Critique my Star Wars Weekend Plans

[markmcalear]

I have booked for May 15th-20th for two (male) adults to enjoy the first Star Wars Weekend. I am thinking that without the kids and the wives we should be able to get a lot done.

Our flight from UK lands at MCO at 3pm on 15th.

Thursday 15th - 4:30-5pm Arrive at Yacht Club
5:50pm Beaches and Cream ADR
7pm Magic Kingdom (open till 11pm) - will book some FP+

Friday 16th - 6am breakfast at Ale & Compass
8am DHS
12:45 50s Prime Time ADR
6pm Epcot
7pm Garden Grill ADR

Saturday 17th - 8am 1900 Park Fare ADR
9:30 Typhoon Lagoon or Blizzard Beach(Hoping it will be quiet due to SWW)
5pm Cape May Cafe ADR
6:30 Magic Kingdom (open till midnight)

Sunday 18th - 6am breakfast at Ale & Compass
8am DHS
12:20 Sci Fi (ADR)
6:40 Yachtsman Steakhouse (ADR)
Probably head back to DHS until 10pm then MK until 1am

Monday 19th - 7:30am Kona Caf ADR
Universal
7pm Fultons Crab House ADR
DHS until midnight

Tuesday 20th - Nothing planned yet but thinking maybe an early breakfast and check out of hotel then hit Epcot at 8am (EMH). Back to hotel around 12ish, collect luggage, check in at Virgin Atlantic DTD, grab some lunch then not quite sure... Flight leaves MCO at 8pm

 

[ErinTwinmom]

Three things...
1) that's a lot of adrs you have there, hard to time them with shows and other star wars events.
2) Although the official open time is 8 in reality doors for sww usually open between 7-7:30
3) this is more of an fyi if you want a celebrity autograph as part of your sww lines form between 3-5am based on popularity.

Two cents

 

[markmcalear]

Thanks.

The ADRs are more a case of what we would like to do. As there are only two of us, I am not bothered if we miss one or two and are charged $10 each.

Not at all bothered about celeb autographs.

So we should aim to be at DHS by 7am? We are only doing DHS on 2 of the days as even with the star wars stuff, it is still a very limited park.

I am very interested in hearing feedback about crowd levels for the water parks on the Saturday though

 

[glassslippergirl]

I have booked for May 15th-20th for two (male) adults to enjoy the first Star Wars Weekend. I am thinking that without the kids and the wives we should be able to get a lot done. Our flight from UK lands at MCO at 3pm on 15th. Thursday 15th - 4:30-5pm Arrive at Yacht Club 5:50pm Beaches and Cream ADR 7pm Magic Kingdom (open till 11pm) - will book some FP+ Friday 16th - 6am breakfast at Ale & Compass 8am DHS 12:45 50s Prime Time ADR 6pm Epcot 7pm Garden Grill ADR Saturday 17th - 8am 1900 Park Fare ADR 9:30 Typhoon Lagoon or Blizzard Beach(Hoping it will be quiet due to SWW) 5pm Cape May Cafe ADR 6:30 Magic Kingdom (open till midnight) Sunday 18th - 6am breakfast at Ale & Compass 8am DHS 12:20 Sci Fi (ADR) 6:40 Yachtsman Steakhouse (ADR) Probably head back to DHS until 10pm then MK until 1am Monday 19th - 7:30am Kona Caf ADR Universal 7pm Fultons Crab House ADR DHS until midnight Tuesday 20th - Nothing planned yet but thinking maybe an early breakfast and check out of hotel then hit Epcot at 8am (EMH). Back to hotel around 12ish, collect luggage, check in at Virgin Atlantic DTD, grab some lunch then not quite sure... Flight leaves MCO at 8pm

You will be at DHS at rope drop on the first day of SWW. Make sure that your first shop is to the special event merchandise tent. There is usually special limited merchandise-- it will sell out in a matter of hours. Buy what you want right away and have it sent to your room.

You said that you are okay with missing some ADR's. Your current plan is really ambitious. You are right that two adults can get a lot done, but if you are there for SWW, keep in mind that there are a lot of great events that are so worth doing but will eat up a bunch of time. There is a motorcade around noon every day. It's fun,and as two adults, you probably won't have to arrive too early to see it (if you are willing to watch over a bunch of heads). If you want a good view, get there more than an hour early.

After the motorcade, the SWW panels start. These are really interesting, and what truly makes it a Star Wars event. Seeing them all will take up an entire afternoon. You can check the schedules online early, to see if this is something you want to do.

 

[markmcalear]

By panels do you mean like Q&A sessions with the celebs?

 

[Tasmen]

Like others have said, plan to get to DHS as soon as your breakfast ADR ends. Official opening is 8am, but they will let people in earlier than that. The last time we went for a SWW, we got there at 7:20ish to get in line for rope drop only to realize they were letting everyone in.

 

[glassslippergirl]

By panels do you mean like Q&A sessions with the celebs?

There is usually one show with a talk show format. Others are shows prepared by the celebs. "Obi-Wan and Beyond" with James Arnold Taylor has been great in years past.

 

[markmcalear]

Thanks.

Does anyone know if the waterparks are likely to be busy or quiet on Saturday May 17th?

 

[RAPstar]

I'll be there that same Friday! And missing you at Prime Time by an hour, lol. Maybe we'll bump into each other at some point!

Since the 16th is the first Friday of the entire SWW, I'm probably gonna get there kinda early, 6:30/7am. I have no interest in meeting the celebs, so I'm gonna head to meet Chewie and Chip n Dale first, then maybe Darth Vader. Depending when I'm done with that, I'll try to hit up Tower, the coaster, and Star Tours before my ADR for Prime Time around 11 (I'm skipping breakfast so eating kinda early). After lunch, I'll head over to the merch store to get stuff for my SW geek friends and myself, then just hang out the rest of the day and do whatever till the fireworks, and maybe the 2nd Fantasmic showing.

 

[nancipants]

You will be at DHS at rope drop on the first day of SWW. Make sure that your first shop is to the special event merchandise tent. There is usually special limited merchandise-- it will sell out in a matter of hours. Buy what you want right away and have it sent to your room.

I would actually advise not to go to the tent first thing unless there is an exclusive you want, as the lines are super long (I'm talking hours) and in direct sunlight. I always return later in the weekend and get right inside the store with no wait.

If you're going specifically for Star Wars Weekends, unfortunately you will need to wait until celebrities and schedules are announced in order to really determine what you want to do each day. I wouldn't miss the parade, Stars of the Saga, or Obi-Wan and Beyond (if they do that again). If Ray Park is there the weekend you are, he will also do a solo show. Same with Warwick Davis. I would imagine that they'll do another voice acting panel with the actors from The Clone Wars and Rebels.

Basically, you could spend an entire day at DHS just doing Star Wars stuff.