Official Star Wars Weekends 2014 Tips and Tricks

[lovethattink]

Thank you! All the times I have been, and yet I feel clueless right now about all this. I usually just saw the parade, sometimes part of Hoopla, and visited the merch locale; otherwise I stuck to my normal DHS routine.

I did see one show before-- Anthony Daniels' one man show a few years back. Oh my, the ego.

Typically the day of a celebrity they won't hand them out there. You can ask a cm at the autograph booth if they have any to hand out. The ones at Sounds Dangerous should be past week ones.

I was sitting outside Ray Park's waiting for ds who was in line to get his autograph. They were handing his out left and right. Same with Warwick Davis.

 

[yulilin3]

Just an FYI...I'm going to be able to go to DHS next week for the 25th Anniversary and I'll stop by Soundtsge 1 (location of Darth's Mall) I'll take pictures of the general space to get a good grip on what we can expect for SWW
It's getting close ...3 more weeks

 

[tink'smom2B]

It sounds to me like it's more important to get a place to view the parade than to stand in line for an autograph. If we get a fastpass to see Jeremy Bulloch, are we going to miss out on the parade?

 

[Ferrentinos]

Silly question - when we enter we are planning to go straight to meet chewbacca at RD - I know he will be around star tours but how will we know where to get in line for him? Will there be a sign for his line? I know lots of people will be heading there so I just want to make sure I don't get lost!

 

[1153rsmith]

I have a question on Photopass photographers. Are their Photopass photogs at the celebrity signings? Will there be photopass photogs with all of the SW characters?

Do you think there will be any roving photopass folks at the character meals?

I am figuring pre-purchasing Memory Maker may be a good idea for this trip.

I sure wish they had ride pics for TSM and Star Tours....

 

[lovethattink]

It sounds to me like it's more important to get a place to view the parade than to stand in line for an autograph. If we get a fastpass to see Jeremy Bulloch, are we going to miss out on the parade?

The lines for autograph begin well before the park opens. If you are in line for an autograph and you were able to get a FP/wristband, you will have that BEFORE the park even opens.

He will be in the parade and will stop signing autographs just before he has to get into his car for the motorcade. So if you end up with a time slot close to parade time, you may have trouble finding a spot. It may be possible to ask for a FP for a later time, but I don't know if they hand them out, out of order?

Silly question - when we enter we are planning to go straight to meet chewbacca at RD - I know he will be around star tours but how will we know where to get in line for him? Will there be a sign for his line? I know lots of people will be heading there so I just want to make sure I don't get lost!

Assuming the line is the same set up as past years, do NOT head towards Star Tours since the line will already be forming. Instead walk to his line passing ABC Commissary. You'll spot his queue on your left hand side shortly after you pass the Idol audition spot. There is a break in his queue where the side walk breaks to allow people to pass by.

 

[yulilin3]

I have a question on Photopass photographers. Are their Photopass photogs at the celebrity signings? Will there be photopass photogs with all of the SW characters?

Do you think there will be any roving photopass folks at the character meals?

I am figuring pre-purchasing Memory Maker may be a good idea for this trip.

I sure wish they had ride pics for TSM and Star Tours....

No photopass people at the celebrity signing, there are for the characters and one or 2 that walk around with the roaming characters...not sure about the character meals.

The lines for autograph begin well before the park opens. If you are in line for an autograph and you were able to get a FP/wristband, you will have that BEFORE the park even opens.

He will be in the parade and will stop signing autographs just before he has to get into his car for the motorcade. So if you end up with a time slot close to parade time, you may have trouble finding a spot. It may be possible to ask for a FP for a later time, but I don't know if they hand them out, out of order?



Assuming the line is the same set up as past years, do NOT head towards Star Tours since the line will already be forming. Instead walk to his line passing ABC Commissary. You'll spot his queue on your left hand side shortly after you pass the Idol audition spot. There is a break in his queue where the side walk breaks to allow people to pass by.

They don't hand them out of order but you could try and trade with someone else that has a different time slot

 

[lovethattink]

I have a question on Photopass photographers. Are their Photopass photogs at the celebrity signings? Will there be photopass photogs with all of the SW characters?

Do you think there will be any roving photopass folks at the character meals?

I am figuring pre-purchasing Memory Maker may be a good idea for this trip.

I sure wish they had ride pics for TSM and Star Tours....

The last 2 years I pre-purchased a photopass cd. This year I pre-purchased a Photopass Archive Disc for $119 (does not include meals or attractions). There are so many great pictures and I love the backgrounds I got to chose on my past discs.

Photopass will not be with celebrities.

There will be photopass photogs with most of the characters if not all of them. I ended up with 5 discs between all 4 SWW last year!

I will let you know May 4th if there are roaming ones at the character meals. I know there will be at least 1 photopass photog because a digital download is included with the meal. Just not sure how that works if both Boba Fett and Darth Vader are at their own stations??

 

[poison ivy]

Hoping to get a better idea of the parade viewing area for the dessert party.

