Official Star Wars Weekends 2014 Tips and Tricks

[OhioStateBuckeye]

The planner in me is going crazy. I really wish they'd release celebrities and shows. I now know I'm having breakfast at 8, and the parade is at 11 and dinner is at 645 and then the fireworks...
But I really want to know if I need to camp out for a celebrity or if I'll want to see any shows and if so what time.


The character meals have also given me a feeling that there may be other new stuff this year as well.

Is this feeling coming from the force? I guess we'll see.

 

[Tasmen]

I love the idea of getting together before the parade AND possibly watching the parade together... BUT whenever everyone decides I am totally in for a meet the Dissers

This sounds great and I suddenly realize that I made my Dine-in adr 30 minutes before the parade so I guess we will miss that. We will be there on Friday, 5/23 and then the night of 5/24 for Fantasmic.

:
Can anyone tell me some more details.

1. IS it really just three FPs a day?
1a. and is that just three pre-orders or three FPs a day total?
1b. (side note not really pertaining to my planning but rumors I have heard regarding FP) I have also heard that FPs for character meet and greets (like the princess) also count towards your FP total for the day, is this true?

3 total atm. However, there have been reports of people being able to make more that day in the parks AFTER they have used up their first 3. I don't know about the meet & greets for SWW, but this is indeed true for MK.

2. When you start booking your online FP ressies is it just for the day that is 60 days away, or can you do your whole trip at once?

Whole trip at once

Thanks for any tips you can give (I am trying to get upbeat about the new FP system, but right now I really, really don't seem to care for it)!

The going popular practice seems to be hit RD and save your FP+ for the later afternoon. So don't book FP+ for the mornings and, instead, use them for evening/late afternoon times when the lines will be long.

 

[The Sunrise Student]

Unfortunately, yes it is only 3 a day. The meet and greet do count against your allotted three, and you HAVE to make three. I have American Idol and Captain EO as throw aways because nobody will probably use them anyway. I read somewhere one lady was holding Anna and Elsa to replace 7DMT when it came available and I thought that was rude since it is a popular one. BOG fastpass for lunch does not count against the three. And you can also book for your whole trip. We will be there 12 nights and I was able to choose for my whole trip.

Only 3 total a day... (used to get one FP a hour while I was in a park, so ifI am there all day you know I was using alot more than 3, and then if I got to a ride and it was less than a 30 minute wait I never wasted a FP for it, I would just get on!)

Only three a day and the character meet and greets counts towards total! (Now I am really bummed, not only have they limited me to three a day they chopped off my amounts even further with this!)

YOU REALLY CAN DO YOUR WHOLE TRIP AT ONCE?!?!? (That is really kewl, I guess for a planner, but I would think FP selections would fill up really quickly! I know stuff like TSM has got to be a hot and normally runs out)

Wow... just wow!

Another question: How soon on day 60 do they let you make FP reservations... Should I jump on the system at 12:01 AM to make sure I get my HOT Fast Passes?

Thanks so much for the response!

 

[The Sunrise Student]

This sounds great and I suddenly realize that I made my Dine-in adr 30 minutes before the parade so I guess we will miss that. We will be there on Friday, 5/23 and then the night of 5/24 for Fantasmic.

I am totally open for when ever is best for everyone... As long as I don't have Celebrity FP for Autographs scheduled at those times I am game.

3 total atm. However, there have been reports of people being able to make more that day in the parks AFTER they have used up their first 3. I don't know about the meet & greets for SWW, but this is indeed true for MK.

I really do hope they open up the FP in the park, but if I use the tip you spoke of below I will probably not use up the FP in time to get more.

Whole trip at once

This is kewl, but wondering how hard it will not be to get those HOT FPs.

The going popular practice seems to be hit RD and save your FP+ for the later afternoon. So don't book FP+ for the mornings and, instead, use them for evening/late afternoon times when the lines will be long.

