**Official** Star Wars at DHS, Galactic Spectacular Dessert Party/Galactic Nights/Launch Bay/JT

[ghornett]

I also wanted to come pay my respects. This one hurts. The panels will be sorely missed. There's really nothing else like that at the parks or anywhere besides a destination convention. Glad I got to see what I did and when I did. I will miss it so much.

 

[jane2073]

It should be, and based on past performance, you're Great Grandkids will LOVE it when they attend the ribbon cutting.

This. ^. It is so true it is not even funny.

This whole thing sucks and that is the nicest way I can put it.

 

[nervous1sttimer]

I'm sorry for everyone whose trips have been negatively impacted by this!

My family is coming in January and are huge Star Wars fans, so we are excited about a new Vader/Chewbacca meet as well as SW fireworks on weekend nights. But that means I need to completely revamp our touring plans to make sure we are at HS on a weekend night. Is that Friday and Saturday only? Or Sunday nights too?

 

[yulilin3]

I'm sorry for everyone whose trips have been negatively impacted by this!

My family is coming in January and are huge Star Wars fans, so we are excited about a new Vader/Chewbacca meet as well as SW fireworks on weekend nights. But that means I need to completely revamp our touring plans to make sure we are at HS on a weekend night. Is that Friday and Saturday only? Or Sunday nights too?

Friday, Saturday and Sunday

 

[Aerorea]

I haven't posted here, but have been following along. Thank you so much for sharing all the information, joy, and pain over the years. I'm just so sad about losing SWW. After the Osborne Lights, it's a low blow - especially to have it announced at the bottom of a blog posting. If I had known 2015 was going to be the last year, we would have gone all out. We've attended several SWWs and are always there an opening day. Ugh.

We have a December trip booked, and coincidentally it happens to include the 17th. It happened to be the week available as a BB from this year's SWW. We found out about the AMC/DHS special event and tried like crazy to get tickets. Somehow we lucked out and we got ETX tickets. It was an unplanned expense, but hey, we figure it's a one-time only event and we'd kick ourselves if we didn't try for tickets. Now with experiences opening December 1st, I have to wonder - what is going to be special about the opening night event? Just the DJ??

We also have tentatively planned a trip for January (to take advantage of APs we just bought, thinking we'd use them for SWW too) scheduled for the (maybe?) beginning of the SotF. I wish Disney would provide a little more information, beyond the original announcement.

Just some good solid info and less of this PR fluff would be nice.

 

[MrInfinity]

I can see where people are disappointed with a tradition going away, but this really seems to be a net positive. 1. You're going to have way more Star Wars content and events happening all year round. You are no longer constrained to two or three weekends. 2. This isn't really the case of something going away (i.e. Maelstrom or other rides/attractions that have gone away in the past), it's the start of a massive expansion. It's akin to them closing Maelstrom and opening up Viking Land.

As someone who usually goes during that first full week in June, I'll be curious to see how this affects the crowds for those weekends. Was SWW something that was attracting more people, or was it simultaneously keeping people (that weren't interested) away from what would be larger crowds?

Nod... I'm sad to see SWW go, but also glad to have been while it was here, and I'm looking forward to more Star Wars content year round. I think the writing was on the wall for some time... When Star Wars was a 3rd party theme, they used it to prop crowds for a month by having some parties where they almost mocked Star Wars w the Hoopla... but now that this movie brand is part of Disney, they have to market it positively. Before it was a superfan event for the 80's crowd. Now they want this to be mainstream and worldwide for a new generation that will be seeing the new movies but were never attached to the old ones.

As for a time when Star Wars fans can bond... that's a good point... I am not ruling out the return of a superfan gathering event of some sort. It's clearly closing for the construction, but we don't know what the landscape will be like beyond!

We're changing around our park days on our upcoming trip to be there during this new opening, so it's an little bonus for us!

 

[joecal44]

Saw the news and definitely bittersweet they needed to make a change to SWW. Really enjoyed (and benefited from) reading the 2015 thread and was fortunate enough to take my 6 year old son this year. He loved it so much, was planning on making it a yearly tradition and including the rest of the family. Glad we at least were able to immerse ourselves once.

Will be there in December, so looking forward to some of the new offerings.

 

[ErinCat]

Maybe something can evolve like Dapper Days but Star Wars.

Dapperdays.com

 

[Icecoldpenguin]

I for one am keeping my trip in June that i booked that would have covered the last star wars weekend. Guys new scenes in star tours, new awesome star wars rebels JTA, Launch Bay which is going to be amazing, character meets inside, and a cool little film saga thing. Plus I am sure merch and special food treats as well as fireworks beginning in Jan. (they may not be around for my trip but that's ok) All of this stuff is awesome and as a massive star wars fan, star wars media and a star wars blogger and podcaster I am still pumped. I will be at opening day for Season of the force at DL i can let you guys know how that goes it will also be in my trip report in my signature. Sure it would have been great for my nephew to see SWW but he's gonna be just as excited to see all this other stuff too.

May the force be with all of you!

