Official Star Wars Weekends Thread Tips and Tricks 2015

[lovingeire]

Surely, it couldn't be that Disney is...gulp...allowing extra time for any first weekend timing mishaps? So, this puts fireworks ending at about 10:15? Sigh. Super late Friday night for poor ODS followed by super early Saturday morning for RD. Fail on the planning, Mama. Fail. In my defense, that is what works best with ADRs...

One year I had a pre=park opening breakfast after our Christmas party late night. My husband was NOT happy. We do the best we can, right?

Could you share a pic? And how long did it take to get them? Thanks!

I don't have one yet, but I'll take one and post it. It took 7-10 days to get them. They were sold out for a while though so I ordered as son as she restocked.

But add in appetizers, desserts, drinks and tip and TS can come out a lot higher. I budgeted for one full TS meal at Trattoria al Forno. I just can't bring myself to give that up for any of the mediocre meals at DHS with or without characters.

I just love Trattoria al Forno! I was really impressed Princes 1/2 weekend. I wish I could squeeze it in this trip, but with kids we need character meals so there is no time.

Yay!-kids can eat their heart out LOL! And I am sure they will. I have ST scheduled FP+ after parade...hmm may need to rethink timing...no upset tummies allowed!

We are doing our ST FP in the morning after hopefully meeting Darth Vader. Then running after the parade for Chewie and the Ewoks…we can hopefully eat all the "frozen treats" to our hearts content to hold us over till lunch!

Mickey Bar fans, rejoice!

 

[yulilin3]

I believe there were no confirmation emails for either FtF packages, but the VIP folks reported getting them.


I thought the 'Summon the Force grand celebration' WAS the Dessert Party.


There is alot of conflicting information. <long live the GPs!>

this is the fireworks pre-show. When James Arnols Taylor comes up on stage and shows us everyones pics from twitter and instagram, this year probably using #SWW15 then he summons all the forces of the Galaxy. Characters come up on stage and then the fireworks begin

 

[MickeyMinnieMom]

Thx!!

Yeah. I threw it together based on our best info yesterday. Figured I'd wait for a few more DPB questions to be answered (especially re: VIP) and then update and post if anyone is interested.

OK... decided to update now. New and improved, now with a date/time stamp!!




ETA: BTW -- would it KILL Disney to give us a table like this?!?!?!!?

 

[Artax]

I'm doing the Chewie first fast walk on the first Friday

Depending on if my son wants autographs again this year. I may be right next to you lol

 

[yulilin3]

OK... decided to update now. New and improved, now with a date/time stamp!!

View attachment 86941


ETA: BTW -- would it KILL Disney to give us a table like this?!?!?!!?

great job. Only thing missing is adding that all of it is subject to change (which is why Disney doesn't give us a table like this) activities might be cancelled due to weather. The only thing for sure that would go on is the dessert party, probably inside DIsney Jr. again

 

[yulilin3]

Depending on if my son wants autographs again this year. I may be right next to you lol

I wonder how many Dissers will be in line for Chewie that first morning?? I'm tempted to just call out "Where the Dissers at?" and my DD will have a heart attack (moooom you're to old to talk like that!!)

 

[luvallprincesses]

In order of popularity from most to least:
A Conversation with Frank Oz
Stars of the Saga
Visit to the Maul
Am Ewok's Tale
Behind the Force Rebels

We don't have a package, instead will be trying to book one show FP for June 12 and one for June 14. DS8 is all about the Dark Side and Rebels. DD14 loves Ahsoka. I'm game for anything. What two FP's do you think I should try for? We've never done SWW before.

 

[MickeyMinnieMom]

great job. Only thing missing is adding that all of it is subject to change (which is why Disney doesn't give us a table like this) activities might be cancelled due to weather. The only thing for sure that would go on is the dessert party, probably inside DIsney Jr. again

Good points! The weather is one thing I'm slightly stressing about... Have VIP booked for May 17 -- watch May 15-16 be gorgeous weather, with torrential downpours all day May 17!!

 

[yulilin3]

We don't have a package, instead will be trying to book one show FP for June 12 and one for June 14. DS8 is all about the Dark Side and Rebels. DD14 loves Ahsoka. I'm game for anything. What two FP's do you think I should try for? We've never done SWW before.

Behind the Force Star Wars Rebels and Visit to the Maul
SotS is a great show but it's the more adult one since they interview the actors coming. It's really cool and JAT makes it entertaining but I'm not sure if your kids will like it. Do they love the movies or mostly Rebels and Clone Wars?

 

[keishashadow]

This shirt needs to be made:
Star Wars Weekend I Guinea Pigs
View attachment 86900

I confiscated it off the 'net, didn't see a copyright

 

[Candleshoe]

I would've camped all night for him and Frank Oz

I seriously breathed a sigh of relief that they aren't. I was no way going to do that, and then saw their names and bought the package and would have probably camped out too!



June 7 is our first HS day and WAS to be our SWW day, but now I'm calling "SWW Lite"
No shows, and no parade, but getting early enough for stormtroopers and rope drop.
Out of the park by 2p for a rest afternoon.