That is a good idea, and I can see that if you get there early like we tend to do you are better off just riding the ride, kinda like my 30 minute rule for FP when they were on the other system.

Thank you for the response

 

[Music City Mama]

So, I told DH and the boys about the character meals last night when I got home. We talked about it and decided that since we normally don't wait for character autographs anyway, and the price was pretty expensive (DS 11 eats like a bird but would have to pay the adult price), we'd pass. *breathing sigh of relief*. I didn't want the extra expense and to be honest, the thought of changing my schedule around at this point wasn't something I really wanted to do.

I can't wait to hear about it from those of you partaking, though!

Now, if they'll just release the celebrity list . . .

 

[Tasmen]

This is kewl, but wondering how hard it will not be to get those HOT FPs.

From what I hear, besides the Elsa/Anna meet & greet, most should not be difficult to get. I've heard of people changing things up the night before with no difficulty.

Another question: How soon on day 60 do they let you make FP reservations... Should I jump on the system at 12:01 AM to make sure I get my HOT Fast Passes?

That was my experience. I'm on the west coast and I was able to make my FP+ just after 9pm PST 61 days before my arrival I got everything I wanted at the times I wanted save the Elsa/Anna Meet & Greet. I did get the time I wanted on a later date during our trip, however.

 

[mom2faith]

One quick question as I have never been during SWW:

We have late lunch at 50's Prime Time Cafe at 3:30 pm and are staying at AoA. By that time in the day, I assume parking lots are getting full and the entrance area is busy. Is 45 minutes enough time (we are renting a car).

 

[yulilin3]

Just an advice, when you go book your fp if you don't find one you want try the same day...I wanted to try the fp for the mk parade and looked a week ago and there were none available... this morning before coming to mk I decided to check and found availability.

 

[The Sunrise Student]

From what I hear, besides the Elsa/Anna meet & greet, most should not be difficult to get. I've heard of people changing things up the night before with no difficulty.

That was my experience. I'm on the west coast and I was able to make my FP+ just after 9pm PST 61 days before my arrival I got everything I wanted at the times I wanted save the Elsa/Anna Meet & Greet. I did get the time I wanted on a later date during our trip, however.

Kewl it sounds like I stay up late Saturday night and hit the FP ressies at 12:01 am Sunday

We are only going to EPCOT on Thursday then will be at DHS for the ret of the weekend...

But next year is our 12 day 11 night trip so if they are still using all this then I will totally have to have my FP list up and ready!

Thanks again

 

[The Sunrise Student]

Just an advice, when you go book your fp if you don't find one you want try the same day...I wanted to try the fp for the mk parade and looked a week ago and there were none available... this morning before coming to mk I decided to check and found availability.

WAIT, there are FP for parades?!?! How the heck does that work?

Good tip on returning and checking FP, sounds like what I do for ADRs if I have to.

 

[yulilin3]

WAIT, there are FP for parades?!?! How the heck does that work?

Good tip on returning and checking FP, sounds like what I do for ADRs if I have to.

There is a reserved spot at the Hub in front of Cinderella castle.

 

[1153rsmith]

If anyone hears anything additionally about the menus for these two characters meals, please post. I am curious to see what we will have. I still can't believe I would actually pay this much for a meal. I certainly would never do that at home.... but then again, none of the restaurants around here have Mickey, Minnie, and Darth Vader.

 

[The Sunrise Student]

There is a reserved spot at the Hub in front of Cinderella castle.

Oh my! Is this true of all parades or MK parades?

 

[jtowntoflorida]

Oh my! Is this true of all parades or MK parades?

Right now it's just the MK parades. Also, not all character M&Gs are FP+ eligible. I wouldn't expect any of the SWW M&Gs being FP+ eligible because there is not infrastructure in place at the M&G locations to redeem a FP+. At DHS, you might actually have a hard time finding 3 attractions you actually want to use a FP+ for in one day, since you can't use a FP+ for TSM and RNR on the same day.

