Anyone regret making droids/lightsabers?

[CodeGoddess]

We did the lightsaber built at Savi's when my son was two - zero regrets. We did one lightsaber but all three of us went in together. We will be doing it again this trip but it will be my husband and son building one together since I built last time.

We will probably do a droid build this time also. We just got back from WDW and another family had one at the airport my son went nuts over.

 

[krissynina]

Not sure what devices you are using, by my sphero apps still work on my android phones. It might not be in the app store anymore, but the app files are pretty easy to find online. The Watch With Me feature is my favorite. It is so much fun having the droids react to the movies as you watch them. They do loose sync often, but its still fun. I love that the droids have different personalities. BB8 is a chicken, R2 is brave, but more sentimental and 9E is definitely evil. I really regret not getting R2-Q5 before they were discontinued.

As for if the build experience is worth it, I have more expensive things that just sit on shelves that I didn't get a fun build experience for, so I have no regrets

 

[goofy1954]

I don't know how old your kids are, but the first time we were going to go to Galaxy's Edge, I basically looked at DD and said the lightsaber costs $200. You can pretty much get that and not much else, or you can get several things for that price instead. I think I even showed her some examples of prices of other things and said it is the same price as 8 of those, or the same price as 4 of those. She decided against the lightsaber that would probably just sit around and got a bunch of other stuff instead.

She almost did the droid that trip--- but we have a really cute remote controlled R2D2 at home from back before Toys R Us disappeared. It pretty much got played with for about a week after Christmas and then occasionally when she had friends over and other than that it just sits around.

She did have a couple of the build your own light sabers, and also a few the pre-built retractable ones they used to sell (maybe still do) in Tomorrowland at both WDW and DLR, and those got a ton of use in our house for years.

Does anyone know for sure that you can still build plastic lightsabers in Tomorrowland? I've gotten mixed reports.

 

[ironband74]

No regrets. My son built a droid in 2019. Although it didn't get a lot of play at home, he was adamant about taking it back to the park when we went in April, and it was cool that he did. The beacons for the droids do seem to still be working, so the droid will react as you move through the land.

Building my saber with my older son is still a great memory for me. Sometimes if I feel sad - I pull it out, put batteries in it (They drain battery just sitting there, so if you leave batteries in it they'll be dead in a month) and swing it around for a while. Instant dopamine and I get back to my day.

 

[ironband74]

Does anyone know for sure that you can still build plastic lightsabers in Tomorrowland? I've gotten mixed reports.

Pretty sure I saw the station there in Star Trader when we were there in April.

 

[ironband74]

We did the lightsaber built at Savi's when my son was two - zero regrets. We did one lightsaber but all three of us went in together. We will be doing it again this trip but it will be my husband and son building one together since I built last time.

We will probably do a droid build this time also. We just got back from WDW and another family had one at the airport my son went nuts over.

Hopefully they change it, but in April they were only allowing one guest to accompany the builder, which was kind of a bummer.

 

[soniam]

My son did a plastic one in 2019 when he was 8 and loved it so much. We are debating droids this trip (I kind of want one of each, DH thinks it is a pretty expensive souvenir to sit on a shelf when we get home). We are passing on Savi's at this time as no one is as into the experience right now, and quite frankly I'd be nervous with my kids trying to battle it out with the quality heavy sabres you get! They are really incredible but seem geared more for a serious collector and fan. I do know some have built them with kids and loved it though, so each family is a little different.

Has anyone found that their kids do keep playing with the droids at home? Or if you bought droids, do you ever bring them back with you to the parks for future trips to interact in GE?

We did bring ours back a couple of times. My son and I each have one. It was kind of a pain though going through security at DHS, even with the new walk-through. They are always really confused by them too. I mean, I bought it their park; haven't they seen one before For my BB, I had to have the motor/gyro/guts completely out of the round shell. One time they wanted my son to take out his R2 from the backpack. It's a pain, because he really stays almost too secure in the foam in the bottom. Plus, they are a little heavy. Taking them on the plane is a hassle. We haven't tried checking them; we just carry them on. If I lived locally, I would bring it way more often. We don't really play with them much at home

 

[Becca1007]

No regrets. My son built a droid in 2019. Although it didn't get a lot of play at home, he was adamant about taking it back to the park when we went in April, and it was cool that he did. The beacons for the droids do seem to still be working, so the droid will react as you move through the land.

Building my saber with my older son is still a great memory for me. Sometimes if I feel sad - I pull it out, put batteries in it (They drain battery just sitting there, so if you leave batteries in it they'll be dead in a month) and swing it around for a while. Instant dopamine and I get back to my day.

The Bell Services cast member at the DLH helped us to remove the battery packs and showed us how to change the batteries as well. Otherwise he stated that it will drain the batteries over time and they can risk exploding a battery (which is a pain). I wish there were a few more of those technical tips in the building process.

 

[starlite_]

Hopefully they change it, but in April they were only allowing one guest to accompany the builder, which was kind of a bummer.

If you mean this for Savi's, they've only ever allowed one guest per builder since opening because of space. It has nothing to do with covid protocols. Only exceptions I've seen are when a parent has 2 young children.

 

[ktlm]

Does anyone know for sure that you can still build plastic lightsabers in Tomorrowland? I've gotten mixed reports.

They were having supply issues for a while. I thought it was up and going again, but I'm not positive on that. Someone who has been there recently hopefully has better information.

