Jedi training academy

[wdw71]

My 6yo son really wants to be a Jedi. So for those of you who have done this give me your tips for this attraction. What time is best considering one of us will be getting a FP for TSM as the other heads off to the sign ups. Is it crucial that we sign up first thing or could we possibly ride TSM first then head over to sign up? We will be at The Studios on a Sunday.

 

[Marla1106]

Watching this... my boys want to do this also.

 

[Minnie222]

To ensure a space, go to sign up for Jedi first. You can send another adult to TSM to get Fastpasses while you wait to sign up.

 

[ryansgirl96]

Watching this... my boys want to do this also.

The year we did it, DH went for TSMM FP and ai took DS to sign up for Jedi. We ended up In first show. It was nice and I think DS enjoyed it but he has not asked to do it since, lol! He would rather get multiple TSMM rides which we unfortunately were not able to do with the plan we had. Now depending upon the crowd level and whether it's a reccomended day or am EMH you probably could FP, ride TSMM and get a spot for sign up but there are no guarantees and at the time I just didn't want to chance it since he just "had" to do it that year.

 

[disnut8]

Just wanted to add that it might be best after getting your slot for one of the adults to go with the child for the "orientation" while the second adult goes over to the area and stands near the ropes. After the first adult is done with the orientation, he/she could join the second adult so both could see the little Jedi. If both adults stay with the little one, you will be peering over the top of people's heads to see your child.

I would NOT recommend this for one adult to go over and stake out a place for 15 adults to join later. But it's difficult with just two adults and one has to stay with the child until right before the Academy starts.

Also, you can have the photos added to your PhotoPass and you will actually have pictures on just your child. You can do this at any time so don't wait until the last minute. My son waited a half hour just to get up to the counter and then had to go through all the photos from that particular Academy to find the ones of my grandson. Go back a few hours after your show and it should be much easier.

Oh - and videotape the entire thing if you can.

 

[M&E]

What about if it is just myself and my son? It will be just the two of us. If we go to TSM ride standby, get a fast pass and then head to Jedi Training will we still get a spot? We plan to be at the park all day so one of the later shows would be fine. We'll be there the end if August. Thanks

 

[wdw71]

Just wanted to add that it might be best after getting your slot for one of the adults to go with the child for the "orientation" while the second adult goes over to the area and stands near the ropes. After the first adult is done with the orientation, he/she could join the second adult so both could see the little Jedi. If both adults stay with the little one, you will be peering over the top of people's heads to see your child.

I would NOT recommend this for one adult to go over and stake out a place for 15 adults to join later. But it's difficult with just two adults and one has to stay with the child until right before the Academy starts.

Also, you can have the photos added to your PhotoPass and you will actually have pictures on just your child. You can do this at any time so don't wait until the last minute. My son waited a half hour just to get up to the counter and then had to go through all the photos from that particular Academy to find the ones of my grandson. Go back a few hours after your show and it should be much easier.

Oh - and videotape the entire thing if you can.

Thanks so much for that idea of having only adult go with the kids to orientation. The last thing I want is to be stuck in the back. I would like to see him up close.

 

[DisneyDreamingInMI]

Also, you can have the photos added to your PhotoPass and you will actually have pictures on just your child. You can do this at any time so don't wait until the last minute. My son waited a half hour just to get up to the counter and then had to go through all the photos from that particular Academy to find the ones of my grandson. Go back a few hours after your show and it should be much easier.

Oh - and videotape the entire thing if you can.

Where exactly do you go to claim your Photopass photos of your child? Is there a Photopass counter right near the Academy? Thanks!

 

[Bephus]

What about if it is just myself and my son? It will be just the two of us. If we go to TSM ride standby, get a fast pass and then head to Jedi Training will we still get a spot? We plan to be at the park all day so one of the later shows would be fine. We'll be there the end if August. Thanks

Most likely you will not get a spot, the spots fill very fast and by the time you get there I am sure they will be gone. When we went I took the kids while DH went to get TSM FP. We were still in line when he got back to meet us but were near the front. We got the 2:00ish show (I asked for a later show than what I was offered because of an ADR, I think we were offered 11:30 or something like that) but they were already turning people away from the line because the line was longer than slots were available for the rest of the shows. He was only allowed in the building because he was with us.
If you rode there is no way you would get there in time. We were at the park 15 minutes before RD and went directly to sign-up.
So even taking the time to get a FP you most likely would not get in line fast enough. Also, we were there in early June on a very slow day.

 

[Minnie222]

Where exactly do you go to claim your Photopass photos of your child? Is there a Photopass counter right near the Academy? Thanks!

