Official Star Wars Weekends Thread Tips and Tricks 2015

[yulilin3]

If we don't do the FtF package, where is a good parade viewing spot (and place to see the characters on stage or broadcast on TV screens or something)?

anywhere pn the left side of Hollywood Blvd will offer you the most shade but you have to grab these spots early. At least an hour and fifteen min before. You can walk behind the parade route at the end and watch the welcome show on the stage.

 

[yulilin3]

So I need some help in planning a SWW "lite" version.
We will be there Sunday, June 7.
It is our only DHS day.

Our DS7 is interested in meeting some SW characters, wants to see the parade and fireworks, and we have a 5 pm dinner with Jedi Mickey already booked.
He is NOT interested in meeting celebrities/autographs, watching the shows, or Jedi Training Academy (he has done this twice and says he doesn't want to do it again).

He is also interested in NON-SWW things that he has not been to in the past - RNR, Fantasmic - as well as favorites - ToT, TSMM, StarTours, LMA.

Can someone help me figure out what I should consider when planning our day?

Right now I am thinking maybe it would be best to use that early 8 am entry to get on RNR and ToT without any FP.
And then if we can get to the SW characters by 9 am, that would fill the time before the parade.
Parade would be 11 or 11:30-ish.
Lunch.
LMA at 1:20
FP uses from 2-5 (and fill with other attractions as time allows)
Jedi Mickey Mickey Dinner at 5
FP uses from 6:30 - 8:30 (and fill with other attractions as time allows)
Fantasmic at 9 pm
Fireworks at 9:30

Is it possible to get a decent fireworks view after 9 pm fantasmic?
What about the Feel the Force package - if this is offered, could we be able to get to the designated area by 9:30 from 9 pm fantasmic?
Would the 10:30 fantasmic be a better option? (but its SO late for DS7 by the time we would get back to the hotel!!)

thanks for any help you can provide.
this is our first SWW so I'm sure how to judge the crowds, priorities, etc.

thanks!

Chewie and Vader's line stay consistently long all day if you have any desire to meet them go to their lines first thing. If not then you could do some rides, better to do the second showing of F! they start packing all the desserts as soon as the fireworks pre show starts so you wouldn't be able to enjoy it.

 

[HCinKC]

Trying to think about FP+ on our SWW days. I plan on leaving HS early/mid afternoon and park hopping. Do I need to use a FP+ on ST if we head straight to it first thing? It'd be great if I could use the FP for our park hop later, but I don't mind using it in the morning if needed. The main point of the trip is SWW, so we are only planning on riding ST on the weekend. We will do all other HS rides & JTA during the week.

You know, I just remembered Padawan Mind Challenge, and I think ODS would like it. I don't know if we need to get in line for that first instead, which would then cause the need for a ST FP...

 

[yulilin3]

Trying to think about FP+ on our SWW days. I plan on leaving HS early/mid afternoon and park hopping. Do I need to use a FP+ on ST if we head straight to it first thing? It'd be great if I could use the FP for our park hop later, but I don't mind using it in the morning if needed. The main point of the trip is SWW, so we are only planning on riding ST on the weekend. We will do all other HS rides & JTA during the week.

You know, I just remembered Padawan Mind Challenge, and I think ODS would like it. I don't know if we need to get in line for that first instead, which would then cause the need for a ST FP...

if you want to sign up for JTA you have to do it first thing or else you'll find yourself in an hour long line to sign up. Star Tours doesn't really pick up until around 10am so you could sign up for JTA and then do ST
EDIT : Just re-read the question. You can sign up for PMC and then do ST with no problem, first thing. You should be done with PMC by 8:15am. Remember that the PMC shows are in the afternoon, so not sure how that would play out with your park hopping plan

 

[Nello]

Been a longtime lurker, and am only up to page 70 of the thread, but I wanted to let everyone know TeeFury has some SW related shirts today! Fruity Rebels and Cocoa Rebels! http://www.teefury.com

We are going to the third weekend of SWW on the 29th. We are bringing my brother and his family to DW for my niece's first trip, and I can't wait to sneak in some SW goodness!!

 

[HCinKC]

if you want to sign up for JTA you have to do it first thing or else you'll find yourself in an hour long line to sign up. Star Tours doesn't really pick up until around 10am so you could sign up for JTA and then do ST
EDIT : Just re-read the question. You can sign up for PMC and then do ST with no problem, first thing. You should be done with PMC by 8:15am. Remember that the PMC shows are in the afternoon, so not sure how that would play out with your park hopping plan

Oh good! I was thinking for Friday - we will park hop over to Epcot after the parade, and then I think we would hop back over for the late PMC, dinner, fireworks. I am glad I can use FP+ for our few hours at Epcot instead.

 

[The Sunrise Student]

I have been searching the boards looking for the fabulous cancellation thread hopping to snag a Tomorrowland Terrace fireworks desert party at MK (Since we are marching in the parade the likelihood of us getting to do the FtF package is pretty slim... that schedule comes out last minute and we don't know when they will slot us to march).

PS we will most likely be getting some adult SW themed beverages and a snack and find where Ms Yulilin and company like to sit for the fireworks

 

[Koh1977]

I have been searching the boards looking for the fabulous cancellation thread hopping to snag a Tomorrowland Terrace fireworks desert party at MK (Since we are marching in the parade the likelihood of us getting to do the FtF package is pretty slim... that schedule comes out last minute and we don't know when they will slot us to march).