I am sad but still happy!!! STAR WARS LAND

 

[yulilin3]

I'm signing off for the night. What an emotional day.
Just had an argument with a friend of a friend on Facebook. They posted this

I know my friend posted in good fun but I just chimed in and reminded him that Launch Bay and SotF is not the same as SWW...well this friend of his started coming at me, in caps, saying that I was whining, why was I complaining, we are getting whole land, etc...he told me that there will be more characters other than Chewie and Vader (he's a CM) and that maybe a celebrity will come...I just told him that what upset me the most was the lack of communication. Having SWW Summer 2016 on the site until today, sending emails, and phone calls, and advertisements with it is not ok. It's misleading, when they expect everyone to have a plan 6 months out, when DVC members have to put in their request earlier than that, also Disney never announced anything other than Launch Bay, extra scene on ST and SotF fireworks, that was it, if they are having more things why not just announce it, wouldn't that make people happy? ...he just said, but you'll get fireworks for 3 months...and then I just thought "he doesn't get it, and that's ok" I just told him agree to disagree.

And so we must move forward. Good night everyone

 

[jimim]

just got some information: inside Launch Bay there will be multiple character rooms, they will rotate so there will probably be more than 1 Vader and 1 Chewie and also, rumors of maybe some extra characters.

Ah how can there be more than one. There is only one chewie and one Vader. Lol

Sorry I had to. There might be children reading. Shhhh

 

[yulilin3]

Ah how can there be more than one. There is only one chewie and one Vader. Lol

Sorry I had to. There might be children reading. Shhhh

they use the Force

 

[jimim]

Not having the weekends is not the same. Even if the whole park was Star Wars. U don't have the celebrity panels anymore or the meet and greats. That's what made the weekends great. The other stuff was cool too but the weekends felt like a convention. Sort of like how wdcc had their convention. I swear Disney waters down everything that is good anymore. Nothing is special. Dessert parties used to be cool but now they have them for every single thing in the parks. There are going to be dessert line waiting parties some day.

There used to be one or two marathons. Now there are tons.

Nuts.

 

[Good Morning Dewdrop]

And work begins next year on the 14-acre Star Wars-themed land at Disney’s Hollywood Studios. With construction underway, unfortunately, we won’t be able to offer Star Wars Weekends. While Star Wars Weekends has been a great way to enjoy the saga for a few days every year, now the Force will be with Disney’s Hollywood Studios every day.

Way to downplay the event.. "a few days", like it was just a one off kid's party at Chuck E. Cheese.

translation/ comparison for the non-Star Wars people

.... we are closing Victoria and Albert (fine dining restaurant $$$$) but do not worry we still have lots of counter service locations for you to enjoy on property.

 

[LoKiHB]

Did I mention, how awesome it is now that our trip is two weeks out, that I can't switch around my dining reservations for Disney Jr Play & Dine so we can switch our park days so my son- who is completely devastated, can at least see the crappy replacement because- surprise, there are no available reservations 2 weeks out...

Fantastic!

Ok, Second rant over...

 

[cvjpirate]

They will not understand. I hope I made my point to Disney, yes I emailed them and let them know my feelings.

 

[Gianfootography]

 

[ethanwa]

This one hurts but there is a huge plus to it in the end, which is Star Wars Land.

I am going to miss Star Wars Weekends greatly. It had such unique entertainment and talent. I'll miss the shows and the special parades. Darth's Maul was always fun to go into each year to see what new merchandise they had. And getting to see the Disney characters all dressed up like Star Wars (which will probably never happen again). It was really special for Star Wars fans like myself. It was up probably my favorite event of the year at WDW.

With that being said, Star Wars Land will make it all worth it, it's just going to take some time. And I do think Seasons of the Force is just a temporary thing and won't have nearly the appeal of SWW. And since Star Wars Land will be there 365 days a year, it won't have the same excitement after a way. I hope they come up with events beyond May 4th and 5th.

Change is hard... but at least there is a bright side to this all down the road with Star Wars Land! I can't complain there.

E

 

[DisDadDVC]

This one hurts but there is a huge plus to it in the end, which is Star Wars Land.

I am going to miss Star Wars Weekends greatly. It had such unique entertainment and talent. I'll miss the shows and the special parades. Darth's Maul was always fun to go into each year to see what new merchandise they had. And getting to see the Disney characters all dressed up like Star Wars (which will probably never happen again). It was really special for Star Wars fans like myself. It was up probably my favorite event of the year at WDW.

With that being said, Star Wars Land will make it all worth it, it's just going to take some time. And I do think Seasons of the Force is just a temporary thing and won't have nearly the appeal of SWW. And since Star Wars Land will be there 365 days a year, it won't have the same excitement after a way. I hope they come up with events beyond May 4th and 5th.

Change is hard... but at least there is a bright side to this all down the road with Star Wars Land! I can't complain there.

E

And I would agree if that end was anywhere near 2016....

 

[slaveone]

I still blame the stormtroopers in the preshow for Kylo Ren's lightsaber. Because take that Han Solo.