Disney and Star Wars are FORCE-d together for the fabulous mash-up known as Disney's Star Wars Weekends. Opening weekend took place on Friday, May 15th at Disney's Hollywood Studios, and the festivities run each weekend until June 14th. Disney's Star Wars Weekends features more than 60 Star Wars characters roaming the theme park for meet-and-greet opportunities as well as the Star Wars motorcade parade. Continue reading for more photos and video from the opening weekend to put you right in the middle of the Walt Disney World Star Wars fun. May the Force be with you! Always.
Each week, throughout the run of Star Wars Weekends, celebrities appear for autograph sessions and talk shows hosted by Star Wars (and beyond) voice actor extraordinaire James Arnold Taylor. Be sure to arrive early for the comedic pre-show antics of a hapless troop of Imperial Stormtroopers on special assignment.
During this initial weekend, actor Ian McDiarmid (Senator/Emperor Palpatine, Darth Sidious) made his very first appearance at the event, and had the crowd in stitches sneering his way through the Mickey Mouse theme song as "The Emperor."
Other noted celebrity guests scheduled to appear include: Warwick Davis (Wicket the Ewok), Ashley Eckstein (Ahsoka Tano), Peter Mayhew (Chewbacca), and Frank Oz (Yoda). Also, new for Star Wars Weekends 2015 is a show focused on Star Wars Rebels with special guests each week from the Rebels show's voice cast.
Certainly food plays a large role in the Star Wars Universe from Blue Milk to Wookiee Cookies, and Disney's Star Wars Weekends debuted the Rebel Hangar lounge experience to allow guests to satisfy their cravings with Star Wars themed sustenance such as the "Chips and Sith" hummus dip designed to resemble the intimidating Darth Maul.
Speaking of Darth Maul, you'll find plenty of exclusive Star Wars Weekend merchandise at Darth's Mall and Watto's Grotto pop up stores.
Each evening concludes with the DJ Lobot Dance Party, a parade of heroes (and villains) character procession, and the impressive (read - do not miss!) "Symphony in the Stars" fireworks spectacular that combines sounds and clips from the saga with John Williams' inspiring score and blazing pyrotechnics.
All the events of Star Wars Weekends take place at Disney's Hollywood Studios theme park, and everything is included in your regular ticket price. Click here to watch even more videos from Star Wars Weekends 2015, and for the full list of celebrity appearances each weekend, visit Star WarsWeekends.com.