This is the ultimate visual guide to the Disneyland Jedi Training Academy: Trials of the Temple show! The all new Jedi Training Academy show at the Disneyland Resort is even better than the original, with some familiar faces, new Dark Side villains, and a brand new way your kids will train to be Jedi!
If you’re wondering how to help your kid get picked to participate in the Jedi Training Academy show, fear not: there’s a new sign up procedure that guarantees your child a spot in the show—essentially a Force Fastpass!
I’ve created the ultimate visual guide to the amazing Jedi Training Academy show with photos, tips, and videos so you can turn your Youngling into a Jedi without a hitch—and capture great shots of your child’s Star Wars experience!
Here’s everything you need to know about the Disneyland Jedi Training Academy: Trials of the Temple show!
[Tweet “Who wants to be a Jedi? #starwars #disneyland #familytravel”]
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My kids have been training to be Jedi for years—both kids have participated in the Disneyland Jedi Training Academy shows since they were three years old (the recommended age range is 4-12, but my kids are super tall!).
The Jedi Council has heard your plea.
The original Jedi Training Academy Padawan picking procedure was pitiful. Children (and some clueless parents) jostled for a front row spot in front of the stage—careful to stay behind the line—ready to jump and yell like crazy when the Jedi Master appeared to select his apprentices, hoping (and begging) to be among the group chosen to participate in the show. There were all sorts of tips and tricks parents used to ensure their child’s place in the Jedi Order: dress him in a Star Wars costume; have him wave a homemade Star Wars themed banner; and (this trick worked well for my kids) hold hands—surely the Jedi Master would not leave a sibling behind!
I’d like to think Disneyland changed the way kids are accepted at Jedi Training Academy to make the show run more efficiently, but let’s be realistic: parents complained. Because in this everybody gets a trophy world, parents can’t stand for their kids to be left out. Honestly, I thought the occasional snub by the Jedi Master was character building for my kids. Not fun, but character building.
[Tweet “Everybody gets a trophy: the new #Jedi Training Academy guide is here! #Disneyland #familytravel”]
On with the show: The new Disneyland Jedi Training Academy details!
Who wants to be a Jedi? Every boy and girl and most of their dads, that’s who! The new Jedi Training Academy sign up procedure is fun and easy. Sorry, no dads allowed.
- Jedi Training Academy is FREE. Free. No charge. Rumors persist that Disneyland now sells tickets to Jedi Training Academy. Not true. It’s free. Even the awesome freebie each Padawan gets for passing their Jedi test is—you guessed it: free. (Scroll waaay down to see the freebie now!)
- When Disneyland opens, head to Tomorrowland, to the area between Star Wars Launch Bay and Autopia (top left in photo below).
- Registration for Jedi Training Academy begins during Extra Magic Hour/Magic Morning! If you have early entry, register early. If you don’t, get in line right away at Park opening because many spots will already be filled by early entry guests.
- There are six Jedi Training Academy shows every day; the first show is at 10:30 am and the last show is at 4:35 pm. Participant sign ups for all shows are first come, first served, and you can pick which show time you’d like your child to participate in, until each show time fills up.
- It is important to go to the Jedi Training Academy sign up area first thing when the Park opens to ensure a spot. On busy days, all the spots for every show fill up fast; on a slower day, you’ll find Cast Members near the Star Wars Launch Bay entrance asking kids who walk by if they’d like to train to be a Jedi.
- Disneyland has made it ridiculously easy for parents to guarantee that their kids get to be in the Jedi Training Academy show; only parents who dally end up with disappointed kids. There is a wait list available, but since people can pick their show time, and their kids are super excited for Jedi Training, most folks make it back in time.
- You do not need to present a Disneyland ticket to sign your child up for Jedi Training Academy! This means one parent can take the Park tickets/Annual Passes to grab a Fastpass for Space Mountain or Star Tours while the other parent takes the kids to sign up for Jedi Training. Divide and conquer!
- Kids can’t sign themselves up for Jedi Training Academy. An adult has to be present during the sign up process.
- A Cast Member will ask your child his first name and last initial (to identify him on his return ticket), and the Cast Member will also ask your child to agree to follow the rules at Jedi Training Academy.
- The Cast Member will hand you a ticket that includes your child’s name, return time, and show time. When you take your child back for check in, present your ticket.