Did you find it? It's under Disney Restaurants and Dining Reservations.

 

[The Sunrise Student]

Oh I have the link to try and book https://disneyworld.disney.go.com/dining/magic-kingdom/tomorrowland-terrace-fireworks-dessert-party/ , but it is booked solid... I need to keep track of cancellations in case someone cancels, and some where out on the DISboards is a cancelation thread full of nice people who will post when they are going to cancel a hot reservation.

 

[Koh1977]

Oh I have the link to try and book https://disneyworld.disney.go.com/dining/magic-kingdom/tomorrowland-terrace-fireworks-dessert-party/ , but it is booked solid... I need to keep track of cancellations in case someone cancels, and some where out on the DISboards is a cancelation thread full of nice people who will post when they are going to cancel a hot reservation.

I know. I meant here on the DIS. It's under the Disney Restaurants Forum then Dining Reservations then the May cancellation thread. I would post the link if I could figure out how to do it.

 

[Koh1977]

http://disboards.com/threads/new-guidelines-may-cancelled-adr-thread-read-1st-post.3346769/

See if that works.

 

[The Sunrise Student]

Koh1977 I found it, repeat, I found it... I kept just trying to search the word cancel or reservations before and was going batty!

May's ADR cancelation thread.. WOOT WOOT! http://www.disboards.com/threads/new-guidelines-may-cancelled-adr-thread-read-1st-post.3346769/

(PS I have been trying to qoute people all day, and no go, it keeps pulling up older qoutes rather than new ones...)

 

[The Sunrise Student]

http://disboards.com/threads/new-guidelines-may-cancelled-adr-thread-read-1st-post.3346769/

See if that works.

Jinks Thank you!!!

 

[spc67carr]

I have been searching the boards looking for the fabulous cancellation thread hopping to snag a Tomorrowland Terrace fireworks desert party at MK (Since we are marching in the parade the likelihood of us getting to do the FtF package is pretty slim... that schedule comes out last minute and we don't know when they will slot us to march).

PS we will most likely be getting some adult SW themed beverages and a snack and find where Ms Yulilin and company like to sit for the fireworks

I used disney dinning buddy to get a reservation for it. I was looking forever to get one, no luck. It was 8 dollars per reservation notification. They notified me Sunday, one week after I signed up that there was an opening on the 30th May. I grabbed that right away. You can select if you want to be notified by email and or text. For me it was worth it. That was one of the reservations I wanted most. Now I need the Feel the Force package and I am all set. Good luck finding a reservation!!!

Does anyone know how kids can walk in the parade. I heard different things. One that they can sign up and the other that they get randomly selected out of kids doing JTA. Thanks!

 

[Cluelyss]

I used disney dinning buddy to get a reservation for it. I was looking forever to get one, no luck. It was 8 dollars per reservation notification. They notified me Sunday, one week after I signed up that there was an opening on the 30th May. I grabbed that right away. You can select if you want to be notified by email and or text. For me it was worth it. That was one of the reservations I wanted most. Now I need the Feel the Force package and I am all set. Good luck finding a reservation!!!

Does anyone know how kids can walk in the parade. I heard different things. One that they can sign up and the other that they get randomly selected out of kids doing JTA. Thanks!

It is my understanding that kids are randomly selected, and not just from those doing JTA sign ups. Could be anywhere, but likely in or around SW activities.

 

[spc67carr]

It is my understanding that kids are randomly selected, and not just from those doing JTA sign ups. Could be anywhere, but likely in or around SW activities.

Thank you! We are going to the park on a non SWW day to do JTA and the character breakfast and dinner at H&V. I can only imagine how crazy it would be on the actual weekend. I thought that, if there were sign ups we could try. But idk watching it is probably more interesting for my son -if we get a good spot. Its the first time we are doing SWW and the first real Disney trip. Last year we went with my daughters cheer team - I feel the need to add that not all cheerleaders are bad and we had almost no time at the parks. We spend half a day at HS, a few hours at Epcot and AK and one whole day in MK. So I really dont know how bad crowds are but expect the worse.

 

[Koh1977]

Jedi Mickey dinner (Fantasmic package) available 5/31 for 4 at 7pm

 

[yulilin3]

Thank you! We are going to the park on a non SWW day to do JTA and the character breakfast and dinner at H&V. I can only imagine how crazy it would be on the actual weekend. I thought that, if there were sign ups we could try. But idk watching it is probably more interesting for my son -if we get a good spot. Its the first time we are doing SWW and the first real Disney trip. Last year we went with my daughters cheer team - I feel the need to add that not all cheerleaders are bad and we had almost no time at the parks. We spend half a day at HS, a few hours at Epcot and AK and one whole day in MK. So I really dont know how bad crowds are but expect the worse.

the kids that are chosen for the parade have to stand in the sun while the entire parade marches past them. It's a neat experience (my kids did it several times when they were little) but they bake in the sun for a good 20 minutes, with robes on and all

 

[spc67carr]

the kids that are chosen for the parade have to stand in the sun while the entire parade marches past them. It's a neat experience (my kids did it several times when they were little) but they bake in the sun for a good 20 minutes, with robes on and all

Thanks for the info. That would be something to think about IF they would somehow choose him.

 

[mmafan]

its crazy that MNSSHP and MVMCP details are out but NOTHING FOR SWW>>>>>>>>>???????????????????????????