Welcome to planDisney, Sarah!
How fun that you will be attending a conference in Orlando! There are so many great places to visit during your free time. I do definitely recommend checking out
Disney Springs and all the wonderful dining, shopping, and entertainment there. Unfortunately, there are not currently any lightsaber building opportunities at Disney Springs. I popped into the
Star Wars Trading Post last week to check to see if the build-a-lightsaber experience was available -- this location used to have a build-your-own lightsaber that was more toy-like but does not currently offer that experience at this time. The Cast Member there let me know that currently, all lightsaber building experiences are at
Disney's Hollywood Studios.
Creating a custom lightsaber at
Savi's Workshop - Handbuilt Lightsabers is an amazing experience, and I can certainly see why your friend would like to include this in your itinerary. I would recommend checking with the organizer of the conference you will be attending. Often conferences and conventions offer partial-day tickets to their attendees. At this time, in order to enter a theme park, all Guests must have both a
Disney Park Pass reservation as well as valid admission. Be sure to check the
theme park availability calendar before purchasing tickets. Savi's Workshop is very popular, and reservations for this experience are highly recommended.
I hope that helps! Please let us know if you have any additional questions. Enjoy your stay in Orlando!
Anne Marie