Official Star Wars Weekends 2014 Tips and Tricks

[kmcdougan]

The alternate order: 4, 5, 1, 2, 3, 6

I read about it on tumblr, and I actually agree with that flow. Yes, it does tend to work better for newbies (mainly cause watching numerically destroys the big Vader twist in Empire), but I figured why not try it for myself and see how it goes. I'm gonna get around to the Clone Wars series soon. I rewatched the movie/pilot for it a few weeks ago. Just have all my other regular shows to watch as well, so time and everything lol.

Better version skips Ep. 1. Useless.You can get all you need right from Ep 2 on. The only redeeming things in that movie are Liam Neeson as Qui Gonn Jin and Ray Park as Darth Maul. Not worth 2+ hours of time on. Use that for Clone Wars.

Ash

 

[RAPstar]

Actually Liam and Ray are the only reasons why I'm gonna watch Phantom Menace again (Ray is my biggest Hollywood crush, shhhhhh it's a secret lol).

 

[Mommy2Jameson]

I'm sorry if this has been answered, I've read most of the replies, but didnt see it...

1. How do they decide which Jedi Academy kids get to walk in the Star Wars "parade"?

2. My son really wants to do Jedi Academy, so we plan on being there by 7 at the latest to get in line for that. I was wondering if by chance we luck out and Ray Park is there our weekend, would it be possible to wait in line for him to get a bracelet/fp, and still get in the park early enough for Jedi Academy? Do you have to wait in the bracelet line, and then go join the end of the park admission line?

Thank you for ALL of the help! My 8 year old LOVES Star Wars and this will be our first SWW, so I want to make sure I do it right! Haha!

 

[lovethattink]

JTA is totally independant from the jedi in the parade. CM will pick kids in the morning.

Yes, it's possible to get both a celebrity fp and sign up for jta. Wrist bands are distributed around 7am.

Last year, my dh camped out for Ray's autograph. I think he was there around 2am. He only had 1signing, so it filled up quickly.

 

[Linda67]

If you want them centered behind the hat, then about an hour and a half anywhere on Hollywood Blvd. If you don't mind them not being centered , anywhere around Echo Lake, Star Tours area about 30 minutes before

I really don't mind if our view of the fireworks is off to the side but will the audio still be loud and clear is you sand in the Echo Lake/Star Tours area?

 

[yulilin3]

I'm sorry if this has been answered, I've read most of the replies, but didnt see it...

1. How do they decide which Jedi Academy kids get to walk in the Star Wars "parade"?

2. My son really wants to do Jedi Academy, so we plan on being there by 7 at the latest to get in line for that. I was wondering if by chance we luck out and Ray Park is there our weekend, would it be possible to wait in line for him to get a bracelet/fp, and still get in the park early enough for Jedi Academy? Do you have to wait in the bracelet line, and then go join the end of the park admission line?

Thank you for ALL of the help! My 8 year old LOVES Star Wars and this will be our first SWW, so I want to make sure I do it right! Haha!

Like lovethattink said, if you want bracelets/fp for any of the celebrities you need to be there earlier...Ray Park is very popular and I believe last year the last people to get a fp arrived at the park before 5am.

 

[yulilin3]

I really don't mind if our view of the fireworks is off to the side but will the audio still be loud and clear is you sand in the Echo Lake/Star Tours area?

We always watch any of the DHS fireworks that are offered (4th of July, NYE, Last Tour to Endor) from Echo Lake, by 50s Prime Time and also have watched on the stairs by Indiana Jones Theater and the music is pumped into that area

 

[aym4Him]

Like lovethattink said, if you want bracelets/fp for any of the celebrities you need to be there earlier...Ray Park is very popular and I believe last year the last people to get a fp arrived at the park before 5am.

Is he in costume or plainclothes? Just curious.

My 5 yr old, who has been all about Savage Oppress & DM has now shown fear even looking at a replica statue of DM!!! I don't think we'll be seeking Ray's autograph but I thought I would ask, just in case.

