Jedi Training Academy now at Tomorrowland Terrace! (Good riddance Club Buzz!)

[PeoplemoverMatt]

News today coming from Al Lutz' newest article over at Miceage.com:
http://www.miceage.com/allutz/al080106b.htm

Originally Posted by Al Lutz - Miceage.com

Where the real action will be for the boys in the family is over at Tomorrowland Terrace, where the Jedi Training Academy will be located. Notice how we didn't say "Club Buzz." Finally, mercifully, they've given up on the silly Club Buzz name no one ever really used and will be returning to the old Tomorrowland Terrace name instead. The facility is set for a remodel and the garish Buzz Lightyear color scheme and decor will be replaced. (Currently there's a holdup with the very touchy George Lucas organization over these plans, but they still should meet the October deadline.)

The Jedi Training Academy is the testosterone-laden version of the Princess Fantasy Faire, with little boys given the opportunity to train with an official Jedi on the fine art of lightsaber fights and generally brave behavior against an evil enemy. The highlight for this event is when the Tomorrowland Terrace stage (gosh, that's nice to say, isn't it?) rises up out of the ground and Darth Vader and Darth Maul both emerge from a cloud of fog to test the mettle of the newly trained Jedi's. You can imagine who will win every single battle, and sales of plastic lightsabers will certainly soar. Imagine the thrills (and walloped ankles) thousands of visitors will then experience as the little Jedi darlings get set loose to roam Disneyland with lightsabers in hand, as parents ignore their rambunctious, if not just plain hooligan-like behavior.

I have the same problem with this as I do with the Princess Faire, why split up the family? Can we not think of something for the whole family to enjoy together? That's what I thought Walt's intentions for Disneyland were anyway.

Dorky observation here, but I just find it really funny that both Darth Vader & Darth Maul will come out together, according to Lutz. Star Tours already really causes problems for Star Wars fans because of the timeline issues...having both Maul & Vader out there at the same time pretty much obliterates any hope for continuity. Of course, continuity with the timeline isn't being thought of at all because everything bends a knee to the almighty merchandising dollar. Even 40-year old classics perish under its boot, but that's a different discussion.

And because no Lutz article would be complete without bashing Annual Passholders or FastPass at least once, here's this quote regarding the Jedi Academy & Princess Faire:

Originally Posted by Al Lutz - Miceage.com

Both of these concepts are already in use out at Walt Disney World, and Disneyland is simply late to the party. But they'll be wrapped up in slick marketing jargon and launched as part of the Year of a Million Dreams. Will it drive new attendance this fall? Probably not, although the Annual Passholders with young children will likely go crazy over it and both locations will meet their sales targets.

-- PMM

[Imjustpeachy]

I'm a girl...and I'd like to be a Jedi thank you very much.

[debijeanm]

That's right, there are male AND female Jedi. And I know LOTS of little girls who do not identify with those prissy princesses (and big girls, too).

[Kileli]

i am cuurently watching all the star wars movies, and there are loads of both male and female jedi. sure, the boys might be into the star wars thing at DL more then girls, but they make it soud like the girls cant even try.

[debijeanm]

My question now is, will they PLEASE make the light sabers SILENT? Those Buzz blaster things in the hands of a three-year-old (times a thousand) are the only things at DL that make me crazy(er)!

[ryguy222]

^^Amen to that
I like this idea it sounds alot better then Silly club buzz. And i think it be haliroous to see a five year old beat the crap out of a Darth Vader dude. Anyways maybe this could lead to a new Star Tours.
-ryguy222

[carlosbrown45]

ugh star wars? i hope they dont take away club buzz. and yes if they do do this i hope the lightsabers dont make noise.

[Legend_S]

Sounds better then ::sings:: La La La Club BUZZ! lol. Its nice to know that they'll call it Tomorrowland Terrace again. Aaaand I was told by a Star Tours cast member that we should be getting a new Star Tours movie next year... buuuut I know better then to listen to such things from CMs... OOOOOO some liiiiiiiie. Guess we'll just have to wait and find out.

EDIT: Okay, I fix Space... SOME CMs lie :) Or your lying that you dont lie, like a CM does Lol jk.

[Piglet]

Originally Posted by PeoplemoverMatt

I have the same problem with this as I do with the Princess Faire, why split up the family? Can we not think of something for the whole family to enjoy together? That's what I thought Walt's intentions for Disneyland were anyway.

I totally agree with you here, Matt. What do parents do that have both little girls AND little boys and they both want to do these at the same time? That means Mom and Dad have to split up so the kiddies can each have fun. I'm not liking the segregation, here. PLUS, like Imjustpeachy says, girls want to be Jedi's, too.

[PeoplemoverMatt]

Originally Posted by Piglet

What do parents do that have both little girls AND little boys and they both want to do these at the same time? That means Mom and Dad have to split up so the kiddies can each have fun. I'm not liking the segregation, here. PLUS, like Imjustpeachy says, girls want to be Jedi's, too.

Well, I really doubt there'll be an enforced segregation. If Timmy wants to see the Princess Faire or if Emily wants to be a Jedi, I would be shocked if they turned either away. My reasonably educated guess here is that having one or other might be interpreted as a gender-preference, so they decided to go with both.

-- PMM

[Executioner]

OK I am not against the segregation of activities. As long as there is a good amount of activities or attractions to keep the parents, girls and boys happy. When I was growing up, my parents would let us go on our own in DL and gave us a time to meet up for lunch and or dinner. They even encouraged us to do some things on our own, cause it gave them time to be alone and do the things they wanted to do. I think people are putting too much pressure on Disney to be something they want the company to be or should be. I am even guilty of this. But this doesn't mean I don't have to agree with how Disney runs their company or the decisions they make.Now as far as this Jedi thing goes..... I think Star Wars is not so much geared for girls as it is for boys. Even though there are some girls that like it and are very interested in it, there just is more boys that are into it than girls. That is the only thing I see a problem with. Now if they made a seperate show or whatever similar but geared for girls, than I really don't have a problem with it. I do have a problem with the whole Tomorrowland not being anything remotely resembling concepts of the future and or things that could or would be in the future. It is now just a giant marketing tool for movies and their franchises.

[HMF]

Darth Vader and Darth Maul together? This is a continuity-minded Star Wars fans worst nightmare.

[Disneyland_Wolf]

Anthro animals can be Jedi too!

[Indyjohn]

Why would you want the Lightsabers to be silent? The noise is what makes them the best weapon any movie has ever made or created. And it lets them know when there will be a duel between the Jedi and the Sith.

[debijeanm]

I want them to be silent so that I don't have to listen to them in every line of every attraction every minute of the day.