Jedi Academy - Tips & Highlights

My son who was celebrating his 5th B-Day (wearing his button) and got picked. He was so sad when the girl next to him was chosen, then the boy on the other side and behind him got picked, he thought they had chosen him and he started to run out. The lead Instructor said "ok little one in the orange shirt since your so enthusiastic, we can use that kind of attitude".

I started to get worried when he was moved from his waiting spot where I had a good camera shot. We lost sight of him and then noticed that he was walking out center stage next to the Instructor. He ended up being the one that all of the jokes and/or comments were about. Examples:

"Little one," pats him on the head "you just keep doing your own thing, its working for you!" (About half way through learning the combination, he was really trying his hardest and was one of the younger kids picked for that show).

"You might one to aim a little higher, odds are your opponent will be bigger than you, we won't be fighting any ewoks"


Maybe these are all canned comments, but he felt like he was on top of the world.

He also got to be the first one to fight Darth Vader!

It was definitely the highlight of the trip!


(Maybe once I figure out how to post pics or videos I can add some, my profile pic is from that day...)

My daughter is five, and she got that spot up by the Master too. I have a couple of his jokes on video, and they're a bit canned, but still made her feel VERY special. :lovestruc
 
My DS just turned 5 and I am worried about him being a bit shy or scared (especially when Darth Vader and Darth Maul show up). How were your 5 year olds? Did you talk to them about it ahead of time or just let them be surprised?

He is so into Star Wars that I know he would love this if he'd let himself.
 
My DS just turned 5 and I am worried about him being a bit shy or scared (especially when Darth Vader and Darth Maul show up). How were your 5 year olds? Did you talk to them about it ahead of time or just let them be surprised?

He is so into Star Wars that I know he would love this if he'd let himself.

We haven't gone yet, but when I told my boys about it my 9 yo was excited and my 6 yo was hesitant about it. Like you said, I know he would love it if he would let himself. I showed them some videos of JTA on youtube. There was a really good one that showed it from start to finish. After my shy 6 yo saw that he was more excited and is talking like he wants to do it. For him, I think we will need to watch the show once or twice first, and then he will want to participate. :)
 
My DS just turned 5 and I am worried about him being a bit shy or scared (especially when Darth Vader and Darth Maul show up). How were your 5 year olds? Did you talk to them about it ahead of time or just let them be surprised?

He is so into Star Wars that I know he would love this if he'd let himself.

Our son did fine. I was a little worried he would be timid, but he was super excited and that helped him get chosen to participate and they seemed to like that particular age group a lot.

When storm troopers first show up the Jedi Master/Instructors call the kids and kind of shew them off stage while Darth Vader and Darth Maul make their introductions. He acted a little nervous and scared as everyone was scurrying around him to get over to the corner where it was "safe", but it was kind of organized chaos and it didn't seem to scare anyone too bad. The Jedi Masters did a good job of making sure the kids felt safe and protected!

We didn't tell him anything about what to expect, we just let him be surprised and take everything in as it happened. We just told him that it was the Jedi Training Academy show and left the rest to his imagination. I would love to know what he was thinking or expecting, obviously whatever it was was enough that he wanted to be picked. My little brother who is a Star Wars nerd (a member of the 501st Legion that dress up as Storm Troopers etc for parades and events) was with us and was a good Uncle that was willing to sit with him in the viewing area. Who knows what he might have said to get him excited while they were waiting (he hadn't seen the show before though, so the actual content and fighting Darth Vader and Darth Maul was a complete surprise to both of them).

I would say go for it with your son, he is almost exactly the same age as ours was and he sounds like he is in to Star Wars even more than ours was (he is obsessed now though!). Worst case scenario is he is too timid to be chosen and gets a front row seat. If he is picked the CMs working the show and the kids around him will probably be enough to get any jitters out!
 


Thank you so much for the tips.... I would have never thought a sign would work so well!

Do they ever choose large groups of kids? We're going with some other families and might have up to 7 kids with us who want to participate. Maybe we'll just all get our signs and spread out! :rolleyes:
 
My DS just turned 5 and I am worried about him being a bit shy or scared (especially when Darth Vader and Darth Maul show up). How were your 5 year olds? Did you talk to them about it ahead of time or just let them be surprised?

