• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • About | Press
  • Up the Waterfall
  • Media Kit

ZANNALAND!

Magical Adventures & Memories

  • Latest News
    • Top Stories
    • Disney News
    • Disney Movie News & Reviews
    • Movie Reviews
  • Places to Explore
    • Walt Disney World
    • Universal Orlando Resort
    • Disneyland Resort
    • Orlando Area Resorts
    • Disneyland Resort Paris
    • Disney Cruise Line
  • Things to Do
    • Disney Dining
    • Disney Special Events
    • D23 Expo
    • RunDisney
    • Travel, Theme Parks, and Resorts
    • Florida Theme Parks & Attractions
      • Universal Orlando Resort
      • Medieval Times
      • LEGOLAND Florida
      • Busch Gardens
      • Sea World Orlando
    • Orlando Area Resorts
    • Central Florida Family Entertainment
  • Up the Waterfall Podcast

Star Tours

VIDEO: Star Wars Weekends Celebrity Host Ashley Eckstein

30 May 2012 by Suzannah Otis 2 Comments

Share
Tweet
Pin
Share

Ashley Eckstein in her Ahsoka Tano costume shirt

I had the pleasure of first getting to know Ashley Eckstein, a year ago, when we spoke on the phone and it was like talking to an old friend I’d known forever. Ashley is the star of the animated series Star Wars: Clone Wars on Cartoon Network and design entrepeneur, owner and creative vision behind Her Universe clothing and accessories line for fangirls, young and old. She returns this year for the fourth time to Disney’s Star Wars Weekends at Hollywood Studios, taking the reigns as Celebrity Host along with James Arnold Taylor for the second year in a row.

I was so impressed with Ashley when we had our first conversation, she is the ultimate Disney fan and Star Wars fangirl, and has inspired thousands of young girls, empowering them with wonderful ideals and strength. I was recently given the opportunity to sit down with Ashley in person, so she could tell us a little more about Star Wars Weekends and Her Universe:

 


Special thanks to Gary Buchanan and the Walt Disney World team for facilitating this interview and recording it for me as well! Of course thanks to Ashley for taking the time to share a little bit of her with all of us.

Ashley recently posted this photo on her Facebook page and I just loved it, not only does she share my love of Wookie hugs, she is just as excited by Disney magic as we all are. I hope she doesn’t mind me sharing it here but it was too cute not to!

Ashley Eckstein and Chewbacca
Ashley Eckstein and Chewbacca - Jedi and Wookie love!

You can find Ashley signing autographs, speaking and just roaming the parks during Star Wars Weekends, which run May 18 – June 10, 2012. If you can’t make it down, check out Ashley’s designs at HerUniverse.com and follow along with Ashley on Twitter @HerUniverse and Facebook at facebook.com/HerUniverse. The official Ashley Eckstein site also has more news on Ashley’s appearances and upcoming events.

 

Share
Tweet
Pin
Share

Filed Under: Disney Special Events, Walt Disney World Tagged With: Ahsoka Tano, Ashley Eckstein, Ashley Eckstein interview, Disney's Hollywood Studios, geek chic, Her Universe, Star Tours, Star Wars, Star Wars fangirls, Star Wars Weekends, Star Wars Weekends merchandise, Star Wars: Clone Wars, video interview, Walt Disney World

VIDEO: Star Tours Opening Day Characters in Full FORCE

8 June 2011 by Suzannah Otis Leave a Comment

Share
Tweet
Pin
Share

Apologies for the pun in the title, I can’t resist good “force” joke! A few weeks ago I was treated to an amazing experience, which was a media preview of the all-new Star Tours 2 in 3-D — Star Tours: The Adventures Continue. Now in addition to being an obviously major Disney fan, I am also a Star Wars geek. So put me in a situation where I can get my picture taken with Boba Fett AND hug Chewbacca, and I’m in heaven. It was a truly amazing night – my husband actually handed Anthony Daniels (C-3PO) a piece of cake! How cool is that?? Anyway, I thought I’d put together a video slideshow highlighting some of the out-of-this-world characters that appeared at the Galactic Preview and the official opening day activities.

 

 

If you perhaps aren’t familiar with the new Star Tours, check out this video below for more information on the new destinations and features of the attraction. I’ve been on it about 6 times now, and it’s amazing every time!! My favorite planets are Hoth and Naboo, but I’ve yet to get the Pod Racing yet, so we’ll see! In the video below, you’ll also see a little cameo by yours truly…thanks to the Disney team for allowing us to take part in that fun experience!!

