Official Star Wars Weekends Thread Tips and Tricks 2015

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I am most likely dropping one adult regular FTF for June 5th. Let me know if anyone wants to try to coordinate.
 


Completely :offtopic:

I am trying to find a new purse. I have a Timbuk 2 one that I need to return, because the lining is shedding and the velcro is tearing and has chewed up part of the purse. But, before I return it for warranty, I need a replacement. I just bought another Timbuk 2. It specifically said that it had "an internal organizer for pens, phones, and other small stuff". I took that to mean something of an organizer. In the big main compartment, it has one big zippered pocket and then an open pocket. Really, that constitutes an organizer? Maybe I should just buy a pouch and throw everything in ziploc bags inside it. Now, I am going to have to pay to return it. Argh!

I, unfortunately, have some specific needs. It can't be too big, about 10"x10", so that it will fit easily under the seat of my scooter but have room for other stuff too. I previously had one of the Timbuk 2 extra small messenger bags. I really loved it, but it was a little too big (didn't need all of the space). Plus, the cam buckle is big and takes up a lot of space. It also needs be at least 3" deep. I also like to have a several pockets on the inside. I need separate pockets for my phone, keys, credit cards, lip gloss, hand lotion, and a bunch of other stuff. I hate rummaging around in a just a couple of pockets trying to find everything; I might as well just carry a pillow case around if I'm going to do that. I like an outside pocket too that I can cram stuff into quickly, including my Kindle e-reader. I also like a shoulder strap, not just a handle. I would also prefer it to not be leather and to be $50 or less.

I have tried looking online, but the websites are terrible. They rarely have pics of the inside and don't have very good descriptions. I have been to REI and Container Store without luck. Most purses nowadays are big and hobo style, which really isn't what I need. I am really tempted to buy a few cheap canvas military ones of the internet. I found some that were pretty cheap and seemed to have a lot of organization. You know, places for bullets, guns, and medic equipment:)

So, there's a method to my rant. Thanks if you have held on this long. Anyone have any suggestions on where I can find such a purse?
 
RedM94 said:
@Cynister @TXMemaw

I hope you both had an awesome time at SWW and are still enjoying your time in the world!!! When you catch your breath, I would very much appreciate hearing about your VIP experience and what you thought about it.

If you already posted about it, I apologize for missing it.

Thank you.
Click to expand...
We just got back yesterday, & had a great time. We are exhausted though as we packed so much into the long weekend we had planned. Thursday (5/21) we did SW H&V dinner. Friday we did MK 24hr day. Saturday I got to meet @yulilin3 & Steph, as always...very helpful & informative. Saturday we also did Rebel Hangar (awesome), D-Tech Me, & JTA. Sunday was our VIP day.

Here's the summary of our day:
We met the VIP tour group at about 6:30AM. The meeting spot is all the way to the left just after the walk-up ticket counters. The tour guides arrived (4 I believe), introduced themselves, & handed out water or juice. They checked everyone in & passed out ship-to-room slips that people could fill out ahead of time before getting to Darth's Maul. We all got plain lanyards with a VIP tag on them. The VIP tag was nothing special, just plaid & white with "VIP" on it. This was a bit disappointing since the Deluxe tags were specifically SW themed & far better. Shortly after we were let in & we walked down Hollywood Blvd to the Brown Derby. We were met at the front by a Marketing guy. He was very excited & explained how the day would go. We were asked to sit on the wall in front of the Derby while he went through everything. A guide handed out granola bars & they also had coffee available inside. We were then led under the arch going to the Little Mermaid & Art of Animation, making a hard left & down past Toy Story to get to the brick building across from High Octane Refreshments. Darth Vader was there waiting for us for pictures. We were told he would not sign at the Derby, however when we got there the guide said Vader was in a good mood & was willing to sign, so I'm guessing that's not always the case. We got through about 6-8 people before Darth took a break & left. There was no replacement, we had to wait. This was a bit aggravating since we all knew we were on the clock to get to Darth's Mall before park opening & now we were stuck in the line waiting. This could definitely be improved. Finally Darth came back out & we got through. They took about 1/2 of us down to the Mall while the remainder finished with pictures. We had already done our shopping in the Mall the day before so we didn't spend a lot of time in there. The Marketing guy was very clear to explain the more time you spend in the Mall, the less time you have to eat after & we had to meet the guides to continue the tour by a certain time. Aurasma didn't work on any of the big wall posters for us. The only 1 I got to work was the Darth Maul picture at the main Mall entrance.

