Official Star Wars Weekends Thread Tips and Tricks 2015

[kpd6901]

I swapped it on my phone for a Frozen sing along which I didn't go to because it was during my Rebel Hangar reservation.

I did not stay in the line. I got my credential and left. I went to check out the (empty) Rebel Hangar. It is cool in there, you can plug in your phone in one spot. I came back when they were already letting the line in. I did not care about getting a front row spot. There were a few folks who got their credential really early and just parked it on a nearby bench to wait until 10. I didn't do that. I can't hold a spot anyway being by myself and wanting drinks and snacks. I will just have to crop the guy's ear out of my photos of Ian McDiarmid

If you have a wheelchair or can sit on the ground with a child you will get a front row type view.

Yeah, wifey adn me, plus our 3 kids, including stroller, so we would want to be as close to the front as possible...we wouldn't mind sitting on the ground if needed to do so. My question for everyone is about holding parade spots for the family. If we get Chewie done, and if we are first (or so) in line for DM (can we confirm that he would at least begin right around 9 am and not later?), then I can head on over for credential with DS2 while wife and DS10/6 can hit Muppetvision (DS10 is a verifiable Muppet encyclopedia). My hope is that I can take the stroller with me and hit our parade spots while the rest of the family is enjoying their time until they meet up with us...I assume that they would still need to join me in PP parade viewing area not long after 10 anyway, but at least I wouldn't need to keep the whole fam waiting outside the PP ropes from like 9:30 or so to make sure I have a curbside seat in PP area. Thoughts, anyone??

 

[heyitsmejosh]

people who are worried about the stein just need to look back into last years stormtrooper mugs. they sold out quickly week one, and were no where to be found week two. after that you could find storm trooper mugs at HS till Christmas time. so if you are an annual passholder ect. i wouldnt worry yourself too much about them

 

[bgg319]

When you guys say "wheelchair area" is this the general wheelchair area or tied to the packages? If not tied to the package, where is it?

 

[yulilin3]

DISer Strike Back...here's you schedule. The only thing we don't have confirmed are the autograph Sessions for Warwick, Silas and Vanessa. I'm going to go ahead and write the tentative times for Vanessa and Silas based on weekend I. Warwick is a bit more of a challenge to figure out since he has a show of his own

Weekend II: May 22-24
James Arnold Taylor (not signing)
Warwick Davis: Wald, Wicket W. Warrick (Star Wars: The Phantom Menace; Star Wars: Return of the Jedi)Autograph Sessions (tentative 1pm and 2:15pm)
Silas Carson: Ki-Adi-Mundi, Nute Gunray (Star Wars: The Phantom Menace; Star Wars: Attack of the Clones;Star Wars: Revenge of the Sith)Autograph Sessions (tentative 1pm, 2:15pm and 4:50pm)
Vanessa Marshall: Hera Syndulla (Star Wars Rebels)Autograph Sessions (tentative 3pm and 5 pm)
Ashley Eckstein (Voice of Ahsoka Tano – Star Wars: The Clone Wars) Autograph session 12:45pm-2:15pm

Giving priority to Silas Carson, arrive by 5am. Second Warwick Davis since he has 2 weekends locals will split up. Arrive around 5:30am. Vanessa Marshall arrive no later than 6am. Ashley same as weekend 1
Legends of the Force celebrity motorcade and welcome 11am

Behind the Force Rebels 1:45pm
Stormtrooper Pre Show SotS 3:15pm
Stars of the Saga 3:30pm
Ewok Tale My Short Story 5:15pm
Obi Wan and Beyond 7pm
PMC kids edition 12:15pm and 2:30 sign ups at ABC Sound Studios (kids only PMC featuring Sabine and Ezra)
4:15pm and 6:00pm no sign up required (Family Edition, picked at random, hosted BY Ashley Eckstein)
JTA 8:45 AM 9:20 AM 10:05 AM 10:35 AM 12:00 PM 12:30 PM 1:00 PM 1:30 PM 2:00 PM 2:30 PM 3:00 PM 3:30 PM 4:00 PM 4:30 PM 5:00 PM 5:30 PM 6:30 PM 7:00 PM 7:30 PM
DJ Lobot Dance Party 7 pm

Summon the Force Pre Show and Symphony in the Stars 9:30pm

 

[rpcvpanama]

So the less expensive Premium is in the shade but the more expensive Deluxe is in the sun?? That makes no sense!!