 

Special thanks to my amazing cast member assistant, Ethan G., for some of the photos in the first video. He was pretty much the nicest and most helpful cast member ever! Thanks Ethan! Also thanks to Betsy Bates for giving me the music for the first video! I get by with a little help from my friends! 😉

Share
Tweet
Pin
Share

Filed Under: Disney Attractions, Disney News, Disney Special Events, Walt Disney World Tagged With: Anthony Daniels, Darth Maul, Darth Vader, Disney Attractions, Disney Special Events, Disney's Hollywood Studios, George Lucas, Star Tours, Star Tours 2.0, Star Tours: The Adventures Continue, Star Wars, Walt Disney World

Ashley Eckstein Brings Star Wars Fangirl Fashion to Life with Her Universe

28 April 2011 by Suzannah Otis 1 Comment

Share
Tweet
Pin
Share
Star WarsTM Fangirl Apparel from Her UniverseTM
to be Offered for the First Time at Star Wars Weekends at
Disney’s Hollywood Studios theme park

LOS ANGELES, CA – Returning to Star Wars Weekends at Disney’s Hollywood Studios theme park in Lake Buena Vista, Fla. as Celebrity Host of “The Clone Wars: Behind the Force,” actress Ashley Eckstein (voice of Ahsoka Tano on Star Wars: The Clone Wars) will also be bringing an all-new, unique range of Star Wars fangirl-focused products to the month-long event at Walt Disney World Resort. Available for the duration of Star Wars Weekends 2011, Eckstein’s line of Her Universe apparel and accessories was created as a response to the ever-increasing demand for fashionable “geek chic” products among the growing community of female fans.

Ashley Eckstein Her UniverseIn addition to a product line that already includes female-focused shirts and undergarments, Her Universe will be premiering two new shirt designs at this year’s Star Wars Weekends event. Featuring images of Jedi Master Yoda and other famous characters from the beloved Star Wars Saga, both designs will be offered in female sizes with female fits – and, for the first time ever, two popular Her Universe designs will also be available in children’s sizes. The new designs will be available exclusively for a limited time at Disney’s Hollywood Studios during Star Wars Weekends 2011.

“As the voice of Ahsoka Tano, it warms my heart to see an increase in young girls who are now Star Wars fans because of The Clone Wars,” says Eckstein. “However, it bothered me when those little girls had to go to the boys section to buy their Star Wars shirts. Now little girls can buy shirts that are specially made just for them!”

In addition to regular autograph signings each weekend, Eckstein will also be available for special merchandise autograph signings each day inside the theme park where her exclusive Her Universe apparel will be sold.

 

“Disney’s Hollywood Studios has played a huge part in my life,” says Eckstein. “Growing up in Orlando, my dad worked for Walt Disney World and I was at the theme park the first week it opened in 1989. It was a dream of mine to follow in my father’s footsteps and work for Disney. On my 16th birthday, I applied for a job at the ‘happiest place on Earth’ and was assigned to Disney’s Hollywood Studios where I would spend my weekends dancing in the parades and working in the restaurants! Now, to return to Disney’s Hollywood Studios for Star Wars Weekends as a host and a designer is magical!”

Ashley Eckstein Her Universe Daddy's Little Girl Tee

Running every Friday, Saturday and Sunday from May 20 through June 12, Disney’s Star Wars Weekends is an annual event at Disney’s Hollywood Studios theme park celebrating the Star Wars Saga, as well the animated television series Star Wars: The Clone Wars. In addition to offering fans a unique opportunity to join Jedi Masters, Sith Lords and Star Wars celebrities for special shows, presentations and memorabilia, the 2011 event also marks the launch of the all-new Star Tours attraction: Star Tours –The Adventures Continue. For more information on Star Wars Weekends, visit: disneyworld.com/starwarsweekends or disneyparks.com/blog.

Ashley Eckstein Her Universe
Love this Padme Art Deco shirt!

 

Ashley Eckstein Her Universe Boba Fett Underwear
And hello? Who *doesn't* have a Boba Fett-ish?? 😉
I don’t know about you, but I’m pretty psyched for this line!! As one Star Wars fan to another, this is a Force to be reckoned with!
For more information on Her Universe, visit www.heruniverse.com or by following Ashley on Twitter at and visiting the Her Universe Facebook page.