- You’ll also receive a cool Darth Vader Photopass card with your ticket. Photopass photographers will capture the show—including a great shot of each Padawan dueling a Star Wars villain. You can view the shots from your show at the photo shop in Disneyland or Disney California adventure, add the Photopass to the Disneyland app, or enter the code to view them on a computer or other device. Note that the Photopass prints and downloads are not free, and you can only add the Star Wars border in the Parks, not on the app or at home.
- Make sure you show up at the return time printed on your ticket—not at show time! On the photo below, the return time is 10:05-10:20 for the 10:30 show. Don’t push the deadline: kids who arrive less than 10 minutes before show time risk losing their spots to kids on the wait list.
- Remember: Return to the same place you signed up for Jedi Training Academy—do not go to the show area!
- Hand the Cast Member your return ticket. The kids will all wait together and they’ll receive Jedi robes and instructions.
- After the Cast Member accepts your Padawan into the waiting area, you are free to leave her and go find a spot to watch the show. The Cast Members keep the kids together before the show and during transport, but if your little one is prone to running off or after you, you can stay nearby and watch the hilarious pre show instructions:
- The kids get Jedi robes and detailed directions to not act like Anakin or Kylo Ren: “Nobody is gonna turn to the Dark Side today!”
The Anti Imperial March
- Once the Padawans have sworn allegiance to the Rebel Alliance and promised not to give in to anger (read: whack Darth Vader in the Skywalker jewels with a lightsaber), Cast Members walk them from the holding area to the Jedi Training Academy stage:
- At this point, it’s better if you’ve already staked your spot to watch the show, because people will start filling in the gaps up on Tomorrowland Terrace (outside the Galactic Grill).
- The Padawans move around to different areas of the stage several times during the performance, but they will always face the Finding Nemo ride during their personal lightsaber dual with a Star Wars villain. For the best view of your kid’s face during her dual, stand on the left side when facing the stage (stage right).
- It is possible to get great photos of your kid during the show if you stand on the right side facing the stage (the photo below was taken from there), but again, your kid will face toward the Finding Nemo ride during her dual. My husband stood stage left, below Tomorrowland Terrace. I stood stage right, on Tomorrowland Terrace. If you are the only parent with a camera, stand stage right.
- Get a great view of the show near the rail on Tomorrowland Terrace (the area with the tables above the stage). I mean right on the rail, because as soon as the show starts, people will go stand at the rail, so even if you’re at one of the tables closest to the rail, you may have to stand up to take photos.
- You can also stand below Tomorrowland Terrace for a good view. People may smoosh their way in front of you, but the audience has to stand behind the line—that means you lose your clear view if rude people push in. The area below Tomorrowland Terrace is generally more crowded than it is on the terrace—probably because people are used to assembling there from the “Pick me! Pick me!” days.
Here’s where the fun begins!
- Now that there’s no selection process, the show starts right away! The Padawans are issued a training lightsaber (no, you can’t use your own lightsaber) and led through lightsaber training:
- The Padawans learn the same lightsaber dual sequence Jedi Training Academy has always taught. Here is the choreography for Padawans to practice at home!
- After lightsaber training, the show continues as the Padawans raise the Jedi Temple…let’s see what’s inside!
- The Padawans and Younglings are divided roughly by height; older kids usually fight the Star Wars villain below the stage, and the little ones usually fight the villain on the stage.
- Be aware that the villains sometimes switch places on stage during the show, so if your Youngling is terrified of Darth Vader, have him tell the Cast Members so they can make sure he fights Seventh Sister. However, I’ve watched dozens of Jedi Training Academy shows, and I’ve never seen a kid freak out—not even while fighting Darth Maul, who is definitely the creepiest Star Wars villain!
- You will see any combination of four Star Wars villains during Disneyland Jedi Training Academy:
- Darth Vader
- Seven Sister (Star Wars Rebels)
- Darth Maul
- the awful, evil, never to be forgiven Kylo Ren.
- Each Padawan in turn goes up against a Dark Side villain for the ultimate test of training and courage:
It ain’t over until Jabba sings
Just kidding. You won’t see Jabba the Hutt in this show. But hold onto your hats and glasses, because just when you think the Jedi Order has restored peace to the galaxy…
- After the show, your newly knighted Jedi will hand over her Jedi robe and get the coolest freebie at Disneyland: a Jedi Training Academy pin!
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Disneyland’s all new Jedi Training Academy: Trials of the Temple is a must-see for parents, and a must-do for kids! Which Star Wars villain do your kids want to defeat?