The VIP tour was also in the full sun for the parade viewing. It was brutal and rather disappointing to spend all that money and be stuck in the full sun. They did hand out frozen wash clothes and we had umbrellas for the pre-parade but it was definitely hot, hot, hot. That was my one big complaint about the VIP tour. The other was the "VIP" area for the shows. It was told to us that we would have the first 2-3 rows of the theater but that ended up not being enforced. I have somewhat mixed feelings about the VIP experience. In the end, next year I would probably save the money and do the Deluxe FtF package instead. I just didn't feel like the VIP value was worth the extra money when compared to what you get with the Deluxe FtF package.

 

[Disaholic73]

Guinea Pigs (and eventually others),

We (me, DD9, DS4, DGF) will be there for Weekend V. I will probably ask this same question for the next four weeks in hopes of seeing something consistent, so please excuse the repeats but.....DS and DD are huge fans of the original trilogy so Luke, Leia, R2 and C3-PO are highest on the list for pic and autograph. We plan on doing Chewie run and will be doing Galactic breakfast and Jedi Mickey's Dinner so all of them are covered as far as M&G's. Question: When is the best time to try to get all four of them (twins and droids) for pics and autographs, if possible? I know Luke shows up around 4 pm but to get all four at some point with the easiest plan is my goal. We will only be there for June 12 so any help is appreciated.

 

[yulilin3]

When you guys say "wheelchair area" is this the general wheelchair area or tied to the packages? If not tied to the package, where is it?

this is the wheelchair area for DPP. I guess the day we did the package there was no one with a wheelchair

wheelchair area for PP to the left of this picture

 

[yulilin3]

Guinea Pigs (and eventually others),

We (me, DD9, DS4, DGF) will be there for Weekend V. I will probably ask this same question for the next four weeks in hopes of seeing something consistent, so please excuse the repeats but.....DS and DD are huge fans of the original trilogy so Luke, Leia, R2 and C3-PO are highest on the list for pic and autograph. We plan on doing Chewie run and will be doing Galactic breakfast and Jedi Mickey's Dinner so all of them are covered as far as M&G's. Question: When is the best time to try to get all four of them (twins and droids) for pics and autographs, if possible? I know Luke shows up around 4 pm but to get all four at some point with the easiest plan is my goal. We will only be there for June 12 so any help is appreciated.

R2D2 and C3PO did not appear at all for meet and greet weekend I. We were told that they might be available by weekend III. We did the Luke and Leia line a couple of times and there was only one instance where both of them stayed for 1 picture, other than that, Luke would come and take Leia's place. It'll be very hard to time getting them together and I wouldn't stress about it.
Also Luke and Leia seem to be roaming in the morning, early afternoon hours around Star Tours, we met Luke this way with no wait. So that could be another option if they are high priority
EDIT TO ADD: I guess I never saw R2D2 as the next poster says that a family met him. I stayed by their line for about an hour and a half and never saw R2 out. This happened last year as well, where you couldn't really predict when the droids would be out

 

[yulilin3]

Also the whole "letting families pass you while you wait for your family to meet you or you are waiting for another character that rotates worked fine. The only line that this was not allowed, at least on Sunday, was the Fetts line. The CM came every 20 min. saying that if the character you wanted to meet leaves you have to leave the line and line up again.
Pretty dumb since that line is pretty open and you can easily let people thru, but just a heads up

 

[Cluelyss]

Guinea Pigs (and eventually others),

We (me, DD9, DS4, DGF) will be there for Weekend V. I will probably ask this same question for the next four weeks in hopes of seeing something consistent, so please excuse the repeats but.....DS and DD are huge fans of the original trilogy so Luke, Leia, R2 and C3-PO are highest on the list for pic and autograph. We plan on doing Chewie run and will be doing Galactic breakfast and Jedi Mickey's Dinner so all of them are covered as far as M&G's. Question: When is the best time to try to get all four of them (twins and droids) for pics and autographs, if possible? I know Luke shows up around 4 pm but to get all four at some point with the easiest plan is my goal. We will only be there for June 12 so any help is appreciated.

Someone posted over the weekend that Luke, Leia and R2D2 met together for 3 families when Luke and Leia switched sets at 4:50 (R2 meets w/ Leia). C3PO did not meet at all weekend I, and I've heard the rumor that he may not at all this year.

 

[delmar411]

this is the wheelchair area for DPP. I guess the day we did the package there was no one with a wheelchair

wheelchair area for PP to the left of this picture

This was not the wheelchair area for the first day. The first day it was across the street next to Sid's, I wonder if people complained?

In this pic, the stormtrooper is looking at the people on the DPP wheelchair area
https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10206665514747402&l=3edb778323

 

[jtowntoflorida]

I swapped it on my phone for a Frozen sing along which I didn't go to because it was during my Rebel Hangar reservation.

Do you remember how availability looked for the sing-along? I have SoTS booked for both of our days, but I know I'll swap one out for the sing-along because the kids love it. I assumed that it would have decent availability, so I'm hoping I'm not wrong...

