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Does Disney do anything for May 4? How to celebrate Star Wars Day in the parks

Does Disney do anything for May 4? How to celebrate Star Wars Day in the parks

USA Today04-05-2025
Does Disney do anything for May 4? How to celebrate Star Wars Day in the parks
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May the Fourth be with you: Four ways to celebrate 'Star Wars' day
"Star Wars" fans around the world know exactly what day it is.
Scott L. Hall, USA TODAY
It's a great day to be a Star Wars fan.
Sunday is May the 4th, the unofficial Star Wars holiday that plays on the iconic movie line 'May the Force be with you.'
There are all sorts of ways to celebrate close to home, including dressing up as favorite characters and binge watching 'Star Wars' films, but fans yearning for a galaxy far, far away can find one in California or Florida.
Here's how fans can have their own Star Wars adventures on May the 4th and beyond at Disneyland and Walt Disney World.
Is there a Star Wars area at Disneyland?
Yes. Disneyland Park is home to Star Wars: Galaxy's Edge, an immersive land with attractions, entertainment, dining, characters and various activities all themed to Star Wars. It opened in May 2019, several months ahead of the Galaxy's Edge at Disney World near Orlando.
The setting in both is Batuu, which StarWars.com describes as 'once a thriving stop for traders and travelers before advancements in lightspeed technology. Now its lush forests and majestic mountain regions are known only to those who dare to venture this far into the Outer Rim.'
Disneyland and Disney World also have a Star Tours – The Adventures Continue attraction, outside Galaxy's Edge.
Does Disneyland do anything special for May the 4th?
Disneyland is currently celebrating Season of the Force through May 11. The seasonal celebration features a new nighttime projection show called 'Shadows of Memory: A Skywalker Saga,' new character interactions with Luke Skywalker, returning Fire of the Rising Moons fireworks, a Hyperspace Mountain overlay on Space Mountain, and limited-time food and merchandise offerings.
Like other festivals throughout the year, Season of the Force is included with standard park admission. One-day, one-park tickets start at $103 a day for guests over age 9. Tickets for May the 4th cost $180.
Disneyland is also hosting an after-hours event called Disneyland After Dark: Star Wars Nite on select nights through May 6. The specially ticketed event, which is not included with standard admission, features character sightings, a lightsaber instructional, a galactic dance party, a Fans of the Force Costume Cavalcade, and shorter waits for popular rides. Event tickets start at $169 and May the 4th' is already sold out.
The droids you're looking for: Disney announces new Star Wars experiences
Is there anything Star Wars at Disney World?
Yes. Guests can visit Star Wars: Galaxy's Edge at Disney's Hollywood Studios.
From May the 4th through the end of the month, they'll be able to order Star Wars-inspired treats throughout the park and at select locations in the Disney Springs shopping, dining and entertainment complex. Specially themed popcorn buckets, sipper cups and merchandise including limited-time lightsabers will also be available at Hollywood Studios.
While there aren't any May the 4th events planned at the park this year, guests can still celebrate on their own. One-day, one-park tickets to Disney's Hollywood Studios start at $139 for guests over age 9. Tickets for May the 4th cost $174.
What to do in Star War's Galaxy's Edge
Guests will find many of the same experiences available at Star Wars: Galaxy Edge in Disneyland or Disney World. Here are some of the most popular ones.
Ride Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance, one of the most popular attractions at both resorts.
Ride Millenium Falcon: Smuggler's Run and feel what it's like to fly the "fastest hunk of junk in the galaxy.'
Keep an eye out for characters like Storm Troopers, Rey, and the Mandalorian and Grogu and talk to cast members, who are also in character.
Try various challenges on the Star Wars: Datapad in the free Play Disney mobile app.
Wander around, looking for Easter eggs and at all. The intricate details throughout the land.
Grab a drink or bite at Oga's Cantina as droid DJ R-3X spins tunes. Reservations are typically required though walk-up lists are also available.
Snack on a Ronto Wrap from Ronto Roasters.
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With newest Big Cedar Lodge piece, Johnny Morris' golf legacy adds another awe-inspiring chapter
With newest Big Cedar Lodge piece, Johnny Morris' golf legacy adds another awe-inspiring chapter

USA Today

timean hour ago

  • USA Today

With newest Big Cedar Lodge piece, Johnny Morris' golf legacy adds another awe-inspiring chapter

