Official Star Wars Weekends 2014 Tips and Tricks

[touchthesky]

With the exception of R2D2, are their any other SWW characters that do not sign?

C3PO definitely doesn't sign. Sometimes if Luke or Leia is meeting with R2 and/or 3PO, you can ask if he or she will sign for the droids. I've had varied luck with this in the past.

I've also heard that sometimes the walk-around characters won't sign, most notably Aurra Sing and Zam Wessel. It apparently all depends on how hounded they are getting, since technically they aren't supposed to form a designated line. I've never had a problem getting either to sign, but your mileage may vary.

Lastly, all stormtroopers and clones sign with different TKs (stormtrooper) and CTs (clone trooper), if that matters to you.

 

[1153rsmith]

Ok, that's just crazy!! I don't know that there'd be anyone I'd be willing to wait that long to see...

I think we'll avoid that craziness and just plan on getting some of the character autographs and pics and watching the special fireworks!

Sent from my iPad using DISBoards

If my son gets a chance to get Ray Parks (Darth Maul)'s signature we may be some of the folks camping out after Fantasmic.

If we do, I will certainly have a lot to talk about on here afterwards.

 

[yulilin3]

This is a video I took last year on the first Friday, it'll give you an idea on lines for celebrities and merchandise, plus lines for JTA and characters. It got muted by youtube because it has the SW music in the background but it should be able to help or at least, mentally prepare yourself, for the lines you'll have to make
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vrBgyive7I4

 

[d-r]

That all depends. When we signed up ds, we were the 2nd family through the turnstiles. From there, we stood right at the rope. Then when the rope dropped people were like animals and pushed and shoved to get ahead. Even running up the steps of Hollywood and Vine. My son was one of the last people signed up for the 2nd show. Other families at the rope with us, were even further behind us, because they didn't allow strollers in the queue and they had to park their strollers first.

Yes people are horrible about it. The walk to the queue from rope drop should basically be the line but a lot of people won't respect that and will do anything to get on grpmt. It is boorish. I think some web site or guide bookmust tell people to do this because it is at worse on saw than regular days. We usually sign up for padawan mind challenge first and let the eager beavers clear themselves out.

 

[Jediguy]

He was very aggravated by the lack of control both inside and out. They had been on that concrete for hours then watched people just walk up in front of them to join family and be handed wristbands. They have security there all night so why not at a random time between 5 and 6 to quickly hand out the bands, you still have to stay in line for the FP but at least no one will know when and can't wander up or quick call their friends at home or in car to run up. You snooze you lose,

They stayed most the day, had a great time then headed over to MK around 5 pm for the 24 HOUR event to meet me already there. They lasted all night with me so they actually went over 28 hours no sleep!

Ugh - Security is NOT there 24/7. They show up about 6am.

People cut and family members get special treatment. I don't like it but it happens. You have to get used to it.

 

[delmar411]

He was very aggravated by the lack of control both inside and out. They had been on that concrete for hours then watched people just walk up in front of them to join family and be handed wristbands. They have security there all night so why not at a random time between 5 and 6 to quickly hand out the bands, you still have to stay in line for the FP but at least no one will know when and can't wander up or quick call their friends at home or in car to run up. You snooze you lose,

They stayed most the day, had a great time then headed over to MK around 5 pm for the 24 HOUR event to meet me already there. They lasted all night with me so they actually went over 28 hours no sleep!

This is how it is done unfortunately.
You don't all have to wait in line until right before wristbands are being handed out (which is when line control starts up), which is why showing up earlier is better.

My DH slept out every weekend for celeb autographs and he was never alone out there.

 

[Reizo]

This is how it is done unfortunately.
You don't all have to wait in line until right before wristbands are being handed out (which is when line control starts up), which is why showing up earlier is better.

My DH slept out every weekend for celeb autographs and he was never alone out there.

Ugh.. I just can't see myself ever bringing myself to sleep out there... But completely understand why it has to be done. I mean I'm the guy who camps out in a line to see opening midnight movie times to guarantee the seat I want to have.

 

[msammon]

We will be there on the first Saturday. How early do you guys think I will need to be in line for my son to get into JTA? It looks like people will be lining up for merchant at 4am. Yikes! Please tell me that I do not need to be there that early for JTA!!!

 

[lovethattink]

My husband "camped" out on a chair from midnight on for one of the celebs last year. I think it was Ray Park or it could have been Billy Dee Williams. He sure didn't sleep. He said people talked all night, and some were pretty loud. He also brought a blanket or jacket because he said it actually got cold at night.

