Can someone review Jedi Academy Training?

[snowsue1]

My grandson wants to attend Jedi Academy Training at Hollywood Studios. He is 10.

Can someone review this activity?

 

[t_catt11]

We did this On October 2nd with our four year old, and it may well have been the highlight of the trip. Of course, that was due in no small part to the fact that he was easily the smallest kid on stage, got a little stage fright, and became the chief source of the Jedi Master's joke narrative.

How it works: arrive at rope drop, proceed directly to jedi traiing signup (usually located at sounds Dangerous). Kids are signed up first come, first served and given a showtime to attend (be there half an hour early). The child MUST be with you for signup - they ask the child a few simple questions.

At showtime, the kids (15 per show) are given jedi robes to wear and brought on stage. The jedi master gives them training lightsabers and teaches them a very simple fight combination. Darth Vader arrives with stormtroopers and offers to complete the kids' training.

The jedi master refuses, and the kids each fight Vader one at a time, using the combo they just learned.

At the end, they are give a special certificate to take home.

 

[Karpkg]

My grandson wants to attend Jedi Academy Training at Hollywood Studios. He is 10.

Can someone review this activity?

He will LOVE IT. He'll dress in a Jedi robe, be given a lightsaber, be taught how to swing the lightsaber, then he'll have a go at Darth Vader. All on Stage! The family will be cheering him on, and there's a photopass photographer that will snap pictures.

There's another thread, use the search function, for best advice to get into the show, it is very popular. There'll be around 15 kids max, I think, per show.

A video camera and/or regular camera are all that is required in this venture, LOL! It is outside and can be hot in the sun and everyone will be standing, but the show is roughly 20 minutes.

 

[EricaG]

Just got back, and my 5 y.o. loved it!

A quick caution--they will cancel it if it rains, and they will not reschedule those kids into some other show, b/c all the time slots are filled pretty quickly in the morning.

We were there early (did EMH and were there at rope drop) on an overcast day with predicted rain, and they announced this cancellation policy as we were waiting in line. A quick look at the hourly weather forecast on the Weather Channel app, and we saw that our best weather chance was in the mid-to-late afternoon, so signed him up for the 4:40 show. Worked like a charm--I heard that the first two shows were cancelled (I feel bad for those little ones--hope they got to come back another day!) but ours was sunny and clear. Thank you iPhone!

 

[7Le's]

does your child have to be involved in the show or can we just go and see the show?? My kids love star wars but I dont think any of them would want to be on a stage in front of strangers! lol

 

[Hemlock]

Just wanted to add that my 10 year old son loved it!

 

[t_catt11]

does your child have to be involved in the show or can we just go and see the show?? My kids love star wars but I dont think any of them would want to be on a stage in front of strangers! lol

The show is open to anyone who wants to watch it. The stage is located directly adjacent to the Star Tours ride.

 

[pooh4evr]

My 3 girls did it a month ago and loved it -we got to DHS about 8:15. At about 8:45 they open the turnstiles and the Jedi sign up people go over to a line up in front of Hollywood and vine restaurant we got into the 10:00 show, and we were finished signing up before the actual rope drop, then dh ran to get fast passes for toy story while we got pictures with stitch, Minnie... We met at sounds dangerous at 9:30, where they were now signing up kids for the last afternoon shows. The girls loved it, and the pictures are great they have a photo pass person there too, about an hour after the show you can go to the photo pass store the dark room and you look through all the pics from your show and choose the ones of your kid(s) to have added to your pass. Keep in mind the ages are 4-12.

 

[Music City Mama]

We did this On October 2nd with our four year old, and it may well have been the highlight of the trip. Of course, that was due in no small part to the fact that he was easily the smallest kid on stage, got a little stage fright, and became the chief source of the Jedi Master's joke narrative.

When our 4 year old did it this year, I felt the same way! We were just watching the video the other day I still cry from laughter when I watch it.

 

[olwyngdh]

DD9 did it last spring and loved it--and Darth Vader was quick enough to avoid the cup shot.

 

[soonermel]

What's the earliest age that can participate? Would my barely-3 but super-chatty kiddo get anything out of this?

 

[bowbat]

Is there any chance of getting in if you're *not* there for rope drop? Or does it generally always book up then? TIA!

 

[dia]

Just got back, and my 5 y.o. loved it!

A quick caution--they will cancel it if it rains, and they will not reschedule those kids into some other show, b/c all the time slots are filled pretty quickly in the morning.

