Jedi Training By Reece Smith

Jedi Training Academy 

by Reece Smith

Calling all Star Wars fans!  Well, not all fans, just those who are 3 to 4 feet tall. The Jedi Training Academy is a session that children from the ages 4 to 12 can participate in where they get training from a jedi master and their apprentice how to use the force as well as wield and use their own lightsaber. In addition, they get to wear a jedi cape to feel like they are really a padawan. There are multiple sessions throughout the day that you can sign up for and there is only a certain number of people per session. Sometimes depending on the day and the wait line the possibility that your children can do this Jedi Training Academy may be slim, so you will need to plan accordingly. Arrive at Hollywood Studios early to obtain the best chance of participation. Sometimes the weather can play a part as to whether or not jedi training occurs.  Inclement weather can cause sessions to be cancelled.

Each park has their own area for the training depending on whether you're in Disneyland or Walt Disney World, but both are outside and centered around a jedi temple. The differences in the training areas is that in Disneyland the temple actually rises up from the ground creating a platform and a dark black passageway appears in the middle of the wall that rose up from the ground. In Disney World you are outside of Star Tours in Hollywood Studios with a permanent temple structure. Also, there’s an All-Terrain Attack-Transport on your right, AT-AT for short, giving the feel of being in Star Wars.

During the training the apprentice gets tempted by the dark side and one of the sith characters comes out of part of the training area. Sometimes these dark side characters bring along storm troopers as reinforcements. These sith can be Darth Vader, Kylo Ren, or one of the inquisitors and the participants/children have to fight them using the moves your jedi master taught you. The padawans use their new skills separately and together for a more immersive experience.

These moves consist of hitting your opponents left shoulder, right shoulder, block, then ducking and finally going for the head. I’ve done this about 5 times and it’s really a great experience to participate in and it's never exactly the same. If you master these moves then you too can defend against the dark side. Each participant gets a turn and then together they defeat the enemy.

As I said earlier the apprentice is tempted by the darkside and shortly after all of the children finish fighting the apprentice fights. Eventually they overcome their temptation/fear and overpower the dark side then the master, apprentice, and all the children have to use the force to push the character back into the place where they came from. Each young padawan is given a special souvenir to remember this experience. Also, there are Disney photographers taking pictures throughout the training which makes capturing this unique memory possible while you enjoy the live performance. The Jedi training Academy is also another way to spend your time in the park if you so desire. These sessions are usually 30 minutes apart and they last from 15 to 20 minutes.