Official Star Wars Weekends Thread Tips and Tricks 2015

[wdwalice]

I'm having a great time reading about everyone's SWW experiences. I didn't realize how much I would enjoy SWW and have now decided that we must go again next year. Not sure how but I will make it happen!!

 

[Arich01]

Oh, hey look a DPB post about SWW, they haven't forgotten about us
http://disneyparks.disney.go.com/bl...ake-you-as-close-to-the-force-as-you-can-get/

I really like the comment you posted on that article

 

[yulilin3]

I like the Disney SW characters and would be disappointed if they took them away completely, but I'm totally ok with having to pay for dinner to meet them. I was happy they were the first "SW" characters we saw because sometimes my son can be iffy with new characters. So to have some old favorites dressed as something new worked well for us. I feel like it's a nice way to keep it more "kid friendly" for the little ones who maybe haven't seen SW's yet (but who have SW loving parents or older siblings). Meeting Darth Goofy is VERY different from meeting Darth Vader!!

During the VIP tour I opted out of Star Tours and stood in a nice air conditioned spot outside of Tattoine Traders while the rest of the group rode. It was very obvious that about 95% of the people were there for SWW (were dressed in their SW gear). About another 2-3% you could tell that they knew it was SWW, but they didn't care about the SW's stuff. That last few percent though just looked totally confused - like who in the heck are these crazy people?!?! Granted Star Tours probably isn't the best place to get a truly random sense of the parks, but...

Also, while waiting near the theatre for SW shows, I saw maybe 4 people (over 2 days) come up and ask CM's when the next Beauty and the Beast show was going to be.

We were behind the stage last Sunday waiting to get pics as the characters and celebrities came off stage and there was a pair of ladies each with stroller and 4 kids. They were waiting for the parade and were so happy that they got a spot that wasn't crowded at 11am :/
I told them that from there they really couldn't see much of the parade but would be able to see he characters getting off stage. They said, oh no, this is a great spot for parade...Parade came and went and you really couldn't see it that well, they just stared at me and asked: So why are you here? I told them that I was getting pics of them coming off stage. They started planning (at that moment of the day) the rest of their day and said, "from here we'll go to B&B to see Belle" she was talking to her little one...I couldn't stop myself and told them that B&B was only being performed in the morning. They gave me a stare of pure disgust and left
It's amazing to me, that in this day and age, when you spend so much money coming to Disney, people still feel that they can go in and not have to even look at a schedule...these are the same people that later will say that they had a horrible trip and everything went wrong

 

[yulilin3]

mashup cosplay on point
https://instagram.com/p/3ROpiBgisY/

 

[mesaboy2]

Last Baymax update from me, line is easily 90 minutes, likely more, at 10:30a when he first shows up.

 

[Skywise]

I agree -- if they make this call, it's because they think it's the best way to safeguard the SW brand -- and it wouldn't hurt the Disney brand at all. They'd be insane to sell the franchise; don't think that would be the impetus. While I do think some attend SWW SPECIFICALLY to "meet" Darth Vader or Boba Fett, I doubt many people SPECIFICALLY attend just to meet Jedi Mickey. We did the dinner because it was new to us and the kids thought they were cute. As cute as the SW/Disney characters are, if they weren't there, it would not affect our decision to go back to SWW in the least. Now if they took the "real" SW characters away, forget it. That said, I wonder how many die-hard SW fans are in some way put off by the mixed characters? I'd assume that if they do this, they have some market research to back it up.

If you think you can better protect one brand (SW) while not hurting the other brand in the process (Disney), seems like a reasonable thing to do, from a business perspective. I'm just not sure it "hurts" the SW brand to have mixed characters for 5 wks out of the year...

Mixing the brands in merchandise and especially in generally released media would have an impact on the brand. But in the park shouldn't be an issue. Possibly Disney is concerned about mixing the family/child friendly innocence of Mickey with the more adult Star Wars too (Back in the 80s there was a big brouhaha about Touchstone making adult type fare as it was a Disney company and Disney had to go to great pains to point out these were completely separate entities). But I can't see why Mickey and the gang can't... cosplay....

I really, REALLY don't think they'll stop using Jedi Mickey!!

(Although I stand by my original assertion - Ultimately I think this is purely a business decision to keep the legal entities separate in case they ever get sold. I worked for a relatively small company (a little over 100 people) that was 4 different legal corporations under an umbrella corp and there were strict rules about what I could and could not share with the guy in the cube across from me who, just the week previous, was in my "company" when he got sliced out. We were STILL working on the same project but his part was now a product being delivered to my "company" under "contract". His paycheck even came from a different bank account! No, I don't think Disney would sell the Star Wars franchise but never say never...)

 

[Skywise]

Ok, one last Darth Mall question - I'm looking at the guide map on wdwmagic - The shop visiting order is Prop shop, Watto's Grotto then X-Wing Collectibles, right?

