Anyone regret making droids/lightsabers?

[CisforCookie991]

Good morning! Planning our first trip to Disneyland, and the kids are just starting to get into Star Wars (as in, they're addicted to the Nintendo game but refused to watch the movies until we twisted their arms and now they're hooked). We're planning on watching all three trilogies before we go, and I made reservations for the droid depot and Savi's, just in case. It's a whole lot of money, and sounds really cool experience, but doesn't seem like afterwards you just have a really expensive showpiece souvenir? We had a Sphero BB-8, but the app was super wonky then they stopped supporting it so it's basically useless now. Did do one or both of the experiences and end up regretting it?

 

[shosh1530]

We did the droid experience and it was fun. We don't regret it, but our kid really doesn't play with it since we got back a year ago.

We chose not to do the lightsaber build as it is too expensive and I think it is meant to be more of a show piece rather than something you play with. So it might be better for teens and adults.

They do have a lightsaber build you can do in gift shop off of Star Tours in Tommorrowland that is more appropriate for younger kids. You can choose from plastic pieces and build different styles for about $40 each. Less of an "experience" but something they might have more fun playing with.

 

[CisforCookie991]

Thanks so much for the tip about the gift shop! That might definitely be more appropriate since I know they won't be able to resist playing with the lightsabers.

 

[mouschievous]

I really really really wanted to build a droid, but had the same thought as you, that it seems like something we wouldn't really do anything with once we got home. That's an expensive item to sit on a shelf. We skipped it and I have no regrets.

 

[CisforCookie991]

We did the droid experience and it was fun. We don't regret it, but our kid really doesn't play with it since we got back a year ago.

We chose not to do the lightsaber build as it is too expensive and I think it is meant to be more of a show piece rather than something you play with. So it might be better for teens and adults.

They do have a lightsaber build you can do in gift shop off of Star Tours in Tommorrowland that is more appropriate for younger kids. You can choose from plastic pieces and build different styles for about $40 each. Less of an "experience" but something they might have more fun playing with.

Do you happen to know if the plastic lightsabers come apart easily for flying home? I'm assuming they do if you're putting them together in a gift shop?

 

[Pluto468]

We did droid depot a few years ago. I don't regret it, but the droids have hardly been played with since!

I was at Disneyland last week for Star wars nite with dd, and she made a light saber at the store in Tomorrowland. She loves it and said she doesn't want to do Savi's now. It was $36 I think. You get to choose pieces for the hilt and there are 4 colors for the light up blade. It makes really cool light saber sounds. It collapses and was really easy to pack in our checked luggage on the trip home. It's all plastic, so pretty light.

 

[CisforCookie991]

We did droid depot a few years ago. I don't regret it, but the droids have hardly been played with since!

I was at Disneyland last week for Star wars nite with dd, and she made a light saber at the store in Tomorrowland. She loves it and said she doesn't want to do Savi's now. It was $36 I think. You get to choose pieces for the hilt and there are 4 colors for the light up blade. It makes really cool light saber sounds. It collapses and was really easy to pack in our checked luggage on the trip home. It's all plastic, so pretty light.

Perfect. Thank you!

And so glad that everyone is basically validating what I feared about the droids - the Sphero BB-8 barely got played with (it was a gift), but then of course it was a DISASTER when the app was gone... for about two days, then it was forgotten about again.

 

[jvncnt]

We have done both, droid as WDW and lightsaber at DL. I would say that my son is glad that he did both for the experience and for taking home. As to whether played with a lot or not, he displays the lightsaber and plays with the droid very infrequently. Still would do them both again.

 

[starlite_]

Honestly I wouldn't recommend the Savi's lightsabers for kids. They can def play with them since they are made to resist "battles" but they are metal and heavy and could actually hurt someone if they aren't careful when they swing. That said, it's a really cool experience to participate in even as a guest.

I've always wanted to build a droid but I have the same thoughts as you, what do I do with it after I go home haha. I wonder if you can just leave them on and they do things or if you need to control it all the time.

 

[CisforCookie991]

Honestly I wouldn't recommend the Savi's lightsabers for kids. They can def play with them since they are made to resist "battles" but they are metal and heavy and could actually hurt someone if they aren't careful when they swing. That said, it's a really cool experience to participate in even as a guest.

I've always wanted to build a droid but I have the same thoughts as you, what do I do with it after I go home haha. I wonder if you can just leave them on and they do things or if you need to control it all the time.

