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The Disney Star Wars event's are huge fun, and there's still a couple more week-ends to go yet.  This year has been the best for 501st members as for the first time EVER the Mouse allowed non-Disney employees into one of its parks in costume. It was therefore a huge honor for the World-Wide 501st to be a part of the Star Wars Parade and much praise must go to the Florida Garrison and specifically Jerry Jones for organising this. What great timing it was for me to be Orlando for this great opportunity, and in costume!!! Note that my images are video grabs so the qualities not brilliant. However thanks to Jay Harris (TK-1010 of the Florida Garrison) for the excellent Main Street shots. 
 

There was the usual security on patrol to welcome the guests

501st Disney Star Wars Parade

These excellent new main street shots are all courtesy of Jay Harris (TK-1010 of the Florida Garrison)

Carrying the 501st banner, it was great that Disney allowed us to front the parade

The ranks of Bikers, Tie Pilots and Stormtroopers file by, again thanks Jay Harris for the photos.

Chewy, R2 and Ewoks lead the Celeb's cars.

Mr. C-3PO himself.

Following Main Street, the parade moved on towards the Endor Village

In total there ware about 40 of us, Imperial Officers, Tie Pilots, Bikers and Troopers.

It was about 94 degrees out there, god knows how hot in those helmets!

We received a fantastic reception from the crowds, and lets face it everyone like Star Wars!

Who's that damned-attractive-yet-clearly-distinguished-with-age Imperial Officer there saluting? (BTW Cheers to Dom from the UKG for the lend of the costume)

Next we marched on the Endor Forests to give them Ewoks a bit of pay-back

Anthony Daniels was great and said hello to us all before we set off. A nice guy.

Billy Dee Williams was there also, along with the Woman who played Aura Sing (sorry forgot name)

Darth and the other bad guys.

A couple of nice looking Disney Jango and Shark Ti costumes.

...finally a couple of Clones

Following the Parade the Disney Star Wars Characters patrol the area around the Star Tours ride ( Endor Village/Tatooine Traders) allowing the usual photo opportunities. 

As mentioned before on this site, the Stormtrooper costumes have an overall look reminiscent of the ROJ troopers, although they've been drastically modified to allow greater freedom of movement and longer usage in hot park conditions. I understand they originated in Japan (DisneyLand?) and were initially used in live stunt show there.

The helmets appears to be a single piece design as the ears are molded into the overall design, rather than applied later as will all other helmets. The eye bridge area and frown pieces have been cut out and replaced with a soft gauze allowing air flow. The suit is more flexible than ABS, although by no means bendy. Despite that the overall look of the helmet and suit is very good and look to me like they've been cast off an original.

Coming from the same Japanese source, the ANH Vader also has the lenses replaced with black screens. However the size and features are very good and again I wonder if it has been cast from an original.

MGM's excellent C3PO statue (i.e. no one's inside) which is actually the Don Post Deluxe Statue (see Don Post section for other images of this range). A wonderful prop.

There were two R2's on display. The static one (a DP Statue again I believe), and on the right a brilliant full size Radio Controlled model which scurries around the parade beeping at the crowd. Excellent!

A couple of Tusken Raiders, there are usually three of them. Close up of one of them on the right.

The Imperial Guard has been adapted like the stormtrooper and Vader with the open mesh area around the eyes, which is also larger than the screen used helmets. The Greedo on the right looks OK.

There's a great Gamorrean Guard who hangs around wiping his slobber on the kids - great!

.. and above MGM's  Admiral Ackbar with what I hope is his arm raised up!

The Clone Trooper armour looked good, although the helmets looked very similar to the Kellog's Helmets available last year (see Fans/Clone), and possibly could have been molded from them.

Jnago , Zam...... and finally Chewy

For photo's from the 2001 Disney MGM Star Wars Week-end click here