Official Star Wars Weekends Thread Tips and Tricks 2015

[Cluelyss]

What is Feel the Force pkg?

Feel the Force was a premium package first offered last year (for an additional cost) which included a reserved viewing area for the parade and fireworks, as well as drinks and desserts before the fireworks. No word yet as to if/when this will be offered again this year. There are a few reviews earlier in this thread, and I've located a few threads from last year that discuss the package in detail if you want some particulars on what specifically was available.

 

[Artax]

We probably met you last year - we were 3rd in line for Chewy first weekend first day! DD was dressed as Jedi Bultar Swan.

We'll be there from the 13th - 19th this year and will probably see Chewy first thing on the Friday.

I saw Kenny in line for Darth Maul but was too shy to say anything!

Welcome!!

Yes I believe you were the one I remember meeting that day. I saw some pictures here on DISboards of your daughter a few weeks after our trip so I knew it was you, I just coudldnt recall your username. I think the two girls between us in line were also from DISboards but I don't know what their usernames are. But they followed me to darth maul and talked to kennythepirate after I talked with him for a few minutes.

 

[Beezle2]

When you say everything is that including all the characters available and all the shows?
3 days should be enough to accomplish all of them. Make sure to make a list of which characters are in your priority list. This list will be helpful to meet all of them with the least amount of time.

I want to do all the shows. Not sure what the group will want to do for characters. We will probably want to do some of the costumed ones but pretty sure no one will want to be in line at 3 a.m to get FP for the real actors of the shows. I will keep an eye on the list of character for when we go

 

[yulilin3]

We have been to Disney many times, but this will be our first time going to SWW. We will be there May 20-25. I have already made ADRs for SW breakfast and dinner. One of the other draws for this weekend is the possibility of 24. hr event that weekend. Any SWW experts...do you think if there is another 24 hr. event that going to SWW on that day is a good idea as it will be less crowded due to 24 hr event? Also, since we will be there Memorial Day weekend, do you think SWW will be that much more crowded due to holiday?

I can't change dates as we have airfare and such plus this weekend works as DS will miss less school. So this is more or a curiosity question.


Thanks!

The 24 hours event at MK doesn't really affect the crowds for SWW. Many, if nor most, od the people that go to SWW are people that come every year, they come just for SWW. Memorial day weekend does tend to put the crowds a bit bigger but not really that much of a difference with any other weekends.

My goal is to have the kids meet Chewie first thing. With the park opening at 8am will he be there at 8?

Remember that the official park opening will say 8am but the open the park around 7:30am. They do the Sotrmtrooper show welcoming everyone to SWW at Hollywood and Vine (you are roped out until the stormtroopers let you in) then you go inside. So if Chewie is a priority be at the entrance no later than 7:20am and head straight for his line. He began his meet at 8am everyday last year.

I want to do all the shows. Not sure what the group will want to do for characters. We will probably want to do some of the costumed ones but pretty sure no one will want to be in line at 3 a.m to get FP for the real actors of the shows. I will keep an eye on the list of character for when we go

Go to Kenny the Pirates site (link in first post) he has the list of all the characters that were here last year. The shows take a chunk of time, even if you have a fo for one of them you have to get in line at least 30 min, before each one if you're in standby so 3 days will help achieve all of the shows. Does anyone want to do JTA?

 

[glassslippergirl]

Hello. It looks like we will be going to SWW the weekend of May 22 and possibly one other weekend depending on the celebrities. May 22 is DH's birthday, and I'm surprising him with the SW breakfast at Sci Fi. I'd like to find a Jango Fett shirt for him (size XXL) and a Boba Fett shirt for DS2 (size 3-4t or XS). Ideally, I'd like them to coordinate. I'm coming up short on a web search. Does anyone have any ideas where I can find something like this or have it made? Thanks!

 

[Cluelyss]

Hello. It looks like we will be going to SWW the weekend of May 22 and possibly one other weekend depending on the celebrities. May 22 is DH's birthday, and I'm surprising him with the SW breakfast at Sci Fi. I'd like to find a Jango Fett shirt for him (size XXL) and a Boba Fett shirt for DS2 (size 3-4t or XS). Ideally, I'd like them to coordinate. I'm coming up short on a web search. Does anyone have any ideas where I can find something like this or have it made? Thanks!

Have you checked etsy? Try a Star Wars search there.

