Official Star Wars Weekends 2014 Tips and Tricks

[Good Morning Dewdrop]

if we want to meet chewie, would we have time to ride TSMM before getting in line to meet chewie? Or would the wait be too long if we do this strategy first? Thanks!

follow up question - can we 'safely' assume no characters come out before 8 am? So if they open the gates at 7:30 and we're right at the front could we zap DH over to Chewie's line while DD and I ride TSM and then join him in line? Before anyone freaks out - only DD will be getting her picture taken with Chewie and his autograph not all 3 of us.

Thanks!

 

[yulilin3]

My original plan was to RD Chewie but then when I was looking at KtP, it shows that the Ewoks don't come out until later and my kids really want to meet one. Was this normally the case last year? If so, what kind of wait would I be looking at to meet them both?

About an hour to an hour and a half. This is what happened last year

 

[yulilin3]

follow up question - can we 'safely' assume no characters come out before 8 am? So if they open the gates at 7:30 and we're right at the front could we zap DH over to Chewie's line while DD and I ride TSM and then join him in line? Before anyone freaks out - only DD will be getting her picture taken with Chewie and his autograph not all 3 of us.

Thanks!

Yes you could do that, TSMM should be opening with the park. Last year only TSMM and ST opened with the park, then all the other attractions opened at 8

 

[kmcdougan]

Hi Gang, Here are the pictures I promised...

You need to go to this public Picasa Web Album, because the pictures are too high quality to post to imgur.

Enjoy!

https://picasaweb.google.com/104804329874810583549/AloisiMaraJadeSubmission

And Thank you for your good wishes on this project! I'll keep you posted when I am official

I'm no GML (only the Garrison Guard - yes, I'm on Command Staff now), but they look fantastic. If you passed the GML stage, it will just be a matter of the Detachment and/or Legion level approval. Best of luck. I'm hoping that when I see you down there, I will be able to call you my Sister in the Legion!

Ash

 

[ratlenhum]

My son wants to bring his light saber to get signed and for pictures. Had anyone flown with a lightsaber? Is it okay in carry on bags or will I have to put it in a checked bag

 

[ElCapitanAmerica]

I'm trying to get FP+ for the SW events this Sunday but since yesterday I keep getting "Closed for Refurbishment" for all those events ... anybody else seeing this?

 

[ElCapitanAmerica]

Feel like an idiot, it starts next weekend not this one, LOL

 

[Itinkso]

My son wants to bring his light saber to get signed and for pictures. Had anyone flown with a lightsaber? Is it okay in carry on bags or will I have to put it in a checked bag

He won't need it until he is actually in line to meet a character, it would be easier to put it in your checked bag than to lug it around a couple of airports.

 

[The Sunrise Student]

I'm no GML (only the Garrison Guard - yes, I'm on Command Staff now), but they look fantastic. If you passed the GML stage, it will just be a matter of the Detachment and/or Legion level approval. Best of luck. I'm hoping that when I see you down there, I will be able to call you my Sister in the Legion!

Ash

Thank you very much, I remain really hopeful that I will be a full member of the Legion before we leave (in 22 days eeekkkk). Two of the costume mentors from the Flagship Eclipse Detachment have told me that I did a great job! Just waiting for those whom judge it to give me a I hope!

 

[d-r]

follow up question - can we 'safely' assume no characters come out before 8 am? So if they open the gates at 7:30 and we're right at the front could we zap DH over to Chewie's line while DD and I ride TSM and then join him in line? Before anyone freaks out - only DD will be getting her picture taken with Chewie and his autograph not all 3 of us.

Thanks!

Nobody cares that you hold a spot in line for chewie. You won't be the only one. It's star wars weekend. Its for the kids. And Chewie won't come out until 8:30 but I'd be ready in case his friends get everything ready by 8:15. The trick for Chewie is timing it for the ewoks, but if you are only going for Chewie it is just a brute force wait.

 

[d-r]

My original plan was to RD Chewie but then when I was looking at KtP, it shows that the Ewoks don't come out until later and my kids really want to meet one. Was this normally the case last year? If so, what kind of wait would I be looking at to meet them both?

The ewoks are little bit unpredictable, it kind of depends on how their friends are doing.

The secret to the ewoks is this. See them on a day you miss the motorcade. Chewie takes a break for the motorcade, go get in Chewie's line, the ewoks will be there about noon. Be back about 15 minutes worth of people in line when Chewie goes on break for the motorcade.

 

[d-r]

Well, I got some fast passes.
It was kind of a hard mess because we are staying at our dvc, but we have annual passes and the annual passes limit us to seven days of fast passes even though we are in a resort. It has been catching us in a glitch for other days, so I had to really juggle things around.

Anybody want to critique it and give me feedback on what I messed up on? It got a little confusing and I would love a reality checker.

Fri 5/23 Warwick Davis show 5:00
Sat 5/24 scifi breakfast, 1:30 behind the force: rebels show
Sun 5/25 h and v dinner. I couldn't get the Warwick Davis show this night because of the dinner reservation so I let this be a fast pass skip it day.

