As I mentioned in the previous MegaCon 2016 panel recap, I enjoyed quite a few celebrity talks during the weekend event. Here is the continued recap of those talks, along with some must-watch video.
Anthony Daniels
Star Wars Celebration Convention Returns to Orlando in August 2012
I admit it. I’m a huge Star Wars fan. I’ve seen every movie (including the first) on opening weekend. I own memorabilia ranging from posters to trading cards. Well, you get the idea.
So you can imagine my joy at hearing that the Star Wars Celebration convention would be returning to Orlando this year. The last one was also held here in 2010, and I had a great time covering it. This will be the sixth edition of this convention which attracts Star Wars fans worldwide.
Celebration VI is set to roll into the Orange County Convention Center August 23 through 26, and already has a great guest line-up.
Spotlight guests (which I believe will be holding panels) include:
- Carrie Fisher (Princess Leia)
- Ian McDiarmid (Emperor Palpatine)
- Seth Green and Matthew Senreich (Robot Chicken, which does a lot of SW parodies)
- Dave Filoni ( Star Wars: The Clone Wars director)
- Joel Aron (SW: The Clone Wars Lighting & FX supervisor)
Other guests, who will be participating in autograph sessions, include:
- Anthony Daniels (C-3PO)
- Kenny Baker (R2-D2)
- Jeremy Bulloch (Boba Fett)
- Peter Mayhew (Chewbacca)
- Jake Lloyd (young Anakin Skywalker)
- Temuera Morrison (Jango Fett)
- Tim Rose (Admiral Ackbar)
There’s also a huge merchandise room, where you’ll be able to buy just about anything Star Wars.
I have to be honest though. One of my favorite things about the last convention, Celebration V, was seeing the fans who took the time to dress up as their favorite Star Wars characters.
If you want to attend Celebration VI, ticket prices for individual day passes are $55 for Thursday, Friday and Sunday and $65 for Saturday for adults, and $27 for kids 12 and under. Save money by buying four-day passes, which are $135 for adults and $54 for kids.
For more information, or to purchase tickets, visit www.starwarscelebration.com
2011 Star Wars Weekends Start May 20 at Walt Disney World
As a life-long geek, one of my favorite events at the theme parks is Star Wars Weekends at Walt Disney World.
It’s held over four consecutive weekends at Disney’s Hollywood Studios, starting the weekend before Memorial Day. This year, Star Wars weekends start May 20, 2011.
Every year, thousands of fans gather to enjoy Star Wars shows, motorcades, a Jedi training academy for the kids, and photos with the characters.
But the two main reasons legions of Star Wars fans attend are to meet actors and other important people from the films and TV show, and to ride Star Tours, the Disney attraction based on Star Wars.
Celebrity Hosts for the event this year are James Arnold Taylor (voice of Obi-Wan Kenobi on The Clone Wars) and Ashley Eckstein (voice of Ahsoka Tano on The Clone Wars). Eckstein will host “Clone Wars: Behind the Force,” a closer look inside the popular animated TV series. Taylor will present another event-first: he will star in a one-man show that showcases some of the many voices he has performed throughout his career, including those from The Clone Wars.
This year’s special guest list is as follows:
May 20-22
- Anthony Daniels (C-3PO)
- Daniel Logan (Young Boba Fett)
- Dave Filoni (Supervising Director on The Clone Wars)
May 27-29
- Anthony Daniels (C-3PO)
- Bruce Spence (Tion Medon)
- Dee Bradley Baker (voice of Captain Rex on The Clone Wars)
June 3-5
- Ray Park (Darth Maul)
- Jeremy Bulloch (Boba Fett)
- Matt Lanter (voice of Anakin on The Clone Wars)
June 10-12
- Ray Park (Darth Maul)
- Peter Mayhew (Chewbacca)
- Tom Kane (voice of Yoda on The Clone Wars)
All of the above will be available for autographs and photos for those who are lucky enough to grab a FastPass first thing each morning.
As for Star Tours, it will kick off the SW Weekends with a grand re-opening celebration to mark the updating of the attraction. Rumors are Star Wars creator George Lucas will even be in attendance. Don’t worry if you can’t get to the park, though, as the ceremony will be streamed live on the web.
If you’d like to attend Star Wars Weekends, the event is free with any Walt Disney World admission ticket or pass.
[Star Wars Weekend poster image courtesy of Walt Disney World]
Dates Announced for 2011 Star Wars Weekends at Walt Disney World
Last month, Walt Disney World announced that the revamped Star Tours attraction at Disney’s Hollywood Studios would reopen on May 20, 2011.
Now comes word that May 20 will also be the start of the 2011 Star Wars Weekends.
This extremely popular annual event will run Friday, Saturday and Sunday through June 12.
What I’m most excited about is one of the guests for the first two weekends will be actor Anthony Daniels, who has provided the voice for C3PO in all six Star Wars films. Daniels used to be a regular guest at the event, but has been M.I.A. for the last few years.
My guess is his appearance is due to the fact that C3PO has a central role in the new version of the Star Tours attraction. But he is a great guest and has hundreds of great stories about the filming of the trilogies.
Daniels is confirmed for May 20-23 and May 27-29.
Also announced is Ashley Eckstein, who provides the voice of Ahsoka Tano in “Star Wars: The Clone Wars,” and will act as a host for a behind-the-scenes talk show “Clone Wars: Behind the Force” all four weekends.
I know I’ll probably be there for the Daniels weekends. Not sure about the last two, but I’ll know once I see the guest list. How about you?
[Photo by Michelle Snow]