Star Wars at Disneyland

Hayden is a huge Star Wars fan. So when we went to Disneyland this year and saw the Star Wars Padawan training program, he was hooked!

Last year when we went, we went to the show the last day we were there. They pick about 30 kids out of the crowd and put them in robes and give them a light saber. They teach them how to fight and then Darth Vader & Darth Maul come out and the kids get to fight one of them. It's all very exciting for the kids.
















Anyway, last year he did not get picked and there were huge tears and wonder about why he was not chosen. This year, we went the first day and he did not get picked again. More huge tears and pouting, I told him that he really needed to show enthusiasm and jump & down, making sure the Jedi Master saw him and that he really wanted it.

The next day we were determined to make sure that he got picked by the Jedi Master. We had seen two boys with signs who got picked the day before, so we figured we would do the same.
We went back to the hotel that night and made up a sign that said "Jedi Master, please pick me. Third time is charmed. And then my husband drew a light saber on the bottom.

Well, that did the trick. The Jedi Master was picking kids, went once around and pasted by Hayden. I thought, Oh no, another day of tears. Then, he came back around and said " this little patient boy with the sign". My kid, patient? Hmmm. Anyway, I was so happy for him, that I cried. Knowing his disappointment the other two times, I would have been just as crushed as he if he were not picked again. I was whooping and jumping around. I think I was more excited than he was.

Anyway, they did some training for about 10 minutes and then the bad guys came out. Hayden was on the stage and got to "fight" Darth Vader. He took this to complete heart, like he was really fighting the real Darth Vader. We have a video that I will try to post as well. He was so jazzed when he got done, he wanted to do it again. But we told him only once per trip, that he needed to give the other kids a chance to be picked for Padawan training. This is a moment that I will remember forever....