Disney Sponsors Hour of Code Event Featuring New Star Wars Tutorial

The Disney Interactive Team along with Code.Org celebrated Computer Science Education week by joining forces once again to inspire children to learn the language of code.  At Monday’s event, Chewbacca and R2-D2 of the Star Wars franchise welcomed over 60 children from the Boys & Girls Club, Girls Inc., and TXT (Teens Exploring Technology) into the Disney Interactive HQ for the Hour of Code event.  

Arriving at the Interactive offices, we were greeted by some of our favorite Star Wars characters and invited to pose for pictures and walk the red carpet.  Once inside, the invitees participated in a training session using Code.Org’s Star Wars coding tutorial where everyone learned how to code their own video game.  Playing as Rey and BB-8, the two icons of the new Star Wars: The Force Awakens film, each user was able to build and play a game level.

Alice Steinglass, VP for Production, Engineering and Marketing at Code.org, talked about the availability of this free tutorial around the world.  Translated into over 44 languages, fifty billion people are expected to complete the Hour of Code.  Countries such as Russia and Italy had taken it one step further making it available for each child to try it in school.  The Code.org website states the tutorials are available for age 4 to 104, and the Star Wars themed tutorial is perfect if you have the force for fun.

Ada Duan, VP of Digital Business & Franchise Management at Lucasfilm, mentioned that BB-8 was specifically chosen to for its cute appeal to both boys and girls; children and adults. Duan encourages kids to join summer camps and organizations to pursue their interest in computer science. Lucasfilm holds tours of their animation and visual effects departments for children to have an idea of the type of careers they can pursue.

Joining in the fun were some of our favorite Disney Channel and Disney XD stars.   Karan Brar ( “Ravi” on Disney Channel’s Bunk’d and Jessie) and Sophie Reynolds (“Ashley” on Disney XD’s Gamer’s Guide to Pretty Much Everything) arrived with selfie-stick in hand to meet the kids one on one. Asked how they were enjoying the Code program, one youngster responded saying “it sounds complicated, but it is actually fun.”

After the Hour of Code, a large section was set up with Disney Infinity systems along with an unlimited display of characters to choose for battle.  Even a number of adults could not resist the ‘dark side’ and attempted to test the games; only to be defeated by the younger pros.

As a grand finale, a cake in the shape and perfect design of the new Star Wars droid, BB-8 was rolled out!  Ironically, the kids screeched for BB-8 as each piece was cut and passed out.  Even R2-D2 and Chewbacca shook their heads in agony.  Luckily, the cake was delicious, which helped make the less painful.   The evening ended on a high note as each child left with a goodie-bag filled with Star Wars merchandise.

Let our friends at Destinations to Travel help you book your next Disney Vacation. They are the preferred Travel Agency of Chip and Company and Disney Addicts, and who we use ourselves.

Get started below for your FREE No Obligation Quote.

Book With our friends at Destinations to Travel

Who is your Travel Agent?(Required)

Let us pick for youEric HilesStacy ReedAbbey JohnsonAlisa SullivanAlli WillisAmanda FolsomAmanda VannAmber BrillhartAmber FisherAmy SieburnAndrea SmithAngela AndersonAngie BaycuraAnna PetrilliAnnabelle DuboseApril StefanskiAshley RamseyBeth ParsonsBetsy SantoroBrandie McQueenBrian BuckleyBridget HatchBryan SchwartzCandice SneedCarrie ButlerCarson DockumCasey BoltCharleen HortonChelsea RoyChelsea WuebkerChris BoyerChristie GrubeChristina FratturaChristina SmithCourtney WhiteCraig YoderDan MercedDanielle NorcrossDarby MouritsenDavid ForrestDeborah AlvaradoEmilee BiegelEmily MorrisFaith HakesGail HatchGreg MatzkerHelen HummerHolly CurryJackie CavistonJaclyn PepitoneJamie SwansonJeanine JordanJeff CallahanJenni MaierJennifer BrownJennifer StephensonJennifer StoessnerJessica HatfieldJessica HuffJessica WunderJoe GuertinJon CarpentierJoseph SliwaJulie McCombJustin BrownKat AttridgeKathryn EberhartKathy AndersonKatie HarrellKatie PrevotKayla CookKelsey SullensKim HelmsKimberly HutchinsonKristi GallagherKyle RamsdenLauren DewlenLeanne MonterLinda DurhamLindsay AckermannLindsey VromanLissette BritoLori HardyMallory MorrisonMandi QuinnMaranda PerkinsMarisa AlvaradoMegan TeismannMeghan BlairMelissa ReedMichele KlineMike BeyerMissy McCormickMisty DickersonNancy CasteelNicole ThorntonPatrick O'ConnorPaul SulPeyton Ward-KubikRaylene CooganRegan OstranderRobbie BulusRobert ThomasSara SolbergSarah McCandlishShanna BrowningShelley BennettShelly MetzStacy CristStacy KrzyminskiStacy SmithStephanie DraganoStephanie FerencStephanie WalshSusannah McCordTara SlusserTerri MillerTiffany DobraskiTiffany DrenkhahnTina FarmerTonya LesiukTracy DaneTroy DuncanVeronica RenteriaVicki FesslerWendy CarllWendy HauserWendy KellehanWendy Shelley

Name(Required)

First Last

Email(Required)

Phone(Required)

Destination(Required)

Walt Disney WorldDisneyland ResortDisney Cruise LineAulani, A Disney Resort and SpaAulani, A Disney Resort and SpaUniversal FloridaUniversal HollywoodRoyal Caribbean, Carnival, Norwegian or other Cruise LineI don't know yet

# of Adults(Required)

# of Children(Required)

Check-in-Date(Required)

MM slash DD slash YYYY

Check-out-Date(Required)

MM slash DD slash YYYY

Comments, Questions or Special Requests

Email

This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.

Δ

For the BEST in Disney, Universal, Dollywood, and SeaWorld Theme Park News, Entertainment, Merchandise & More follow us on, Facebook, Instagram, and Youtube. Don't forget to check out the Chip and Company Radio Network too!