The Disneyland Book of Secrets 2014: One Local's Unauthorized, Rapturous and Indispensable Guide to the Happiest Places on Earth (113 page)

ASIMO
was developed to help people.  It can respond to simple voice commands and can be wirelessly operated by a single person.  Imagine a bed-ridden elderly person being able to tap a few keys or give simple vocal commands to send
ASIMO
for their medicine bottle or another blanket.  Assisting the mobility-impaired certainly seems a practical goal for the little robot, more so than being a human butler or nanny.

Guests of all ages enjoy the
ASIMO
show, so you might want to make it a part of your visit, especially if you have kids.

In spring 2013,
Disneyland
found an outstanding use for
Innoventions
, selecting it to host the
Iron Man 3
exhibit. 
Disney
purchased
Marvel Entertainment
in 2009, adding, in one deft swoop, a universe of superhero and villain characters that appeal to a male and fanboy–and increasingly mainstream–demographic.  The highly anticipated
Iron Man 3
opened in theaters on May 3, 2013.  To celebrate and promote the film,
Iron Man Tech Presented by Stark Industries
was unveiled at
Disneyland
’s
Innoventions
in April 2013.

Annual Passholders
enjoyed a sneak preview of the
Iron Man 3
exhibit on the night of April 12, 2013.  It was a party–attractions like
Space Mountain
stayed open late, and
AP
s had the run of
Tomorrowland
a couple of hours after the park closed to regular Guests.

Among many props and treats,
Iron Man Tech Presented by Stark Industries
included
Tony Stark’s Hall of Armor
, quite a treat for fans of the billionaire superhero, and simulator technology that allowed Guests to don
Iron Man
’s armor for themselves—virtually, that is.

The exhibit opened to all Guests on April 13, 2013.
  Guests queued in lines much longer than those usually seen at
Innoventions
to view the
Iron Man
suits (arranged in an arc to show how the design evolved), and to “try on” the virtual suit.

It’s safe to say that
Iron Man 3
was
Innovention
’s most exciting tenant in light years.  Hopefully
Disneyland
will continue to use
Innoventions
as an exhibit space for thrilling high-tech displays for
Disney
’s futuristic and tech-heavy productions.  It’s an excellent use of an attraction meant to be forward-looking and cutting edge. 
Thor
visits
Disneyland
later in the autumn (2013) to promote
Thor:  The Dark World
, so expect the Norse god and some astonishing props to take up residence at
Innoventions
.

Once you’
re ready to leave
Innoventions
, you depart via the first floor with the rotating turntable.  Exit through the
Elias Family
’s front door and ask a Cast Member where to queue to exit. 
Did You Know?
 
Nathan Lane
, a prolific theater and film actor, and the contemporary voice of
Tom Morrow
, is no stranger to
Disney
.  He provided the voice of meerkat
Timon
in
Disney
’s animated film
The Lion King
(1994) and guest starred as
Pepper
on
ABC
’s
Modern Family
.
Did You Also Know?
  The
Tom Morrow
you see at today’s
Innovations
isn’t the first
Tom Morrow
in
Tomorrowland
. 
Tom
’s former incarnation was human, and far more serious.  Instead of the gesturing, wildly excitable
Tom
of today, former
Tom Morrow
was an earnest, logical
AA
version of a human mission control director for the now-defunct
Flight to the Moon
, and was later repurposed to play sensible
AA
scientist
Mr. Johnson
when
Flight to the Moon
was re-imagined as
Mission to Mars
.
FastPass:
  No. 
Innoventions
is a self-guided experience through two floors of technology exhibits.  Except on very crowded days, when Guests who don’t want to wait in insanely long
Space Mountain
or
Buzz Lightyear
queues flood the
Innoventions
entrance ramp, you won’t have to wait longer than a few minutes to gain access to the exhibits. 
Kid’s Eye View:
  It’s really cool and I like it.  You have to wait a long time to use some of the inventions.

Jedi Training Academy

[
FastView:
 
A thrill for
Star Wars
fans young and old, although only kids can attend the academy (proud parents and family members look on).  May the force be with you!
]

The
Jedi Training Academy
at
Disneyland
debuted in the summer of 2007 as part of the
Year of a Million Dreams
.  Other interactive experiences that debuted that summer were
Disney Princess Fantasy Faire
,
Pirates Lair on
Tom Sawyer Island
, and the
High School Musical
show over at
Disney California Adventure Park
.  With the exception of
High School Musical
, all of these attractions continue to flourish.  In 2013, the princesses even got their own little fairytale square,
Fantasy Faire
, near
Sleeping Beauty Castle
.

The
Jedi Training Academy
is an offshoot of
Disney
’s collaboration with
George Lucas
, a partnership which led to the
Disneyland
Star Tours
attraction and the
Star Wars
weekend extravaganzas at
Walt Disney World
.

Typically the
Jedi Training Academy
is held about six times a day, once an hour, beginning in the late morning.  Times can vary, so check that day’s
Entertainment Times Guide
for specific show times, or trust “the Force” to guide you!

