Official Star Wars Weekends 2014 Tips and Tricks

[Linda67]

Nobody knows what it means for sure. It could mean Stars of the Saga. It could mean that they create a show especially for him. We don't know yet but will be waiting for yulilin's reports. Her speculation that he may do an interview on the hat stage, to allow the most guests the opportunity to see him, may be a good one.

I could be completely wrong and he could be at Stars of the Saga but there's a huge gap between shows. Normally Behind the force is at 1:45pm and Stars of the Saga at 3:30pm
But during Mark Hamill weekend Behind the Force is at 1:30pm and Stars of the Saga at 4:45pm
which leads me to believe that Hamill will be in another show, just himself and maybe James Arnold Taylor who is the host of all the weekends

Thanks for the info both, really helpful
So if Stars Of The Saga doesn't include Mark Hamill, who is it likely to include?

 

[snobird]

I booked the Sci-fi lunch which I know has no met and greets or any themed food but does any know if they will be playing star wars movie clips etc on the screen or will it be the normal?

Thanks.

 

[Itinkso]

I booked the Sci-fi lunch which I know has no met and greets or any themed food but does any know if they will be playing star wars movie clips etc on the screen or will it be the normal? Thanks.

Everything converts to "normal" as soon as breakfast ends each morning.

 

[yulilin3]

Thanks for the info both, really helpful
So if Stars Of The Saga doesn't include Mark Hamill, who is it likely to include?

Billy Dee Williams and Ray Park

 

[snobird]

Everything converts to "normal" as soon as breakfast ends each morning.

Thanks.

 

[limabeanmom2003]

Just got my FP+ for Stars of the Saga the first weekend. This is our first time doing SWW so I've never been to the shows before. Will the stars that are attending that weekend be at the show? Ahmed Best, Peter Mayhew and Vanessa Marshall are all there that weekend. Thanks for the help!

 

[yulilin3]

Just got my FP+ for Stars of the Saga the first weekend. This is our first time doing SWW so I've never been to the shows before. Will the stars that are attending that weekend be at the show? Ahmed Best, Peter Mayhew and Vanessa Marshall are all there that weekend. Thanks for the help!

No, the 2 SW movie actors will do Stars of the Saga and the voice actor does Behind the Force with Ashley Eckstein

 

[ConnieB]

I was lucky enough to be able to book a FP+ for all 5 of the "Events" (we'll be there multiple weekends), but I'm wondering how that will work with the meet and greet. This is our first year going, so sorry if this is one of those annoying newbie questions.

Our plan was to be in line at about 4am each morning to get a M&G for our chosen person.....and I figured we'd just do everything else around the FP time for the M&G. Of course, now I have non-movable times for these shows that we also don't want to miss. So how do you avoid a conflict? Will I get a choice of M&G times? Can I show them I have a FP for an Event and get a time that won't conflict. For that matter, how accurate are the M&G times? I'd hate to get one that say, for instance, 12 to 1pm....ok, great, I have a 1:20 for a show.....so I should make it....but does the M&G mean get in line between those times and the line can be over an hour long?

Ok....I realize I'm probably worrying for nothing, but this is the one thing my kids have always wanted to do and we never did it...they'll be off to college next fall so it was a "now or never" and now I'm regretting not having a clue on how to make this work "best" for them.

I do know that the good news is each weekend we'll be there (first 3 weekends) they are only interested in 1 or 2 of the M&G people, so worst case we can get a M&G not be able to make it and hope to get another the next day....but that sounds bad for many reasons...first is getting up before dawn, lol...but also taking a M&G slot someone else wanted and not being able to use it because we also have an Event FP. I want to be fair to others, but hey, I also want to do it all myself!

Ok...all advice is greatly appreciated!

 

[limabeanmom2003]

No, the 2 SW movie actors will do Stars of the Saga and the voice actor does Behind the Force with Ashley Eckstein

So Jar Jar and Chewbacca actors will be at the show (not in costume I would presume, but wish they were).

 

[yulilin3]

First, I wanted to thank yulilin3 and everyone else here for this amazing thread. I subscribed several months ago when I first started thinking about attending SWW for the first time and I have been following ever since. I am normally very good at planning our Disney trips but I think I now need some advice.