I totally can't believe his about-face. In Nov, he was disappointed that "all" the SW ppl weren't there (his dad had showed him You Tube vids of SWW & JTA to get E pumped for JTA). I guess we'll see what happens.

It's always been amusing to me how much he liked the Dark Side of the Force when he's scared of the dark, bugs, etc

 

[yulilin3]

Is he in costume or plainclothes? Just curious.

My 5 yr old, who has been all about Savage Oppress & DM has now shown fear even looking at a replica statue of DM!!! I don't think we'll be seeking Ray's autograph but I thought I would ask, just in case.

I totally can't believe his about-face. In Nov, he was disappointed that "all" the SW ppl weren't there (his dad had showed him You Tube vids of SWW & JTA to get E pumped for JTA). I guess we'll see what happens.

It's always been amusing to me how much he liked the Dark Side of the Force when he's scared of the dark, bugs, etc

All the actor/actresses will be there as themselves, Ray Park is one of the nicest guys you could meet, very, very different to Darth Maul They do have Darth Maul as one of the characters you can meet and greet by Backlot Tour. You can read the first post of this thread and click on Kenny The Pirate's site for a list of the characters that were here last year

 

[Tasmen]

The alternate order: 4, 5, 1, 2, 3, 6

I've been meaning to rewatch and use that ordering. Guess I'll do that before our trip and use Star Wars as my sewing background music/chatter

 

[denneg]

Is he in costume or plainclothes? Just curious.

My 5 yr old, who has been all about Savage Oppress & DM has now shown fear even looking at a replica statue of DM!!! I don't think we'll be seeking Ray's autograph but I thought I would ask, just in case.

I totally can't believe his about-face. In Nov, he was disappointed that "all" the SW ppl weren't there (his dad had showed him You Tube vids of SWW & JTA to get E pumped for JTA). I guess we'll see what happens.

It's always been amusing to me how much he liked the Dark Side of the Force when he's scared of the dark, bugs, etc

If he has shown any sign of being afraid of DM, save yourself the trouble and skip him. My DS was 4 last year, almost 5, and got scared when he met DV, but DM was terrifying. Even I was a little scared! He got the autograph and picture while clinging to me, as far from DM as possible. They won't break character for anything, so very unlike meeting a regular Disney character who will play and encourage them. That's why we won't even try for JTA, we know he'd be too scared with both DV and DM there, and don't want to take a spot from another kid.

 

[Marvin1968]

A rumor going around is stating that Stitch may be the next character to begin offering character meet and greets at Star Wars Weekends as an official character. Rumor has it that he’ll be presented as Emperor Palpatine Stitch. He can already be found in figure form and pin form in this costume, so it will be fun to actually have a meet and greet with him as well

Kennythepirate dot com

 

[RAPstar]

A rumor going around is stating that Stitch may be the next character to begin offering character meet and greets at Star Wars Weekends as an official character. Rumor has it that he’ll be presented as Emperor Palpatine Stitch. He can already be found in figure form and pin form in this costume, so it will be fun to actually have a meet and greet with him as well

Kennythepirate dot com

Crossing my fingers he is, and even more so that he's at the new character meal lol

 

[Itinkso]

That's why we won't even try for JTA, we know he'd be too scared with both DV and DM there, and don't want to take a spot from another kid.

denneg, I shared your comment with DD, who is an onstage JTA CM, and she and the rest of the cast thank you for thinking of others and leaving a slot in JTA for someone who can enjoy the experience! Your graciousness is not the norm when it comes to JTA.

