Official Star Wars Weekends Thread Tips and Tricks 2015

[CheshireCrazy]

@yulilin3 We were able to meet Daniel Logan and he was such a cutie!! So worth getting the FP to see him.

We had an excellent time (even though we crammed everything into one day). Thanks to all the tips and info from everyone here. Without you guys, we would have missed out on some great experiences.

I'm missing Disney already and now planning a September trip for F&W and MNSSHP.

 

[loribird]

I had my build your own one in my carry-on the last two weekends and it wasn't a problem. The JTA one folds down even smaller, so it shouldn't be a problem.

We carried two sabers and the blaster gun in carry on for our trip home, as well as the pirate swords from CBR, sand pails, and all of the other souvenirs we accumulated. I wasn't about to pack the SWW stuff in checked luggage that gets tossed around (or potentially lost). ODS would have been devastated by a broken or lost saber! We didn't have any issues with security if that is what you are wondering.

Thank you both so much!

 

[soniam]

In good news for me, the bf approved another short weekend trip for September (even though we're going in November for wine and dine). I think it helps that allegiant air has 1 ways for $55 and about $15 per carry on. I think he wanted this trip because it was so insanely crowded for our sww II trip.

Wow! There are flights that cheap from Austin? Is that mainly in the off season (not summer)? Do they have a layover? We have been taking Jet Blue lately, because they are non-stop and reasonably priced. I don't think they are that cheap though.

 

[Good Morning Dewdrop]

I would love for my dates to pan out with Ray park next year. I met him once at a sw con and it was more like love struck teenager... That's what my favorite phantom menace character looks like... Then I went brain dead and don't remember a thing. Ah well, I still have a picture.

That was the sw con where I was able to walk around the autograph tables and get pictures with everyone I didn't have an autograph ticket for. Bet that wouldn't be allowed anymore.

In good news for me, the bf approved another short weekend trip for September (even though we're going in November for wine and dine). I think it helps that allegiant air has 1 ways for $55 and about $15 per carry on. I think he wanted this trip because it was so insanely crowded for our sww II trip.

Did anyone else feel it was so much more crowded than last year? Last year we were there the first and second weekends and didn't really feel it was too crowded. This year we thought it was insane.

It felt busier the first weekend to us - at a minimum it seemed to take us longer to get everything done!

DH has a week of vacation left to use before August 12th - first words out of his (and DD's) mouths were "Disney Trip! Which I promptly (economically minded) vetoed.....it was hard to do but with trips in January, May, September and maybe November (if MouseAdventures has another competition) I had to be money-wise! Of course one of my niece's has decided to get married Nov 22nd - it's not going to be a pretty conversation in our house if the MouseAdventures competition is that weekened......

I'm glad the thread is staying open for now - I'm going to miss it when it closes!

 

[yulilin3]

Please, all trip reports post them in the sww trip report thread. Link on my signature opened by @Delilah1310
If you have a separate trip report that works too, link the thread to the trip report one. the more reports the more it will help for next year

 

[delmar411]

It felt busier the first weekend to us - at a minimum it seemed to take us longer to get everything done!

DH has a week of vacation left to use before August 12th - first words out of his (and DD's) mouths were "Disney Trip! Which I promptly (economically minded) vetoed.....it was hard to do but with trips in January, May, September and maybe November (if MouseAdventures has another competition) I had to be money-wise! Of course one of my niece's has decided to get married Nov 22nd - it's not going to be a pretty conversation in our house if the MouseAdventures competition is that weekened......

I'm glad the thread is staying open for now - I'm going to miss it when it closes!

What is mouseadventures?

 

[d-r]

If they close a thread, it means it's just closed to further replies. The information it contains is still available.

So my kids have been "studying" for SWW for the past few weeks...been watching the movies and reading some books. Please don't vote me off the island when I admit this...but we never had any exposure to the Clone Wars (except for one book for beginning readers) until this weekend when we watched the movie/pilot on Netflix. So while we've only seen the one thing, it gave a pretty good introduction to more of the characters.

Anyway, tonight, my 5 year old (who I was afraid was going to be a pill about SWW because of his age, but now is super excited!) asked me when Star Wars Rebels happens...is it before or after the Clone Wars? I was like a deer in headlights, since I now must also confess no knowledge of Rebels beyond this thread. **hangs head in shame** Is there any way to get a quick exposure to Rebels before Thursday (like maybe this recap you guys were talking about earlier)? We have DirecTV and Amazon.

like this:
Episode 1 The Phantom Menace
Episode 2 Attack of the Clones
The Clone Wars (there is also an animated "Clone Wars" which happens before and after the cgi series)
Episode 3 Revenge of the Sith
Star Wars Rebels
Episode 4 A New Hope
Episode 5 The Empire Strikes Back
Episode 6 Return of the Jedi

And on December 18, Episode 7 The Force Awakens
Next year December 2016, the movie Rogue Squadron will be set before Episode 5. December 2017 Episode 8 set after Force Awakens.

Star Wars Rebels comes on Disney XD and disney XD on-line most every day.

 

[OhioStateBuckeye]

Wow! There are flights that cheap from Austin? Is that mainly in the off season (not summer)? Do they have a layover? We have been taking Jet Blue lately, because they are non-stop and reasonably priced. I don't think they are that cheap though.

Allegiant air. Smaller company, doesn't have flights every day. Will charge for carry ons/ checked items but not a lot if you do it when you book your flights. I had a friend fly it from Columbus and he said it's fine. I think it's good for shorter weekend trips due to luggage fees.

We usually do southwest, but I think we might give allegiant a shot.

It felt busier the first weekend to us - at a minimum it seemed to take us longer to get everything done!

