Official Star Wars Weekends 2014 Tips and Tricks

[yulilin3]

Tell me about the SWW fireworks please

I want to know too!!!!

Spoiler alert, here's the video of them: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EiQCpsOmh_k

If you want the show to be centered with the hat grab your spot anywhere on Hollywood Blvd. from the Tip Board to the Front entrance. If you're too close to the hat you'll lose some of the fireworks.
Other places to watch is from around Echo Lake.
I have never watched from Streets of America but plan to do it to see how it's like and report back.
Don't watch from Sunset as there are bldgs and trees that will be covering the fireworks.
I expect the crowds from Hoopla to walk back on to Hollywood Blvd to watch the fireworks so grab your spot early if you want the show centered.
The show is about 7 min. long so you'll have plenty of time to get to the last show of Fantasmic!

 

[lovethattink]

We watched it May 4th around Echo Lake, trees and poles block your view, but that didn't bother me.

The crowds were like New Year's Eve type crowds. Hopefully, since this is shown every night of SWW, it won't be as crazy crowded for viewing.

By far, this ranked as my favorite Disney firework show EVER!

Here are some pictures from May the 4th showing my view from Echo Lake and the crowds on the street, and the crowds exiting the park afterwards.

This is walkway blocked off at the Commissary heading towards the hat. The only exit from this area was back by Star Tours.



Crowds down by the hat



Crowds by the stores





And by the entrance



My view on Echo Lake between Hollywood and Vine and 50's Prime Time Café





Leaving the park, heading to the parking lot

 

[MrsMud]

Sorry to all of you Trekkies, but my family is not really interested in SWW (no flames but will be at the World May 17 and 18 by default. My question is, how are the other parks during these weekends? Should I expect them to be crazy busy as well, or are the crowds mainly confined to HS? Thanks!

Oh boy, I must have been half asleep when I wrote that, lol!

 

[lovethattink]

Sorry to all of you Trekkies, but my family is not really interested in SSW (no flames ; ) but will be at the World May 17 and 18 by default. My question is, how are the other parks during these weekends? Shoul I expect them to be crazy busy as well, or are the crowds mainly confined to HS? Thanks!

Sorry to all of you Trekkies, but my family is not really interested in SWW (no flames but will be at the World May 17 and 18 by default. My question is, how are the other parks during these weekends? Should I expect them to be crazy busy as well, or are the crowds mainly confined to HS? Thanks!

Oh boy, I must have been half asleep when I wrote that, lol!

Other parks exist during SWW?

EasyWDW has a free crowd calendar and probably a better idea of crowds at the other parks.

 

[Reizo]

Sorry to all of you Trekkies, but my family is not really interested in SWW (no flames but will be at the World May 17 and 18 by default. My question is, how are the other parks during these weekends? Should I expect them to be crazy busy as well, or are the crowds mainly confined to HS? Thanks!

Oh boy, I must have been half asleep when I wrote that, lol!

All is forgiven haha.

 

[disney mom of 6]

Just wanted to bump the page. How's everyone's planning going? Any particular event/character you're excited to see?

Me- Chewbacca
DH- Darth Vader
DD(9)- Anakin because she thinks he's cute. HaHa!
DD(4)- wants to fight the red face guy (Darth Maul)

 

[disney mom of 6]

I have a question. We want to watch hoopla on the AI screen and read that there were benches/tables nearby. How early would we need to get there to try and get one? I was hoping we could get something from Min and Bills for dinner and just hang out til show time. Does anyone know when Min and Bills closes? Thank you

Tammy

 

[The Sunrise Student]

Just wanted to bump the page. How's everyone's planning going? Any particular event/character you're excited to see?

Reservations at BWI for May 29th 0 June 2nd CHECK

Plane tickets purchased CHECK

Magic Bands ordered and customized CHECK

All ADRs made for each day to have at least one sit down meal CHECK

Memory Maker Photo Package purchased CHECK

Associated MM to my magic band CHECK

Everything paid for through Disney travel reservations CHECK

FP reservation WIP (waiting for 60 day mark to make them)

Waiting on pins and needles for celebrity list to plan early morning arrivals DOUBLE CHECK

Any news on this front, rumors of an announcement of hosts, anything?

