Official Star Wars Weekends Thread Tips and Tricks 2015

[yulilin3]

day 3, some characters, PMC and fireworks from my favorite spot
https://www.facebook.com/media/set/...313.1073741909.1406401066&type=1&l=59dea91d02

 

[yulilin3]

@mamadragona I don't think we got the kids (shoot) but we got a good one of you

 

[yulilin3]

@The Sunrise Student kept it together even though I tried very hard to make her cry

 

[yulilin3]

I'll link all the albums and video of the Chewie run to the first page. Also I'll update the first page with prices on the items at Rebel Hangar

 

[JayLeeJay]

DPP desserts party. There's really no need to line up early. You can get there at 8:25pm. They let us in at 8:30pm
https://www.facebook.com/media/set/...656.1073741908.1406401066&type=1&l=f887e6aae5
Sorry no good pics of fireworks cause the camera died on us right before they started. But the view was good, we were just close so you had to really look up

How early would you recommend lining up to get the credentials before the parade? It seems like with the premium package it is recommended an hour early, but what about for the deluxe? I'm hoping much closer to 10am since we aren't waiting for show FP.

 

[mamadragona]

@mamadragona I don't think we got the kids (shoot) but we got a good one of you

That is a great one of me. You can even see DHs goofy hat, lol.

 

[yulilin3]

@yulilin3 and @Itinkso won't it close earlier next week since fireworks are earlier?

thanks for reminding me:
From weekend II on TSMM will close at 8:15pm and GMR at 8:00pm. First post updated with video, pictures and new closing times for TSMM and GMR

 

[yulilin3]

How early would you recommend lining up to get the credentials before the parade? It seems like with the premium package it is recommended an hour early, but what about for the deluxe? I'm hoping much closer to 10am since we aren't waiting for show FP.

we walked into the park at 9:45am and saw some people already sitting down on the sunny side with credentials. There was no line for it either. I think they are giving them out earlier than 10am in case some want to run to Darth's Mall first. I should've asked at what time they started giving them out.
At 9:45am we got our credentials, again no wait, and then a friend of mine was talking to a manager about the sun and that she couldn't stand there for an hour and he let us into the wheelchair area. Now if anyone with the DPP has a wheelchair they will be priority for that spot, so as to how many people could get in there depends on whether there's a wheelchair or not. People that came after 10:15 had to sit on the sunny side

 

[msmama]

Anyone who did VIP today, did your Vader pictures wind up on Photopass? I checked the website and our Vader picture is not there! We took other pictures at DHS later in the day, including Jedi Mickey, and all of those are on the site.

This morning when I picked up a poster, if you were using the passholder card, you had to show ID, but if you had a 2015 Passholder slider, they would give you one with no ID. I asked the CM why that was and she said people were giving others their AP card so they were checking. I said it would be just as easy to take your slider off and give it to someone else and she just kind of brushed it off. But apparently later they were handing them out without ID. I may just be bitter because I don't have a 2015 slider since I bought my pass in 2014. I do have a DVC slider from staying with a friend earlier this year...

Vader pictures were not on our MM either. I went into to HS photopass store to add our DS JTA photos and asked about the Vader photo. They were able to pull them up right away and add them to our MM, but said they should have loaded about two hours after they were taken. I did ask if they could make sure those photos were loaded for the rest of the group but I don't know if they will actually do it without prompting.

@tigger1972 I just checked the photopass site and ours are not showing up as well. This happened to us last October but I just used the email link at the bottom of the page with the date, time & where the photos were taken. I also attached a photo from my phone of what my family and I were wearing. They linked my pictures the next day. Hopefully, they'll be quick this time around as well.

BTW, my husband was the one who shared his umbrella with your son when it rained before the parade.

Just checked for mine and they are not there. I can do any photo pass place right? Doesn't have to be HS?

I had no idea there were so many of us from here VIPing it up yesterday! Does anyone know what time the Vader meet was? It was early I know but more specifically (because it seems like days ago, not just yesterday).

My son woke up puking today so looks like we will be a lazy hotel day. Hope everyone else is faring better (and hope this is just a long day catching up with him).

 

[yulilin3]

have you guys been able to see the pictures from the fb link? It's the first time I'm doing it this way, it's just easier for me instead of having to download to photobucket. Let me know, thanks.

 

[yulilin3]

Just checked for mine and they are not there. I can do any photo pass place right? Doesn't have to be HS?

I had no idea there were so many of us from here VIPing it up yesterday! Does anyone know what time the Vader meet was? It was early I know but more specifically (because it seems like days ago, not just yesterday).

My son woke up puking today so looks like we will be a lazy hotel day. Hope everyone else is faring better (and hope this is just a long day catching up with him).

He could be dehydrated Hope he feels better soon

 

[slaveone]

Worked fine for me.

 

[eschil]

Anyone who did VIP today, did your Vader pictures wind up on Photopass? I checked the website and our Vader picture is not there! We took other pictures at DHS later in the day, including Jedi Mickey, and all of those are on the site.

I had some photos missing on our last trip. I emailed photopass the date, time of day, a description of what we were wearing, and where the photo was taken. Within a few hours, they located the photos and added the to my account. I think I found the email address on Disney's website.

 

[delmar411]

have you guys been able to see the pictures from the fb link? It's the first time I'm doing it this way, it's just easier for me instead of having to download to photobucket. Let me know, thanks.

