Official Star Wars Weekends Thread Tips and Tricks 2015

[yulilin3]

Besides reserved seating for the Fantasmic!, what else do you get with the Jedi Mickey's H&V Fantasmic! Package?

I'm just curious is the $6 extra actually gets you anything other than the F! seating.

What time is the first F! show?

What time are the Fireworks?

Is it worth it to get the H&V F! package and will there be enough time to get a decent spot for Fireworks?

Thanks!!

It just gets you guaranteed seats for F! and they are all the way on the left side of the theater (no the best viewing area).
This years SWW schedule had F! at 9 and 10:30pm. Fireworks were at 9:45pm
If you see the fireworks you'll have time to make it for the second F! with no problem, just using regular standby line.
If you see the first F! you'll leave the theater around 9:30pm and end up all the way in the front of the park with about 6 thousand other people coming from F!.
I recommend watching the fireworks and going to the second F!

 

[yulilin3]

1. Nothing, just the Fantasmic seating.

2. What day? Park hours and Fantasmic schedules are out for May but not June. May is showing only one session of Fantasmic at 9 PM with the park closing at 8:30. Can't tell if that's going to be what actually happens though, they may adjust hours later. I would bet that 8:30 showing on the DIS chart is either an error or the hours will get extended to 10. They could add some second Fantasmic shows too.
3. Fireworks were scheduled at 9:30.

I don't know if it might be worth it for you. Have you seen Fantasmic? Is it a favorite? Do you have another day you can go to DHS and maybe use a FP+ for Fantasmic? Personally I'd rather see the Star Wars fireworks and I'd only try to do both if there was a second Fantasmic show and you can't get a dining package for a second show.

this year the hours changed to 8am-10pm and the added a second F! about 3 months before the first SWW

 

[MakiraMarlena]

they are all the way on the left side of the theater (no the best viewing area).

They were moved so that they are in the center. have they been moved back?

 

[yulilin3]

They were moved so that they are in the center. have they been moved back?

I didn't know that. Thanks for the heads up. So now the right side is for fp+?
I've never done the package or fp+ and have always got a good seat toward the center

 

[MakiraMarlena]

I went last December (no package) and the signs for package seating were in the center. the boards have confirmed that it is now the center section. Don't know where they put FP+. I'm not a major fan and I only see it every few years.

 

[yulilin3]

I went last December (no package) and the signs for package seating were in the center. the boards have confirmed that it is now the center section. Don't know where they put FP+. I'm not a major fan and I only see it every few years.

I love F! and watch it at least 6 times a year but never payed attention to the reserved section.

 

[Itinkso]

I love F! and watch it at least 6 times a year but never payed attention to the reserved section.

I watch Fant quite often, usually all shows the nights when DD is performing, and she always requests that we sit in the Beast reserved FP area.

FP is the reserved section encompassing all the left sections of the amphitheater.

Dining Package has the center sections only for the 1st Fant of the night. (For the 2nd Fant, it usually opens for FP guests - depends on the seating Managers.)

Standby/walk-ins fill in the right sections until they are full. Then late-comers are held in the entry plaza and can fill in any open spaces after the FP window closes.

 

[yulilin3]

I watch Fant quite often, usually all shows the nights when DD is performing, and she always requests that we sit in the Beast reserved FP area.

FP is the reserved section encompassing all the left sections of the amphitheater.

Dining Package has the center sections only for the 1st Fant of the night. (For the 2nd Fant, it usually opens for FP guests - depends on the seating Managers.)

Standby/walk-ins fill in the right sections until they are full. Then late-comers are held in the entry plaza and can fill in any open spaces after the FP window closes.

Thanks for the clarification.

 

[Meech Loves Mickey]

1. Nothing, just the Fantasmic seating.

2. What day? Park hours and Fantasmic schedules are out for May but not June. May is showing only one session of Fantasmic at 9 PM with the park closing at 8:30. Can't tell if that's going to be what actually happens though, they may adjust hours later. I would bet that 8:30 showing on the DIS chart is either an error or the hours will get extended to 10. They could add some second Fantasmic shows too.
3. Fireworks were scheduled at 9:30.

I don't know if it might be worth it for you. Have you seen Fantasmic? Is it a favorite? Do you have another day you can go to DHS and maybe use a FP+ for Fantasmic? Personally I'd rather see the Star Wars fireworks and I'd only try to do both if there was a second Fantasmic show and you can't get a dining package for a second show.

Friday, May 12th. The times are not out yet, but when I look at the previous Friday it is only showing one show at 9pm.

We have seen it before, and it is one of our favorites, but if there is nothing extra besides the seating, I'm just going to go with the regular dining ADR. My kids may end up getting cranky and we may have to leave early and not make the F! show.

Thanks!

 

[mom2febgirls]

Does anyone have a link to the parade route?

I know we won't be lining up super early, but I don't want a bad view. Where are the good/decent places to see the parade?