RIDGEDALE, Mo. — Clearly, this was a moment Johnny Morris was cherishing. Flanked by his son, JP, streams of media members and local dignitaries rolled through the first hole of the new Disney-esque Cliffhangers par-3 golf course last week at Morris' Big Cedar Lodge, and he greeted each one with the wide-eyed optimism of a kindergartner who'd been told school lunches were now bottomless. The concept, as JP tells it, was all his dad's. The incredible limestone outcroppings that were revealed as crews worked on Tiger Woods' Payne's Valley project were originally envisioned as a driving range. When the course — which was Woods' first domestic public-access project — originally opened in 2020, Morris started to think even bigger. Could they put a par-3 course, which is all the rage in the golf industry these days, on the side of those ragged and stunning cliffs? And if so, what other bells and whistles could be added? Johnny Morris has used big names at other golf courses In the past, Morris has employed some of the top designers in the game — Coore and Crenshaw were behind Ozarks National, Tom Fazio designed Buffalo Ridge, and Woods collaborated with Beau Welling on Payne's Valley — but with this project, the team kept things in-house. JP, who plays more golf than his billionaire father, started to tinker with the property, cramming holes in and using creative thinking to carve spaces from areas most others would never have considered. "I give my dad all the credit," JP Morris said, "because when we started building it, he got driving around or walking around one evening at sunset and he looked at me and he's like, 'JP, this is too beautiful to have a driving range. We've got to do a par-3 course.' So we just went to work." The course will fully open to the public on July 4 (11 holes had been accessible previously) with a steep price of $200 for resort guests and $250 for the general public, but the experience is one of a kind. 'Lion's Den' is a one-of-a-kind experience The third hole at Cliffhangers, referred to as the "Lion's Den," forces players to ask questions they've never before asked. Like, do I need a little extra club when hitting through a waterfall? This 115-yard thrill ride comes complete with piped-in lion sound effects as you approach the tee box. According to those who worked on the project, a mature mountain lion was spotted several times in and around the cave during construction. But the concept was born when the team needed to squeeze a few extra holes into the cliffs. "How do we fit 18 par-3 holes on this thing?" JP Morris said. "We just kind of worked in between the limestone cliffs and some rocks. And we think we've got 18 really fun, unique golf holes for guests to come play." Morris is leading a masterclass in golf relevancy While the views are truly otherworldly, the way Morris and his team have consistently rolled out major announcements has been nothing short of a masterclass in remaining relevant in the crowded golf ecosystem. Adding Tiger's course to the mix helped raise the profile, but the previous pieces, which also include the Jack Nicklaus-designed Top of the Rock and Mountain Top short courses, have slowly built Morris' golf empire in the same manner he built his Bass Pro Shops. For those who don't know Morris' story, per the Bass Pro Shops website: Johnny Morris, founder and Lead Outfitter of Bass Pro Shops, got his start in 1972 by selling fishing tackle out of the back of his father's store. Since then, Johnny has earned a reputation as one of the most visionary and influential retailers of the last 50 years. Today he is known as a retail and travel destination pioneer. Johnny's values were strongly shaped by his parents. Both were born in 1911 to very humble beginnings in the heart of the Ozarks in Willard, Missouri. His mother Genny was one of 10 children growing up in a two-bedroom house. His father John A. Morris grew up poor and was raised primarily by his Great Aunt. A decorated World War II veteran, John A. proudly served his country and participated in the Battle of the Bulge. Afterward he returned home to Missouri and became a successful merchant in the Springfield area. Johnny's parents both loved to hunt and fish and soon shared their passions with their son. From an early age, Johnny understood how fishing and hunting fostered a special respect and appreciation for nature and wildlife. And although Morris was on the golf team in high school and still plays the game a few times each year, his passion shifted to fishing as he exited his teens. But he still understands the communal value of the sport, noting that, "to me, the bottom line is spending time in nature with your buddies, and your best buddy (pointing to JP). It's about having happy times in life, whether it's fishing or playing golf. It's about happy times." Meanwhile, JP fell for golf at a young age and the story goes that when Tiger Woods called the elder Morris for a good price on a fishing boat, he added one caveat: that he and his then-10-year-old son would deliver it. The three spent an afternoon on a Florida waterway and JP's already white-hot passion for golf got a healthy dose of diesel. "I'm a real passionate golfer," JP said during the media tour. "I'm really passionate about the outdoors in general, so hunting, fishing, and then in the summer months ... I'm on the links golfing. "So, it's been just unbelievable, getting to grow up around here on Big Cedar and getting to work with my dad on Cliffhangers. Coming here a lot in the evenings after work and driving the team nuts, moving dirt back and forth. And it's been a lot of fun in the process." Morris' impact on the Branson region is massive While each of the golf courses and facilities the resort has unveiled seems to clear a new hurdle in wow factor, what's perhaps lost is Johnny Morris' dedication to the region, one that has beautiful Ozark Mountain views, but can be challenging in terms of shutting massive tourism numbers. Nearby Branson is still a hotbed for country music fans, but it's relatively small and the region's only major airport sits on the opposite side of Springfield, nearly an hour's drive. (A small airport that previously had a handful of commercial flights sits at the end of the road that leads to Cliffhangers, but it's now only open for private jets. Discount carrier Sun Country Airlines was the last airline to offer scheduled service, but those flights were discontinued after the 2024 season.) 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As corporations get bigger, they think further out, and it just stays at the heart of the Morris family, which I really, really appreciate them reinvesting and doing things locally." Morris family maintains magic touch And Morris' commitment to the region isn't just lip service. While JP is enjoying a passion project at Big Cedar, Morris' daughter Megan Stack has led the way on Ozark Mill restaurant at Finley Farms, a converted historic mill on the Finley River. The Ozark Mill, which offers hand-crafted cocktails, a pizza bar and a gift shop with local brands, opened in 2021 near the historic Riverside Bridge. "It's a gift that keeps giving," Schrag said of Morris' investments in the region. "And here's what is so interesting, as you go to some of the premium properties like Big Cedar: you meet people from all over the Midwest who have come here on a journey to see what has been built here by the Morris family. Sometimes, we take this for granted as locals. 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26 Fourth of July Movies That Are Better Than Watching Fireworks
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timean hour ago

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26 Fourth of July Movies That Are Better Than Watching Fireworks

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