Stig and Oopla

Star Wars Weekends

Every year, Disney’s Hollywood Studios plays host to Star Wars Weekends, a celebration of all things related to the galaxy far, far away. This year’s event was extra special, as it marked the final performance of the Hyperspace Hoopla, a beloved staple of the event for many years.

Fans were treated to one last show featuring the hilarious antics of Stig & Oopla, along with appearances by some of their favorite Star Wars characters. While it’s always sad to see a beloved attraction come to an end, there’s no doubt that the Hyperspace Hoopla will be fondly remembered by all who had the chance to experience it.

The Hyperspace Hoopla at Star Wars Weekends

Star Wars Weekends

Another year of Star Wars Weekends is over. I didn’t get out to attend as much as I wanted.  Part of that I blame on the weather, but there was also some complacency on my part.  I’ve seen it before, and while I enjoyed the event, there aren’t any surprises left for me.  

One thing I hadn’t done yet was photograph the Hyperspace Hoopla shows that occur every evening of the event.  Last weekend, I was determined to make it, but the weather screwed it up on Friday and Saturday. I finally made it out on Sunday afternoon well ahead of time.

I got to the stage three hours before the show but sat off to the side because a Disney Channel Rocks show took place in the area just below it.  Now, if you think that sounds geeky (it is), what happened next was even geekier.

Once the previous show was over, I got up from my little seat on the side of the stage, walked about ten yards, and was already in a crushing crowd of people and standing about four rows back.  People are serious about their Star Wars shows.  I figured I’d be the lone little loser sitting in the sun for two hours, but I had plenty of company – all nice people around me, too.  

I mentioned that Disney should take advantage of the crowd to offer some cocktail service and a little girl offered to buy a drink for me.  I got her some money and told her to feel free to get something for herself.  She came back with an ice-cold Diet Coke and all of my change. I think that was the highlight of my day.

The Dark Side of the Force

If there was a low point, it happened about half an hour before the show. The crowd was growing and full of people waiting for hours in the hot Florida sunshine.  Then about a dozen people came pushing and squeezing their way up front.  

Several of us politely mentioned that we’d been waiting there for a while and weren’t happy about having some last-minute folks walk right in front of us. They didn’t care. When I brought it up again, one of them told me they were performing when we got in line.  

Perhaps he thought that was an excuse.  This group of interlopers was all Disney cast members who performed there. A couple of women behind me were pretty upset because they could no longer see the stage – they were about five feet tall, and some of the guys in this group of dancers were around six feet.  

So am I, but they said I was there before them at least.

One of the dancers kept giving me dirty looks, probably because I kept reminding them that the rest of us got our place without butting in front of anyone else.  He indicated there could be some consequences for me if I brought it up again, so – being the socially inept person I am – I brought it up again.  

No consequences appeared.  

Perhaps he was just rude to people but not stupid enough to do something that would jeopardize his job. Although they weren’t in a Disney uniform, at least one had his name tag, and they mentioned their performance.  It’s not like they were hiding it.  It was more like the rest of us paying guests were somehow in their way.

Too bad, I guess.  It was annoying and went against my morals, but I guess there isn’t anything you can do about folks putting their desires ahead of everyone else.

The Story Behind the Hyperspace Hoopla

The Hyperspace Hoopla by Stig & Oopla was a fan favorite show during Star Wars Weekends in Disney’s Hollywood Studios.

It was a campy show ostensibly about a talent contest that gets out of hand when Emperor Palpatine and sinister agents of the Dark Side crash the party.

After Stig and Oopla, the show’s hosts, warm up the crowd, we start seeing talent acts from Star Wars Characters like Figrin D’an & the Modal Nodes. If that name doesn’t mean anything to you, they were the Star Wars cantina band playing when Obi-Wan Kenobi and Luke Skywalker met Han Solo.

Chewbacca also comes out to dance, and I’m astonished that a Wookie could put such moves on the dance floor while decked out in some bling.

Before Stg & Oopla can declare a winner, Emperor Palpatine shows up and demands that his team get a chance to perform to win the talent contest.

We see the Emperor dancing with Aurra Sing, Zam Wessel, and a Gamorean Guard.

The show performers dance to music from Michael Jackson, Madona, and other pop stars. To be fair, they’re amazing, athletic, and some are even acrobatic.

After the Dark Side gets its turn, other Light side performers come out and share the stage together. There are some uncommon pairings, like watching Padme Amidala and Princess Leia dance together with Darth Vader. We also get to see Darth Sidious dance with Yoda.

Star Wars Weekends Photos from the Last Hyperspace Hoopla

At least I got a few shots out of it.  Here you go.

Darth Vader Uses the Force
Darth Sidious and Yoda
The Force is Strong with This One – © Copyright 2012 by Orlando Local
Darth Sidious
Princess Leia
Like a Virgin – © Copyright 2012 by Orlando Local
James Arnold Taylor
Zam Wessel and a Gammorean
Eww! – © Copyright 2012 by Orlando Local
Emperor Palpatine loves Orlando
Darth Maul
Darth Maul
Slave Leia
Damn, Leia! – © Copyright 2012 by Orlando Local
Darth Sidious, Aura Ging, & Zam Wessel
Darth Vader Dancing

Star Wars Weekends Come to an End

I always enjoyed Star Wars Weekends. It usually coincided with Star Wars Celebration when it came to Orlando, and sometimes there were cross-over events.


Curious about Star Wars Celebration in Orlando
Click here to read our review of Star Wars Celebration in Orlando.


For example, Disney’s Hollywood Studios has an Indiana Jones stunt show. They mixed up the characters with Star Wars and created something unique.

Disney canceled Star Wars Weekends in favor of a fireworks show as if they didn’t have enough already. While I love fireworks and think Walt Disney World does them better than anyone else, it’s not the same as Star Wars Weekends and the Hyperspace Hoopla.

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