Official Star Wars Weekends Thread Tips and Tricks 2015

[yulilin3]

DH mentioned something about this and I can't find definitive details online.

We'll be at HS for the first day/night for SWW, and park hours are currently posted for 8AM-10PM.

Trying to determine what time to plan dinner and be ready to lock down our viewing spot. Speaking of...where are these fireworks best viewed from?

The fireworks should be at the same time as last year. Pre show at 9:30pm with the actual fireworks at 9:45pm.
If you want them centered with GMR then anywhere on Hollywood Blvd from the tip board back to the entrance. If you don't really care how centered they are we like watching from Echo Lake by 50s Prime Time. No need to grab a spot early if you are not watching from Hollywood Blvd. You could easily see them from anywhere around Echo Lake and grab your spots around 9:15pm

 

[Koh1977]

Where are some good spots to watch the parade (if we don't do the FtF package)? When would we have to stake out a spot?

 

[Cluelyss]

Where are some good spots to watch the parade (if we don't do the FtF package)? When would we have to stake out a spot?

You will want to be on the left side on the street (facing the location of the hat) to be in the shade. And will need to stake out your spot 60-90 minutes in advance.

 

[lovethattink]

As a rule of thumb, fireworks are 15 minutes before park closing.

 

[yulilin3]

Where are some good spots to watch the parade (if we don't do the FtF package)? When would we have to stake out a spot?

here's a video I took last year. All the front row spots on the shady side were taken by 10am. Some people were actually starting to grab spots on the sunny side. Believe me, 30 min. in the sun are a killer during SWW

 

[Koh1977]

You will want to be on the left side on the street (facing the location of the hat) to be in the shade. And will need to stake out your spot 60-90 minutes in advance.

And when should we check in if we do the FtF package?

 

[Koh1977]

parade starts at 11:30, right?

 

[lovethattink]

Hopefully, they'll use the giant screens on Hollywood Blvd and on the "Idol" screen to broadcast the character pre - show to the fireworks. Last year they did, but the screens often showed pictures other than what was going on on the stage.

If you want to see the characters, you'll want to be closer to the stage. If you just care about fireworks you can be on Hollywood blvd, around Echo Lake, or even outside the park.

We saw them one night from the cold stone on 192. Of course, couldn't hear music. But we were surprised how much of the fireworks we could actually see.

 

[lovethattink]

parade starts at 11:30, right?

Maybe. That has changed by 30 min on either side different years. We'll know as soon as a map is released in May.

 

[Belle61513]

The fireworks should be at the same time as last year. Pre show at 9:30pm with the actual fireworks at 9:45pm.
If you want them centered with GMR then anywhere on Hollywood Blvd from the tip board back to the entrance. If you don't really care how centered they are we like watching from Echo Lake by 50s Prime Time. No need to grab a spot early if you are not watching from Hollywood Blvd. You could easily see them from anywhere around Echo Lake and grab your spots around 9:15pm

Awesome sauce, thanks!

 

[yulilin3]

And when should we check in if we do the FtF package?

be at the check in booth no later than 10:30am if the parade is at 11:30am

 

[disneygrandma]

In response to the post about watching the shows after a rainstorm, and having to sit down on wet seats: Buy a good chamois to wipe down wet seats.

I was given this tip in regards to having a wet seat on an ECV. It rained for 3 days of our trip, and that chamois was used a lot. We carried the chamois in a ziploc plastic bag, and kept that bag in a waterproof bag that hung from the basket, so it was easy to get to. The seat was easily wiped off, then the chamois was wrung out, and returned to the bag. At night in our room, I took the chamois out of the bag & hung it up so it could completely dry out, & then returned it to it's spot before heading out again in the morning.

The plastic bag could easily be carried in a pocket of your backpack, purse, etc. The chamois will be going with us on every trip now.

 

[Cluelyss]

parade starts at 11:30, right?

Yes. And you still need to check in around 10:30 for FTF for the rope spots.

