Official Star Wars Weekends Thread Tips and Tricks 2015

[jillmc40]

How late do the festivities go at the parks during SWW? We have DS6(will be) and DD8. We were thinking we would get there super early, meet characters, do the parade, and then leave early evening? I guess there is fireworks. But if we are not going to meet the actors, or see the shows (they are more for adults I am thinking?), just get DS to do PTA, and meet the characters he really likes, is it an ALL DAY every day thing? We will be there late Wednesday to late Monday, and plan to spend fri, sat, sun in DHS.

I was thinking we would maybe go to Epcot for dinner, or the Boardwalk? Or are we going to be there so late because there is so much to do we just grab food and collapse in our room (I'm being dramatic)

I have no idea what to expect! I also have to fit in (probably Thursday) a day for DD to celebrate her First Communion (she will have received it the weekend before). This day has to have absolutely nothing to do with Star Wars...We might not even be allowed to say the words She is not a fan - although she secretly wants to hug Chewwy but is "doing it for her brother"

 

[Itinkso]

How late do the festivities go at the parks during SWW? We have DS6(will be) and DD8. We were thinking we would get there super early, meet characters, do the parade, and then leave early evening? I guess there is fireworks. But if we are not going to meet the actors, or see the shows (they are more for adults I am thinking?), just get DS to do PTA, and meet the characters he really likes, is it an ALL DAY every day thing? We will be there late Wednesday to late Monday, and plan to spend fri, sat, sun in DHS. I was thinking we would maybe go to Epcot for dinner, or the Boardwalk? Or are we going to be there so late because there is so much to do we just grab food and collapse in our room (I'm being dramatic) I have no idea what to expect! I also have to fit in (probably Thursday) a day for DD to celebrate her First Communion (she will have received it the weekend before). This day has to have absolutely nothing to do with Star Wars...We might not even be allowed to say the words She is not a fan - although she secretly wants to hug Chewwy but is "doing it for her brother"

You do need to get there at rope drop to sign up for Jedi Training Academy. You may want to rope drop another morning for Chewie's line. We did that on the final SWW day and met him by 8:05.

You can easily take a break and head to Epcot as you don't need to watch the parade each day. The characters roam throughout the late morning and afternoon so you'll catch them for sure.

Fireworks will take place 15 minutes before the park closes. The only other thing to consider is the weather. If afternoon thunderstorms are forecast, schedule a morning JTA session. Try to meet characters during good weather on your first day so that you don't end up missing any if the weather turns bad.

 

[jillmc40]

You do need to get there at rope drop to sign up for Jedi Training Academy. You may want to rope drop another morning for Chewie's line. We did that on the final SWW day and met him by 8:05.

You can easily take a break and head to Epcot as you don't need to watch the parade each day. The characters roam throughout the late morning and afternoon so you'll catch them for sure.

Fireworks will take place 15 minutes before the park closes. The only other thing to consider is the weather. If afternoon thunderstorms are forecast, schedule a morning JTA session. Try to meet characters during good weather on your first day so that you don't end up missing any if the weather turns bad.

Good point! We will try to do it all sooner rather than later! Thank you! Is rope drop earlier than park open during SWW? I remember one year we planned to get to DHS for Rope Drop (not during SWW). We got there before the park opened, and it was already open! What is the suggested time to get there?

If it rains do they move characters inside or is it no characters at all?

 

[Itinkso]

Good point! We will try to do it all sooner rather than later! Thank you! Is rope drop earlier than park open during SWW? I remember one year we planned to get to DHS for Rope Drop (not during SWW). We got there before the park opened, and it was already open! What is the suggested time to get there?

If it rains do they move characters inside or is it no characters at all?

Last year, guests began entering @ 7:30 and the Stormtrooper opening was a few minutes later.

I'm not sure where the characters went during the rain - we were stuck at Fairfax Faire because lightning was striking close by and no one was moving anywhere. yulilin can address this better than me! She is, by far, the expert with great info and tips!!

 

[jtowntoflorida]

If it rains do they move characters inside or is it no characters at all?

I'm not sure where the characters went during the rain - we were stuck at Fairfax Faire because lightning was striking close by and no one was moving anywhere. yulilin can address this better than me! She is, by far, the expert with great info and tips!!

We were there during the post-Andrea period of a lot of rain in 2013. The characters disappear in the rain, other than the ones that meet inside, which in 2013 was only the characters that met at Darth Mall. On the night we had rain, we had A LOT of rain...it rained for hours and hours. The park emptied out after about an hour when it was obvious that none of the SWW stuff was really happening anymore. They did end up cancelling Hoopla that night as well.

 

[yulilin3]

Good point! We will try to do it all sooner rather than later! Thank you! Is rope drop earlier than park open during SWW? I remember one year we planned to get to DHS for Rope Drop (not during SWW). We got there before the park opened, and it was already open! What is the suggested time to get there?

If it rains do they move characters inside or is it no characters at all?