They are easier to view this way too. And yep, they pull up perfectly.

 

[sairell]

Just checked for mine and they are not there. I can do any photo pass place right? Doesn't have to be HS?

I had no idea there were so many of us from here VIPing it up yesterday! Does anyone know what time the Vader meet was? It was early I know but more specifically (because it seems like days ago, not just yesterday).

My son woke up puking today so looks like we will be a lazy hotel day. Hope everyone else is faring better (and hope this is just a long day catching up with him).

I had a feeling there were DISers in the group but I'm a shy one. The time on my Vader phone pictures was 7:08am.

I hope your son feels better soon. Mine is still asleep. It'll be a lazy morning at the resort for us as well.

 

[pookadoo77]

With that queue the FtF Premium Package was pretty good I thought. We were able to get Rebels passes and still had our FP for SotS, the passes for the FtF put us right in the middle, check in 30 minutes before show, they start seating 15 minutes before show time.

The parade viewing is a bigger area but everyone still try to get as close to the ropes as humanly possible. There were ice cream, popcorn, soda and water.

I would get to the parade checking about an hour ahead of time.

For the desert part (which begins an hour before the fire works) get there at least 30 minutes before it begins.

The reason everyone is reporting it seems more crowded is they nearly doubled the amount of tables for people this year, last year there were a lot of people having to try to balance things in mid air because there was not enough tables for everyone.

The viewing was good but obstructed a nut for the fireworks. But you can see the stage too.

Hope this helps

Thanks for the report Sunrise! For kids, did the parade viewing and dessert party seem really crowded/packed? Did they seem able to see? Making sure it will be ok for my son that has anxiety. Thanks SO much! Beautiful parade pic!!

 

[pookadoo77]

Is everyone still wearing their celebrating/DIS buttons?? Wanna be able to recognize yall! Keep the pics coming, LOVE it!

 

[delmar411]

we walked into the park at 9:45am and saw some people already sitting down on the sunny side with credentials. There was no line for it either. I think they are giving them out earlier than 10am in case some want to run to Darth's Mall first. I should've asked at what time they started giving them out.
At 9:45am we got our credentials, again no wait, and then a friend of mine was talking to a manager about the sun and that she couldn't stand there for an hour and he let us into the wheelchair area. Now if anyone with the DPP has a wheelchair they will be priority for that spot, so as to how many people could get in there depends on whether there's a wheelchair or not. People that came after 10:15 had to sit on the sunny side

We got our lanyards much closer to 9am than 10am. They place was all setup and no line just walk up, say who you are and get the lanyard and go. DH and I waited in Sid's on the cushy benches, charging our phones until we noticed they had started letting people into the area, that was before 9:45am. We chose to sit by the first tree (closest to the podium) which was fine. I had brought an umbrella and ended up eating my fruit bars on the other side of the street since I couldn't eat them fast enough to prevent mass melting in the sun. LOL

There was tons of extra space in both the wheelchair and standing section which was making guests without a spot unhappy. But we also saw many people walking up to find a spot less than 10mins before the parade so they had no business getting upset at the CMs.

 

[yulilin3]

Thanks for the report Sunrise! For kids, did the parade viewing and dessert party seem really crowded/packed? Did they seem able to see? Making sure it will be ok for my son that has anxiety. Thanks SO much! Beautiful parade pic!!

I'm sure she'll give you a more detailed answer but here's a pic from the package area around 10:50am. You can see the wheelchair area and then all the kids sitting down at the front

 

[kpd6901]

we walked into the park at 9:45am and saw some people already sitting down on the sunny side with credentials. There was no line for it either. I think they are giving them out earlier than 10am in case some want to run to Darth's Mall first. I should've asked at what time they started giving them out.
At 9:45am we got our credentials, again no wait, and then a friend of mine was talking to a manager about the sun and that she couldn't stand there for an hour and he let us into the wheelchair area. Now if anyone with the DPP has a wheelchair they will be priority for that spot, so as to how many people could get in there depends on whether there's a wheelchair or not. People that came after 10:15 had to sit on the sunny side

For the non-Deluxe, regular Premium FtF, with the parade starting at 11, how was credential line? We were hoping to hop in the credential line approx. 9:45 or so and then head on over to get our parade spot. Prior to the weekends, there was talk that the PP spot was actually in the shade (at least mostly), while the DPP spot was inexplicably not in the shade (hence your issues with the wheelchair section). Is the PP spot still actually shaded (mostly or partly)?

Related, how have regular Premium FtF show passes been scooped up? Does anybody have any idea how many passes they have available for each show? I'm trying to figure out how we want to do Weekend V. With the FP's being Tier 2, we already scooped up FPs for SotS and Oz. We had not planned on seeing Rebels, and we were otherwise looking at Obi-Wan. I suppose then we would select Obi-Wan for our FtF pass, but from what I have seen so far from reports, it seems that people still need to get to the FP line about 30 minutes in advance to have any sort of decent seat and not be stuck in the sun. Is that true? Should I try to select Oz for FtF and try to switch my FP at the park that day from Oz to Obi-Wan? Then, if I do want to use FtF pass on Oz (or SotS), then do I need to adjust my check-in hangout earlier?

I'm not surprised at the number of DPP and VIPers in this group, it just seems that the number of Premium folks are a little light....
thanks so much for all of your help!!