He is so into Star Wars that I know he would love this if he'd let himself.

My daughter wasn't nervous really ahead of time, but you could tell she got a bit timid when she got picked. She sure had a hard time getting that light saber to work, and I thought she'd be embarrassed, but she just laughed and let the masters help her.
This master/assistant/whichever actually sought my daughter out at the end and gave her a big hug for trying so hard :lovestruc
9532_183356439777_568324777_3874269_4792842_n.jpg


Here are some of my girl:
Waiting to get picked:
9532_183356444777_568324777_3874270_345518_n.jpg

Getting moved up front:
9532_183356464777_568324777_3874273_5642013_n.jpg

After the battle (I don't know that boy, apparently he just wanted to wave:rotfl:):
9532_183356484777_568324777_3874277_2476506_n.jpg
 
Hi,
My sister is a huge Star Wars fan she would be thrilled to particpate in the show. However, even though she's young at heart she's 23 in reality...If I make a super cool sign do you think we have a chance?
 


Are kids still bringing signs? Doing this would make my DS whole trip.

Any tips on what to make for our signs? He is a Star Wars Freak
 
Our 2 boys were picked together this month. We used all the "tips". Got there early and sat right at the line in the middle of our section. They wore matching bright green Disney t-shirts (and ear hats), both had small signs. Signs were are harder stock paper but the same size as a regular computer sheet. Just hand written signs. They were picked together, the first on our side. They dropped the signs and ran for it so I picked the signs up and handed them to the 2 boys who were directly behind them. (We didn't know them - I just said "Here hold these quick!" once I got over my own excitment and saw the signs on the ground still.) The 2 boys were brothers also but not wearing matching gear etc. A little bit younger and they weren't getting noticed because they were not doing the jumping yelling thing. It was nearly the end of selections but within SECONDS of them holding the signs they were both picked together too :banana: Our kids missed out on this two years ago so it was awsome to see all four get to go and the other family was so thankful for us letting them use the signs.
 
Yes, the signs work for sure! They are so easy to spot from where the Jedi Master is, and it gives an easy reference point as to who he is referring to. There might be 6 kids with "red" shirts on in the area that he is pointing to, but if he says "the person with the sign"....that's really clear. :)
 
We went on March 17 and Jedi Training was the most important thing on our to-do list. (Our son is 5 and a HUGE Star Wars fan. This was his second Disney trip.)

We read all the tips on here beforehand. We showed up to the first Jedi Training about 40 minutes early and sat near the middle right, facing the stage. We had an 8 1/2 x 11" sign with Yoda saying "Pick Me You Should" and our son was wearing a Yoda shirt (green because of St. Patrick's Day) had his light saber and when the Master came out we jumped around like crazy people! Even then he was one of the last picked.

It was so awesome! He had the time of his life and his dad and I got all choked up. We took a bunch of pictures but the pro was better so we got the PhotoPass. (There were 6 taken by the pro but we only bought one.)

We were only at Disneyland for one day (thanks to the Give-A-Day promo), so I didn't want to spend the whole day going back to Jedi Training.
 
This whole thread reminded me of the *Gravedigger* sign we took to Monster Jam 2009 - the driver flipped his truck and then ran right into the stands to give my ds6 a hug and stuffed truck. Too cool!!
You've got to give it a try right??!!
I am definitely helping to make signs for this!!
 
When my son was 10 we went twice to the show because he wasn't picked the first time. (He was in the second row the first time.)

For the second show we made sure we were there early enough to get him into the front row. Also, we bought the Jedi Training hoody (it was raining and he was cold and needed it anyway ... to be honest we wouldn't have bought it otherwise, but I think it helped). DH told him to pull his hood up and when the Jedi Master began choosing, he should reach out towards him with a serious look on his face. (Insert my giggle here, LOL!)

Sure enough, the first words out of the Jedi Master's mouth were, "The force is strong with this one ... the young boy in blue in the front row ..." He was thrilled!

It is easily one of the top highlights of our trip. I have a great shot of him fight Darth Maul where DS is literally in the air. We all loved it!
 
