Official Star Wars Weekends Thread Tips and Tricks 2015

[Itinkso]

I've never listened to the podcast, they are so long. Is it announced in the first podcast of each month?

It's either the first or second podcast of the month. Mesaboy's Thread of the Year was announced during the second podcast in January. I kept fast-forwarding until they did the countdown.

 

[lovethattink]

I've never listened to the podcast, they are so long. Is it announced in the first podcast of each month?

Not sure. @*NikkiBell* , when or where is top thread announced?

So you can only get the FP for 1 show per day? If we use all 3 FP's for the day, can we go book another FP for the show? I'm sorry for all the questions, but I'm trying to be as prepared as possible

In theory, yes. But I can't imagine a Star Wars show FP+ being available. Last year they disappeared long before the day arrived. So many day guests were upset. Maybe they will reserve some FP+ spots for the days of, but I'm sure they'd be snagged quickly.

 

[The Sunrise Student]

Last year BF and I choose a show a day that we wanted to see and FP+ them... Then upon rope drop we ran to our must do ride that would have been a level 1 FP+ if we hadn't used it on a show. It's crazy I know.

Before FPs were available for shows we would pick one day that was show day... and we would get in line early for the first show, chat with people in line, see the show and then when the show let out ran to the bathroom or snack carts near by, then got back into line for the next show... we saw three in one day that way.

Not sure how we are going to do it this year, with the two weekends it will depend on who is there which weekend and what shows they offer.

 

[OZMom]

OK, so what show would you recommend getting the FP for. I understand that it's all hypothetical at this point depending on what shows they have. Are there any shows that are "not worth it"?

 

[Meech Loves Mickey]

How early did you sign your kids up for JTA? Do we need to be there when the gates open and run to the sign up area?

If you are signing your kids up during a SWW then you definitely need to be there early. We arrived around 7 am and the gates usually open at 730 ish... There is usually a CM there to direct you to JTA sign ups, I would walk with purpose to the sign up area. Both years my older DS signed up, he was in the second show of the day. Just make sure the child that is participating goes with you to the sign up.

Good Luck!

 

[MakiraMarlena]

I wouldn't say there are shows that are not worth it, but there are shows where you don't need one. If JAT does his one-man show about voice acting you would probably not need one for that, just walk in and sit. It's an awesome show though, I love it.

Stars of the Saga, if there is a popular celebrity there, then that may be the one to get if you prefer not to wait in line for an hour.

I know I had one to see Mark Hamill, they were giving out return times for him I think. So I didn't have to be over there early to get a return time, that's what I got from having the FP. But I walked out of that one and got right in line to see Ray Park's show, no issues getting in to that one although they did eventually fill up the theater for it.

 

[The Sunrise Student]

The pre show for Stars of the Saga is awesome! It's the stormtrooper pre-show everyone puts out on youtube! And it changes every weekend depending on what stars are there. If I was to spend a FP on a show that would be it! Last year and the year before JAT was the host of SWW and was there every weekend so his voice acting show is awesome but was done every day of SWW so people didn't rush for it.

 

[*NikkiBell*]

It's announced on The DIS Unplugged video podcast each month. I can't remember if it is the beginning or the end though.

 

[soar2014]

I'm trying to learn as much as I can about SWW, I had no choice in the vacation days we took,,,June 5th weekend. Now I find out the people going with us are very much interested in Star Wars. I'm planning the trip, (they have never been to WDW) and I keep seeing posts on shows and/or meet greets with SW characters......where is this list of dates and times and places of shows? Must we wait until the week of to see the schedules in the park?

 

[Candleshoe]

I'm trying to learn as much as I can about SWW, I had no choice in the vacation days we took,,,June 5th weekend. Now I find out the people going with us are very much interested in Star Wars. I'm planning the trip, (they have never been to WDW) and I keep seeing posts on shows and/or meet greets with SW characters......where is this list of dates and times and places of shows? Must we wait until the week of to see the schedules in the park?

The schedule isn't out yet, but when it is Yulilin3 will update the first post of this thread.

So 'no' it's not out now, but also you won't have to wait until you go.