I have conflicting 8am desires now:
1. walk straight to TSMM (remember our newbies) then on to RNRC.
-- We have a TSMM FP but not the other
-- I'm sure everyone will want to ride TSMM 2x though
-- I'm hoping RNRC doesn't have too big of a back-up on it.

2. Chewie, then TSMM, then RNRC
-- or Chewie then RNRC skipping our 2nd ride on Toy Story


Is there any other time to catch Chewy without a huge line?

 

[yulilin3]

Good points! The weather is one thing I'm slightly stressing about... Have VIP booked for May 17 -- watch May 15-16 be gorgeous weather, with torrential downpours all day May 17!!

that's the one thing that can dampen (see what I did there) everyones plans but you really can't do anything about it

 

[yulilin3]

I seriously breathed a sigh of relief that they aren't. I was no way going to do that, and then saw their names and bought the package and would have probably camped out too!



June 7 is our first HS day and WAS to be our SWW day, but now I'm calling "SWW Lite"
No shows, and no parade, but getting early enough for stormtroopers and rope drop.
Out of the park by 2p for a rest afternoon.

I have conflicting 8am desires now:
1. walk straight to TSMM (remember our newbies) then on to RNRC.
-- We have a TSMM FP but not the other
-- I'm sure everyone will want to ride TSMM 2x though
-- I'm hoping RNRC doesn't have too big of a back-up on it.

2. Chewie, then TSMM, then RNRC
-- or Chewie then RNRC skipping our 2nd ride on Toy Story


Is there any other time to catch Chewy without a huge line?

For Chewie you can line up while the parade is going (if you're not watching) or right after it. That would be the second best time
Also if your group is fine with it you could do single riders on RnRC

 

[OZMom]

I wonder how many Dissers will be in line for Chewie that first morning?? I'm tempted to just call out "Where the Dissers at?" and my DD will have a heart attack (moooom you're to old to talk like that!!)

This is why we need guinea pig badges!

 

[Candleshoe]

For Chewie you can line up while the parade is going (if you're not watching) or right after it. That would be the second best time
Also if your group is fine with it you could do single riders on RnRC

Me, DH and DD are fine with single rider, but my in-laws will need to ride together first time

So.... line up about 11:15 for Chewie?

 

[OZMom]

almost unrelated, but this just popped up in my newsfeed:

http://nerdist.com/exclusive-images-from-william-shakespeares-the-phantom-of-menace/

 

[Brandiwlf]

If your kids have lightsabers or are planning on building their own remember to bring them. There have been some epic battles that go on while we are all waiting for parade, fireworks, characters (if there's space) or just walking around. Kids have a way of bypassing social customs, like not knowing the other kid, and just start playing. Also CM doing SWW stuff usually have lightsabers with them and will engage in a duel.
It's also a great way to release some energy and then kids are tired and can sit and wait [/QUOTE

I was going to ask about this, my boys just got light sabers on Easter! They would be thrilled to battle! Thanks!

 

[lovingeire]

If your kids have lightsabers or are planning on building their own remember to bring them. There have been some epic battles that go on while we are all waiting for parade, fireworks, characters (if there's space) or just walking around. Kids have a way of bypassing social customs, like not knowing the other kid, and just start playing. Also CM doing SWW stuff usually have lightsabers with them and will engage in a duel.
It's also a great way to release some energy and then kids are tired and can sit and wait

Love this idea ! I actually bought my boys these mini light up lightsabers at Hobby Lobby for their Easter baskets thinking they were a little more complex to battle with, but I have a sneaking suspicion the middle son will want to build his own. Will it be frowned upon for my 15 year old to have his. He built it when he was 9, but still plays with it when his little brother wants to battle….if he can pry it out of the middle's hands! He'd probably have fun with the littles with it.

 

[luvallprincesses]

Behind the Force Star Wars Rebels and Visit to the Maul
SotS is a great show but it's the more adult one since they interview the actors coming. It's really cool and JAT makes it entertaining but I'm not sure if your kids will like it. Do they love the movies or mostly Rebels and Clone Wars?

Thank you for the suggestions. I wasn't sure about SotS versus Behind the Force and was planning on a FP for Visit to the Maul. (We all love the movies, additionally DH and DD love Clone Wars while DS loves Rebels. So really we can't lose.) But which of the 2, SotS or Rebels is likely to have a better standby chance?

 

[frisbeego]

You could try and check in earlier for your lunch. It's about a 5 to 10 min walk to the Theater of the Stars so if your're out by 1:15pm you should be fine. You don't have a fp for it already?

Thanks for your response. Since I posted, I was able to score a 12:15 reservation, so that buys me a bit more time. I'll still proceed to H&V immediately after the parade.

No, I don't have a FP+ for Behind the Force, yet. I'm going the last weekend, and my FP+ window doesn't open until this Friday. I also purchased the premium FtF package, so I'm hoping to use the 1 FP+ from that package for the Behind the Force show. (I'm counting on your previous post about Behind the Force being the least popular of the shows!!) Hopefully, the shows on the last weekend are at the same time as the previous weekends' shows.