We headed back to the Derby & had breakfast. It was buffet style & included scrambled eggs, french toast, sausage, bacon, juice, & possibly some pastries (I'm not sure about that). The food was very good, however I'd change the timing on breakfast if I could. By the time we ate it was about 8:30-8:45. We knew we'd be doing rides immediately after, then have lunch at 11:30-11:45. Eating a large breakfast wasn't wise & therefore we really couldn't take full advantage of the included breakfast as we would have wanted, while not being too full for rides & leaving room for lunch only 3 hrs away. The guides came around to our tables & took our lunch orders for Mama Melrose. We were given a drink, appetizer & entree. There were 2-3 appetizer choices, & 4-5 entree choices. After breakfast we were told to wait out front of the Derby again. The guides said they were going to break up into a group that would do kids rides & groups that would do adult rides. The kids group would go first. The kids rides were Toy Story, Star Tours, Disney Jr., & Voyage of the Little Mermaid. We had a handful of kids in the group, but none of them wanted to do the kids group. The adult rides were Toy Story, Star Tours, Tower of Terror, & Rockin Roller Coaster. These were the only options for kids & adults. No substitutions. No riding twice if you didn't want to do 1 of the others that were included. You moved as a group & if you didn't want to ride or couldn't ride (in 1 case a child was a 1/2 an inch to short & he couldn't go on), you were instructed to meet the group at the exit. The guides went on the ride with us.

After rides, we headed to the parade viewing section. It was nice that we were up front, but it was in the direct sun. Guides handed out large umbrellas but didn't have enough to go around so there were about 6-8 of us that had none. They handed out frozen towels, water, & a choice of a Mickey ice cream or strawberry popsicle. The parade was great, but the roped are wasn't large enough. There wasn't enough room for everyone to be in front & we often had obstructed views because of other VIP members. The Marketing guy came by & explained at the end of the parade they'd take down the rope & we could join the rest of the crowd by going close to the stage if we wanted but that it would be very crowded & we had to meet at the film strip across the street by a certain time. Across the street was the Deluxe or Premium viewing area in the shade. Personally, I think the VIP & Deluxe/Premium should have been swapped. If VIP dropped a bunch more money, we should have been able to be in the shade IMHO.

We then met at the filmstrip & headed over to Mam Melrose. We got in very quickly & it was assigned seating. You had to find your name tag & sit in that spot. Within 5 minutes of sitting, the food came out. The portion was huge & very good. We were then given the option to explore on our own in the area for about 30 mins before meeting back in the front of Mama Melrose to head over for the 1st show. The shows were great, didn't disappoint. The VIP seating is not in the 1st row. VIP is 3rd & 4th rows. 1st row is handicapped/scooter & accompanying guests seating. 2nd row was roped off & we later found out it was for "other" VIPs. People came in with different VIP tags on, only they were SWW themed. Later we found out they were friends & family of JAT & possibly some of the other celebrity guests. Again, why the paying VIPs couldn't have SW tags is beyond me. Clearly they made SW specific tags for every group except the paying VIP group. While waiting for the shows to start there were interactive polls being displayed on the monitors. You texted your answer & the results displayed on the screen. After the 2nd show we were on our own. We were told to go back to the Theater of the Stars & show the VIP tag for the last 2 shows. You were not allowed to just remain in the theater. VIP lined up to the right of the rope, FP on the left. By the last show, our rear ends were sore from the metal stadium seating. Glad to not have to sit on it any longer. We had bit of time to kill before the Dessert Party. Dessert Party check-in was right outside the entrance to the Derby. They would not let us in early. We were let in at 8:45PM. The desserts were plenty & all very good. Both alcoholic & non-alcoholic drinks were available. No seating, standing tables only. The dance party started around 8:30 I think. The DJ was very good. The finale show was great, all the characters made an appearance. The fireworks were excellent too, just wish the top of the staging didn't obstruct the view. We were all the way tot he rope closest to Hollywood Blvd & the 2nd to last table back. We received no goody bags as I heard some of the other groups may have gotten.

