Official Star Wars Weekends Thread Tips and Tricks 2015

[lovethattink]

Darth Vader popcorn buckets were still available at the stand near TSM.

 

[lovethattink]

Oh and remember the latex Jabba the Hut I pre-order ed for Rebel Rendezvous. Lots of them are for sale at Yous Guys.

 

[williamscm3]

1.- There's a face painting station right across from Star Tours that offers the Darth Maul make up, now I'm not sure if it's year round 2.- I haven't seen the R2D2 buckets inside the quick service restaurants ever since SWW. Not sure if they still have the popcorn buckets What I'll do is the next time I go to DHS (probably next weekend) I'll make sure to ask about both face painting and buckets and I'll report back to you You can sign him up for JTA, they do that everyday, you need to get to the park in the morning to sign up or else you risk all the spots being taken for the day. You get different scenes during trips on Star Tours so try and get at least 2 rides in. Sometimes if you ask a CM if your son can be the Rebel Spy they will throw some pixie dust your way. Hope this helps

Thank you soooo much!! I really appreciate it!

 

[MGD2007]

Would someone please be kind enough to weigh in on the parade? I will be attending Star Wars weekends for the first time (hopefully) this May with my 7 year old daughter. From what I've read, to get a decent spot in the shade, you need to get a spot by at least 10am. My daughter can sit pretty well, but I'm wondering if a one and a half hour wait is worth the 15 minute parade. Plus, I can feel my blood boil already because there's a good chance we'll wait the 90 minutes, and then someone will try and sneak their kids in front of us at the last minute. Is the parade "worth" it, or should we try and take advantage of other activities when everyone else is at the parade?

Thank you, I appreciate any and all advice!

 

[yulilin3]

Would someone please be kind enough to weigh in on the parade? I will be attending Star Wars weekends for the first time (hopefully) this May with my 7 year old daughter. From what I've read, to get a decent spot in the shade, you need to get a spot by at least 10am. My daughter can sit pretty well, but I'm wondering if a one and a half hour wait is worth the 15 minute parade. Plus, I can feel my blood boil already because there's a good chance we'll wait the 90 minutes, and then someone will try and sneak their kids in front of us at the last minute. Is the parade "worth" it, or should we try and take advantage of other activities when everyone else is at the parade?

Thank you, I appreciate any and all advice!

First of all
The question "is xxx worth it" is a matter of personal opinion. I would say that you should go look at videos of this years parade for you to make that decision if it's worth it or not.
We always see it at least 3 times during the entire SWW period, to us it's worth it. You get to see plenty of SW characters and also all the celebrities that are here for the weekend.
As to people coming last minute trying to get the kids in front of you this is a problem that Disney can't control, I always politely but firmly explain that I've been holding the spot for 2 hours and there's no chance that the kids are sitting in front of me. That usually does the trick.
Is it just you and your daughter? or will there be more adults? you can always have someone go walk around with her, maybe do an attraction and then come back when it gets closer to parade time. I've done this and we have never had a problem.
If you have any other questions let us know

 

[lovethattink]

I would def. do the SWW parade/dessert package, but I'm also thinking that the price will go way up compared to this years.
Not thinking of doing any of the meals, even though I enjoyed the Sci Fi breakfast I don't think I'll do it again and have no desire to do the H&V dinner

That's my concern too.

I'd do the premium package again but not necessarily for the parade (which practically killed me trying to hold a spot in the blazing sun for an hour) The whole area didn't make sense for parade viewing and I include the FP+ parade spaces for MK too - Once you're two, three rows back there's no point in reserving (let alone paying for) a space for a parade without some sort of staging or tiering to see over the heads of the people in front of you. (Which I doubt would ever happen with all the potential liability issues)

It was great for the fireworks though!

(Hmm... I wonder if they make portable step ladders... and if DW would allow them... )

I'd do the character breakfast if I was going with a different group of people - But hanging out with my parents and other family members (who don't "get" character meals, let alone Star Wars ) it just isn't worthwhile.

I completely understand and relate with what you wrote about the parade viewing.

When a survey was emailed to me, I made a suggestion that tiered bleachers would be good for the parade viewing part of the package.

I was actually thinking about this last night, since we are planning a 2015 SWW trip. When I heard about the meals last year, I said I'd jump all over them. But in retrospect, I don't know if the one at Sci Fi holds much appeal, which is kinda shocking to me, since my original reaction was that it would be the one I'd prefer. But in thinking about it...my daughter loves Boba Fett, and of course everyone loves Vader. I don't think I'd be happy with a quick picture before a meal with them, and no possibility to get one with each character alone. From what I saw of pictures from the inside of Sci Fi (and now finally have eaten there myself) I don't think I'd be happy with the quality of them, since the lighting is so poor. Plus, it's fun to "spontaneously" meet up with a Jawa to trade with them out in the park. So I think the breakfast would be a skip for me.

Because the classic characters are so hard to get without going through a long line multiple times, I do think the H&V meal would be a must-do for us. It's just such a huge time saver.

If they did a meal with Luke-Leia-C3PO-R2D2, I'd be all over that as well, though I don't think they really have a venue for that.

