LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla. – Beginning May 15, 2015, the Force returns to Disney’s Hollywood Studios as Star Wars Weekends combines the fun and adventure of the Star Wars franchise with the magic of Disney Parks.

This year’s event welcomes a new show, “Star Wars: Rebels,” new locations for autograph sessions and merchandise and several Star Wars luminaries making their first hyperspace jump to Star Wars Weekends.

Bringing Walt Disney World Resort guests as close to the Force as they can get, Star Wars Weekends features more than 60 Star Wars characters roaming the theme park for meet-and-greet opportunities, a Star Wars motorcade, the “Symphony in the Stars” nighttime fireworks spectacular saluting iconic sounds of the films, event-exclusive merchandise at Darth’s Mall, Star Wars-inspired dining offerings and specialty food and beverages, interactive activities, and more every weekend (Friday, Saturday and Sunday) May 15-June 14, 2015.

Highlighting the event, Star Wars celebrities, including returning favorites and event newcomers, will appear in star conversations, talk shows, autograph sessions, and the motorcades each weekend. Bringing his evil prowess to Star Wars Weekends for the first time, actor Ian McDiarmid, Senator/Emperor Palpatine in the Star Wars movies, will kick off Weekend I May 15-17. To balance out the appearance of the dark side with a beacon of light, actor Frank Oz, the voice of Yoda in the Star Wars movies, will make his first event appearance in Weekend V June 12-14.

Celebrities scheduled to appear at Star Wars Weekends 2015 include voices from the hit Disney XD series “Star Wars Rebels” and stars from Episodes I-VI of the Star Wars film franchise (entertainment is subject to change):

Weekend I (May 15 – 17)

Ian McDiarmid: Senator/Emperor Palpatine (Star Wars: The Phantom Menace; Star Wars: Attack of the Clones; Star Wars: Revenge of the Sith, Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back, Star Wars: Return of the Jedi)
Amy Allen: Aayla Secura (Star Wars: Attack of the Clones, Star Wars: Revenge of the Sith)
Tiya Sircar: Sabine Wren (Star Wars Rebels)

Weekend II (May 22 – 24)

Warwick Davis: Wald, Wicket W. Warrick (Star Wars: The Phantom Menace; Star Wars: Return of the Jedi)
Silas Carson: Ki-Adi-Mundi, Nute Gunray (Star Wars: The Phantom Menace; Star Wars: Attack of the Clones; Star Wars: Revenge of the Sith)
Vanessa Marshall: Hera Syndulla (Star Wars Rebels)

Weekend III (May 29 – 31)

Warwick Davis: Wald, Wicket W. Warrick (Star Wars: The Phantom Menace; Star Wars: Return of the Jedi)
Daniel Logan: Boba Fett (Star Wars: Attack of the Clones)
Steve Blum: Zeb Orrelios (Star Wars Rebels)

Weekend IV (June 5 – 7)

Ray Park: Darth Maul (Star Wars: The Phantom Menace)
Jeremy Bulloch: Boba Fett (Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back; Star Wars: Return of the Jedi)
Ashley Eckstein: Ahsoka Tano (Star Wars: The Clone Wars; Star Wars Rebels)

Weekend V (June 12 – 14)

Frank Oz: Yoda (Star Wars: The Phantom Menace; Star Wars: Attack of the Clones; Star Wars: Revenge of the Sith, Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back, Star Wars: Return of the Jedi; Star Wars Rebels)
Ray Park: Darth Maul (Star Wars: The Phantom Menace)
Peter Mayhew: Chewbacca (Star Wars: Revenge of the Sith; Star Wars: A New Hope; Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back; Star Wars: Return of the Jedi)
Taylor Gray: Ezra Bridger (Star Wars Rebels)

The host of Star Wars Weekends, actor James Arnold Taylor, from Star Wars: The Clone Wars and “Star Wars Rebels,” will also host the new Star Wars Weekends show “Star Wars: Rebels,” where guests can relive the twists and turns of the first season of the Disney XD series with special guests from the show’s voice cast. In addition to Ashley Eckstein’s Weekend IV guest spot, she will also be joining every day of the event as host of “Padawan Mind Challenge – Family Edition.”

Disney’s Hollywood Studios guests can enjoy year-round Star Wars favorites at the theme park with a blast through a Star Wars adventure on “Star Tours – The Adventures Continue” and young Padawans can prepare to face the dark side with new lightsaber skills at Jedi Training Academy.

A celebration of all-things-Star Wars, the special event is included in regular park admission to Disney’s Hollywood Studios.

For more information about Star Wars Weekends including new locations for merchandise, the autograph sessions and the “Stars of the Saga”� talk show, guests may check the Disney Parks Blog, StarWars.com, and StarWarsWeekends.com. Guests can join in on the fun using #SWW2015.