 

[Critter3]

Question about Savi’s Lightsabers - if you turn them on do they stay on until you turn them off? Just wondering if they would make a good night light?

 

[ironband74]

If you mean this for Savi's, they've only ever allowed one guest per builder since opening because of space. It has nothing to do with covid protocols. Only exceptions I've seen are when a parent has 2 young children.

Not true. In 2019 when we went, this was part of the email I received confirming the reservation:

 

[ironband74]

Question about Savi’s Lightsabers - if you turn them on do they stay on until you turn them off? Just wondering if they would make a good night light?

It does shut off after two minutes if it isn't moved.

 

[CodeGoddess]

Not true. In 2019 when we went, this was part of the email I received confirming the reservation:
View attachment 668257

Yep we did ours February 2020 and I was allowed one guest and our two year old son. Disappointed of that has changed as we don't need to build two this time.

 

[starlite_]

Not true. In 2019 when we went, this was part of the email I received confirming the reservation:
View attachment 668257

I don't know what to tell you. We went In July 2019 and they specifically told us at checking 1 guest. Which is why 2 of my friends ended up napping outside savi's hahaha

 

[chezcurrie]

What are the ages of your kids? My oldest 2 did Savi’s (and Droid Depot) when they were 7 and 10, and of the two the remember Savi’s and stil use/play with their sabers (not actual swordplay but pretend.) Like others, the droids were used in the hotel and now sit on a shelf.

Savi’s is an experience, and honestly some could argue a core memory. Droid Depot is over so quickly and does not feel personal. I would prioritize Savi’s over Droid Depot each and every day … our 6 year old is already “saving up“ for his. I will have to send my DH in with him because I tear up during it!

 

[CaptainAmerica]

I don't know what to tell you. We went In July 2019 and they specifically told us at checking 1 guest. Which is why 2 of my friends ended up napping outside savi's hahaha

Then you got a poorly trained cast member or something. It was Builder +2 through 2020. It is now Builder +1.

 

[gatechfan99]

With Savi's, I think you're really paying for the experience more than the product. I took my 8 year old last summer. He loved the whole process and we got some good video and photos. He enjoyed posing with it in the park the rest of the day. After that, we've come home and it's in his closet with a lot of his other Disney swords/lightsabers/etc. He gets it out occasionally but by no means uses it enough to make it "worth the money" if you just look at it from a tangible standpoint. But if you go into it with the mindset of you're there more for an experience than a usable product (especially for a kid as opposed to adult who might use it for conventions, fan gatherings, etc.), you won't regret it.

 

[DisneyByMarriage]

We went to WDW over Thanksgiving 2021. My two older sons (9 and 7 at the time) and my husband and FIL (37 and 71) did a build at 9pm. I got a lot of flack PRIOR to that appointment from the adults about how I booked it late and it’s expensive. But then we were in HS for park closing, took cool pictures, and the 4 of them talk about that being their favorite part of the trip. My 5 (almost 6) yo says he gets to do it next time. I cannot tell you how many times I’ve said “the lightsaber battle is over” in our house. My middle son is saving for another lightsaber. If you can afford it, you won’t regret it. We also did droids (these were a gift from an aunt) and while they love the droids and want more (god help me we already have 3), Davi’s was hands down more “worth it”. One last thing, we are a Star Wars family, and the kids know who the characters are, what color lightsabers each has, etc. next trip it will be a fight between my husband and FIL as to who gets to accompany the child!

 

[chezcurrie]

We went to WDW over Thanksgiving 2021. My two older sons (9 and 7 at the time) and my husband and FIL (37 and 71) did a build at 9pm. I got a lot of flack PRIOR to that appointment from the adults about how I booked it late and it’s expensive. But then we were in HS for park closing, took cool pictures, and the 4 of them talk about that being their favorite part of the trip. My 5 (almost 6) yo says he gets to do it next time. I cannot tell you how many times I’ve said “the lightsaber battle is over” in our house. My middle son is saving for another lightsaber. If you can afford it, you won’t regret it. We also did droids (these were a gift from an aunt) and while they love the droids and want more (god help me we already have 3), Davi’s was hands down more “worth it”. One last thing, we are a Star Wars family, and the kids know who the characters are, what color lightsabers each has, etc. next trip it will be a fight between my husband and FIL as to who gets to accompany the child!

My DH got some magic by way of a red kyber crystal in his stocking which ended up being black!!! total surprise. I have never seen my boys (all 4 inc DH) be so amazed and excited. Disney magic at its best.

If I can digress a bit OP… the Best part of my boys’ build were the CM. My middle is obsessed with the color gold, and had purchased a yellow crystal as a souvenir. (You choose between red-blue-green-purple at the build.) It was the night before DL closed in 2020 and I managed to switch their build to get it done, as they had been saving for almost a year for them. I asked a CM if we could switch the crystal during the build and he asked my son why yellow. DS says deadpan: it calls to me. CM said to try it and see if it did indeed. Needless to say DS chose a red crystal during the build, and the lead (different CM) was most displeased as DS has quite a personality and was very light side. Then DS went to switch the yellow in, she noticed, and gave him her ultimate stamp of approval. She knew her lore, and timeline. When DS said: just like Rey’s! She was very confused (as Rey has a blue on in the GE timeline.) it was just all next level. He still talks about it.