 

[Felipe4]

Someone posted over the weekend that Luke, Leia and R2D2 met together for 3 families when Luke and Leia switched sets at 4:50 (R2 meets w/ Leia). C3PO did not meet at all weekend I, and I've heard the rumor that he may not at all this year.

I don't blame them. They better be paying the friend of C3PO 5x the normal wage to be in that suit in the heat!

 

[yulilin3]

This was not the wheelchair area for the first day. The first day it was across the street next to Sid's, I wonder if people complained?

there's a group of people from the Fl Garrison that come every year and they always watch the parade from the shady side of Sids. I understand that the first day this area was used for the DPP, rumors have it that they complained and they got their spot back...not sure how true this is. Also first day they had the kids at PP sitting facing the stage, I guess they figured that they didn't really have a good view there and hd them sitting facing Hollywood Blvd for Saturday and Sunday.
I'm sure (more hopeful) that changes will come to the set up for the DPP and VIP parade areas. It just doesn't make sense that they are in the sun

 

[7dustya]

Also the whole "letting families pass you while you wait for your family to meet you or you are waiting for another character that rotates worked fine. The only line that this was not allowed, at least on Sunday, was the Fetts line. The CM came every 20 min. saying that if the character you wanted to meet leaves you have to leave the line and line up again.
Pretty dumb since that line is pretty open and you can easily let people thru, but just a heads up

Same thing happened yesterday in the blister pack line with Ventress and Ahsoka. The CM constantly reminded everyone that the line is continuous and must keep moving. On the other hand, the Jedi Council line had people waiting near the front for Anakin to come back out allowing families to meet Shaak Ti if they wanted to bypass them, which I took advantage of.

 

[msmama]

Also the whole "letting families pass you while you wait for your family to meet you or you are waiting for another character that rotates worked fine. The only line that this was not allowed, at least on Sunday, was the Fetts line. The CM came every 20 min. saying that if the character you wanted to meet leaves you have to leave the line and line up again.
Pretty dumb since that line is pretty open and you can easily let people thru, but just a heads up

It seemed to me (just watching lines) that if you made it to the front of the line (so would be the next person) they were more likely to make you go to the back of the line than if you stopped a couple groups back. In fact in the blister pack line I heard a CM tell one group to stop by the last corner and wait for Ashoka. Don't know what the difference is, but...

 

[pbb322]

Thanks to everyone for all the helpful info from this weekend! Quick question - did anyone do the PP or DPP with a child under 3? If so, do they get a lanyard too? I was showing my kids pics this weekend and DS7 got all excited about his special lanyard, it made me realize we may have a meltdown if DD does not get a "necklace" too - she turns 3 the day after our SWW day, so did not have to pay for her which is great, but I foresee issues if DS gets something she can't have...

 

[mexxican]

Thanks to everyone for all the helpful info from this weekend! Quick question - did anyone do the PP or DPP with a child under 3? If so, do they get a lanyard too? I was showing my kids pics this weekend and DS7 got all excited about his special lanyard, it made me realize we may have a meltdown if DD does not get a "necklace" too - she turns 3 the day after our SWW day, so did not have to pay for her which is great, but I foresee issues if DS gets something she can't have...

Yes, our DD who turned 2 the day we left WDW (yesterday) got a lanyard and autograph bag

 

[jtowntoflorida]

I don't blame them. They better be paying the friend of C3PO 5x the normal wage to be in that suit in the heat!

Someone correct me if I'm wrong...but I don't think there's a friend inside the C3PO suit. I think he's remote controlled, right?

 

[Disaholic73]

R2D2 and C3PO did not appear at all for meet and greet weekend I. We were told that they might be available by weekend III. We did the Luke and Leia line a couple of times and there was only one instance where both of them stayed for 1 picture, other than that, Luke would come and take Leia's place. It'll be very hard to time getting them together and I wouldn't stress about it.
Also Luke and Leia seem to be roaming in the morning, early afternoon hours around Star Tours, we met Luke this way with no wait. So that could be another option if they are high priority
EDIT TO ADD: I guess I never saw R2D2 as the next poster says that a family met him. I stayed by their line for about an hour and a half and never saw R2 out. This happened last year as well, where you couldn't really predict when the droids would be out

Thank to everyone for the information leading up to the next five weekends of events.

to follow up, our day is incredibly packed. Let's assume we are not able to run into them while they are wandering and need to get in their lines, when are Luke and/or Leia at their spot? Luke at 4pm then.....?? Trying to write up the written agenda and plan of action for our day to maximize and prioritize everything.

EDIT: Hopefully we will find the droids we are looking for.