An Out-of-this-World Character Experience

Today marks the start of the final Star Wars Weekend for 2010. During this event, Guests visiting Disney's Hollywood Studios have the opportunity to encounter nearly 50 characters from the Star Wars universe. There are old favorites from the original trilogy (like Princess Leia and R2-D2 above), as well as icons from the newer films and the animated series, "Star Wars: The Clone Wars."

I particularly enjoy some of the elaborate sets which have been added for the characters over the years. They serve to enhance the overall experience and make for better photos, and they also happen to fit in perfectly with the idea of a Studio Backlot. Take this set of the Theed Palace, for example. From the front, it's the perfect setting for an audience with Queen Amidala of Naboo. Around back, it's clear that it's a production piece. We get to both be part of the action and step behind the scenes.

Each of the sets around the backlot depicts a different location from the Star Wars films and is paired with a totem featuring an image from a scene shot on the set. There's the Jedi Council Chamber (below) where one might encounter Kit Fisto, Mace Windu, Shaak Ti or even Anakin Skywalker. Elsewhere are the Naboo energy plant where Darth Maul met his end, a corner of Tatooine outside Jabba's palace where Boba Fett is holding his latest bounty, and the chamber on Coruscant in which Darth Vader was resuscitated.

Also on the lot is this set of the familiar white corridor on the Tantive IV, as seen in the opening sequence of the original Star Wars film and the closing moments of Episode III. While you might expect to meet anyone from Princess Leia or Darth Vader to Bail Organa and Obi Wan Kenobi here, for Star Wars Weekends this set plays host to the Disney gang dressed in their Star Wars best.

For this year's event, several new characters appeared in the park, including R2-MK (above), C-3PO, and Asajj Ventress and Captain Rex (below) from "The Clone Wars." The backdrop for characters from "The Clone Wars" is fun, resembling a giant action figure package (with a little wink in the top corner copy).

I took my 4-year-old twins to Star Wars Weekends again this year. Of course, as much as the boys enjoyed meeting characters like Captain Rex (and playing with their umbrellas as blasters) at the formal set locations, they also got a big kick out of characters just roaming the area. Figrin D'an and the Modal Nodes were a big hit (that's the Cantina Band for the uninitiated), as were the Jawas.

If you recall, Jawas are scavengers and traders by nature. Skittering around the area, they were anxious to trade pins with Guests wearing lanyards, but the little guys were prepared to trade other things as well. I saw some Silly Bandz trade hands, and my sons actually got away with giving this Jawa a couple of old guidemaps in exchange for some hard candy. Not a bad deal, if I do say so myself!