Official Star Wars Weekends 2014 Tips and Tricks

[lovethattink]

My son is 9 and we will be going to SWW the first weekend in May 14 -18. He turns 10 on May 13 before we leave. He has always wanted to do JTA but we have been with other family members and have never made it to park open to sign him up in time. However, I know that the lines are going to be crazy because of people waiting for celeb autographs and such. I purchased the Rebel Pre-view event for May 15th to help get the merchandise and possible a few character autographs out of the way.

We are going to Disney World in 23 days (no extra family this trip) and I have booked a very early breakfast at Hollywood and Vine for two reasons - 1 my daughter really wants to see Sofia and Doc and 2 I thought this would get us there for JTA sign up.

My question is - if on this trip we do get my son signed up for JTA will there be any real need for him to do it again at SWW. Is it the same show and experience just on a bigger scale during SWW.

Thanks
Allison

It's basically the exact same show on a smaller scale. Registration other than SWW is done at the Sounds Dangerous building.

 

[jtowntoflorida]

My question is - if on this trip we do get my son signed up for JTA will there be any real need for him to do it again at SWW. Is it the same show and experience just on a bigger scale during SWW.

My daughter has done JTA 4 times: 3 times during October trips, and once during SWW. If we ever go to SWW again, I will NOT encourage her to do JTA there. The show is "bigger" in that there are more kids, but some of the elements are taken away from the show to fit in more kids. Also sign ups are nuts. It makes Black Friday at Wal-Mart look like amateur hour. The actual experience for the padawans is also is very rushed during SWW. The Jedi Master takes more time with each kid on non-SWWs and the kids get more time to fight the Sith Lord. The upside to doing it during SWW is you have a better chance at getting to fight someone other than Vader. My daughter got to fight Darth Maul at SWW, but Vader has been the only bad guy out during our October trips.

Overall, I think the JTA experience is much, much better outside of SWW.

 

[horse11]

is the sign up for JTA in the same area on SWW The Sounds Dangerous Building or in a different area?

 

[lovethattink]

is the sign up for JTA in the same area on SWW The Sounds Dangerous Building or in a different area?

The last two years, it's been at Indiana Jones. No strollers are allowed in the queue

 

[Ferrentinos]

What are you planning to do first thing? Do you want to get autographs?
If you want to get autographs it depends on the person you are interested in getting, if not, then 6:45am is fine, you could get to the park around 7:15 to 7:30am if you don't want autographs

We are just planning to meet some characters and to experience it - not planning on getting autographs of stars or buying merchandise. I think we'll aim for 6:45am and just take it all in! Thanks for your quick reply!

 

[Vala]

I'm not sure how the merchandise dynamics will change with the Rebel Rendezvous being the day before official opening? But I would expect to see less people waiting for merchandise and many LE to already by gone.

The catalog says not all quantities of the LE stuff will go on sale for Rebel Rendezvous. Maximum two items per LE design per ticket, and they're doing a random selection pricess (RSP) as for the bigger pin events.

So it's not going to be gone, but if that it might make the camping out worse because the quantities are even more limited.

 

[yulilin3]

We are just planning to meet some characters and to experience it - not planning on getting autographs of stars or buying merchandise. I think we'll aim for 6:45am and just take it all in! Thanks for your quick reply!

For characters you'll be fine by being at the entrance around 7:15 to 7:30am. Remember that depending on characters some lines are larger and in direct sun all day so plan accordingly. On the first post of this thread there's a linl to Kenny's site with the times and locations from last years SWW.
If I wanted to meet as many characters as possible I would do:
1.- Disney characters in SW costumes
2.- Chewbacca
3.-Darth Vader
4.-Darth Maul
5.- The Fetts
6.- Luke, Leia, R2D2 and C3P0
7.- Clone Wars characters
8.- Queen Amidala
9.- roaming characters

The catalog says not all quantities of the LE stuff will go on sale for Rebel Rendezvous. Maximum two items per LE design per ticket, and they're doing a random selection pricess (RSP) as for the bigger pin events.

So it's not going to be gone, but if that it might make the camping out worse because the quantities are even more limited.

I think that at the time of registration you had to tell them which LE items you wanted, right? So my thinking is that they are now collecting all this data to plan accordingly and have enough supplies to last them for all weekends, plus limiting the purchase to 2 items on the LE stuff will help. (or at least I hope that's why they are doing it this way )

 

[horse11]

For characters you'll be fine by being at the entrance around 7:15 to 7:30am. Remember that depending on characters some lines are larger and in direct sun all day so plan accordingly. On the first post of this thread there's a linl to Kenny's site with the times and locations from last years SWW.
If I wanted to meet as many characters as possible I would do:
1.- Disney characters in SW costumes
2.- Chewbacca
3.-Darth Vader
4.-Darth Maul
5.- The Fetts
6.- Luke, Leia, R2D2 and C3P0
7.- Clone Wars characters
8.- Queen Amidala
9.- roaming characters

We plan on getting to the Park an hour early for the first day of SWW and heading straight to JTA. We would like to get in line for one of the Fetts right after that. do you have an idea how long the wait would be since we can not head there first? Should we split up and then join my DH in line for one of the Fetts after we get done with sign up at JTA? is that allowed?

 

[Vala]

I think that at the time of registration you had to tell them which LE items you wanted, right? So my thinking is that they are now collecting all this data to plan accordingly and have enough supplies to last them for all weekends, plus limiting the purchase to 2 items on the LE stuff will help. (or at least I hope that's why they are doing it this way )

No, you have until April 6 (I think... definitely beginning of April) to send your list in.

