Keepin' Up with the Kutschers: Star Wars Day at Hollywood Studios

The four of us got up SUPER early on Sunday so we could get to Hollywood Studios before they opened. Tressa gave us a heads up that they open the park before the actual opening time. I think we set our alarms for five...which wouldn't have been that big of deal but of course we didn't go to bed at a decent hour and the boys were ready to sleep off Magic Kingdom that morning.

Eeks. They were looking a little rough. After a little milk and breakfast we were on our way.

When they opened the park they only let us part of the way in. There were two Storm Troopers guarding the rest of the park. They decided to let us in though and were hoping they wouldn't get in trouble for it. Landon was already pumped just seeing the Storm Troopers.

As soon as they let us the rest of the way in the park, Chad and Landon made a bee line for the Jedi Training sign up...or where we THOUGHT it would be. Turns out they had relocated it and the boys had to do a little backtracking resulting in them being in a LOOOONG line. Grant and I went to the Toy Story ride and picked up our fast passes and then mosied through a little of the park alone waiting for the boys to return. Here's Grant at the Muppet Fountain. We also saw Chip and Dale dressed as Ewoks but decided not to get in line for them when we saw Chewbacca set up across from them. We went ahead and got in line...knowing it'd be a long wait. We had nothing else to do but wait for the big boys anyway.

Poor Landon had to go potty when they had about a half hour left to go in their line. Chad was able to distract him with videos on his phone long enough to make it through. He said Landon was a trooper. As soon as they were registered they headed to the bathroom and of course Landon (aka Super Bladder) probably made other people wait in line behind him he went so long. :)

When they met up with us, I took the boys to do a little wal king while Chad held our spot in line for Chewy. When we walked by I noticed that Chewbacca had a friend with him now, too...and was really hoping the Ewok would stay with him until we got through the line. We got Landon his R2D2 Ears and some Star Warms mini figures which were a big hit and got us through the rest of the line for Chewy. When we were walking back we saw the kids that were doing the Jedi Training on stage. We stopped and watched for a bit and turns out we got there just in time for Darth Vader to come out and to see the Jedi Master swoop all the kids to the side of the stage to make sure they were 'safe.' One look at that, and Landon grabbed a hold of my leg and said, 'that's Jedi training?! I don't wanna do that!!' Ugh. I should've seen that coming. We stood there a little longer and I explained it was just an act, and using a Light Saber against Darth Vader would be just like doing it with Daddy at home but it would be a guy dressed like Darth. I played every angle I could. How cool it would be to have pictures 'versing Darth Vader' as Landon would say and how fun it would be....and then I hit the gold mine with 'and you know what's right beside the Jedi Training stage?! The store where you make your own light saber! I mean, if you do the training, and you're a genuine Padawan, you'll for sure need a new light saber.' We then started walking away and I let him mull it over...hoping that he'd muster up some courage to do it....because I knew he'd love it if he'd just get up there.

So we returned to the Chewy line, and we were getting really close to the front of the line. We got our Star Wars book out and marked the pages for Chewbacca and the Ewok to sign...we had the Sharpie ready....and then they went on a break. Bum-mer. These poor people in these costumes. I mean seriously, sweat was running down my back and I wasn't wearing anything even close to warm as a CHEWBACCA COSTUME. They deserved breaks for sure. So we waited some more....what's another 5 minutes right?

When Chewbacca and the Ewok returned they walked up behind us...I was so glad I had my camera ready because they just grabbed the boys by their hands and walked them up to the photo area. It was so cute!!

We did a few pictures and then asked them to sign our book. The Ewok was a little upset when we asked Chewy first, but when we told him he was in the book, too, he was pretty pumped.

When Chewy returned our pen he had snapped part of his fur in the cap! I didn't want to take it out...I know that's kinda weird....I finally gave in when we met up for our next character photo opp. I didn't want anyone to wonder what was up with the wad of hair hanging out of the pen.

So after we finished with Chewy and the Ewok, we headed for the 3D Toy Story ride that everyone raves about. Our fast pass was from 9:45-10:45 and it was 9:50. I really had hoped that we could just trade the fast pass in for a later time because I really wanted to get a good spot to watch the Star Wars parade and Tressa had said 30 minutes prior to the parade was way too late to get a good spot. But when we got to the Toy Story ride they next fast passes they were passing out were for 10:30 at night! It was now or never...so we got on the ride. I rode with Landon and it was a lot of fun. It's like a little 3D carnival game thing where you're shooting at different targets and they keep track of your score. Landon really liked it. When we got off though Grant was a hoot! He kept saying 'that was Awesome!!' and showing me how he was shooting his gun. Too cute.