It happens like this: 
You and your family are at or near the
Tomorrowland Terrace
, munching a salad or burgers and fries.  Suddenly you hear the swelling strains of
Star Wars
music, that ravishing score by composer
John Williams
.  Robed figures march onto the
Tomorrowland Terrace Stage
.

They’re
Jedi Knights
, led by a
Jedi Master
, all dressed in the earth tones of the good guys. The
Jedi Master
randomly selects about 20 boys and girls of different ages who signal their interest in being trained to become
Padawan
(young
Jedi
-in-training).  Teens and adults are not chosen.

C
hildren who are shy and don’t like to participate in interactive shows don’t need to worry about being conscripted onto the stage.  Only children that volunteer are tapped to participate.

Unless the crowd is sparse, not every child can be chosen, so there
might be a few disappointed kids.  Be prepared to bolster your little one’s spirits if he or she isn’t selected.

Some
children are invited onto the stage, while most remain in the area just in front of the stage.  All of the children are lent small robes and plastic light sabers.  They’re taught the steps of a brief light saber battle several times so they have the opportunity to master it.

At this point, it’s been a fun experi
ence for kids that are fans of
Star Wars
and the parents and Guests who are watching.  If the show ended here, that’d be wonderful.  But
Disneyland
being
Disneyland
, it’s not just a little training exercise; there’s a surprise second act.

Just like
Obi Wan Kenobi
en route to Alderaan, the
Disneyland Jedi
sense a “disturbance in the Force” and move the children out of the way just in time as smoke roils up from the depths of the
Tomorrowland Terrace Stage
.  The stage rises, revealing
Darth Vader
and his
Storm Troopers
!

At this point, since mo
st everyone on the planet is a
Star Wars
fan, and
Vader
is a star, even Guests that weren’t really paying attention to the training exercise become real interested real fast.

The first time I
saw this show, I was obliviously walking past the eastern edge of the stage with my family when suddenly we heard
Darth Vader
’s theme from the
John Williams
score, dry ice smoke boiled out of the stage, and the platform rose up revealing
Darth Vader
, one of the all-time great villains.  You could hear his labored, mechanical breathing before you saw him.  A lot of jaws dropped—including the author’s.  That’s the type of surprise that’s around every corner at the resort.

I can’t overemphasize the level of detail and expense
invested in even a relatively minor attraction like this.  The ambient
Star Wars
music is rich and surrounds everyone as if they’re in one of the movies.  The actors’ costumes are high-quality.  The
Jedi
robes and cloaks, the
Storm Trooper
costumes and
Darth Vader
’s dead-black outfit look as detailed and realistic as they do in the theatrical films.

Vader
announces that he’s there to turn the little ones to the dark side, joined by freakish, terrifyingly tattooed
Darth Maul
. 
Star Wars
purists viewing this show might flood their blogs with anguished complaints about the timeline; after all, a youthful
Obi Wan Kenobi
killed
Darth Maul
when
Darth Vader
was still a little boy and devoted son, and not in the least evil.  But it’s all in the service of a great interactive show, so even most
Star Wars
fans will give any anachronisms a pass.

As the show continues, t
he children have to battle either
Darth Vader
or
Darth Maul
.  What a thrill for little
Star Wars
fans, and the parents and family looking on!  Given plenty of coaching and encouragement by the
Jedi
, each child battles one of the villains and is victorious.  Even if a child misses a step here or a parry there, that’s OK; it’s about the effort and the heart, not perfection.

Darth Vader
,
Darth Maul
, and the
Storm Troopers
withdraw in disgrace, beating a hasty retreat.  The retractable stage swallows them and order is restored.  Having proven their mettle, the children are now
Padawan
!  Although they have to return the small brown robes and the light sabers, they receive certificates that commemorate their training and their great victory.

If anyone in your party is a
Star Wars
fan, this is pretty much a must.  Even shy kids who don’t want to participate, or teens and adults who can’t participate, will enjoy watching the show.

If your child want
s to participate, attend an early show; it’ll be less crowded and give your child better odds of being picked.  Try to sit close to the stage so your child is clearly visible to the
Jedi Master
when volunteering.  If your little one is selected, you’ll have unique photo and video opportunities during the training and the battle; where outside of
Disneyland
can you get a snapshot or video of your child triumphing over the dark side by besting
Darth Vader
?  May the Force be with you! 
Did You Know?
  In the
Star Wars
mythology, the
Jedi
value and respect all creatures, but even they have a hierarchy. 
Padawan
, the rank that the children at the
Disneyland
Jedi Training Academy
are trying to achieve, is the rank above entry-level
Youngling
or
Initiate Jedi
. 
Padawan
are apprentices, and are instructed by
Jedi
at the next level of proficiency,
Jedi Knights
.
Did You Also Know?
  In 2012,
Disney
bought
Lucasfilm
.  Fasten your seatbelts and prepare for
Star Wars 7
in 2015!
FastPass:
  No.  This is a scheduled show, so the
FastPass
system doesn’t apply.  Children are selected at random; there’s no way to guarantee your child will be in the show. 
Kid’s Eye View:
  I’ve only seen the end of the show.