 

[lovethattink]

The catalog says not all quantities of the LE stuff will go on sale for Rebel Rendezvous. Maximum two items per LE design per ticket, and they're doing a random selection pricess (RSP) as for the bigger pin events.

So it's not going to be gone, but if that it might make the camping out worse because the quantities are even more limited.

I guess that will all depend on how many sign up, and how many pieces of an item are allotted for the event.

Last year, they seemed to stagger pieces. We had friends looking for certain items. They were in the merchandise line each morning at the crack of dawn or earlier and some morning the pieces were sold out til they got there, but then showed up on other weekends. So either pieces were staggered or boxes were found that were overlooked past weekends.

I think that at the time of registration you had to tell them which LE items you wanted, right? So my thinking is that they are now collecting all this data to plan accordingly and have enough supplies to last them for all weekends, plus limiting the purchase to 2 items on the LE stuff will help. (or at least I hope that's why they are doing it this way )

The RSP is due by April 6 and all sales are final on May 9th. There are other deadlines for the cases and other items.

 

[yulilin3]

No, you have until April 6 (I think... definitely beginning of April) to send your list in.

Thanks, so they still would have a month to prepare...every year on the first weekend of SWW I find myself saying "Why are they not prepared? It's not like it's the first time of them doing this event"
They always seem to be surprised at the amount of people it attracts, umbrellas are not out on the character lines, some CM don't know exactly how things work, etc.

 

[lovethattink]

Thanks, so they still would have a month to prepare...every year on the first weekend of SWW I find myself saying "Why are they not prepared? It's not like it's the first time of them doing this event"
They always seem to be surprised at the amount of people it attracts, umbrellas are not out on the character lines, some CM don't know exactly how things work, etc.

Although, some people from year to year are doing the exact same jobs and totally have it down pat!

 

[yulilin3]

Although, some people from year to year are doing the exact same jobs and totally have it down pat!

Yes, there's a core of cast member that work the special events, you'll see them during F&W, F&G, Candlelight...that know what they're doing. The bad thing is when new "Managers" come in and think they know a better way to do things.

 

[cadale]

Just stopping in I don't seem to be getting the daily updates.

 

[jtowntoflorida]

We plan on getting to the Park an hour early for the first day of SWW and heading straight to JTA. We would like to get in line for one of the Fetts right after that. do you have an idea how long the wait would be since we can not head there first? Should we split up and then join my DH in line for one of the Fetts after we get done with sign up at JTA? is that allowed?

The Fetts didn't come out right at opening last year, so they were a good one to get in line for after signing up for JTA. Also keep in mind that to get both Boba Fett and Jango Fett, you will likely need to go through the line twice...last year they had very few (if any) overlapping times where both are there together, and I think it's either one or the other that is there right at opening (and as I recall, Jango Fett is who we met right after opening, and then we got Boba Fett later after they switched out).

If this year is the same as last, Vader's line is completely shaded so it's a good one to save if you don't mind waiting later in the day. Chewie's line has a lot of shade, too. The Fetts' line is brutal, as is the Disney characters' line. We did have a lot of luck getting in line for the Disney characters during the parade instead of doing it first thing...we only waited about 20 minutes for them total.

 

[scspsu]

This is a video I took last year on the first Friday, it'll give you an idea on lines for celebrities and merchandise, plus lines for JTA and characters. It got muted by youtube because it has the SW music in the background but it should be able to help or at least, mentally prepare yourself, for the lines you'll have to make
youtube.com/watch?v=vrBgyive7I4[/url]

Hey my wife and I are in your video! We got in the merch. line at 2:30 am because my wife collects star wars stuff. You can see us starting at the 1:10 mark. I have a red t-shirt and my wife has a black tank top on. We don't look too awake yet lol. We are going back for the last two weekends this year but are bringing the kids this time.

 

[yulilin3]

Hey my wife and I are in your video! We got in the merch. line at 2:30 am because my wife collects star wars stuff. You can see us starting at the 1:10 mark. I have a red t-shirt and my wife has a black tank top on. We don't look too awake yet lol. We are going back for the last two weekends this year but are bringing the kids this time.

you're a good husband
The earliest I've been in line has been at 3:30am for Dave Prowse, not sure if I would be able to go any earlier than that

 

[Koh1977]

I did take a look at KtP's site, but just to clarify...

Do the Disney characters meet together or is it always just one at a time? I know Chip and Dale are dressed as Ewoks, but do they have just regular Ewoks anywhere? I thought I saw a pic, but didn't see any actual times listed for them...

Thanks!

Sent from my iPad using DISBoards

 

[yulilin3]

I did take a look at KtP's site, but just to clarify...

Do the Disney characters meet together or is it always just one at a time? I know Chip and Dale are dressed as Ewoks, but do they have just regular Ewoks anywhere? I thought I saw a pic, but didn't see any actual times listed for them...

Thanks!

Sent from my iPad using DISBoards

The Disney characters usually meet in pairs and sometimes by themselves and sometimes they overlap. So you could get Jedi Mickey and Leia Minnie in one set and them Darth Goofy and Stormtrooper Donald on another set. R2MK comes out as well, usually with Jedi Mickey.
You will find an Ewok with Chewie in some of his sets and some other sets Chewie comes out by himself.
Last year the Ewok with Chewie eas kinda random and maybe that's why Kenny didn;t post a time for them

 

[yulilin3]

Here's my photobucket album from last year.
http://s283.photobucket.com/user/yu...rt=2&page=1&_suid=139413112107306415472600439