It’s been 11 years since the last Star Wars Weekends at Disney’s Hollywood Studios and every May the 4th, I wonder why it hasn’t come back. Disney held Star Wars Weekends for 15 years during weekends in May as a celebration of Star Wars included with your regular theme park admission. Star Wars Weekends included special characters, celebrity appearances, a parade featuring cosplayers from organizations like the 501st Legion, an entire shopping experience with collectibles and fan art, panels with creators of the Star Wars film and television franchise, and themed fireworks. If you didn’t have the pleasure of attending, think of it as a convention type experience that embraced the fandom of Star Wars.
In 2015, Disney officially announced the end of Star Wars Weekends as Hollywood Studios began the process of building Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge. The argument was, why have an event when you can live Star Wars everyday. Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge takes place in a very specific time at a place (Batuu) we had not visited in any of the films. While you may be able to cosplay, meet certain characters, and build a lightsaber or droid, it’s not the same.
This could not be more apparent on May the 4th when thousands of people visited Hollywood Studios to get a picture with their lightsaber in front of the Millennium Falcon. So many people in impressive costumes coming together for the love of the fandom. While the feeling was electric, there was a lot missing. Other than a few collectible items, new popcorn buckets, and themed snacks, there was no acknowledgement of the Star Wars holiday by Disney. Where were the additional characters? Where was the entertainment? Where were the special photo ops? Where was the immersion throughout the park?
In contrast, Disneyland is offering Disneyland After Dark: Star Wars Nite. This separately ticketed event includes characters, photo ops, themed menus, and special entertainment. Everything Walt Disney World needs. Disneyland even expanded the timeline of Galaxy’s Edge so that you can no see beloved characters like Luke, Leia, Han Solo, and Darth Vader. If Disney World, isn’t going to extend the timeline, then there needs to be more Star Wars in other places.
Disney World loves an After Hours event, at every park and even the water parks. Why are the only themed nights for the holidays? I assume cutting Star Wars Weekends was budget friendly – so charge us money and offer the event multiple times during the month of may. A Savi’s Workshop lightsaber starts at a price of $249 and I saw hundreds of them on May the 4th. Star Wars fans are willing to spend the money for an event.
The other element of Star Wars Weekends we may never get back is the fan involvement. You could get unique collectibles you wouldn’t see in any other gift shop and you had fans participating in the parade. Also, can Disney stop taking everything so seriously? Fans want to see Mickey as a Jedi and Chip ‘n’ Dale as Ewoks. We also want to feel like we’re part of it with panel discussions and the opportunity to meet actors from the films. D23 and Star Wars Celebration have combined attendance of over 200,000 people with most tickets costing hundreds of dollars. The demand is there.
Disneyland expanded the timeline of Galaxy’s Edge and Disney World closed the Star Wars: Galactic Starcruiser in 2023. We have more Star Wars than ever and clearly something is still missing. Star Wars Weekends made me fall in love with Hollywood Studios and Star Wars. Not a May the 4th goes by where I don’t think about what Star Wars Weekends could be today. With next year being the 50th anniversary of A New Hope
