Official Star Wars Weekends Thread Tips and Tricks 2015

[Skywise]

Good news. Jim Hill said on a recent podcast that a "Tatooine dining experience" would be one of the first things that is up in running in "Star Wars Land". My guess is that means the cantina.

Heh... someone's gonna have to try to get R2 or C3PO in there...

 

[Delilah1310]

Your morning (before the parade) seems very busy. Remember that even if you have the FtF package you need to line up by 10am (for an 11am parade)
When you say Animation Station is it the drawing class or the characters inside the Animation Bldg? Some people confuse them
Your evening looks doable

Thank you for weighing in!
The Animation Station for us means the drawing class - we had a blast there last visit and thought it might be fun in case there are SW-related characters! ;o)

Yes, the morning does seem busy ... perhaps we drop ST and/or TT before the parade, knowing that we will have a FP for it in the afternoon? I've kind of intentionally keep it loose in the AM - putting all the fixed FP times in the afternoon/evening - expecting a curve ball from DS! HA!

I'm sure based on the show announcements and then knowing the characters and their schedules after the first week, we can have a better idea (plus we can watch the wait times on the first couple of weekends).

DS7 is all about the Rebels, so his focus is there.

thanks again for ALL the advice on this thread - it is a life-saver for someone like me planning our first SWW!!!

 

[DisHeels]

So I originally booked my DTech Me for 10:40am on June 12th but did not think about the parade time. Currently on hold hoping to move my time to maybe later in the day. 30+ minute wait if anyone is curious. Should I have received an email confirmation when I originally reserved a spot?

Edit: Was able to change my time to 6pm. We have Jedi Mickey at 7:55pm same day so that's cool. Now this opens up our morning a little more to take it all in.

 

[yulilin3]

Thank you for weighing in!
The Animation Station for us means the drawing class - we had a blast there last visit and thought it might be fun in case there are SW-related characters! ;o)

Yes, the morning does seem busy ... perhaps we drop ST and/or TT before the parade, knowing that we will have a FP for it in the afternoon? I've kind of intentionally keep it loose in the AM - putting all the fixed FP times in the afternoon/evening - expecting a curve ball from DS! HA!

I'm sure based on the show announcements and then knowing the characters and their schedules after the first week, we can have a better idea (plus we can watch the wait times on the first couple of weekends).

DS7 is all about the Rebels, so his focus is there.

thanks again for ALL the advice on this thread - it is a life-saver for someone like me planning our first SWW!!!

they have become very popular, I'm sure Sabine, Ezra and Chopper will be available for meet and greets.

 

[Felipe4]

Since SWW is mostly for the BF and he's not super keen on meeting characters (he runs a booth at a bunch of cons and sees plenty of people dressed up, so this isn't anything super different), this should help our scheduling considerably. He's most interested in any theming that is done (fingers crossed for Cantina, but I realize it probably won't be open when we go) and the special fireworks. I've got both meals booked and a D-Tech for him all in 1 day - so anything else seems a bit much to handle.

Question for those with D-Tech - If you have an appointment for 1 person, can another just go to watch the process/take photos? I would think they'd allow this for children/parents, but who knows. I don't want a figurine myself, but I wanted to get one for the BF and document the process. (He's trying to figure out what I meant when I asked him if he'd rather be a jedi, x-wing pilot, tie pilot, or storm trooper...I'm thinking he might go for the carbonite freeze, but you never know. He'll find out in 2 months, for now I'll let him believe it's the type of magicbandits for his magicband. The advantage of being the sole planner with someone who's never been to Disney is he has no idea with most things I talk to him about so he won't be spoiled for surprises.)

 

[slaveone]

You'll be fine as long as he doesn't read DIS too. Person I was taking to H&V if we couldn't get FtF spoiled there own surprise lol. Though they are very pleased I got ressies already and may have me keep them and we'll do FtF a different weekend.

 

[lovingeire]

Guess I better get start on our plans now that I have our schedule ironed out a wee bit more and FP+ reservation is 4/1. (Hoping to stay up till midnight to do them tomorrow though…) Since we got a Jedi Mickey dinner on the 1st, a non SWW day, I think we will make FP+ reservations for TSMM, ToT and Star Tours and maybe try to catch Disney Jr. Live depending on when we get checked in and on our way to the park. My oldest also wants to see Fantasmic, or so he told me after our last trip, so I might stay with him and the middle if he wants to watch. I'm sure my middle will want to meet Hiro & Baymax if it's not horrendous as well. I'm hoping to get to the resort between 2-3, so to the parks around 3-4. I tried talking DH into leaving after middle DS's preschool graduation and driving until around 10, then stopping to sleep somewhere so we can get in early, but he didn't seem to thrilled at that idea so I guess I'll plan on leaving early AM.

ETA: I guess DH and I could split up on our regular SWW day too if the middle doesn't want to to SWW shows. I have to iron that day out.

 

[yulilin3]

Guess I better get start on our plans now that I have our schedule ironed out a wee bit more and FP+ reservation is 4/1. (Hoping to stay up till midnight to do them tomorrow though…) Since we got a Jedi Mickey dinner on the 1st, a non SWW day, I think we will make FP+ reservations for TSMM, ToT and Star Tours and maybe try to catch Disney Jr. Live depending on when we get checked in and on our way to the park. My oldest also wants to see Fantasmic, or so he told me after our last trip, so I might stay with him and the middle if he wants to watch. I'm sure my middle will want to meet Hiro & Baymax if it's not horrendous as well. I'm hoping to get to the resort between 2-3, so to the parks around 3-4. I tried talking DH into leaving after middle DS's preschool graduation and driving until around 10, then stopping to sleep somewhere so we can get in early, but he didn't seem to thrilled at that idea so I guess I'll plan on leaving early AM.