 

[tink1953]

I thought it might be fun to take a trip back and see which celebrities have come for SWW thru out the years

1997:
I have searched and searched but can't find who came and if they did any meet and greets. The only name that pops up is Warwick Davis

2000
May 5 - 7 Hugh Quarshie (Captain Panaka) and Kenny Baker (R2-D2)
May 12 - 14 Iain McCaig (Concept Designer) and Peter Mayhew (Chewbacca)
May 19 - 21 Jake Lloyd (Anakin Skywalker) and Dave Prowse (Darth Vader)
May 26 - 28 Carrie Fisher (Princess Leia) and Jeremy Bulloch (Boba Fett)

2001
May 4 - 6 Kenny Baker (R2-D2) and Doug Chiang (Design Director)
May 11 - 13 Carrie Fisher (Princess Leia) and Peter Mayhew (Chewbacca)
May 18 - 20 Jeremy Bulloch (Boba Fett) and Warwick Davis (Wicket & Wald)
May 25 - 27 David Prowse (Darth Vader) and Phil Brown (Uncle Owen)

2003
May 16 – 18 Anthony Daniels (C-3PO) and Billy Dee Williams (Lando Calrissian)
May 23 – 25 Andy Secombe (Watto) and Warwick Davis (Wicket)
May 30 – June 1 Silas Carson (Ki-Adi-Mundi) and Mike Quinn (Nien Nunb)
June 6 - June 8 Peter Mayhew (Chewbacca) and Jeremy Bulloch (Boba Fett)
June 13 – June 15 Temuera Morrison (Jango Fett) and Michonne Bourriague (Aurra Sing)

2004
May 14– 16 Jeremy Bulloch & Jake Lloyd
May 21– 23 Peter Mayhew & Jerome Blake
May 28– May 30 Anthony Daniels & Andy Secombe
June 4 - June 6 Warwick Davis & Mike Quinn
June 11– June 13 Daniel Logan & Amy Allen

2005
May 20-22 Daniel Logan & John Goodson
May 27-29 Peter Mayhew & Rob Coleman
June 3-5 Warwick Davis & Don Bies
June 10-12 Jerome Blake & Brian Gernand
June 17-19 Amy Allen & Matthew Wood
June 24-26 Jake Lloyd & Warren Fu

2006
First year to have a celebrity host: Warwick Davis
May 19-21 Rick McCallum & Peter Mayhew
May 26-28 Jake Lloyd & Matthew Wood
June 2-4 Jay Laga'aia and Orli Shoshan
June 9-11 Jeremy Bulloch & Temuera Morrison

2007
Host: Jay Laga'aia
June 1-3 Warwick Davis & Kenny Baker
June 8-10 Ray Park & Daniel Logan
June 15-17 Jeremy Bulloch & Peter Mayhew
June 22-24 Anthony Daniels & Bonnie Piesse

2008
Host: Warwick Davis
June 6-8 Jeremy Bulloch & Daniel Logan
June 13-15 Peter Mayhew & David Prowse
June 20-22 Amy Allen & Matthew Wood
June 27-29 Dave Filoni & Jake Lloyd

Star Wars Weekends 2009:
Host: Jay Laga'aia and Ashley Eckstein
May 22-24 Ray Park, Warwick Davis, and James Arnold Taylor
May 29-31 Peter Mayhew & Matthew Wood
June 5-7 Jeremy Bulloch, David Prowse, and Matt Lanter
June 12-14 Dave Filoni & Temuera Morrison

Star Wars Weekends 2010:
Host: Jeremy Bulloch and Ashley Eckstein
May 21-23 Temuera Morrison, Daniel Logan, and Dee Bradley Baker
May 28-30 Matthew Wood, Lorne Peterson and Tom Kane
June 4-6 Billy Dee Williams, Ray Park and Dave Filoni
June 11-13 Ray Park, Peter Mayhew and James Arnold Taylor

Star Wars Weekends 2011:
Host: James Arnold Taylor and Ashley Eckstein
May 20-22 Anthony Daniels, Dave Filoni, Daniel Logan
May 27-29 Anthony Daniels , Bruce Spence, Dee Bradley Baker
June 3-5 Ray Park, Jeremy Bulloch, Matt Lanter
June 10-12 Ray Park, Peter Mayhew, Tom Kane

Star Wars Weekends 2012:
Host: James Arnold Taylor and Ashley Eckstein
May 18-20 Ray Park, Andy Secombe, and Dee Bradley Baker
May 25-27 Andy Secombe, Ray Park, and Tom Kane
June 1-3 Jake Lloyd & Silas Carson, and Catherine Taber
June 8-10 Michonne Bourriague, Jeremy Bulloch, Daniel Logan, and Nika Futterman