DH has a week of vacation left to use before August 12th - first words out of his (and DD's) mouths were "Disney Trip! Which I promptly (economically minded) vetoed.....it was hard to do but with trips in January, May, September and maybe November (if MouseAdventures has another competition) I had to be money-wise! Of course one of my niece's has decided to get married Nov 22nd - it's not going to be a pretty conversation in our house if the MouseAdventures competition is that weekened......

I'm glad the thread is staying open for now - I'm going to miss it when it closes!

Yes please share, what is this competition?

 

[jtowntoflorida]

An update for those waiting on the edge of their seats: there is a Rebels "TV movie" that's listed as 60 minutes available OnDemand from DirecTv, so we're going to watch that tonight.

 

[jtowntoflorida]

Allegiant air. Smaller company, doesn't have flights every day. Will charge for carry ons/ checked items but not a lot if you do it when you book your flights. I had a friend fly it from Columbus and he said it's fine. I think it's good for shorter weekend trips due to luggage fees.

Allegiant flies into Sanford, not MCO, so no Magical Express, which means you have to arrange for your own transportation. Not sure if that's a big deal, but it does add to the cost.

 

[Candleshoe]

whomever opens the sww trip report thread please post the link here so everyone can subscribe

I opened a thread on the Trip Report Forum -
http://www.disboards.com/threads/official-star-wars-weekends-2015-trip-reports-and-recaps.3415848/

I'll do some copying and pasting of the reports from here later this afternoon ... if stupid work would just get out of the way, I could do it now!

Thanks Delilah! Yuli, would you put a link to it on the first post, too? That will make it easy to find.

I can't believe we fly in 2 days. (And I'm still injured) (And my inlaws are talking about not showing up for 1 day; ok fine, I'll cancel all the hard work for that day 1 which is MK, but, I don't want to hear how it will be 5 days into the trip before we go to MK (would have been the 2nd mk day)).
My only request is that they cancel early enough for me to cancel CP, BOG, and Tomorrowland Terrace party BEFORE I leave -- I don't like to mess around on the phone while I'm on vacation)

 

[Candleshoe]

/will take my venting out of this happy place

/next year I'm picking one of YOU guys to travel with

/never travel with family

 

[d-r]

Well......if his sharpie functions like his lightsaber, then perhaps one autograph session will serve the same number of people as two sessions.

Nope not at all. Ray is not a "fast signer," one of the reasons he is much loved!

 

[yulilin3]

/will take my venting out of this happy place

/next year I'm picking one of YOU guys to travel with

/never travel with family

just keep swimming...just keep swimming

 

[jennab113]

December 2017 Episode 8 set after Force Awakens.

Episode VIII is actually scheduled for release in May 26, 2017. We don't have to wait a whole year after Rogue One for another movie.

 

[d-r]

your SWW training will include:
*Short bouts of fast walking (running at Disney is a no-no) with long periods of standing in one place: to achieve the best results do this in 90 degree weather, 100% humidity and full sun exposure. If you have friends that don't mind not wearing deodorant for a couple of days and some small children having full blown tantrums around you you can achieve the best results
*Sitting down in one place for 2 hours while experiencing everything from heat, to sun to rain. Endurance is key.
*While standing, blast techno music at the highest volume and stay there for 2 hours. Please remember that every once in a while you will be asked to do the YMCA, the Macarena and the blaster dance. You must be able to hold this position for the entire time without the possibility of using the bathroom.
*last but not least. Self Control. You must maintain your composure while waiting to meet your favorite character. No cursing or swearing when the family in front of you wants a group picture, individual picture, the twins picture, one of only the character, one doing a serious pose, one doing a funny pose...and then said character has to go on break...to achieve this it is recommended to bite your tongue until it bleeds.
I have way to much free time

and you have to do it on 3 hours of sleep in a sauna

 

[jennab113]

your SWW training will include:
*Short bouts of fast walking (running at Disney is a no-no) with long periods of standing in one place: to achieve the best results do this in 90 degree weather, 100% humidity and full sun exposure. If you have friends that don't mind not wearing deodorant for a couple of days and some small children having full blown tantrums around you you can achieve the best results
*Sitting down in one place for 2 hours while experiencing everything from heat, to sun to rain. Endurance is key.
*While standing, blast techno music at the highest volume and stay there for 2 hours. Please remember that every once in a while you will be asked to do the YMCA, the Macarena and the blaster dance. You must be able to hold this position for the entire time without the possibility of using the bathroom.
*last but not least. Self Control. You must maintain your composure while waiting to meet your favorite character. No cursing or swearing when the family in front of you wants a group picture, individual picture, the twins picture, one of only the character, one doing a serious pose, one doing a funny pose...and then said character has to go on break...to achieve this it is recommended to bite your tongue until it bleeds.
I have way to much free time

Don't forget to also practice sleeping on slightly damp concrete with a ton of light and lots of people talking and laughing around you. THEN practice your self control while you're really tired.

 

[DanielWhitney]

Well picked up a Conversation with OZ FP+ this morning for June 14th. The only thing I really need for this trip now is a FP+ for VTTM on Friday. If I can score that I will be happy. Also if I can somehow make my Sci Fi ADR for June 14th a little earlier then 9:15PM that would be great too.

 

[DanielWhitney]

Question about parking. I saw earlier that parking was always open. How does the paying for parking working at DHS @ 3AM?

Also going to be brining a backpack and someone said that there was room on rides. I am just curious is that true of all 4 parks? If not what rides do you think you would not be able to take a backpack on?

 

[Teamanderson]

Do they have the new pieces for build a saber and build a droid downtown at once upon a toy too? Or just at traders by star tours?