 

[yulilin3]

Does anyone have a link to the parade route?

I know we won't be lining up super early, but I don't want a bad view. Where are the good/decent places to see the parade?

It goes from the front of the park to the Hat stage (now it'll probably be a stage since the hat is being removed)
The best spots are along Hollywood Blvd as you face the Grauman's Theater, on your left. That's the spot that stays shady up until parade time

 

[yulilin3]

you can click on my review of the galactic breakfast w/photos HERE to get an idea of the experience if that helps.

We didn't attend the H&V dinner so unfortunately I don't have that event for comparison.



Here's my map from 6/6/14 SWW IV
Chewbacca's location is the Green Circle - following the Red Arrow on Commissary Lane

the red dots show the parade route

 

[yulilin3]

Spoiler alert if you want to be surprised during the Christmas Parade on Dec. 25th.....................






https://www.facebook.com/attraction....8093464329/10152858067714330/?type=1&theater

That's Tim Tebow...I don't get it either

 

[mom2febgirls]

the red dots show the parade route

I saw that map earlier and thought red dots usually showed the parade routes, but it seemed really short. Eek...I see why people line up super early now :/

 

[yulilin3]

I saw that map earlier and thought red dots usually showed the parade routes, but it seemed really short. Eek...I see why people line up super early now :/

Yeah, it used to go all the way down to the JTA stage but they do a welcome show with all the characters and the space there isn't large enough.
The 501st and Rebel Legion DO march on and exit thru the gates by Star Tours but all the rest of the characters go up on the "Hat Stage for the welcome show

 

[lovethattink]

I saw that map earlier and thought red dots usually showed the parade routes, but it seemed really short. Eek...I see why people line up super early now :/

It is really short. We usually watched the 501st and Rebel Legion march instead. We'd arrive last minute to the Backlot Express restaurant.

 

[Brit_Jude]

Just subscribed! Can't wait for Star Wars Weekends again. DH and I are luck to be local now. We've booked the Sci-Fi breakfast but for a non SWW so we can maximize our time during the weekends. We did the Feel the Force package last year and we hope to do it again this year we really enjoyed having the reserved parade viewing area and the I still smile when thinking about the dessert party. We aren't really interested in the HW&V meals.

We would like to participate and DISMeets going on during the weekends.

So excited!

 

[yulilin3]

Just subscribed! Can't wait for Star Wars Weekends again. DH and I are luck to be local now. We've booked the Sci-Fi breakfast but for a non SWW so we can maximize our time during the weekends. We did the Feel the Force package last year and we hope to do it again this year we really enjoyed having the reserved parade viewing area and the I still smile when thinking about the dessert party. We aren't really interested in the HW&V meals.

We would like to participate and DISMeets going on during the weekends.

So excited!

Welcome to Orlando .

 

[The Sunrise Student]

I think more of a traditionalist. We've never gone to SWW. Or to Disney at all without the kids. I booked the H&V dinner but may cancel. I think he'd love the traditional characters and would think the Disney characters dressed up is cute but at those prices, I think taking pics during the parade thing should be enough.

Loving this thread. Thanks all!

If cost is an issue I would go with the traditional characters first and then see what his reaction is to the Disney ones... However both meals are super fun and we liked the food at H&V, it had lots of choices, all you can eat buffet. Don't get me wrong you can have your fill as the sci-fi breakfast too, they even bring you more upon request but we were so stuffed when we left it was crazy!

But weighing in all factors is a biggy if there is a cost thing to consider...

I know this is a surprise so that can be hard to plan anything: Remember be flexible with everything, plan out alternative options if things do run long, and put a 5 must do list together ahead of time.

 

[The Sunrise Student]

Love that Darth Maul Poster! Great job with the autograph.

We only had the 1 FP for Ray Park and he would only sign 1 of our action figures so I know we'll be seeing him again if we ever get another opportunity.
But I agree, it's crazy how long the autograph lines were at such an early hour for a Friday. We needed a break by the time the parade ended.

The artwork we had Ray sign was something my boyfriend jumped through many hoops to acquire so we had to get it signed. We did two FP for Ray, I had Ray sign out SWW poster and BF had him sign the art work.

We have talked about Celebrities FP and the lines, and how we love to get several Celebrities to sign our SWW posters... (see picture below) BUT we have also talked about Marching Day, and with that in mind we are going to have to skip those Celebrities FP lines for those Celebrities that we have to get that early for.

Can you imagine us trying to march with the 501st in full costume in the Florida heat (being northerners that kind of heat is HOT) and not having a full nights sleep... OH DEAR GAWDS!?!?!

We are wanting to do this every year, and even kept the wall space for it. So far we just have SWW 2013 and 2014. SWW 2013 poster has the signatures of Warwick David, Ray Parks and Jeremy Bulloch SWW 2014 has the signatures of Ray Parks, James Arnold Taylor and Ashley Eckstein.