Star Wars Weekends 2013:
Host: James Arnold Taylor and Ashley Eckstein
May 17-19 Ray Park, Jeremy Bulloch, Dee Bradley Baker
May 24-26 Ray Park, Warwick Davis, Jim Cummings
May 31-June 2 Warwick Davis, Tim Rose, Sam Witwer
June 7-9 Billy Dee Williams, Peter Mayhew, Tom Kane

Star Wars Weekends 2014:
Host: James Arnold Taylor and Ashley Eckstein
May 16 – 18 Ahmed Best, Peter Mayhew, Vanessa Marshall
May 23 – 25 Warwick Davis, Jeremy Bulloch, Tiya Sircar
May 30 – June 1 Ray Park, John Ratzenberger, Taylor Gray
June 6 – 8 Mark Hamill, Ray Park, Bill Dee Williams, Taylor Gray
June 13 – 15 Dee Bradley Baker, Cat Taber, Tom Kane, Matt Lanter, Steve Blum

And this little gem from 1997:

I was thinking, Wow these people had a lot of energy and then remembered that's the only year that SWW was done in March, low temps make a huge difference

I was there in either 97 or 98 and met Darth vader...david prowse

 

[ConnieB]

This is interesting. But to test it in January when it's slow doesn't make sense to me. Doing it over spring break would give a better idea of how it would work for sww. Certainly there would be less of a crowd for opening ceremony and tsmm opening, with so many outside waiting. Although, if sign ups start an hour before park opening, that may just work.

Well, one consideration for starting it during the slower season is that they'll have a chance to work out some of the bugs before the crowds get too large to manage if major things don't work the way it's planned on paper.

I foresee this line becoming a 4am line starter, lol. I feel for the parents, but can you also imagine the shape these tykes are going to be in by early afternoon if they have to stand in line at 4am to get signed up! I don't know what the solution is, but I've got a bad feeling about this.

 

[soar2014]

Whew! Thank you Candleshoe. Is there a place I can learn about past shows/meetngreets/etc. ?
AH! Disregard this post. Kenny the Pirate is most helpful!

 

[lovethattink]

Whew! Thank you Candleshoe. Is there a place I can learn about past shows/meetngreets/etc. ?
AH! Disregard this post. Kenny the Pirate is most helpful!

Yes, he is! And from time to time he pops in on the thread.

 

[lovethattink]

@ConnieB I see your Avatar picture of your girls with Anthony Daniels. I remember seeing them at the convention and during SWW. Do you make all their matching SW clothes?

 

[yulilin3]

OK, so what show would you recommend getting the FP for. I understand that it's all hypothetical at this point depending on what shows they have. Are there any shows that are "not worth it"?

From the shows that were offered last year this is the list from most important to get a fp unless you want to wait an hour in the standby line to the least important or you could show up at the standby line maybe 30 min before and still get a seat:
Stars of the Saga
Visit to the Maul
My Short Story
Behind the Force
Obi Wan and Beyond

I'm trying to learn as much as I can about SWW, I had no choice in the vacation days we took,,,June 5th weekend. Now I find out the people going with us are very much interested in Star Wars. I'm planning the trip, (they have never been to WDW) and I keep seeing posts on shows and/or meet greets with SW characters......where is this list of dates and times and places of shows? Must we wait until the week of to see the schedules in the park?

here's the thread from last years event, the first post there has all the information http://www.disboards.com/threads/official-star-wars-weekends-2014-tips-and-tricks.3183780/
Keep an eye on this thread as soon as I get new info I update the first post here

 

[yulilin3]

Well, one consideration for starting it during the slower season is that they'll have a chance to work out some of the bugs before the crowds get too large to manage if major things don't work the way it's planned on paper.

I foresee this line becoming a 4am line starter, lol. I feel for the parents, but can you also imagine the shape these tykes are going to be in by early afternoon if they have to stand in line at 4am to get signed up! I don't know what the solution is, but I've got a bad feeling about this.

It's crazy, I hope they don't do this. I know that the sign up can get crazy but at least everyone has a chance if they are there when park opens...

 

[yulilin3]

I was there in either 97 or 98 and met Darth vader...david prowse

We met Mr. Prowse in 2008, he was very nice but not very talktative.

 

[Hedley]

Disneygrandma - reply to my post by hitting More Options in the lower right. At the bottom of the window you will see options to "watch" and to "receive email notification." Check both of those boxes.

 

[Hedley]

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