 

[Good Morning Dewdrop]

Yes I believe you were the one I remember meeting that day. I saw some pictures here on DISboards of your daughter a few weeks after our trip so I knew it was you, I just coudldnt recall your username. I think the two girls between us in line were also from DISboards but I don't know what their usernames are. But they followed me to darth maul and talked to kennythepirate after I talked with him for a few minutes.

yes! The girls that were 2nd in line post here under something like (I hope I'm remembering this correctly) OhioStateBuckeyes. I just told DH that you posted about the Chewy line and he couldn't believe it

 

[Beezle2]

Go to Kenny the Pirates site (link in first post) he has the list of all the characters that were here last year. The shows take a chunk of time, even if you have a fo for one of them you have to get in line at least 30 min, before each one if you're in standby so 3 days will help achieve all of the shows. Does anyone want to do JTA?

Thank you yulilin! I looked over KtP's site and made a few decisions. I have the Sci-Fi bfast reserved on Friday the 12th and also the HV dinner on Sunday the 14th. I was thinking of canceling the bfast but I am going to keep them both even though I think it is stupid expensive. I counted 10 characters we can cross off our list with the meals and since we are there this time for Star Wars that's a big amount of good characters. Another 10 or so over 3 days plus the shows and the parade once will make us feel like we really got to experience Star Wars at Disney. I am going to skip the Feel the Force thing and also go counter service for the rest of the trip for lunches to make myself feel better about spending so much on those 2 meals, the price is giving me the vapors!!

Also no need for JTA for us, no little kids this trip!

 

[yulilin3]

Thank you yulilin! I looked over KtP's site and made a few decisions. I have the Sci-Fi bfast reserved on Friday the 12th and also the HV dinner on Sunday the 14th. I was thinking of canceling the bfast but I am going to keep them both even though I think it is stupid expensive. I counted 10 characters we can cross off our list with the meals and since we are there this time for Star Wars that's a big amount of good characters. Another 10 or so over 3 days plus the shows and the parade once will make us feel like we really got to experience Star Wars at Disney. I am going to skip the Feel the Force thing and also go counter service for the rest of the trip for lunches to make myself feel better about spending so much on those 2 meals, the price is giving me the vapors!!

Also no need for JTA for us, no little kids this trip!

The character meals are a great timesaver for the characters. But I agree it's super expensive. From the characters that are not in the meals the biggest line will be Chewbacca (do that first thing one morning) followed by Darth Maul . Other than that all the other characters are pretty easy to get. Maybe 15 to 30 mini. waits.
For the parade plan on getting a spot early if you want a shady spot (left side of Hollywood Blvd as you face GMR) it gets super steamy being on the other side even if it's only for 1 hour. It takes a toll.

 

[Artax]

Thank you yulilin! I looked over KtP's site and made a few decisions. I have the Sci-Fi bfast reserved on Friday the 12th and also the HV dinner on Sunday the 14th. I was thinking of canceling the bfast but I am going to keep them both even though I think it is stupid expensive. I counted 10 characters we can cross off our list with the meals and since we are there this time for Star Wars that's a big amount of good characters. Another 10 or so over 3 days plus the shows and the parade once will make us feel like we really got to experience Star Wars at Disney. I am going to skip the Feel the Force thing and also go counter service for the rest of the trip for lunches to make myself feel better about spending so much on those 2 meals, the price is giving me the vapors!!

Also no need for JTA for us, no little kids this trip!

The character meals are a great timesaver for the characters. But I agree it's super expensive.

I do have to say they are expensive but if they put the disney characters inside darth maul again its worth it. At least for opening day if thats the only day you will make. We didnt even make it into darth maul until late afternoon when they stopped meeting last year becuase that place was so busy so we didnt get to see them. I was a little dissapointed they weren't outside again like the previous year.

I am not making that mistake again, I booked H&V for an off SWW day to not take up time during our day. We did scifi last year so I dont think its a must do for us this time.

 

[Artax]

One other thing I forgot to mention. Darth Vader and Chewy are definitely the longest lines but if you want to meet all of those pesky disney characters dressed up in thier star wars gear it can also take some massive time. Mainly becuase they rotate. In 2013 it took us 5 times through the line to finally get darth goofy and stormtrooper donald. We missed them by 2 families twice. We ended up going back a second day just to finally get them becuase my son was so dissapointed.

That right there may also make the H&V worth it to some, including me this year.

 

[bgg319]

We will be there the last weekend of SWW. My question to you good folks. Which would be the better day to go Friday or Sunday. I am leaning Friday since more locals would be working on Friday. What do you guys think? TIA.