 

[slaveone]

We were behind the stage last Sunday waiting to get pics as the characters and celebrities came off stage and there was a pair of ladies each with stroller and 4 kids. They were waiting for the parade and were so happy that they got a spot that wasn't crowded at 11am :/
I told them that from there they really couldn't see much of the parade but would be able to see he characters getting off stage. They said, oh no, this is a great spot for parade...Parade came and went and you really couldn't see it that well, they just stared at me and asked: So why are you here? I told them that I was getting pics of them coming off stage. They started planning (at that moment of the day) the rest of their day and said, "from here we'll go to B&B to see Belle" she was talking to her little one...I couldn't stop myself and told them that B&B was only being performed in the morning. They gave me a stare of pure disgust and left
It's amazing to me, that in this day and age, when you spend so much money coming to Disney, people still feel that they can go in and not have to even look at a schedule...these are the same people that later will say that they had a horrible trip and everything went wrong

I have had people at AK complaining because there was no parade.

 

[jennab113]

what do you mean "Maul line closed" in the evening you mean. From the MDE schedule it seems Maul is meeting all day

They wouldn't let anyone else join the line. I went by at 9:15 and it was shut off. I asked and the guy said Maul would be taking a break but would be back at 10:20. I came back again at 9:55 and new people were in line but it was shut again. I asked how long his set was and gestured and said "all of these people." I asked when would be a good time to get in line and he said he didn't know.

 

[slaveone]

Ok, one last Darth Mall question - I'm looking at the guide map on wdwmagic - The shop visiting order is Prop shop, Watto's Grotto then X-Wing Collectibles, right?

I recommend going with x wing first then wattos. Exit from wattos ends near prop shop.

 

[momofallsons]

MagicBands arrived!!!! Question for those of you with small children... they say 'peel here to make smaller' on the inside... are you actually supposed to detach the whole outer gray section??

 

[yulilin3]

Ok, one last Darth Mall question - I'm looking at the guide map on wdwmagic - The shop visiting order is Prop shop, Watto's Grotto then X-Wing Collectibles, right?

I agree with slaveone

I have had people at AK complaining because there was no parade.

OMG!! that's crazy

They wouldn't let anyone else join the line. I went by at 9:15 and it was shut off. I asked and the guy said Maul would be taking a break but would be back at 10:20. I came back again at 9:55 and new people were in line but it was shut again. I asked how long his set was and gestured and said "all of these people." I asked when would be a good time to get in line and he said he didn't know.

well it looks like they are handling his line differently this weekend

I recommend going with x wing first then wattos. Exit from wattos ends near prop shop.

 

[Cluelyss]

MagicBands arrived!!!! Question for those of you with small children... they say 'peel here to make smaller' on the inside... are you actually supposed to detach the whole outer gray section??

Yes. It snaps off very easily.

 

[Cluelyss]

not really staying for fireworks. Most of the time I'll spend by the Luke and Leia line trying to get some sort of schedule for the droids. I'll pm you when I'm there. No drinks needed or allowed (since I'm driving back early) but would love to meet you

We may try to meet them tonight - hopefully we'll see you there!

 

[momofallsons]

Yes. It snaps off very easily.

Thanks! It looked like it would come off easily, but didn't want to mess up the band if you weren't actually supposed to take it all off.

 

[Cluelyss]

Thanks! It looked like it would come off easily, but didn't want to mess up the band if you weren't actually supposed to take it all off.

It freaked me out the first time too

 

[DanielWhitney]

Okay, I have a 11:35 50s ADR for June 12th. How hard would it be to watch the parade and still make it. I can do the parade Sunday if I have to because I don't have any reservations for Lunch that day.

 

[williamscm3]

I really like the comment you posted on that article

I agree! That was the perfect post @yulilin3 . We LOVED the rebel hangar! The food, drinks, and atmosphere were awesome. I am still dreaming about those corn dogs! Lol I also liked the uncertainty of who might be dropping in...it added a little more excitement to the whole meal...and when the characters you were hoping for...ummm like Ezra and Sabine...just happen to drop in and hold an awesome conversation with your son, it makes it that much more special

 

[yulilin3]

From twitter
MagicBand Collectors ‏@DisMagicBands 2m2 minutes ago
All LE #MagicBands at #SWW2015 are already sold out, include #Jedi #Mickey and Jedi #Donald.

 

[delmar411]

@jennab113 DH and I saw you meeting Vader this morning.

We have done a lot of random wandering today and we are both insanely exhausted because of how cold it was last night. Made it super hard to sleep.

DH met Padme, we got the AP posters, went to the Mall first thing....ATAT shirts are here, go back after lunchtime. The rags they got were wrong so they are reprinting and going to tag as fast as they can but by this afternoon they should be there......Rode ST and GMR, charged phones for a while and are grabbing lunch at backlot. Then we are waiting for our celeb times to.come up as DH has to book it to work immediately after.