The Force awakens at Disneyland

Disneyland is stirring up a new wave of “Star Wars” fandom zeal.

The theme park on Nov. 16 launched its Season of the Force, which introduces temporary “Star Wars” rides, food and other attractions, to large crowds in Tomorrowland. A Disney spokesman said it was unclear how long the Force will be with us, but it could be at least a couple of months.

From the time the park opened at 9 a.m., Tomorrowland was filled with people dressed in “Star Wars” shirts, hats and Jedi robes.

For Matthew Green, the area, which has been temporarily transformed into a galaxy far, far away — to coincide with the upcoming “Star Wars: The Force Awakens” film and to excite fans for the future Star Wars Land at Disneyland — represented nostalgia.

“My dad, siblings and I used to watch the movies and recite them,” said Green, who was 16 when the first “Star Wars” film came out in 1977. “Two of my three children are really into it.”

The 53-year-old Fontana resident said the “Star Wars” saga — including two sequels: The Empire Strikes Back (1980) and Return of the Jedi (1983) — was something that helped his family to bond. A few days before attending the opening of Season of the Force, his son paid for Green’s first tattoo — the Rebel Alliance symbol on his forearm.

Green was one of the thousands of attendees who eagerly waited in line for more than two hours Nov. 16 to get into Launch Bay, an area on the first floor of the Innoventions building, where guests have the chance to view “Star Wars” memorabilia, like various Stormtrooper helmets and racers, and purchase exclusive merchandise.

Innoventions’ top floor is occupied by Super Hero Headquarters, where guests can meet Spider-Man and Thor, see props and costumes and play Marvel-related games.

At Launch Bay, visitors also have the opportunity to choose the light or dark side, where they can meet characters like Chewbacca and Darth Vader, depending on their choice of good or bad.

For Green, the answer was obvious when he used a derogatory word to describe Yoda, an old spiritual presence who helped the heroic Luke Skywalker on his journey. Green was going to pay a visit to Darth Vader, Skywalker’s nemesis, showing his preference — at least on this day — for the dark side.

One thing many fans seemed to agree on is the appeal of Hyperspace Mountain, which brings the Space Mountain roller-coaster into the “Star Wars” universe.

The coaster soars in the dark through stars, as it does in the traditional Space Mountain ride, but also, using projection technology, takes riders past the image of an X-wing Starfighter and through the middle of a combat zone. The additions of ships and Admiral Ackbar’s vocal commands, heard throughout the ride, also help bring a “Star Wars” touch to the beloved ride.

“You feel like you’re in a real TIE fighter,” said Kara Waggoner, 31, of Redlands, referring to some of the fast-moving ships from the franchise. Waggoner had part of her head shaved into the Rebel Alliance symbol, which represents the people fighting the dictatorship led by an evil emperor. “It’s an amazing experience. It’s really cool to be interacting and feeling like you’re a part of ‘Star Wars.’”

Star Tours, the “Star Wars” simulator ride, which is a permanent fixture in Tomorrowland, also premiered a new scene from the upcoming film, “Star Wars: The Force Awakens,” which includes new characters like stormtrooper Finn and the spherical droid BB-8 and takes riders to the planet of Jakku.

The theater in Tomorrowland, which has in the past shown “Honey, I Shrunk the Audience” and “Captain EO,” has been taken over by the “Path of the Jedi.” The montage of “Star Wars” clips was entertaining for hardcore fans who wanted to reminisce and those who are more unfamiliar and wanted to refresh their memories. It also promises to win over new devotees.

Green said the area was bringing the franchise to life, and he was just as excited as any youngster there.

“Another generation gets to enjoy the ‘Star Wars’ universe,” he said. “Look at all these people. This is bringing out all the old closet ‘Star Wars’ people.”