 

[Cluelyss]

We will be there the last weekend of SWW. My question to you good folks. Which would be the better day to go Friday or Sunday. I am leaning Friday since more locals would be working on Friday. What do you guys think? TIA.

I've read that Fridays are normally the least crowded day, so would agree. Add that to your Sunday being THE last day of SWW, and I'd definitely do Friday!

 

[ibela]

We will be there the last weekend of SWW. My question to you good folks. Which would be the better day to go Friday or Sunday. I am leaning Friday since more locals would be working on Friday. What do you guys think? TIA.

That was my thought and am going Friday as well.

 

[Candleshoe]

I do have to say they are expensive but if they put the disney characters inside darth maul again its worth it.
..snip...

What do you mean if they put characters inside darth maul?


Also I have another fireworks/Fantasmic! question.
I'm considering (only considering b/c it's expensive for 8!!) getting the Feel The Force which gets us the reserved seating for the fireworks AND the Hollywood & Vine character meal with F! reserved seating. However, it's for the first showing of F! and the advice above was to watch the fireworks and do the 2nd seating of F!.

Sooo confused.

Also if it were you and you could only do one, would you do the SW Dine-in Breakfast (on a weekday), or the H&V chars?

My main concern is I like to ride rides at Rope Drop and i worry about a pre-opening breakfast and getting to TSMM at rope drop.

We've done park opening breakfasts before (CP, Tusker house) and rarely do we get out before the people start surging in. Since we'd be going with newbies I would hate to be all "hurry hurry" through breakfast.

I guess I could try for as late a morning breakfast as possible. Hmm..

 

[Itinkso]

What do you mean if they put characters inside darth maul?


Also I have another fireworks/Fantasmic! question.
I'm considering (only considering b/c it's expensive for 8!!) getting the Feel The Force which gets us the reserved seating for the fireworks AND the Hollywood & Vine character meal with F! reserved seating. However, it's for the first showing of F! and the advice above was to watch the fireworks and do the 2nd seating of F!.

Sooo confused.

Also if it were you and you could only do one, would you do the SW Dine-in Breakfast (on a weekday), or the H&V chars?

My main concern is I like to ride rides at Rope Drop and i worry about a pre-opening breakfast and getting to TSMM at rope drop.

We've done park opening breakfasts before (CP, Tusker house) and rarely do we get out before the people start surging in. Since we'd be going with newbies I would hate to be all "hurry hurry" through breakfast.

I guess I could try for as late a morning breakfast as possible. Hmm..

If you decide on FTF, don't get the Fant Dining Package. Plan to head to Fant after the SW Fireworks.

For the Galactic Breakfast, try for a mid-week late morning breakfast. Rotating to all the tables in the dark slows down the characters. I would choose SciFi over H&V.

 

[Candleshoe]

If you decide on FTF, don't get the Fant Dining Package. Plan to head to Fant after the SW Fireworks.

For the Galactic Breakfast, try for a mid-week late morning breakfast. Rotating to all the tables in the dark slows down the characters. I would choose SciFi over H&V.

(I'm still not sure why they're putting characters inside Darth maul. )

I think then if we're not getting a benefit from the F! package that I may get the SW breakfast but try for a late ADR so to make it more of a brunch. And also to get the FTF and just foot it to F! after the fireworks. And if I only do one of the two, then the SW Breakfast.

 

[Koh1977]

So do they usually have 2 showings of Fantasmic! those nights? Right now it just shows 1...And what time are the fireworks? At the moment we have dinner at H & V at 7pm.

 

[lovethattink]

(I'm still not sure why they're putting characters inside Darth maul. )

I think then if we're not getting a benefit from the F! package that I may get the SW breakfast but try for a late ADR so to make it more of a brunch. And also to get the FTF and just foot it to F! after the fireworks. And if I only do one of the two, then the SW Breakfast.

Darth's Mall has always had characters inside. It's a great way to cool down. Last year it was the fab 4. Before that, it had been Luke, Leia, R2-D2, and C3P0.

 

[lovethattink]

I know I've said this in the past, but I'm going to re-iterate my plea after stopping at Sounds Dangerous yesterday and watching a Phinneas and Ferb Christmas special. I really wish Disney would have a building set aside to show the movies, the Clone Wars, Rebels, old tv specials, etc. during SWW. It would be a great place to sit down, cool off and immerse yourself in Star Wars.

Also, after saying goodbye to the Snowground. I couldn't help but think how great they could do it up for SWW with a Hoth theme! Please Disney, bring back the snowground for SWW! That would be an amazing place to cool off!