I will be taking DS7 to WDW May 30-June 1. He is a huge fan of the movies but doesn't love Clone Wars and his favorite character is Darth Maul. We are staying at POP and will be at DHS Saturday and Sunday with the only limitation being our 8:30 flight home Sunday night. This is a surprise trip as we are taking a family vacation to WDW later in June, so this weekend is all about Star Wars. Here are my current plans:

Saturday
FtF
H&V at 4:40
D-tech at 9:00 am
Star Tours FP at 12:55
LMA FP at 2:15 (needed something)

Sunday
Sci-fi at 8:00 am
Star Tours FP at 10:40
Indiana jones at 9:30 (again, needed something)

The good news is that I have all of that booked and we won't ride RNRC or TOT this weekend. The bad news is I feel over planned and don't know how to fit everything else in. I only listed two FP above for each day because I had TSMM booked for both days but changed both of them today to Visit to the Maul. Darth Maul is DS's favorite character and I think he'll love it but we have H&V scheduled Saturday and they conflict and we have an 8:30 flight Sunday and I'm not sure about the timing. I called and there isn't any other H&V available. Also, he will want to meet characters and experience everything he can. I'd love for him to get to fight Darth Maul at JT.

So, I have a couple of questions. Do you think there is any way we can meet Chewie in the morning without much of a wait, do Jedi training, and still have our 9:00 D- tech one day and 8:00 breakfast the next? Any thoughts about fitting in Visit to the Maul? I'm thinking about taking a cab to the airport Sunday and trying to do it then. Any other suggestions? Thanks again for all of the help!

On Saturday you can be there early (7:15am) as soon as it opens go with him to sign up for JTA and try and ask for the late JTA (there are ones at 6:30pm 7pm and 7:30pm)
Go to Chewies line and wait for him to come out, it depends on the amount of people already there...the walk from Chewies line to Darth's Mall (for D-Tech) is about 5 min. go thru Streets of America turn right where Honey I shrunk the playground is and you'll find it.
After D-Tech me take pictures with the characters around Darth's Mall (Darth Maul himself is there) and try and do as many characters before you check in to FtF for the parade.
On Sunday the show (Visit to the Maul) starts at 5:15pm and it's a 30 min. show so you'll leave DHS around 6pm to the airport...
Any other questions let us know

 

[yulilin3]

I was lucky enough to be able to book a FP+ for all 5 of the "Events" (we'll be there multiple weekends), but I'm wondering how that will work with the meet and greet. This is our first year going, so sorry if this is one of those annoying newbie questions.

Our plan was to be in line at about 4am each morning to get a M&G for our chosen person.....and I figured we'd just do everything else around the FP time for the M&G. Of course, now I have non-movable times for these shows that we also don't want to miss. So how do you avoid a conflict? Will I get a choice of M&G times? Can I show them I have a FP for an Event and get a time that won't conflict. For that matter, how accurate are the M&G times? I'd hate to get one that say, for instance, 12 to 1pm....ok, great, I have a 1:20 for a show.....so I should make it....but does the M&G mean get in line between those times and the line can be over an hour long?

Ok....I realize I'm probably worrying for nothing, but this is the one thing my kids have always wanted to do and we never did it...they'll be off to college next fall so it was a "now or never" and now I'm regretting not having a clue on how to make this work "best" for them.

I do know that the good news is each weekend we'll be there (first 3 weekends) they are only interested in 1 or 2 of the M&G people, so worst case we can get a M&G not be able to make it and hope to get another the next day....but that sounds bad for many reasons...first is getting up before dawn, lol...but also taking a M&G slot someone else wanted and not being able to use it because we also have an Event FP. I want to be fair to others, but hey, I also want to do it all myself!

Ok...all advice is greatly appreciated!

Before I start when you say M&G are you talking getting fastpasses for the SW actors? not the characters, right?

Highly unlikely you will get a fp for a celebrity that conflicts with show times simply because they will be at said shows.
Let's say you get a fp for Peter Mayhew, the only time that might conflict is with a fp to Behind The Force (since he's not doing that show). Also when you get a fp for an actor you only have to be there a total of, maybe, 20 min. the fastpass window will only be 10 min. so let's say he has his first set of autographs from 10 to 11am, and you get a fp for that first set, your fp will be something like, from 10:20-10:30am you get there, the CM check your time and moves you to the correct time slot and you are in and out in 20 minutes tops...
I hope this answers your question, if this wasn't what you were talking about let me know.