I'm not sure about the premium package. Probably, depending the price and what's included. As long as there was reserved seating at a show, I probably would because that's a timesaver itself.

I agree about the not getting Boba Fett and Vader alone. I expected them to be at two different check points.

We went May the 4th. the lighting was ok for pictures. Most people used flash and it didn't bother us. I expected all the flashing lights to be bothersome with the darkness inside the restaurant.

Oh yes! Luke-Leia-C3PO-R2D2 would be a great meal.

My son preferred the trading at the breakfast.

And for us, an indoor character meet was something we couldn't give up since he can't be in the heat. I cancelled our character dinner because we had already seen those characters at the Rebel Rendezvous.

 

[Good Morning Dewdrop]

1.- There's a face painting station right across from Star Tours that offers the Darth Maul make up, now I'm not sure if it's year round
2.- I haven't seen the R2D2 buckets inside the quick service restaurants ever since SWW. Not sure if they still have the popcorn buckets
What I'll do is the next time I go to DHS (probably next weekend) I'll make sure to ask about both face painting and buckets and I'll report back to you
You can sign him up for JTA, they do that everyday, you need to get to the park in the morning to sign up or else you risk all the spots being taken for the day.
You get different scenes during trips on Star Tours so try and get at least 2 rides in. Sometimes if you ask a CM if your son can be the Rebel Spy they will throw some pixie dust your way.
Hope this helps

If you don't mind could you ask the face painters a question - DD would like to have her face done like Ahsoka Tano (Star Wars The Clone Wars) - can they do other characters (than the ones they officially offer)?

Thank you!

 

[yulilin3]

If you don't mind could you ask the face painters a question - DD would like to have her face done like Ahsoka Tano (Star Wars The Clone Wars) - can they do other characters (than the ones they officially offer)?

Thank you!

I'll ask, like I said I don't think I'll be able to go this weekend but I'll check next weekend

 

[Good Morning Dewdrop]

I'll ask, like I said I don't think I'll be able to go this weekend but I'll check next weekend

Thank you and 'no' rush! Part of me really hopes they can do it - DD would be thrilled....part of me hopes not as I think an all over face paint would be hot ....thoughts?

We've got our fingers crossed they start SWW before Memorial Day weekend!

 

[yulilin3]

Thank you and 'no' rush! Part of me really hopes they can do it - DD would be thrilled....part of me hopes not as I think an all over face paint would be hot ....thoughts?

We've got our fingers crossed they start SWW before Memorial Day weekend!

I've seen plenty of Darth Mauls makeup just smeared all over the kids faces because it's hot and they start rubbing it. I'm really hoping they stick to the regular dates, it now says on the Disney site:
coming summer 2015
https://disneyworld.disney.go.com/events-tours/hollywood-studios/star-wars-weekend/

 

[lovethattink]

And that begs to question. Actual summer of June 21 or Memorial Day weekend and beyond as most would consider summer.

 

[Itinkso]

And that begs to question. Actual summer of June 21 or Memorial Day weekend and beyond as most would consider summer.

Disney's idea of summer differs from most conventional thinkers. The "Summer Casting" for CMs begins the second week in May. With that logic, SWW could begin mid-May...

 

[yulilin3]

And that begs to question. Actual summer of June 21 or Memorial Day weekend and beyond as most would consider summer.

Disney's idea of summer differs from most conventional thinkers. The "Summer Casting" for CMs begins the second week in May. With that logic, SWW could begin mid-May...

crossing fingers...it doesn't make any sense to have SWW later in June but Disney has been doing some weird things lately

 

[jtowntoflorida]

When an event starts in mid-May, I think it's misleading to say it starts in "spring." To me, "spring" is March-April and summer begins in May. And I live in Minnesota, where it still snows in May! **cry**

 

[lovethattink]

Just watched the Rebels movie. It was awesome!

 

[poison ivy]

Hi Everyone,

just wanted to share. I've included our SWW IV trip in a mini-update w/photos on my trip report.

the section on Weekend IV starts here:
http://www.disboards.com/showpost.php?p=51984316&postcount=222

I'll be adding a few more installments so stay tuned.

christine

 

[yulilin3]

TBT not to long ago. These are from the dessert party this year, enjoy:

 

[lovethattink]

Nice pics. Wonder if it will be the same for 2015? I can taste the desserts, yum. And I'll take some more padawan punch please!

 

[poison ivy]

whoops! just realized my link was bad. It's been fixed if you want to take a look.

starts here w/ the Premiere Theatre show: http://www.disboards.com/showpost.php?p=51984316&postcount=222

camping out at DHS is here: http://www.disboards.com/showpost.php?p=52409549&postcount=235

I'll be including the Galactic Breakfast and Parade next.

 

[yulilin3]

whoops! just realized my link was bad. It's been fixed if you want to take a look.

starts here w/ the Premiere Theatre show: http://www.disboards.com/showpost.php?p=51984316&postcount=222

camping out at DHS is here: http://www.disboards.com/showpost.php?p=52409549&postcount=235

I'll be including the Galactic Breakfast and Parade next.

great report, and hey, I'm there in the picture of the fp line for Mark Hamill