one time. It is also your only chance to see all of the great Star Wars fans from the 501st Legion and their incredible costumes! Also don't miss the great photo opportunities at the end of the parade when all of the Star Wars Characters and Celebrities all appear on stage together.May the Force be with you!
Star Wars Weekends: Rebel Hangar Lounge REVIEW
New for 2015 at Star Wars Weekends is another Star Wars themed dining experience for fans to check out and this one is geared for the adults in the crowd. This marks the 3rd different dining experience available for guests of Disney's Hollywood Studios during Star Wars Weekends.
Rebel Hangar: A Star Wars Lounge Experience
Disney Imagineers have done a quick makeover to a section of the Backlot Express quick service dining location that can be found between the Indiana Jones Stunt Spectacular and Star Tours.
They have taken an area that was supposed to be a studio backlot area with a bunch of excess props left behind and added a Star Wars feel to the area. There are posters on the walls that encourage folks to join the Imperial Forces and Rebels themed items on the tables.
With just a few items, the transformation gives the area a great Star Wars look. The above pictures give you a sense of the transformation.
The Star Wars Themed Food
The menu has a selection of small plate items and drinks that are befitting a lounge atmosphere. The light up X-Wing fighters add to the appeal of the specially named drinks like: Rebel Red, Imperial Blue, Degobah Swamp Juice, & the Tatooine Sunset.
The menu is small, but there is a good variety of small plate offerings. During our review we tried 4 of the choices: Lightsaber Bites, The Dark Fried, The Sith & The Jedi, and Chips & Sith.
The Chips & Sith was certainly the most visually appealing dish on the menu so we had to try it. The Darth Maul looking hummus based dip not only looked great, but tasted pretty good also. The next favorite were the Lightsaber bites which turned out to be an upscale version of corndogs that were cooked perfectly,served hot and went well with the accompanying mustard dipping sauce. The Dark Fried was a Disney take on Chicken & Waffles that was good, but not exceptional. The last dish that we tried was the barbecued pulled brisket and barbecued pulled chicken sliders. Again these were good, but not overly memorable.
Rebel Hangar: The Experience
The experience is the key to the Rebel Hangar. While we dined we saw Greedo, a Jawa, and from Star Wars Rebels - Ezra & Sabine walking around. Unfortunately it was not like a character dining experience where they went from table to table and stopping to interact with guests and pose for pictures. They would oblige if you stopped them as they went by, but they acted more like patrons of the Lounge and milled about.The food was good, if not great, but we enjoyed the creative names and attempt to make them related to Star Wars. The best result was certainly the Darth Maul looking Chis and Sith.
The props that had been included in this area looked great and helped make the area fun for the Star Wars Weekends guests.
The fact that the waitstaff did not push the food and drinks overly hard was great. By that I mean that several tables got one round of drinks and maybe one appetizer for the table to split and that was it. They were there see the Lounge and to enjoy the atmosphere. In that respect the Rebel Hangar delivered.
All in all if you went in looking for a fun, Star Wars themed extra thing to include as part of your Star Wars Weekend then this is definitely something worth checking out. If you are expecting some of the best culinary options that Disney World has to offer then this isn't for you.
Although they do take walk-ins, reservations are strongly recommended