Overall the VIP was great. You definitely get your money's worth. However there is a lot of waiting around throughout the day & small perks that were given to the Premium &/or Deluxe groups should have all been given to the VIP. There was a bunch of things that could have been done a lot more efficiently & allowed for more options/perks for VIPs at no additional cost, but then again I'm a Project Manager by trade so that stands out to me. Would I do it again? Yes, probably. The only thing i don't feel we got 100% of was the food simply because it was too much food scheduled too close together.
 
Updates for SWW IV have ended. Here is DISmeet info from yulilin for Saturday and Sunday of SWW IV. Please be sure to say 'hi' to yulilin and Stephanie if you happen to see them out and about! MTFBWY! :yoda:

SWW IV - June 5, 6, 7
Garrison: Phantom DISers

***SWW DISmeet Info from yulilin***

There will be 2 meets every Saturday and 1 on Sunday.

Every Saturday:
~ After the 11:00 parade at ABC Commissary. As you go inside thru the main entrance make a right and I'll try to get tables at the back of the restaurant.

Yulilin's Cantina Meets!!
~ Before Fireworks: around 8:00 p.m. we'll be at the area around Echo Lake across from 50s Prime Time. We will be there all the way until 10:00 p.m. ~ BYOB&D: Bring Your Own Beverages and Desserts!


Every Sunday:
~ After the 11:00 parade at ABC Commissary. As you go inside thru the main entrance make a right and I'll try to get tables at the back of the restaurant.

My DD14 and I will be at DHS every Saturday and Sunday so if anyone wants to meet at a different time let me know. I'll only be going to the first Friday for my character challenge.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

@yulilin3 - 6 (RH), 7
@jtowntoflorida - 5 (H&V), 6 (SciFi, RH)
@Skywise - 5 (SciFi, FTF), 7
@lovethattink - 5, 6, 7
@butterfly71076 - 5, 6, 7
@bushdianee - 6 (H&V)
@ConnieB - 5, 6, 7
@aidansmommy - 5, 6, 7
@saundedj - 5, 6, 7
@xApril - 5, 6
@disneydreamin23 - 6 (SciFi, H&V)
@Delilah1310 - 7 (H&V, FTF DP)
@princessanj - 5, 6
@Cavners5 - 5 (SciFi)
@Candleshoe - 7 (H&V) [June 9 (SciFi)]
@MunchkinandSugarBear - 5, 6, 7
@Monykalyn - 5 (SciFi), 6 (FTF, RH)
@Tea4Alice - 6 (H&V, RH), 7 (FTF DP)
@lovingeire - 5 (FTF) [May 1 (H&V)]
@RenaissanceBabe - 7 (H&V)
@2girlsmom - 5, 6 (H&V), 7
@ciachef - 6, 7
@LumosQ102 - 5, 6, 7
@Dani C - 5, (RH), 6 (FTF DP), 7
@Bullseye - 7
@jane2073 - 5
@jeanneg4of4 - 5, 6
@pld5 - 7
@Laura C - 5 (VIP), 6, 7
@MomBird's Fam - 6
@slaveone - 5 (H&V, RH), 7
@CindySwims - 5 (FTF), 6
@LumosQ102 - 5, 7
@dawn8179 - 6 (SciFi, H&V)
@peach1377 - 5, 6 (H&V), 7 (H&V)
@AliceIn - 6, 7
@prgal0715 - 5 (FTF)
@delmar411 - 5, 6
@Metz172 - 5, (FTF DP), 7
@pbb322 - 7 (SciFi, H&V, FTF)
@RookieLady - 7 (SciFi, H&V, RH)
@prgal0715 - 5 (FTF DP, RH)
@Teamanderson - 5 (SciFi, H&V)
@nnapoles - 6 (SciFi)
@loribird - 5 (FTF DP), 6 (H&V), 7 (RH)
@MiataPaige - 7 (RH)
@Random Ninja - 5, 7

AP/DVC SWW poster trading takes place on the Roll Call Thread: http://www.disboards.com/threads/sww-2015-roll-call.3358654/page-35