 

[The Sunrise Student]

All of it, since we've never been to a SWW! I'm most excited to see Darth Vader and hopefully a young Obi Wan! We're surprising our boys with this so I'm sure they will be thrilled to see and do it all! I'm down to 100 days and I can't wait!!!

Too awesome! I hope you and your family enjoy it!

 

[yulilin3]

I have a question. We want to watch hoopla on the AI screen and read that there were benches/tables nearby. How early would we need to get there to try and get one? I was hoping we could get something from Min and Bills for dinner and just hang out til show time. Does anyone know when Min and Bills closes? Thank you

Tammy

I like to get there around 6:30pm, there are usually some tables and benches left. I'm not sure what time they closed last year but I remember them being open all the way to the start of Hoopla, I didn't check during or after Hoopla.

Reservations at BWI for May 29th 0 June 2nd CHECK

Plane tickets purchased CHECK

Magic Bands ordered and customized CHECK

All ADRs made for each day to have at least one sit down meal CHECK

Memory Maker Photo Package purchased CHECK

Associated MM to my magic band CHECK

Everything paid for through Disney travel reservations CHECK

FP reservation WIP (waiting for 60 day mark to make them)

Waiting on pins and needles for celebrity list to plan early morning arrivals DOUBLE CHECK

Any news on this front, rumors of an announcement of hosts, anything?

No news or rumors

 

[DarthDad]

I'm trying to remember if they were okay with SW costumes for the 4th, like they are with SWWs. I could have sworn I saw some people dressed up on the 4th. Anyone else remember?

I'm hoping they let the parents do the Jedi Training Academy again this year. If so the padawan and I will dress the part this year and take down Vader again!

 

[yulilin3]

I'm trying to remember if they were okay with SW costumes for the 4th, like they are with SWWs. I could have sworn I saw some people dressed up on the 4th. Anyone else remember?

I'm hoping they let the parents do the Jedi Training Academy again this year. If so the padawan and I will dress the part this year and take down Vader again!

As of today there is nothing special planned for May the 4th. at DHS like it was last year. I doubt they will have a similar event since they are doing special fireworks on May 1st for DHS 25th Anniversary and they are adding fireworks to the actual SWW. I don't think you will be allowed into the park with a costume on May the 4th.

 

[The Sunrise Student]

No news or rumors

Going completely bonkers, I have even stayed away from the forums for a while cause I wanted to try and cool my jets...

It's T -MINUS 92 days 19 hours to go time!

*got time being 7:30 am on May 16th!

 

[lovethattink]

Reservations at BWI for May 29th 0 June 2nd CHECK

Plane tickets purchased CHECK

Magic Bands ordered and customized CHECK

All ADRs made for each day to have at least one sit down meal CHECK

Memory Maker Photo Package purchased CHECK

Associated MM to my magic band CHECK

Everything paid for through Disney travel reservations CHECK

FP reservation WIP (waiting for 60 day mark to make them)

Waiting on pins and needles for celebrity list to plan early morning arrivals DOUBLE CHECK

Any news on this front, rumors of an announcement of hosts, anything?

Did you personalize your bands with Star Wars names? We did. Mine will say Mara Jade on it, Dh's Boba Fett and Ds's Anakin. We picked different colors than our most recent trip.

Mums the word, I guess. Haven't seen anything about hosts or anything else, except what yulilin3 has given as tips.

 

[Good Morning Dewdrop]

Did you personalize your bands with Star Wars names? We did. Mine will say Mara Jade on it, Dh's Boba Fett and Ds's Anakin. We picked different colors than our most recent trip.

Mums the word, I guess. Haven't seen anything about hosts or anything else, except what yulilin3 has given as tips.

