When Jedi Training Academy is NOT at the top of your list!
Lisa ParsonsOctober 25, 2016
When you think of an 8 year old boy and Walt Disney World, Star Wars is sure to come to mind. Although my son was not an avid fan, we had heard about the amazing opportunity to battle Darth Vader and were sure he would love it! The updated version, Jedi Training: Trials of the Temple, takes place daily at Hollywood Studios.We were a little unsure of the process, but figured we would be at the opening gate of Hollywood Studios and go right to the sign up counter and it would be as easy as that.The first mistake was not knowing exactly where the sign up was. It has been changed periodically, so you definitely want to confirm the location prior to your arrival. Currently it is at the Indiana Jones Adventure Outpost shop (next to the 50's Prime Time Cafe). Once we were at the location, the line was already significant with a line that was well over an hour. We chose to wait, even though your child's spot is not guaranteed until you are at the counter selecting your preferred time (or whatever is left). This was on the family “to do” list, so we slowly made our way to the desk.Once you make it to a Cast Member, you are left with a few options of times to come back for the actual Jedi Training. If you have any FastPasses or dining reservations this can greatly interfere with your plans because it takes anywhere from two to three hours of waiting time. We chose a 2:00pm return, knowing that I would have to cancel our Toy Story Mania FastPass.
Needless to say, we rearranged the plan for the day and returned at our time. My son was excited to put on his Jedi robe and line up! After another wait we followed the Jedi over to the battle zone. Then he had a brief training with his light saber and was prepared to fight Darth Vader.Once it was his turn to fight the Dark Side, I saw the look of excitement in his face! He truly believed he had a chance to take down the one and only, Vader! After a couple swings with his saber his trainer stepped in and Vader awaited the next opponent. I saw the look of defeat. My son believed he would have a bit longer to try and knock out Vader. After much anticipation, he was able to walk away with his new “Jedi” button, a certificate and some wonderful pictures via the Memory Maker photographer, but he was unable to really take Darth Vader down.I think that this experience is fantastic for an avid Star Wars fan. But as a parent it is important to understand the process and the time commitment. This takes up a large portion of your day and you can not plan on what time you will need to be available. The actual battle takes about an hour in order for each Padawan in the group (15 in our show) to get a turn. It is also important for your child to be comfortable with being on a stage by themselves. Parents are somewhat separated while the Jedi prepare for battle. You may want to show them this video so they know what to expect and get a gauge on their excitement for it.The more recent updates to Hollywood Studios has changed the Jedi Academy to a slightly different show and set design. It is now named Jedi Training: Trials of the Temple. They have updated the light sabers to be more “life like” and have fashioned a way to accommodate more children at once. Vader is no longer the only villain to battle. The Seventh Sister makes an appearance and she fights one half, while Vader gets the other. I am sure this has helped cut down on wait times, but I hope there are not many disappointed children that did not get to encounter Vader.Jedi Training is a great experience for kids and how many can say they fought the Dark Side?! But with so many things to see at Hollywood Studios make sure you contact me in order to have a great plan for your day.For more great Disney information contact me at Lisa@WishesFamilyTravel.com and follow me on my Facebook Page.