If I was on the fence at all, the "metal and heavy" part would definitely tip me over firmly to the "no" side. I think we'll have to wait a few years for this one.

From what I've read, the droids interact with other droids that are nearby, but once you get them home, I think it's all remote controlled?

 

[ktlm]

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.

 

[starlite_]

If I was on the fence at all, the "metal and heavy" part would definitely tip me over firmly to the "no" side. I think we'll have to wait a few years for this one.

From what I've read, the droids interact with other droids that are nearby, but once you get them home, I think it's all remote controlled?

Yeah, I would hope the droid could be cute by itself at home too but I'm not sure haha. Savi's lightsabers are def more for the older fans. You can make the plastic cheap ones on either Tomorrowland or the Star Wars store in Downtown. I have one of those too and they're great, specially cause they are collapsible.

 

[FeistyDisneyMom]

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?

 

[Becca1007]

We just did the Lightsaber build at Savi's this weekend, with my significant other and our 7 year old. They loved it, BUT... the build is fast paced, so I definitely had to help the young padawan with his and it is heavy. Granted the thing is as tall as he is so I expected that. The guys are planning to use them for some photo ops and on Halloween. They were definitely a little awkward to carry home on the airplane as well (luckily someone clearly engineered them to the exact length that fits in an overhead bin) and the cases that they give you kept them well protected.

 

[BrianL]

One of the reasons that I haven't done it is because I think that I will. I am often tempted, but then I think - what will I do with it? Fortunately, my friend wanted to build a droid on out last trip (WDW), so I got to go through the experience with him without having to buy one. I kinda would like to do a lightsaber, and can at least imagine that being a better display peice.

 

[angryduck71]

My son did it once and I did it another time. We used ours as decoration in our house. But, we also have ones he played with. He is 15 and rarely asks for anything, so I splurged (and for one myself too!). It was terrific. But, if they're looking for something to play with.... would go with cheaper.

 

[FeistyDisneyMom]

If you get two droids, one of each model, do they interact at all? I can see that being kind of cool for my kids to do. I am definitely more excited about this than DH and likely more than my kids too, so for my the question will boil down to whether that's how I want to spend my personal souvenir budget versus clothing and Christmas ornaments. Lots to consider

 

[pharmama]

If you get two droids, one of each model, do they interact at all? I can see that being kind of cool for my kids to do. I am definitely more excited about this than DH and likely more than my kids too, so for my the question will boil down to whether that's how I want to spend my personal souvenir budget versus clothing and Christmas ornaments. Lots to consider

Yes, they will chirp back and forth a bit but not a ton. The droids do a fair bit of random chirping anyway (depends some on the personality chip) though so it's hard to say.

We do have two droids (one of each kind) from when GE opened. We brought them back to the parks with us once but on the whole it's just too much hassle to carry them around even with the backpacks for our family who usually go "backpackless" to the parks (yeah. I'm that mom. No backpack, no snacks, no supplies for all manner of emergency, no spare clothes etc. Just what I can fit in my pockets. Same for my girls, though occasionally they do bring their mini loungefly backpacks. Once were done with strollers my park "supplies" became basically nothing LOL).

My kids did continue to play with the droids some after we got home, though at this point I don't think they have been touched or turned on in a long time. Some of that is likely due to the kids getting older as much as anything else.

That has not stopped me, however, from really wanting to build a lightsaber for myself...I just haven't pulled the trigger...yet.

 

[FeistyDisneyMom]

Thank you for sharing that experience! I am still thinking droids would be worth it for me, because I do get happiness everytime I look at our collection of mouse ears, and I think even sitting on the shelf the droids would give me similar joy! And I have a lightsaber on the 'future list' for when the kids are older and I can do it just for me

I still think it would be super cool to build both models and get some enjoyment out of it while we are there. We are a large family though, so even building 2 we wouldn't all get to go in, unless they'd make an exception for us to bring all 7 of us in to build 2 droids.

 

[pharmama]

I still think it would be super cool to build both models and get some enjoyment out of it while we are there. We are a large family though, so even building 2 we wouldn't all get to go in, unless they'd make an exception for us to bring all 7 of us in to build 2 droids.

Unlike Savi's, the build area for the droids is open to the rest of Droid Depot. There is a half fence sectioning off the build area but you can certainly see what's happening and people inside can show you the parts they are choosing etc. even if the whole group isn't directly accompanying the builders. Depending on which assembly station they end up working at you may be able to see some what's happening there too.