Fri 5/30: JAT Obi Wan and beyond 7:30
Sat 5/31 Ray Park's visit to the Mall 5:00
Sund 6/1 I ended up with another behind the force: rebels this day. The only thing I saw offered was it or JAT

Fri 6/6 another trip to the mall at 6:00 (kind of freaky now that I typed it)
Sat 6/7 stars of the saga 4:30. Is this Mark Hamill? Billy Dee is there that weekend also.

I want to take the kids at least one day the next weekend to see the clone wars folks but I'm fast passed out. DId I miss anything?

 

[d-r]

He won't need it until he is actually in line to meet a character, it would be easier to put it in your checked bag than to lug it around a couple of airports.

She may be deciding whether to check a bag or not. And I would plan to check one.

 

[yulilin3]

My son wants to bring his light saber to get signed and for pictures. Had anyone flown with a lightsaber? Is it okay in carry on bags or will I have to put it in a checked bag

Nothing really to contribute to your question...but I have this:



I would check it if possible

 

[southernfriedmom]

The ewoks are little bit unpredictable, it kind of depends on how their friends are doing. The secret to the ewoks is this. See them on a day you miss the motorcade. Chewie takes a break for the motorcade, go get in Chewie's line, the ewoks will be there about noon. Be back about 15 minutes worth of people in line when Chewie goes on break for the motorcade.

Thanks! I remember when we went two years ago that line was miserable being in the sun & near a smoking area. My DS tells me we met Chewie one day & then him and the Ewoks the next- too bad I've already forgotten how. ; ) Any estimate of when to try to get in line to try your suggestion?

 

[yulilin3]

My son wants to bring his light saber to get signed and for pictures. Had anyone flown with a lightsaber? Is it okay in carry on bags or will I have to put it in a checked bag

Well, I got some fast passes.
It was kind of a hard mess because we are staying at our dvc, but we have annual passes and the annual passes limit us to seven days of fast passes even though we are in a resort. It has been catching us in a glitch for other days, so I had to really juggle things around.

Anybody want to critique it and give me feedback on what I messed up on? It got a little confusing and I would love a reality checker.

Fri 5/23 Warwick Davis show 5:00
Sat 5/24 scifi breakfast, 1:30 behind the force: rebels show
Sun 5/25 h and v dinner. I couldn't get the Warwick Davis show this night because of the dinner reservation so I let this be a fast pass skip it day.

Fri 5/30: JAT Obi Wan and beyond 7:30
Sat 5/31 Ray Park's visit to the Mall 5:00
Sund 6/1 I ended up with another behind the force: rebels this day. The only thing I saw offered was it or JAT

Fri 6/6 another trip to the mall at 6:00 (kind of freaky now that I typed it)
Sat 6/7 stars of the saga 4:30. Is this Mark Hamill? Billy Dee is there that weekend also.

I want to take the kids at least one day the next weekend to see the clone wars folks but I'm fast passed out. DId I miss anything?

There's a strong possibility that Mark Hamill will have his own show in between Behind the Force and Stars of the Saga.
They have Ray Park and Billy Dee for Stars of the Saga (they always use the 2 visiting movie actors for this show)
No official word yet, though.

 

[d-r]

Thanks! I remember when we went two years ago that line was miserable being in the sun & near a smoking area. My DS tells me we met Chewie one day & then him and the Ewoks the next- too bad I've already forgotten how. ; ) Any estimate of when to try to get in line to try your suggestion?

Yeah, there is a smoking area right across the "street" from the line and if you get stuck in that part of the line it can be hot and yucky wait.

The thing about the timing. I think it depends on how much of a "break" they put on Chewie at "lunch" time - I remember there being an hour break there, but the times I saw for this year didn't have it. If there is a break, then a lot of folks will leave and not get in line and I'd get in line about 11:30, if there isn't I'm thinking 11:00, it kind of depnds on how bad you want it I guess. I'd chat up the cast members there about 11:00 and play it from there.

 

[marsh0013]

I've been reading along and I've seen a passing mention, but since stars of the saga is supposed to be for the movie actors, do we have any idea what's going to happen weekend 5? That's when we're going. Since it's all voice actors, it doesn't seem to fit.

 

[d-r]

There's a strong possibility that Mark Hamill will have his own show in between Behind the Force and Stars of the Saga.
They have Ray Park and Billy Dee for Stars of the Saga (they always use the 2 visiting movie actors for this show)
No official word yet, though.

I'd go to a Ray Park / Billy Dee show.

I'm worried about that line for Mark Hamill. I went back and the original press release just says "a featured talk show" so I am thinking that you are right.

It seemed like they weren't giving out fp for all shows all days.

 

[LOUMOMOF2BOYS]

Is it necessary to fast pass the shows? Are all of them only once per day? We are going 2 days so I assume we can see them all over 2 days or will it be so crowded that we only see the ones I fast pass?