 

[ConnieB]

Before I start when you say M&G are you talking getting fastpasses for the SW actors? not the characters, right?

Highly unlikely you will get a fp for a celebrity that conflicts with show times simply because they will be at said shows.
Let's say you get a fp for Peter Mayhew, the only time that might conflict is with a fp to Behind The Force (since he's not doing that show). Also when you get a fp for an actor you only have to be there a total of, maybe, 20 min. the fastpass window will only be 10 min. so let's say he has his first set of autographs from 10 to 11am, and you get a fp for that first set, your fp will be something like, from 10:20-10:30am you get there, the CM check your time and moves you to the correct time slot and you are in and out in 20 minutes tops...
I hope this answers your question, if this wasn't what you were talking about let me know.

Wonderful! yes, that answers it I think! Thank you.

 

[yulilin3]

So Jar Jar and Chewbacca actors will be at the show (not in costume I would presume, but wish they were).

Right, and not in costume

 

[ConnieB]

Ok thought of another question, sorry.

Do you know how late in the day the weekend celebrities do their autograph/photo? Wondering about making these other FP for like Toy Story or Star Tours...probably best after dark so the autographs are done?

 

[yulilin3]

Wonderful! yes, that answers it I think! Thank you.

which actors are you going to wait for?

 

[ConnieB]

which actors are you going to wait for?

Ahmed Best (Jar Jar Binks); Peter Mayhew
Warwick Davis, Jeremy Bulloch (Boba Fett)
Ray Park and John Ratzenberger

 

[karabeunso]

Billy Dee Williams and Ray Park

Just throwing this scenario out there... Since Ray Park has his own "show", what do you think the chances are that Stars of the Saga would be Billy Dee and Mark? (I realize this still leaves that mysteriously large gap in between shows)

 

[yulilin3]

Ok thought of another question, sorry.

Do you know how late in the day the weekend celebrities do their autograph/photo? Wondering about making these other FP for like Toy Story or Star Tours...probably best after dark so the autographs are done?

last years weekend one autograph sessions (keep in mind the show times were a bit different, but not by much)
Ray Park 1:45pm
Dee Bradley Baker 9:45am 3pm 4:30pm
Jeremy Bullock 9:45am 1:30pm 4:30pm
James Arnold Taylor 9:45am

Ray only did one session because he was in Stars of the Saga and Visit to the Maul, I'm expecting this year it will be the same
Dee Bradley is a voice actor and only does Behind the Force
James Arnold Taylor is the host so he makes an appearance in all of the shows that's why he only has 1 session

 

[yulilin3]

Ahmed Best (Jar Jar Binks); Peter Mayhew
Warwick Davis, Jeremy Bulloch (Boba Fett)
Ray Park and John Ratzenberger

So all SW movie actors, it should only conflict for Behind the Force if you get that autograph session around 1:30pm. But are you doing 3 days each weekend? If so you will not have a problem..

Just throwing this scenario out there... Since Ray Park has his own "show", what do you think the chances are that Stars of the Saga would be Billy Dee and Mark? (I realize this still leaves that mysteriously large gap in between shows)

Possible, but Ray has been here before and he has always done his show and Stars of the Saga...plus, yeah, the gap

 

[ConnieB]

last years weekend one autograph sessions (keep in mind the show times were a bit different, but not by much)
Ray Park 1:45pm
Dee Bradley Baker 9:45am 3pm 4:30pm
Jeremy Bullock 9:45am 1:30pm 4:30pm
James Arnold Taylor 9:45am

Ray only did one session because he was in Stars of the Saga and Visit to the Maul, I'm expecting this year it will be the same
Dee Bradley is a voice actor and only does Behind the Force
James Arnold Taylor is the host so he makes an appearance in all of the shows that's why he only has 1 session

Ok, now I'm starting to understand more.....so these guys don't stand there all day long signing autographs (that amazed me that they would, lol).....so like an hour for each of those times with a little break in between And now JAT also does signing......ok, my girls loved meeting him at Celebration VI so I may need to add him to the choices now too, lol. Thank heavens we'll be there 3 weekends!

Thanks so much for all the great information you share and most of all for your patience!!!