 
Last edited:
@Cynister
Thanks for the detailed review. Be sure to let guest services know how you felt. They sometimes do change things. We are heavily considering the VIP tour for next year. We will probably do it the first day we go to DHS, so I think we would get more benefit from the early Darth's Mall access. Did they say anything about having priority access to Darth's Mall at other times of the day? Meeting Vader would be nice, but we will probably do the breakfast too. I wish there were other or more characters. I completely agree about the stinkin' badges:) I have questioned the benefit of the breakfast and lunch included with the package; however, I have also read that QS places get very packed during SWW. We ended up eating a hot dog from a cart one day in March, because the wait at the QS was over 20 minutes. It sounds like you had a great time overall though. Can't wait until next year.
 
soniam said:
@Cynister
Thanks for the detailed review. Be sure to let guest services know how you felt. They sometimes do change things. We are heavily considering the VIP tour for next year. We will probably do it the first day we go to DHS, so I think we would get more benefit from the early Darth's Mall access. Did they say anything about having priority access to Darth's Mall at other times of the day? Meeting Vader would be nice, but we will probably do the breakfast too. I wish there were other or more characters. I completely agree about the stinkin' badges:) I have questioned the benefit of the breakfast and lunch included with the package; however, I have also read that QS places get very packed during SWW. We ended up eating a hot dog from a cart one day in March, because the wait at the QS was over 20 minutes. It sounds like you had a great time overall though. Can't wait until next year.
Click to expand...

We weren't allowed to return to the Mall for later visits with priority access. The only time we were there was 1st thing in the AM. I'm thinking Vader isn't always the character meet as the mentions in the documentation was a "Dark Side character" & not specifically Vader. So maybe it is whoever's available? One guy in the group said while we were waiting for Vader to return that it would have been a good idea for them to have Maul or Boba swap out with Vader. I completely agree. It would have kept the line moving. Its not like they didn't know how many people would be there & at what time. They could have planned for that rather than have unnecessary down time that ate into people's shopping/eating time. The QS does get incredibly crowded. I'd hate to be with the group & have to meet back in an hour to do our own lunch. Chances are we'd only be able to grab a pretzel or something if that were the case. I do like that the meals were included, frankly I wish it had also included some sort of small arrangement for dinner too to cut down on worrying about timing (& IMHO there only needed to be 1 TS meal if any). However, I just have a problem with the spacing of the meals. That didn't allow for you to really eat 2 TS sized meals so close to each other.
 
Good gracious... Spent the morning changing flights and other arrangements to add the extra day that DH agreed to this morning. Came home, announced to DS7 that we were going to let him skip the last day of school and go to Disney early, yay! DS burst into tears and said he couldn't miss the end of school, he was already too sad about going all summer without seeing his teacher and not being in her class next year. Poor thing is so attached after moving and changing schools in October. I can't change it back. He will be ok, right?? I mean it's DISNEY and SWW for goodness sake! :sad: :confused3
 
I am going to cancel a fastpass for the ewok's tale show for this Friday sometime tomorrow for 2 people. I got a feel the force deluxe premium package reservation this morning and won't be needing the fastpass. Please let me know if anyone wants this. I will be at the MK tomorrow but will try to check throughout the day for any responses
 
pbb322 said:
Good gracious... Spent the morning changing flights and other arrangements to add the extra day that DH agreed to this morning. Came home, announced to DS7 that we were going to let him skip the last day of school and go to Disney early, yay! DS burst into tears and said he couldn't miss the end of school, he was already too sad about going all summer without seeing his teacher and not being in her class next year. Poor thing is so attached after moving and changing schools in October. I can't change it back. He will be ok, right?? I mean it's DISNEY and SWW for goodness sake! :sad: :confused3
Click to expand...

He won't even remember what school is or his teacher's name by the end of the trip. DS9 was getting a little weepy last night about the end of school too. I mentioned getting to visit Grammy once school was out, and he perked up pretty quick.
 
OK, guys. I have been way out of the loop here for a bit. Luckily, this is not my first rodeo. I drive down on Friday, and will be marching in the parade Saturday and Sunday. Check my profile pic for my costume. I will be the big guy with the officers in the white jacket. Hard to miss. Wandering around the parks, it may be hard to find me, but I will likely be around some Legion folks. Not sure if I will be wearing Legion hats or graduation Mickey ears (I graduated from my Master's program with a 4.0 about 2 weeks ago, so, I'm celebrating. Shoot me a PM here adn I can respond if you want to try to meet or something. Anyone with pics of me marching, please tag me in them here so I can find them later. Or hit me up on that big social media site that involves reading someone's features above their neck.

Ash
 
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