When we were there last year, the parade stopped at the main stage under the hat for the motorcade and VIP's.

I'm worried if the group is roped in at the front left corner, how many will approach or turn and look in their direction at that angle.

here's a few pics I have to show where I believe the area will be.
(right at the end - around the corner)





Here's an idea of how thin or deep the crowds are along the parade route.







Here you can see the white line barrier for spectators and how the parade participants interact.




So I'm just worried that the pre-paid pkg. groups will be corralled in a section that is difficult to photograph from.

any thoughts?

 

[yulilin3]

Poison Ivy: the first picture, the one with Minnie, shows the area that I think they're going to use, under those trees. If you can see in your picture one of the chipmunks are walking very close to the people where I think we will be...
All of the characters that go up on stage go thru the stairs on the left side so I'm sure they'll approach...the only issue here will be everyone standing, since this area is deep there could be a lot of people that will just won't see unless there's a rule that the first 3 to 4 rows of people sit...

 

[lovethattink]

Hoping to get a better idea of the parade viewing area for the dessert party.

When we were there last year, the parade stopped at the main stage under the hat for the motorcade and VIP's.

I'm worried if the group is roped in at the front left corner, how many will approach or turn and look in their direction at that angle.

So I'm just worried that the pre-paid pkg. groups will be corralled in a section that is difficult to photograph from.

any thoughts?

The sun should be behind the viewing area, so that should help with lighting for the pictures.

The parade has the exact same route and will stop at the Event Stage as before.

I made 2 reservations for the package. I made sure not to do it the first day so that I can read feedback.

Hopefully someone who has a reservation for May 16 will report back.

 

[Itinkso]

"Feel the Force," we will... hopefully! I waited a whole day to book Feel the Force for DH, older DD, DSIL and me so that I wouldn't take 4 slots away from someone who really, really needed them... if younger DD is cast in JTA on June 15, we will definitely be in DHS. She has requested a day off and if it is granted, so far wait-listed, she may choose an activity other than SWW... bummer as I've been wanting to do this ever since she's been a CM.

If I do have to cancel, I'll post it here for someone else to grab!

 

[MakiraMarlena]

Some of the Facebook groups are making much of the check-in at Min and Bills for Feel the Force and are taking it to mean that you will stand at Min and Bills for the parade, and thus not see any of the celebrities in the motorcade as they have disembarked before they reached Min and Bills.

We do have time before we see where the parade area is, but I doubt Disney would get away with charging for a VIP viewing experience for the motorcade and then place you where you do not see the celebrities in the motorcade. Just because you are asked to check in at Min and Bills does not mean you will be standing at Min and Bills.

 

[lovethattink]

Some of the Facebook groups are making much of the check-in at Min and Bills for Feel the Force and are taking it to mean that you will stand at Min and Bills for the parade, and thus not see any of the celebrities in the motorcade as they have disembarked before they reached Min and Bills.

We do have time before we see where the parade area is, but I doubt Disney would get away with charging for a VIP viewing experience for the motorcade and then place you where you do not see the celebrities in the motorcade. Just because you are asked to check in at Min and Bills does not mean you will be standing at Min and Bills.

The script read to me when I made my reservation said, "Left side of the open plaza as face sorcerers hat NEAR Min and Bills."

 

[horse11]

Ok so we missed out on Feel the Force since already booked for our SWW day. Since this is our first time at SWW where would be the best place to stake out for the parade to get good pictures? Should it be by the stage, a place that is shady? And ideas out there that can help us out? Also how far in advance should we look for a spot? Were is the stage located?

 

[yulilin3]

Some of the Facebook groups are making much of the check-in at Min and Bills for Feel the Force and are taking it to mean that you will stand at Min and Bills for the parade, and thus not see any of the celebrities in the motorcade as they have disembarked before they reached Min and Bills.

We do have time before we see where the parade area is, but I doubt Disney would get away with charging for a VIP viewing experience for the motorcade and then place you where you do not see the celebrities in the motorcade. Just because you are asked to check in at Min and Bills does not mean you will be standing at Min and Bills.

I seriously doubt that will be the area

 

[yulilin3]

The script read to me when I made my reservation said, "Left side of the open plaza as face sorcerers hat NEAR Min and Bills."

Plus that whole thing, in bold letters, that says it's standing room only...I think it'll be the area shown in the pictures a couple of posts above

 

[lovethattink]

PoisonIvy,

I'm looking through parade pics from last year and most of my pictures do have them looking away from that area

http://s18.photobucket.com/user/lovethattink/slideshow/SWW 2013 Day1/SWW Motorcade

 

[yulilin3]

Here's a video that shows some of the entrainment, most of this is old with just a mention of the fireworks at the end http://m.youtube.com/watch?v=nzLEVQFjIpI&feature=youtu.be

 

[yulilin3]

PoisonIvy,

I'm looking through parade pics from last year and most of my pictures do have them looking away from that area

http://s18.photobucket.com/user/lovethattink/slideshow/SWW 2013 Day1/SWW Motorcade

tried looking at your pictures but it says album is private