Star Wars Weekends is an annual festival held at the Disney’s Hollywood Studios theme park in Orlando, Florida. The star-studded event usually takes place in four consecutive weekends of the months of May and June, and features appearances of the George Lucas created “Disney Star Wars” franchise cast and crew members. Since 1997, a series of special star wars weekends have been sponsored by Walt Disney world in the Disney’s Hollywood Studios theme park. Activities in this event usually include the Jedi Training Academy, Star Wars Parade, Obi Wan and Beyond, Behind The Force, Symphony In The Stars, and Carbon Freeze Me among others.
Celebrities from the Star wars films and the animated series are expected to appear for star conversations, autograph sessions and motorcade shows during the 2014 star wars weekends in Orlando. In the previous years, respected actors like David Prowse (Darth Vader), Jake Lloyd (young Anakin Skywalker), Peter Mayhew (Chewbacca), Kenny Baker (R2D2) and Antony Daniels (C3PO) among many others, have always graced the Florida event. A wide range of costumed characters including Queen Amidala, Jawas and Luke Skywalker, will also be available in the park to interact with star wars fans.
As is usually the tradition, the 2014 star wars weekends dubbed Join the Rebellion, will be undertaken every weekend (Friday, Saturday and Sunday) starting from May 16th to June 15th 2014. The events special celebrity host will be James Arnold Taylor, who will be making a return to the Orlando based star wars weekends after a long period of absence. Taylor is the voice of many animated characters such as Obi wan Kenobi.
2014 has seen the introduction of new opportunities for star wars weekends fans in Orlando. One such introduction is the “Symphony in the stars,” a revolutionary evening finale, with all time popular Star wars Characters, a rage of fireworks and Glow with the Show elements. Another introduction is the Rebel Rendezvous, a paid merchandise event that will mark the beginning of the Orlando star wars event. The rendezvous will be held on May 15th, 2014 at 10.00 am at the Disney’s Hollywood studios in Orlando, Florida.
There are a lot of benefits to those who will attend the Rebel Rendezvous event. These include a limited edition recruitment pack containing a medal set, custom messenger bag, cadet hat, lanyard, tumbler, a pin and an exclusive access to Darth’s mall, a day before its official opening to the public. This event will also provide a special opportunity to buy certain star wars weekends products, as well as meet and interact with Disney artists and Characters.
The legends of the force motorcade and celebrity welcome featuring a host of popular star wars characters and all time star wars celebrities will begin at the park front, winding its way down to the star wars weekend event stage and finally ending with the grand celebrity welcome near the main entrance at 11.00 am.
Unfortunately this year sees no Hyperspace Hoopla dance off which was one of the highlights in previous years and a must see, but hopefully the "Symphony in the Stars" will be a worthy replacement!
The dates for the 2014 Star Wars Weekends are:
- Weekend I: May 16 -- 18, 2014
- Weekend II: May 23 -- 25, 2014
- Weekend III: May 30 -- June 1, 2014
- Weekend IV: June 6 -- 8, 2014
- Weekend V: June 13 -- 15, 2014 (fifth weekend just added)
Scheduled to appear are:
May 16th - 18th -- Ahmed Best (Jar Jar Binks in "Star Wars: Episode I - The Phantom Menace," "Star Wars: Episode II - Attack of the Clones," "Star Wars: Episode III - Revenge of the Sith," "Star Wars: The Clone Wars"); Peter Mayhew (Chewbacca in "Revenge of the Sith," "Star Wars: Episode IV - A New Hope," "Star Wars: Episode V -- The Empire Strikes Back," "Star Wars: Episode VI - Return of the Jedi," "The Clone Wars") and Vanessa Marshall (Hera Syndulla in "Star Wars Rebels")
May 23rd - 25th -- Warwick Davis (Wicket W. Warrick in "Return of the Jedi" and Wald in "Star Wars: Episode I - The Phantom Menace); Jeremy Bulloch (Boba Fett in "The Empire Strikes Back," "Return of the Jedi" and Capt. Jeremoch Colton in "Revenge of the Sith") and Tiya Sircar (Sabine Wren in "Star Wars Rebels").
May 30th - June 1st -- Ray Park (Darth Maul in "The Phantom Menace", John Ratzenberger (Major Bren Derlin in "The Empire Strikes Back" and Taylor Gray (Ezra Bridger in "Star Wars Rebels.")
June 6th - 8th -- Mark Hamill (Luke Skywalker "A New Hope," "The Empire Strikes Back" and "Return of the Jedi" and Darth Bane in "Star Wars: The Clone Wars"; Ray Park (Darth Maul in "The Phantom Menace") and Billy Dee Williams (Lando Calrissian in "The Empire Strikes Back" and "Return of the Jedi") and Taylor Gray (Ezra Bridger in "Star Wars Rebels.")
June 13th - 15th -- Dee Bradley Baker (Captain Rex, Bossk and additional characters in "Star Wars: The Clone Wars"; Cat Taber (Padmé Amidala and additional characters in "Clone Wars"); Tom Kane (Yoda and other characters in "Clone Wars"); Matt Lanter (Anakin Skywalker and others in "Clone Wars"); and Steve Blum (Zeb Orrelios "Star Wars Rebels").
Star Wars Weekends is included with regular admission to the theme park.