We were there early (did EMH and were there at rope drop) on an overcast day with predicted rain, and they announced this cancellation policy as we were waiting in line. A quick look at the hourly weather forecast on the Weather Channel app, and we saw that our best weather chance was in the mid-to-late afternoon, so signed him up for the 4:40 show. Worked like a charm--I heard that the first two shows were cancelled (I feel bad for those little ones--hope they got to come back another day!) but ours was sunny and clear. Thank you iPhone!

On an EMH morning what time did the line form? And when would you say the spots were taken? We have 8am reservations as H&V on an EMH morning and wondering what the chances of getting JTA after breakfast.

 

[EricaG]

On an EMH morning what time did the line form? And when would you say the spots were taken? We have 8am reservations as H&V on an EMH morning and wondering what the chances of getting JTA after breakfast.

We arrived at the park at around 7:40 am, and there were already pretty good-sized lines at the turnstiles (probably 30 or so people deep at every turnstile). We got behind a few folks in the short line that said it was closed, but it was pretty clear that the family in front were talking to the CM standing there and she was confirming it would open when the others did (thanks DisBoards for the tip to keep an eye on those "closed" or "breakfast only" entrances that transform to regular entrances at rope drop).

So, they started letting people through the turnstiles maybe 7:50 or so, and we went left where they were directing people for Jedi Training sign-ups. The line was not too far down the first street on the left as you enter. We didn't run or anything, and a few folks were walking super quick and ended up in front of us, so we were maybe 5th or 6th in line. The CM's started writing down names, and then as soon as the park officially opened at 8, they started walking toward Sounds Dangerous and we all followed in a line. So we were signed up and ready to go by about 8:10 am.

I'm not sure how quickly they filled up the shows, but I might consider having everyone in line well before rope drop and trying to be one of the first few people in line to sign up, and then you might still be able to be over at the restaurant by 8:05 or so--we usually end up waiting a few minutes to be seated for character meals, so I'm not sure, but would being just a few minutes late be a huge deal?

DH participated in the TSM stampede, walking quickly but not trying to be first or anything, and he got FP's for about 8:55 I think--standby line was already 25 min. when we got over there from Jedi sign-ups. When we got off after our first ride at about 9 am, the FP time was about 3:45 pm so we got more FP's and were able to ride it twice that day!

 

[dia]

We arrived at the park at around 7:40 am, and there were already pretty good-sized lines at the turnstiles (probably 30 or so people deep at every turnstile). We got behind a few folks in the short line that said it was closed, but it was pretty clear that the family in front were talking to the CM standing there and she was confirming it would open when the others did (thanks DisBoards for the tip to keep an eye on those "closed" or "breakfast only" entrances that transform to regular entrances at rope drop).

So, they started letting people through the turnstiles maybe 7:50 or so, and we went left where they were directing people for Jedi Training sign-ups. The line was not too far down the first street on the left as you enter. We didn't run or anything, and a few folks were walking super quick and ended up in front of us, so we were maybe 5th or 6th in line. The CM's started writing down names, and then as soon as the park officially opened at 8, they started walking toward Sounds Dangerous and we all followed in a line. So we were signed up and ready to go by about 8:10 am.

I'm not sure how quickly they filled up the shows, but I might consider having everyone in line well before rope drop and trying to be one of the first few people in line to sign up, and then you might still be able to be over at the restaurant by 8:05 or so--we usually end up waiting a few minutes to be seated for character meals, so I'm not sure, but would being just a few minutes late be a huge deal?

DH participated in the TSM stampede, walking quickly but not trying to be first or anything, and he got FP's for about 8:55 I think--standby line was already 25 min. when we got over there from Jedi sign-ups. When we got off after our first ride at about 9 am, the FP time was about 3:45 pm so we got more FP's and were able to ride it twice that day!

Thanks so much for the reply. I was under the impression that signups didn't actually start til 9am, even on EMH. This is great news. I may actually move our breakfast up a bit. Then we can maybe do Jedi signup and TSM before breakfast. I was dreading the idea of wasting an hour in line for the JTA.

 

[pooh4evr]

What's the earliest age that can participate? Would my barely-3 but super-chatty kiddo get anything out of this?

Ages are 4-12 and I would strongly advise sticking to it- they are on an elevated stage and once they are lined up you are not with them during the entire show- we had one girl FREAK OUT major when DV came out.