For anyone into new and different Star Wars collectibles, here's a link to Shakespeare's Star Wars:

http://www.amazon.com/William-Shakespeares-Star-Wars-Doescher/dp/1594746370

 

[jtowntoflorida]

If he has shown any sign of being afraid of DM, save yourself the trouble and skip him. My DS was 4 last year, almost 5, and got scared when he met DV, but DM was terrifying. Even I was a little scared! He got the autograph and picture while clinging to me, as far from DM as possible. They won't break character for anything, so very unlike meeting a regular Disney character who will play and encourage them. That's why we won't even try for JTA, we know he'd be too scared with both DV and DM there, and don't want to take a spot from another kid.

Darth Maul is legit, y'all, especially during JTA. He was super duper intense. In the session we were in (our kids were assigned to DM) he hit the light saber out of two different kids' hands. He doesn't mess around. He is the most intimidating, scary character at SWW, by far, IMO.

This is not the greatest picture, but I snapped this during the M&G.

They also put some sort of black makeup or something on his teeth to make them all gross, which makes him extra creepy. I don't post pictures of my kids online, but I have a classic picture of DM sneaking up behind my daughter and her being totally freaked by it (momentarily). It was pretty funny because she was more startled than scared (she'd fought him in JTA the day before, so his shenanigans didn't scare her). But yeah...if there's any fear of Darth Maul at all, skip JTA. It's hard watching kids leaving the stage crying, especially knowing that there are so many willing participants who never get a chance.

 

[dorchrislen]

2 quick ?s:

1. In hearing about the looong lines to get merchandise, I am now wondering, will there be ample availability to buy SWW T-shirts for souveniers, or can those only be purchased at Darth's Mall after a long wait?

2. We have a Tech-Me appt. for our son at 2:30pm on last Saturday. Is that behind the RNRC in Darth's Mall? We're coming off a cruise that day, so hope to get there in plenty of time to enjoy the event.

 

[aym4Him]

OOOOH. Thanks for the DM advice. He has clearly stated that he wants to WATCH JTA this time. I will just keep reminding him that he can't change his mind and decides he wants to do it in the middle of the day .

His DM and Savage Oppress masks freak me out enough as it is. LOL. I can't imagine seeing either one of them in person!! He got a really cool pic of himself as SO last Nov (the one where they superimpose your headshot on a SW character's body). He was so proud that he was showing everyone we met. Poor non-SW fans were more shocked than impressed

 

[lovethattink]

SWW shirts are sold outside DHS, at Tatooine traders, at the store at the exit of idol.

Check out the first thread about shopping location. Darth Mall isn't at R&R this year.

 

[yulilin3]

2 quick ?s:

1. In hearing about the looong lines to get merchandise, I am now wondering, will there be ample availability to buy SWW T-shirts for souveniers, or can those only be purchased at Darth's Mall after a long wait?

2. We have a Tech-Me appt. for our son at 2:30pm on last Saturday. Is that behind the RNRC in Darth's Mall? We're coming off a cruise that day, so hope to get there in plenty of time to enjoy the event.

1.- keep in mind that Darth's Mall line is only super long the first Friday of the first weekend. The rest of the time you will probably encounter lines to get inside in the morning but not horrible, and if you go in the afternoon there will not be any lines to get in
2.- D-Tech me will be inside Darth's Mall at Soundstage 1 between TSMM and Backlot Tour

 

[twinsouvenirs]

omg, I take a DIS hiatus for a month after a trip and this thread is up to 134 pages!!! I think we know how I'll be spending my conference calls and lunch breaks the next few days. DH and I are going for our first WDW trip without our toddler twins over Memorial Day weekend and he is a huge SW fan--but our mobility will be somewhat limited because I will be 31 weeks pregnant w/our son! Before I start asking variations of my underlying question: how can we best enjoy the weekend if strenuous touring isn't an option (I am already getting whiny at 26 weeks) I promise to do my homework. I thought the VIP thing might be worth it but it doesn't look like there are any character greets. Anyway, first I will research/catch up and then pick your brains. Also DH is a closet nerd so he likes to pretend he is too cool for really reveling in geekery. However--I am not too cool (or rather I am SO cool) so I will be his excuse