DD's says Mster Swan (She's dressing up as Bultar Swan a lesser known jedi )

DHs was going to say C3PO but he decided to change it to say "Guano Joe" instead (from AK)

have a reservation at AS Music (AP discount)

magic bands are done

waiting for FP window to open (and trying to figure out how long we're going to spend in DHS each day - we'll be down for the 1st weekend and are planning on probably most of Friday; Saturday morning and Sunday morning - starting at / before RD each day). Then have to meet Anna/ Elsa again on Monday morning....

 

[The Sunrise Student]

Did you personalize your bands with Star Wars names? We did. Mine will say Mara Jade on it, Dh's Boba Fett and Ds's Anakin. We picked different colors than our most recent trip.

Mums the word, I guess. Haven't seen anything about hosts or anything else, except what yulilin3 has given as tips.

Oh that is fricken awesome, we might have to do that... cause I love dressing up as Mara Jade and my boyfriend loves Boba Fett.

 

[Jannephotog]

I've got to get a Princess Leia outfit & my DBF's got to get working on a Han Solo one...once I get finished up with grad school stuff, we're going thrifting a few weeks before the trip to find SWW garb & other Disneybounding outfits too. =)

 

[lovethattink]

DD's says Mster Swan (She's dressing up as Bultar Swan a lesser known jedi )

DHs was going to say C3PO but he decided to change it to say "Guano Joe" instead (from AK)

have a reservation at AS Music (AP discount)

magic bands are done

waiting for FP window to open (and trying to figure out how long we're going to spend in DHS each day - we'll be down for the 1st weekend and are planning on probably most of Friday; Saturday morning and Sunday morning - starting at / before RD each day). Then have to meet Anna/ Elsa again on Monday morning....

Too bad the real name shows on their computer screen. That could get some interesting reactions otherwise.

Didn't I read somewhere that Anna and Elsa were eventually moving to Tink's Nook and she was moving to the old Princess hall? I'm pretty sure I saw KTP write something about that?

It's not so easy to plan rides when we don't know for sure the times of the SWW stuff. I was working on lunch ADRs for Saturday and Sunday. I picked them based on last year's schedule of events. I didn't pick for Friday because it would be too hard to give 24 hour cancellation notice if there was a time conflict with something we want to do.

Oh that is fricken awesome, we might have to do that... cause I love ***-playing Mara Jade and my boyfriend loved Boba Fett.

There you go!

 

[Good Morning Dewdrop]

Too bad the real name shows on their computer screen. That could get some interesting reactions otherwise.

Didn't I read somewhere that Anna and Elsa were eventually moving to Tink's Nook and she was moving to the old Princess hall? I'm pretty sure I saw KTP write something about that?

It's not so easy to plan rides when we don't know for sure the times of the SWW stuff. I was working on lunch ADRs for Saturday and Sunday. I picked them based on last year's schedule of events. I didn't pick for Friday because it would be too hard to give 24 hour cancellation notice if there was a time conflict with something we want to do.



There you go!

I know Kenny wrote that Tink was moving to the 'old' princess location in Town Square Theatre but I was hoping he was wrong (was hoping Anna and Elsa would move there). I didn't read that Anna and Elsa were moving into Tink's Nook (not sure how they would fit into Adventureland with its tropical feel....- but honestly I'll take them in any additional location - especially if they could make it a FP attraction!).

 

[yulilin3]

Too bad the real name shows on their computer screen. That could get some interesting reactions otherwise.

Didn't I read somewhere that Anna and Elsa were eventually moving to Tink's Nook and she was moving to the old Princess hall? I'm pretty sure I saw KTP write something about that?

It's not so easy to plan rides when we don't know for sure the times of the SWW stuff. I was working on lunch ADRs for Saturday and Sunday. I picked them based on last year's schedule of events. I didn't pick for Friday because it would be too hard to give 24 hour cancellation notice if there was a time conflict with something we want to do.



There you go!

For the foreseeable future Ana and Elsa are staying at Epcot, with them being added to the Festival of Fantasy Parade maybe Disney wants them in 2 parks instead of just one. I wouldn't think they would move to Adventureland but Town Square Princess old meet and greet would be perfect for them.