There is a big FP+ thread, and the first post in that thread is really good for information on FP+ eligible attractions.

ETA: This is the FP+ attraction list for DHS. As you can see, there are no M&Gs on the list.

FastPass+ Attraction List With Suggested Priorities
HOLLYWOOD STUDIOS (Tiering)
A - Rock 'n' Roller Coaster
A - Twilight Zone Tower of Terror
A - Toy Story Midway Mania
B - Star Tours
B - The Great Movie Ride
C - American Idol Experience
C - Beauty and the Beast - Live on Stage *Priority Access
C - Disney Junior - Live on Stage *Reserved Area (center front section, poor viewing, pic @ Post #459)
C - Fantasmic *Priority Access
C - Indiana Jones Epic Stunt Spectacular *Priority Access
C - Lights, Motors, Action! Extreme Stunt Show
C - Muppet Vision 3D
C - Voyage of the Little Mermaid *Priority Access

ETA 2:
This is the informative FP+ thread. You really only have to read the first post, as it's updated with confirmed information.

 

[The Sunrise Student]

The food described for the Galactic Dine-In Star Wars Character Breakfast was nearly identical to the one they gave me for Cindy's Royal Table that I attended in 2009.

Here are some of the pictures I took of the food from 2009 Cindy's Royal Table Breakfast:

http://imgur.com/a/2haPU

 

[lovethattink]

Oh my! Is this true of all parades or MK parades?

Yes! You'll see both Festival of Fantasy and Main St. Electrical Parade pop up on the FP+ reservation system when you make your FP. Although do it right away, spots go fast, especially for the new afternoon parade.

 

[1153rsmith]

The food described for the Galactic Dine-In Star Wars Character Breakfast was nearly identical to the one I they gave me for Cindy's Royal Table that I attended in 2009.

Here are some of the pictures I took of the food from 2009 Cindy's Royal Table Breakfast:

http://imgur.com/a/2haPU

Thanks, that helps. You would think they could do a nice spread for that kind of $$. I know, I know.... it is about the experience. It still would be nice to have something extra special for $50 a head.

 

[Reizo]

Did you try and get a ressie? I have been hearing people are still able to get them

Actually I was about to consider it but realized that I wasn't too sure everyone in the group I'm going with wanted to fork over the money to have such an awesome experience. My DW and I definitely but it's much harder considering a general consensus. ....Maybe we should just leave 'em

Haha I wouldn't do that but it's tough being the planner considering what's planned already for the day.

FP+ is a bit difficult to figure ahead of time with events like SWW. You kinda don't know where you'll be so you try to figure the 3 FP+ as best as you can. Considering for our group, riding RnR and ToT has to happen.

 

[The Sunrise Student]

Thanks, that helps. You would think they could do a nice spread for that kind of $$. I know, I know.... it is about the experience. It still would be nice to have something extra special for $50 a head.

Yup... It's all about where you are, not what you are eating...

However if it is a toss up with food, H&V meal will be so much better... it costs more than a breakfast but....

PS After doing Cindy's Royal table once I can officially say "I have eaten in the castle" BUT I will never do it again unless someone in my party whom hasn't done it before wants to because it was so not about the food... it was just eating in the castle

 

[The Sunrise Student]

Actually I was about to consider it but realized that I wasn't too sure everyone in the group I'm going with wanted to fork over the money to have such an awesome experience. My DW and I definitely but it's much harder considering a general consensus. ....Maybe we should just leave 'em

Haha I wouldn't do that but it's tough being the planner considering what's planned already for the day.

FP+ is a bit difficult to figure ahead of time with events like SWW. You kinda don't know where you'll be so you try to figure the 3 FP+ as best as you can. Considering for our group, riding RnR and ToT has to happen.

FP+ are going to be a real issue with us also trying to get celebrity FP for autographs too... AND NO LIST OF CELEBRITIES YET little difficult to say what we are doing when... Thursday and Monday we pretty much know how we are handling EPCOT.