We did it recently ( March 2013). The photographer gives one photopass card to each parent. That photopass number has all the photos of the session your child participated in. It has a lot of pics in it, some group photos and some individual photos, and of course included photos of other kids in the same session. You don't have to choose your photos right at the scene, and there is no Photopass booth near the Academy.

 

[jfoster]

Where do you go to sign the kids up in the morning?

 

[Robo]

Where do you go to sign the kids up in the morning?

How to sign up for Jedi Training:

NOTE: Recently, DHS has been actually opening to guests (unannounced) at about 8:30-8:45AM (or so) on days when the published opening time is 9AM.
I'd plan on arriving at DHS -at least- by 8:15 so as to be in a better position to enter the park when the gates open to sign up for Jedi Training and to grab TSM FP's.

On AM EMH days, I'd be there by 7:45 or earlier (if you are a WDW Resort guest.)
The line will start forming as soon as the gates open for AM EMH.
How soon the CM's will actually start taking names during AM EMH can vary.

That said,
arrive well before park opening time.
When you get inside, take the child with you to the sign-up area.**

Note: You do not need your park tickets to sign up for Jedi Training so,
if another member of your party is available, you can send that person
(along with ALL of your park tickets) over to grab FP's for TSM
while you and the Jedi candidate child head for the sign-up.

You'll get a time for the child to return to the Jedi stage and participate.

**Sign-ups will be either just past Hollywood & Vine Restaurant, or at the Sounds Dangerous entrance (even inside the Sounds Dangerous building,) or at the Jedi Stage.
Look for the sign-up area, in the order of the above, until you find it.

Sometimes you can ask for the child to be signed up for a specific show, later in the day, but that can depend on the CM doing the sign-ups.
However, it's easy to get a later show, even if they are doing it first-come, first-served.

Just pay attention to those being signed ahead of you.
If they are signing for a show earlier than you'd like, just step out of line slightly and invite guests behind you to "go on ahead."
Keep listening and when they begin to sign for the show you want, just step back into the line and sign up.

 

[RalphinSC]

Just want to re-iterate what a couple of posters have already said. If you want to guarantee your child gets into a show, it is strongly suggested that you head there first. There are reports of all shows being filled very quickly now and this is a very hot ticket with very limited space. If you are a single adult with child, you basically have to weigh if you want to risk not doing JTA at all by going to get the TSMM fastpasses and riding first. I found in my experience that if you are among the first in the park you can easily sign-up for JTA and then walk over and get a TSMM fastpass with a decent return time and ride standby with minimal wait. Key is to be there early enough to be among the first admitted through the turnstiles. All shows have been reported here before as being filled as early as 10 minutes after official park opening.

 

[M&E]

Thank you! We will definitely head to JTA first thing and head over to TSM second. Being the only parent makes it a little trickier but ill make it work.

 

[jtowntoflorida]

Thank you! We will definitely head to JTA first thing and head over to TSM second. Being the only parent makes it a little trickier but ill make it work.

Just to make you feel better...I took my kids to sign up for JTA while my husband was running to grab TSM FPs. We then joined him and got in the standby queue together. We even had to wait for him because he thought he had enough time for a bathroom run before we'd be done with JTA signups. LOL. Anyway, we were able to do JTA signups, pull TSM FPs, do a bathroom break, ride TSM standby, and were back out front of TSM by 9:10. So even though there's only one of you, I think it's all doable, provided you wait on the bathroom break until AFTER your first TSM ride.

 

[disnut8]

Where exactly do you go to claim your Photopass photos of your child? Is there a Photopass counter right near the Academy? Thanks!

It's at the photo place near the entrance. It's not at the Jedi Training area. The first shop to the right after you enter and go past the Info area.

 

[disnut8]

What about if it is just myself and my son? It will be just the two of us. If we go to TSM ride standby, get a fast pass and then head to Jedi Training will we still get a spot? We plan to be at the park all day so one of the later shows would be fine. We'll be there the end if August. Thanks

What I would do is just come when you can and politely ask people to let you up to the front (if you have a camera out and ready, that would help). Explain that your son in one of the Jedi and I'm hoping kindness wins out. You are only one person - it's not like you are leading a team of cheerleaders up there. I think you will be fine. Most people are there just because it's a crowd gathering.

 

[TB'sWidow]

To ensure a space, go to sign up for Jedi first. You can send another adult to TSM to get Fastpasses while you wait to sign up.

Totally agree, we just did this on Wednesday.

 

[wdw71]

Totally agree, we just did this on Wednesday.

I am concerned about FP time and the Jedi time interfering with each other. What show did you sign up for?

 

[Kat016]

I didnt realize you had to sign up for the Jedi training academy. I thought they just pulled kids out of the "audience" once it started. Both of mine want to do this....where do you sign them up?