Lucasfilm, STAR WARS™ and related properties are trademarks and/or copyrights, in the United States and other countries, of Lucasfilm Ltd. and/or its affiliates. TM & © Lucasfilm Ltd.  All rights reserved.  All other trademarks and trade names are properties of their respective owners.

 

Share
Tweet
Pin
Share

Filed Under: Disney Attractions, Disney Merchandise, Disney News, Disney Special Events, Walt Disney World Tagged With: Ashley Eckstein, Her Universe, official Disney, Star Tours, Star Tours 2.0, Star Wars fangirls, Star Wars Weekends, Walt Disney World

Farewell to Captain Rex – D23’s Last Flight to Endor Celebration

9 September 2010 by Suzannah Otis 11 Comments

Share
Tweet
Pin
Share
Star Tours Last Tour to Endor
He's smiling on the inside, right?

Many of you may have heard about the Last Tour to Endor party associated with the Star Wars Celebration V that took place at the Orange County Convention Center last month. I know I was disappointed that we couldn’t get it to work out logistically, so when I saw the D23 event for the Last Flight to Endor (which was an essentially free event save for the $5 per ticket processing fee), I was all over it! What’s more, this free event was going to take place on the actual last night of Star Tours operation before it closed for refurbishment and would be limited to the number of guests that could fill the speeders in the attraction for the actual last flight. It was too cool to pass up. I am so glad I didn’t.

{I apologize in advance for the photo quality. I was using my cell all night – convenient, but not so great at night and when you are pretty much constantly moving. Hopefully the spirit of the evening comes across in the pictures, despite the blurriness! }

I make no claims to know all there is about Star Wars, but I know enough to make obscure references or movie lines when needed and get suitably excited when our escorts for the evening turned out to be some of the 501st Legion‘s finest Stormtroopers (even though my first response upon seeing one of them was “Aren’t you a little short to be a Stormtrooper?”). It was great to see so many excited fans and fellow bloggers/Disney media people there as well as meeting some twitter friends. We all checked in and were given a commemorative boarding pass and FastPass for the evening, and the first 100 guests received a limited edition Star Wars coin set as well. Soon the Stormtroopers arrived and we were on the march to our destination: Star Tours.

Star Tours Last Tour to Endor
The FastPass says: Another FASTPASS ticket will be available in 2011
Star Tours Last Flight to Endor
I wish I could say this was the first time armed guards escorted me somewhere...

[Read more…] about Farewell to Captain Rex – D23’s Last Flight to Endor Celebration

Share
Tweet
Pin
Share

Filed Under: Disney Attractions, Disney News, Disney Special Events, Walt Disney World Tagged With: D23, D23 Member Events, Disney Special Events, Disney's Hollywood Studios, Last Flight to Endor, special events, Star Tours, Stormtroopers, Walt Disney World

Primary Sidebar

  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Twitter
  • YouTube

Subscribe to Our Up the Waterfall Disney History Podcast

Up the Waterfall podcast

Get Some Park Candy!

Park CandyUse code ZANNA at checkout for 10% off your entire order!

FAVORITE VLOG

https://youtu.be/jUQvxcguh9o

Click below to SUBSCRIBE to our latest Vlogs & LIVE Shows!

Recent Posts

  • D23 Events for 2023 – Destination D23 Returns to Walt Disney World
  • Hocus Pocus Cottage in Salem, MA Airbnb – Book this Unique Stay for October 20, 2022
  • LIVE Updates from the 2022 D23 EXPO in Anaheim California
  • Walt Disney’s Grumman Gulfstream I Airplane Makes its West Coast Return for D23 Expo 2022
  • Lilly Singh and Raven-Symoné To Host ‘Disney’s Epic Entertainment Showcase: The Musical: The Extravaganza!’
  • ICE! To Return to Gaylord Palms Resort in Orlando for 2022
  • DIS Con 2022 Fan Expo Will Take Place at Disney’s Coronado Springs Resort
  • Disney+ to Highlight Upcoming Content Throughout D23 Expo Panels
  • D23 Expo 2022 Full Schedule Lineup – Including Muppets Christmas Carol
  • LEGOLAND Florida Brick-or-Treat presents Monster Party

Zannaland Archives

Recent Vlog

https://youtu.be/aRB70OJelLc
DisneyStore.com

Subscribe to our podcast

Free Shipping on New Kate Spade Collection now at shopDisney.com!

Copyright Zannaland © 2023