Then it was on to getting a good parade route seat. We were too late to get front row but spied a spot right behind the curb that we thought we could see from. There was a couple sitting on the curb and then their son, who was younger than us, but grown, standing behind them to the side. Chad said hello to them as we pulled up and it was obvious they were European (Dutch turns out). Chad started talking soccer and Landon turned on the charm and Boom...Landon was sitting on the curb between the couple showing them his Star Wars book and chatting it up. He had a perfect spot for the parade.

I'm gonna spare you all my parade pictures because I got T.O.N.S. They're Landon's favorite pictures from the whole trip of course. I think I'm going to have to make a book just of them so he can enjoy them to the full extent. I'll just give you a couple of highlights here...because honestly I don't know who all of these characters are and I've overheard and seen Star Wars way more than you odds are. :)

I gotta put the pic of Billy Dee on though. This is the real "Lando Calrissian" who Landon was excited to meet. We decided to forfeit the meet and greet though at 4:30. Landon decided he didn't want to wait in the line. I totally understood and told him I had a picture of him from the parade and that was good enough.

After the parade we ate lunch at Backlot Express, and when we came out the Cantina Crowd was signing autographs! (this is where I removed the Chewy hair from the Sharpie lid)

It was almost time for Jedi Training (Landon's class was at 1:30) so we headed over to the stage and Chad talked to Landon awhile while he watched the whole 'show.' Between that talk and the talk I gave him at lunch while we waited for Chad to bring our food, he decided he was going to do it. I was so excited! (and relieved...if Chad would've stood in that line for nearly two hours with him and he backed out...I didn't wanna be around for the wrath)

Chad took Landon to where he was supposed to sign in and Grant and I stood for another two classes of Jedis, working our way to the front of the crowd as people left, so I could get good pics. Have I mentioned how brutal the Florida sun is...at 1:00 in the afternoon...while holding a squirmy, tired 3 year old, and wrestling a camera? I was so relieved when Phil and Kristi walked up! They didn't want to miss the big show. :)

The kids started filing up and they made two lines. I knew (after watching the previous times) the kids in the front row would stay on the ground and the kids in the back would go up to the stage. I was really hoping for Landon to be on the stage, (so I could get good pictures of course, but also because the villain on the ground level changed...sometimes it was Darth Maul and the time before it was Ventress. I thought Landon might be disappointed if he didn't get to 'verse Darth Vader.') As luck would have it, he was in the back row....and when they moved to the stage, because of his height he was right in front on the stage. Yippee!!

Landon's Jedi Master looked a lot like his hero...Obi-Wan.

getting his Light Saber for practice

looking 'Lando Calrissian cool' as the Jedi Master called it

When they were practicing their move to the head of their enemy, the Jedi Master encouraged Landon to 'aim high...really high' because there was a 'good chance whoever he was fighting would be taller than him...unless he was fighting an Ewok'

At the end of his talk, Landon saluted him...so cute!

After the practice, Darth Vader and Darth Maul came out (insert Darth Vader song here....Grant sings it constantly...:)

Creepy Darth Maul came down on the ground right beside us...Charli wasn't sure about him and covered her face, Blake and Grant were trying to get around my legs to get better views. Ah birth order...these second kids are a different breed than the oldest children. All the kids got to take their turn facing the Dark Side...

Then the whole class had to use the Force to get them to leave.

...only the Storm Troopers were left...they missed their exit (ha ha) and the Jedi Master had to help them out

The graduating Padawan class!

Landon with his diploma

Proud family picture!!

and then of course we had to go build our own Light Saber...

We found a Darth Goofy that Grant had to have!

First time in his hands...he was THRILLED.

After the Jedi Training we had pretty much fizzled out. We met Asoka and Captain Rex

and went to the 3D Muppet show. We also went to check out 'Darth's Mall' a Star Wars shopping area where they had a life size Lego Darth Vader and where Luke and R2D2 were. We were spent though so we didn't get in the two hour line to meet them.

We called it a day and headed back to the house for a little pool time, where Landon continued his bravery in the pool.

Last summer at Gulf Shores it took us a couple of days to get him IN the pool without us holding him! This year he was all about it! The first day at the house the kids did a lot of swimming...and Landon put this in his journal. (I went swimming with Charli and Blake and I wasn't afraid)

After Hollywood Studios he decided to try some jumps...oh...my...goodness.

he named his cannonball jump 'the big fatty daddy' LOL!

I love these two pictures. After the cannonball, Kristi said to Landon that if he was brave enough to do that he was for sure brave enough to ride the Star Tours ride at Hollywood Studios (which Landon said he'd 'rather not' that day)