 

[hydrotony]

I haven't heard where the stage will be or what the parade route will be. Probably the stage will be where The Hat was and the route will be from the entrance to the stage just like last year. If the stage is where The Hat was, many hundreds of more people would fit in the area before the stage than before. There is still a month of Hat deconstruction and pavement repair to do before a stage could be built.

 

[Music City Mama]

They can easily resurrect the Premiere Theatre if Frozen is vacating it. What am I missing here?

This is the same thing I wondered when I first found the info from wdwmagic. It sounds like Frozen will be leaving the PM, so what are they going to do with the PM? I must be overlooking it.

 

[HCinKC]

Seems like I read somewhere that some of the parade participants left the parade route before the end? Am I remembering that correctly? If that's true, it seems it would be best to snag a seat as close to the entrance as possible?

 

[Music City Mama]

Sorry, I just stopped our schedule with our move to Universal. We'll do a full, Early Entry at Universal on June 8th. My only goals for June 7th would just be to do Ollivander's and get an interactive wand so the kids can play around with that while we explore Diagon Alley and Hogsmeade, and then ride the Hogwarts Express in both directions. The 8th would be more rides focused. I'm hoping 1 1/2 days would be enough for a first visit (especially since our youngest is too short for many of the rides) but we're all Harry Potter nuts so probably not. LOL.

Just wanted to say that I'll be at Universal on the 8th, too! We're starting our trip at Uni this time and then going to WDW (will be at the 5th SWW).

 

[yulilin3]

Seems like I read somewhere that some of the parade participants left the parade route before the end? Am I remembering that correctly? If that's true, it seems it would be best to snag a seat as close to the entrance as possible?

This is how the parade works:
It starts at the entrance of the park (gate next to old Sid's) first out are the Fab 4 and the kids chosen for the parade representing the JTA. Mickey, Minnie, Donald and Goofy go up on stage wave goodbye and leave, the kids (JTA) stay at the bottom of the stage. Then comes the 501st and Rebel Legions. They keep marching past the stage (never go on it) and exit by the gate next to Star Tours. Then comes everyone else (all characters portrayed by Disney CM), celebrities and at the end the host. All of them go up on stage, some enter the stage thru the left side some thru the right. All of the celebs go up on stage thru the left side (if you're facing the stage) They do a welcome ceremony and then the mayority of characters exit thru the back of stage and enter the door next to GMR, some characters walk down toward One Man's Dream and go thru that gate backstage. Then Jedi Mickey comes back out and gets in his vehicle, all of the celebs hop back on their vehicles and they drive back down Hollywood Blvd to the gate next to Sid's

 

[lovethattink]

As I mentioned above, parade times can vary from year to year. Or can even vary on the same weekend if there is a special event that day.

In 2011, 12:40. I'm not sure if every day that year was at that time. (May 21 for sure)

In 2012, at 12:40 (May 25 for sure)

2013, at 11:30

2014 at 11:30

I'm wondering if they'll change the time this year to 11:00 AM? That was the parade time for FSF.

Seems like I read somewhere that some of the parade participants left the parade route before the end? Am I remembering that correctly? If that's true, it seems it would be best to snag a seat as close to the entrance as possible?

The Disney parade participants have ended at the stage, but the 501st and Rebel Legion continued on to Star Tours. During FSF all participants of the parade continued to the exit gate by Star Tours after the welcome on the stage. So maybe things will change with this parade too? It was really nice that the processional continued on for FSF.

 

[Monykalyn]

Just wanted to say that I'll be at Universal on the 8th, too! We're starting our trip at Uni this time and then going to WDW (will be at the 5th SWW).

That is the day we are planning on for Universal too! We have an offsite condo that week but am planning on an overnighter at RPH to get the express passes...(universal June 8&9)
Got our tickets to WDW yesterday-am all set to get some show fastpasses for SWW. Need to nail down days for sure (only one set in stone right now is June 5 for our Galactic Breakfast, then have June 6,7 and 12th to play with. Plan to do at least 2 of those 3 - depends on friends in the area and when we can meet up...