 

[lovethattink]

We will be there on the first Saturday. How early do you guys think I will need to be in line for my son to get into JTA? It looks like people will be lining up for merchant at 4am. Yikes! Please tell me that I do not need to be there that early for JTA!!!

I'm not sure how the merchandise dynamics will change with the Rebel Rendezvous being the day before official opening? But I would expect to see less people waiting for merchandise and many LE to already by gone.

For JTA, go straight from rope drop to JTA sign ups. The past couple years they have done sign ups at Indiana Jones. No strollers allowed in the queue. I'd suggest being at the "turnstiles" (do we still call them turnstiles?) around 7am as the park generally opens well before the official opening at 8.

 

[lovethattink]

Ugh - Security is NOT there 24/7. They show up about 6am.

People cut and family members get special treatment. I don't like it but it happens. You have to get used to it.

Security is there. You just may not notice them because they aren't necessarily wearing what you would expect.

The cutting in line was one reason my dh got there early. He said most times he went from one of the first 20 people in line to falling 10 or so people back as people met up with their families or friends in the morning.

 

[delmar411]

My husband "camped" out on a chair from midnight on for one of the celebs last year. I think it was Ray Park or it could have been Billy Dee Williams. He sure didn't sleep. He said people talked all night, and some were pretty loud. He also brought a blanket or jacket because he said it actually got cold at night.

My DH slept like a rock and snored like a freight train. LOL He said it was the best sleep he had gotten in months. Apparently sleeping on concrete is the key to a good night sleep for him.

He was teased about the snoring every weekend.

 

[nancipants]

I'm surprised people in line let that happen. We Star Wars fans are hardcore. If that happened at a Celebration people would riot, lol.

 

[Ferrentinos]

Hi again... quick question -
We are going the first Saturday and plan to be there early in the morning - if we are there by 6:45am is that too late? We are not planning to be in the merchandise lines. Thanks!

 

[yulilin3]

Hi again... quick question -
We are going the first Saturday and plan to be there early in the morning - if we are there by 6:45am is that too late? We are not planning to be in the merchandise lines. Thanks!

What are you planning to do first thing? Do you want to get autographs?
If you want to get autographs it depends on the person you are interested in getting, if not, then 6:45am is fine, you could get to the park around 7:15 to 7:30am if you don't want autographs

 

[lovethattink]

My DH slept like a rock and snored like a freight train. LOL He said it was the best sleep he had gotten in months. Apparently sleeping on concrete is the key to a good night sleep for him.

He was teased about the snoring every weekend.

Mine said there were a few who actually slept. Guess he was one of those few.

That's funny that he was snoring.

 

[dumbolove]

What are you planning to do first thing? Do you want to get autographs? If you want to get autographs it depends on the person you are interested in getting, if not, then 6:45am is fine, you could get to the park around 7:15 to 7:30am if you don't want autographs

Is this for all characters or the celebs? We really want to see chewy and the disney characters, but not celebs.

 

[jtowntoflorida]

Is this for all characters or the celebs? We really want to see chewy and the disney characters, but not celebs.

It's for celebs, not characters. We got to DHS right as they were opening the gates last year and we were able to get our preferred JTA spot, grab TSM passes, and then were lined up for Chewy and waited less than 30 minutes for him.

 

[dumbolove]

It's for celebs, not characters. We got to DHS right as they were opening the gates last year and we were able to get our preferred JTA spot, grab TSM passes, and then were lined up for Chewy and waited less than 30 minutes for him.

Great! Thanks!

 

[alayne]

My son is 9 and we will be going to SWW the first weekend in May 14 -18. He turns 10 on May 13 before we leave. He has always wanted to do JTA but we have been with other family members and have never made it to park open to sign him up in time. However, I know that the lines are going to be crazy because of people waiting for celeb autographs and such. I purchased the Rebel Pre-view event for May 15th to help get the merchandise and possible a few character autographs out of the way.

We are going to Disney World in 23 days (no extra family this trip) and I have booked a very early breakfast at Hollywood and Vine for two reasons - 1 my daughter really wants to see Sofia and Doc and 2 I thought this would get us there for JTA sign up.

My question is - if on this trip we do get my son signed up for JTA will there be any real need for him to do it again at SWW. Is it the same show and experience just on a bigger scale during SWW.

Thanks
Allison