ETA: I guess DH and I could split up on our regular SWW day too if the middle doesn't want to to SWW shows. I have to iron that day out.

Out of curiousity: Where are you driving from?

 

[yulilin3]

Since SWW is mostly for the BF and he's not super keen on meeting characters (he runs a booth at a bunch of cons and sees plenty of people dressed up, so this isn't anything super different), this should help our scheduling considerably. He's most interested in any theming that is done (fingers crossed for Cantina, but I realize it probably won't be open when we go) and the special fireworks. I've got both meals booked and a D-Tech for him all in 1 day - so anything else seems a bit much to handle.

Question for those with D-Tech - If you have an appointment for 1 person, can another just go to watch the process/take photos? I would think they'd allow this for children/parents, but who knows. I don't want a figurine myself, but I wanted to get one for the BF and document the process. (He's trying to figure out what I meant when I asked him if he'd rather be a jedi, x-wing pilot, tie pilot, or storm trooper...I'm thinking he might go for the carbonite freeze, but you never know. He'll find out in 2 months, for now I'll let him believe it's the type of magicbandits for his magicband. The advantage of being the sole planner with someone who's never been to Disney is he has no idea with most things I talk to him about so he won't be spoiled for surprises.)

Last year they allowed the person with the DTech go into Darth's Mall bypassing the line, I'm not sure if they'll allow a plus one. It really depends how busy the mall is when you go there

 

[The Sunrise Student]

Good news. Jim Hill said on a recent podcast that a "Tatooine dining experience" would be one of the first things that is up in running in "Star Wars Land". My guess is that means the cantina.

This could mean the cantina or jaba's palace... I would lean to the cantina however because they already have roaming cantina band people in costume

 

[Cluelyss]

Guess I better get start on our plans now that I have our schedule ironed out a wee bit more and FP+ reservation is 4/1. (Hoping to stay up till midnight to do them tomorrow though…) Since we got a Jedi Mickey dinner on the 1st, a non SWW day, I think we will make FP+ reservations for TSMM, ToT and Star Tours and maybe try to catch Disney Jr. Live depending on when we get checked in and on our way to the park. My oldest also wants to see Fantasmic, or so he told me after our last trip, so I might stay with him and the middle if he wants to watch. I'm sure my middle will want to meet Hiro & Baymax if it's not horrendous as well. I'm hoping to get to the resort between 2-3, so to the parks around 3-4. I tried talking DH into leaving after middle DS's preschool graduation and driving until around 10, then stopping to sleep somewhere so we can get in early, but he didn't seem to thrilled at that idea so I guess I'll plan on leaving early AM.

ETA: I guess DH and I could split up on our regular SWW day too if the middle doesn't want to to SWW shows. I have to iron that day out.

Just so you know, your FP booking window won't open up till 1 am tomorrow night due to the late closing time of MK. Found that out the hard way myself last night

 

[slaveone]

I don't foresee Jabba's palace simply because I doubt Disney will ever give us Slave Girl Leia.

 

[The Sunrise Student]

It looks do able. Word of caution, Hiro and Baymax are extremely popular and Baymax needs to take a lot of breaks. Lines for them have been consistently 2 hours. Remember that TSMM and GMR will close around 8:30 because of fireworks fallout

Wonder if they will dress Baymax up SW style

 

[KKBDisMom]

Does Chewie meet with the Ewoks in the afternoon in the same line? And if so what's the best time to meet usually? My boys all want to meet various characters...I love Ewoks
We're going the first weekend so planning out times is throwing me since I won't have other people's info yet!

 

[HCinKC]

We are not 100% sure if we will get them, or maybe just do it for ODS, but...I booked D-Tech for three of us on Saturday, May 16th. They can only do two at a time, but the CM was able to get us back-to-back at a great time. I was on hold for a bout 50 minutes. She said it's super busy because they just released F&W stuff.

The baby was crying, so I didn't want to hang around on the phone. She mentioned the shipping cost. Does anyone know if that price is set per figure, or is there a combined shipping rate?

 

[Felipe4]

I don't foresee Jabba's palace simply because I doubt Disney will ever give us Slave Girl Leia.

Didn't they have a slave Leia in 2010 for the Indy/Star Wars mashup?

 

[yulilin3]

Does Chewie meet with the Ewoks in the afternoon in the same line? And if so what's the best time to meet usually? My boys all want to meet various characters...I love Ewoks
We're going the first weekend so planning out times is throwing me since I won't have other people's info yet!

For the past couple of years the Ewoks have met with Chewie in the afternoon, same line, sometimes it's just Chewie and sometimes it's both of them. Hard to predict. Best time to line would be right after the parade and wait for them to come out for their first afternoon set.

Didn't they have a slave Leia in 2010 for the Indy/Star Wars mashup?

Also Slave Leia was at the Hyperspace Hoopla...plus all the "unofficial" Slave Leias walking around during all the weekends

 

[slaveone]

Forgot that Slave Leia appeared during Hoopla sometimes as well. Apologies.

 

[lovingeire]

Out of curiousity: Where are you driving from?

We are driving from Pensacola. I figure if we left that night we could probably make it to Gainesville area that night which leaves a short jaunt in to Disney in the morning. We've done the early check in quite a few times, but normally we aren't driving so late at night. We'll see if I can convince him. Even though there is no Star Wars activities, I'd rather have more time to do the non-Star Wars activities and get those out of the way so we can focus on SWW later on in the trip.

 

[The Sunrise Student]

Forgot that Slave Leia appeared during Hoopla sometimes as well. Apologies.

But I actually agree with your first statement, I doubt Disney does anything that is supposed to be a family restaurant that has slaves involved, doesn't matter how they are dressed.