Official opening time during SWW is 8am but the park opens around 7:30am with the stormtrooper welcome show at 7:35am, that takes about 10 minutes then you're free to go.
If you are signing up for JTA stay to the left of Hollywood Blvd and after the welcome show CM will direct you where to go. Strollers are not allowed in the line for sign ups so you have to park them before hand
Characters don't have a rain location, the only ones that keep meeting are the ones that are inside.
If you are signing up for JTA be at the entrance no later than 7:15am so you have less time in line waiting to sign up

 

[jillmc40]

Thank you everyone for the info!! I'm sure I will have more questions, but this is a great start!

 

[The Sunrise Student]

Hello jillmc40,

Another tip... you don't even have to stay at the park all day either. If you are worried about your son making it through a fireworks night go back to your hotel, do a swim/nap session. You are planning to stay at the Boardwalk (we stayed at the Boardwalk Inn for 2014 SWW) it was so easy to go back and forth between DHS and the Boardwalk! You are planning to stay at one of the easiest resort areas to traverse back and forth from during this event.

My BF and I would got back and forth from DHS and the BWI several times a day because we were one the of the crazy ones to do celebrity autographs and had art work for them to sign, so we wouldn't carry those items all day. We would fetch them before it was time to sign and then take them back so they wouldn't get ruined, and whether we walked it or took the boat back it was super easy!

 

[yulilin3]

TBT time, this week's is all about the 501st. I just love this group of people. This is from SWW 2009

 

[The Sunrise Student]

Yulilin, I hadn't seen the biker scout, with speeder before, that's awesome

Keeping up with Yulilin's theme... Here is one of our Disers Ash, marching with the 501st for the first time at Disney in his white officer uniform at 2013 SWW

 

[yulilin3]

Sad with the imminent clousure of Backlot Tour, and this now poses a new set of questions
If the close the entire area where will all the meet and greets during SWW go?
My guess is Streets of America, they have plenty of room to add Darth Vader, the Fetts, Darth Maul and the roaming characters.
Backlot Tours cast members have a meeting today at 5pm where they will be informed of when they are closing, I'll try and get this info and report back

 

[lovethattink]

Sad with the imminent clousure of Backlot Tour, and this now poses a new set of questions
If the close the entire area where will all the meet and greets during SWW go?
My guess is Streets of America, they have plenty of room to add Darth Vader, the Fetts, Darth Maul and the roaming characters.
Backlot Tours cast members have a meeting today at 5pm where they will be informed of when they are closing, I'll try and get this info and report back

Oh wow. Didn't realize that was closing so soon too. Hope its not closing too soon.

 

[yulilin3]

Oh wow. Didn't realize that was closing so soon too. Hope its not closing too soon.

The CM meeting is today at 5pm, so I'll have more this evening. But they have been scheduled to work only until Oct. 10th

 

[lovethattink]

The CM meeting is today at 5pm, so I'll have more this evening. But they have been scheduled to work only until Oct. 10th

Oh good. So there's time.

 

[The Sunrise Student]

I know there had been talk about shutting down both Backlot and Lights, Motors, Action extreme Stunt Show.... an news on the Stunt show?

This was on WDW New Today....


http://wdwnt.com/blog/2014/09/bye-b...coming-many-current-attractions-closing-soon/

 

[k_null81]

So we usually go to WDW in May and usually spend a couple hours at the Studios during SWW's because my husband is a huge fan but we don't usually do any of the events...this year I'm hoping to maybe actually watch some of the events. My question is I have seen video's on Youtube of what looks like dance contest on the main stage and also on the stage where they do the Jedi academy. Can someone tell me if this is something they do every day during SWW's? Seems some videos were in the evening and some I saw it was still light out. Just wondering is this a specific show? Or is it random? TIA!

 

[Itinkso]

So we usually go to WDW in May and usually spend a couple hours at the Studios during SWW's because my husband is a huge fan but we don't usually do any of the events...this year I'm hoping to maybe actually watch some of the events. My question is I have seen video's on Youtube of what looks like dance contest on the main stage and also on the stage where they do the Jedi academy. Can someone tell me if this is something they do every day during SWW's? Seems some videos were in the evening and some I saw it was still light out. Just wondering is this a specific show? Or is it random? TIA!

A video that was recently posted was from 2009's Hyperspace Hoopla. Hoopla's last year was 2013 and it is no longer a part of SWW.

 

[yulilin3]

So we usually go to WDW in May and usually spend a couple hours at the Studios during SWW's because my husband is a huge fan but we don't usually do any of the events...this year I'm hoping to maybe actually watch some of the events. My question is I have seen video's on Youtube of what looks like dance contest on the main stage and also on the stage where they do the Jedi academy. Can someone tell me if this is something they do every day during SWW's? Seems some videos were in the evening and some I saw it was still light out. Just wondering is this a specific show? Or is it random? TIA!

A video that was recently posted was from 2009's Hyperspace Hoopla. Hoopla's last year was 2013 and it is no longer a part of SWW.

Yeah, it sounds like Hyperspace Hoopla. But you can look for videos for:
Behind the Force
Stars of the Saga
Symphony in the Stars (those were the fireworks this year)

And official word is out that Backlot Tour is closing next Saturday the 27th.

 

[poison ivy]

Are they planning something with Marvel in that Backlot area?

 

[yulilin3]

Are they planning something with Marvel in that Backlot area?

It's looking more like a Pixar expansion.