We first encountered the Jedi Training Academy when DS was 6 in WDW - it would have been the perfect age for him. My DH and DS went to two shows and he wasn't picked either time.

This last trip to DL in February - we knew we had to get him picked! We were there on a slow day right before Presidents Day - we went to the JTA on our first day there at the first show. He had on a Star Wars t-shirt and was in the front row.

The first kid to get picked had on a Jedi costume robe. Next a couple kids with signs. Then very random picks - but almost all were very excited and jumping up and down. Then the Jedi Master looked towards DS, I was getting excited and he picked...his little sister. Ugh! Of course my DD5 was happy, but she doesn't even really like Star Wars where her brother LOVES it. haha. She was wearing her "little miss matched" socks and stood out a bunch - but it was her pink sparkly converse that the Jedi Master noticed, "And the young Padewan in the pink sparkly force shoes" or something like that.

Interesting thing I noted - not all sign holders were picked. There were quite a few signs at that show. I know because I counted all the signs - knowing that only 25 kids get picked and felt our chances were hugely diminished. But kids that were "hiding" behind signs were not picked.

The story does end well - DS and DH stayed in the area - I think we went on Nemo. Then they just sat in JTA area while DD and I went to see Tink and friends. By the time we got through the line and returned to JTA - I was able to catch the end of DS's performance. Yay! :banana:

It was great to get that "out of the way" at the beginning of the trip. The kids really enjoyed it.

DS was picked for the second show because he jumped up and down the entire time - DH told him that was his only option so he went for it.
 
Aloha!

Just wanted to report that DS7 was chosen to train on Saturday 5/8! Our last visit about a 1 1/2 years ago, he just wanted to watch but not participate. This time, he really wanted to "take down Vader." I read up on this thread :-) because this was on the top of his list and I'd hate for him to not be chosen.

DD12 made a very colorful sign for him (taped 2 pieces of 8x10 plain white computer paper together and folded it up inside my bag so it passed security) that said, "PICK ME!! I *AM THE FORCE". He was also wearing a Star Wars T shirt.

We went for the 2:25 show on Saturday and arrived around 2:15. It was already pretty crowded in the front area. We found a spot for DS toward the center of the side closer to Space Mtn.

When the Jedi Master came in, DS held his sign above his head and jumped up and down. The master 1st chose from the other side (side near Nemo). When he came to our side, he chose DS first!! "The young man with the very colorful homemade sign"!!!

DS was really into it and got his chance to challenge Vader:

TommyVsDarth.jpg


DS slept with his certificate and wore a new "Jedi training academy" t-shirt to school today. He has not stopped talking about it.

Mahalo!

-- Hulamom
 
How young are kids picked? My dd has no interest in "training", but she wants to watch her older brothers and have a sign too. Will we run the risk of offending the "master" if she gets picked and we decline? She's very very tiny for her age (she's 3 1/2, but she looks about 2), so will they probably pass her over anyway? Or should I try to convince her she shouldn't have a sign?
 
How young are kids picked? My dd has no interest in "training", but she wants to watch her older brothers and have a sign too. Will we run the risk of offending the "master" if she gets picked and we decline? She's very very tiny for her age (she's 3 1/2, but she looks about 2), so will they probably pass her over anyway? Or should I try to convince her she shouldn't have a sign?

Maybe make her a sign saying something about picking her brothers? "A little too small to take on Darth Vader - let my brothers protect me!" or something like that, and have them on either side with coordinating signs?
 
Maybe make her a sign saying something about picking her brothers? "A little too small to take on Darth Vader - let my brothers protect me!" or something like that, and have them on either side with coordinating signs?
Great idea. When my then DS12 got picked we did not have a sign. It was before the science Hound has outlined here! He did wear a red shirt, I lifted him up in my arms and jumped up and down, and his three older brothers jumped around us and pointed at him.

To have a second sign by the cute little sister... ooooh that is clever! :)

Maybe her sign could alternatively say "The force is strong with this one!" and have an arrow on the sign to point to a big brother?
 
This was in WDW and DS gave it his all to get Darth. We wear matching SW shirt that I make and then he does jump up and down to get noticed. We make sure we arrive early and get up front.

He also got picked at DL to fight darth maul. It was wonderful!
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