Star Wars Weekend 2016??

[LATJLP]

Ok, I know 2015 SWW just ended, but does anyone have an idea of when it will start in 2016? Southwest opens up their flight reservations soon for May, so I want to catch a good fare.

The last two years it seems SWW started around the 14/15, and always the 3rd weekend of May. BUT....in 2016 May 1 is a Sunday, so the 14/15 is only the 2nd weekend of May. Any ideas on whether it's usually the 3rd weekend....or the middle of the month i.e. 14/15?

Thank you.

 

[soniam]

yulilin3, who runs the Star Wars Weekends thread, thinks it could run 5/13-6/12/2016 or 5/20-6/29/2016. She's thinking the first one is more likely, so that they don't go too far into June/summer. Last year, 2015 dates were not announced until late November or early December. She will start the 2016 thread on September 1.

 

[ColoradoDis]

The good thing is that you should be able to get a good rate on Southwest a bit closer to your dates - they very often have sales at a couple of different times during the year. A couple of years ago, we also had a May trip scheduled and I was able to get a reduced rate a couple of different times (additional reduction each time). For example, this year, we are going in December, I made my original reservations in May. A few weeks later, they announced a sale and I was able to get a reduction. Good luck!

 

[Tabologist]

Thanks for the update on Southwest. We want to book for early June for the last weekend.

 

[AdamsPrincess]

yes thank you...we are going in June as well and just waiting for the dates to drop. Seems kind of early though doesn't it? We were just there in May this year (may 23-31) and Southwest didn't drop their dates until November 10.

 

[hbr930]

I had the same question! My almost 7 year old is a Star Wars nut & going to this is pretty much his dream! We are actually set to get out of school by June 8, even if we have the max amount of snow days, so we should be able to get up there for that weekend of the 10-12th. I'm glad to hear that that weekend will most likely be one of the Star Wars weekends!

Any idea when Southwest drops dates for June? I feel like it was February when we went in 2014!

 

[BlackPearl695]

How hard was it to get the character dining in 2015? We are planning for 2016 and our 180 falls around Thanksgiving. Will the locations remain at the same places for the same meals as 2015? If so, when I book our ressies, will they automatically convert when the character dining is announced or will I need to cancel and rebook those ressies?

 

[TXMama09]

How hard was it to get the character dining in 2015? We are planning for 2016 and our 180 falls around Thanksgiving. Will the locations remain at the same places for the same meals as 2015? If so, when I book our ressies, will they automatically convert when the character dining is announced or will I need to cancel and rebook those ressies?

I'm wondering the same! I feel like Disney should already have the character dinings scheduled by our 180 days, but I want to know for sure!

 

[soniam]

How hard was it to get the character dining in 2015? We are planning for 2016 and our 180 falls around Thanksgiving. Will the locations remain at the same places for the same meals as 2015? If so, when I book our ressies, will they automatically convert when the character dining is announced or will I need to cancel and rebook those ressies?

I'm wondering the same! I feel like Disney should already have the character dinings scheduled by our 180 days, but I want to know for sure!

The SWW 2015 character meals opened on December 3, 2014. So, it may be after your 180 day date. I know the Galactic breakfast with the actual Star Wars characters was harder to get. However, it seemed like most people got something either by stalking or using a dining search service that charges. In 2015, all of the SWW character meals ran the entire month of May, including weekdays, so that helps. You could book one for a day that's not an actual SWW day. Rebel Hangar, which wasn't technically a character meal, didn't open up until early May, maybe May 4th.

I don't know what happens when you book something else. If it's at a different time, then there isn't any issue. However, there could be overlap issues, even if it's not at the same exact time as your already scheduled ADRs. You might ask on the restaurants forum, because it should work the same as booking a different restaurant that overlaps an existing ADR. It might require a call instead of doing it online, but I don't know for sure.

Here's the link to the SWW 2015 thread. Most of the important info is in the first post. The 2016 thread will open up on September 1.

http://www.disboards.com/threads/official-star-wars-weekends-thread-tips-and-tricks-2015.3324422/

 

[LATJLP]

No, a reservation for a regular meal will NOT convert to a special meal....this is true for SWW meals, for Candlelight Processional packages, etc. And...in the case of the SWW you can't book something else at the same time....Sci-Fi does not normally have breakfast, that is a special SWW thing....and the entire time of SWW the Hollywood & Vine dinner is only SWW meal.....so if you try at 180 days to book H&V, it will tell you there is nothing available.

These do sell quickly and after the first couple of days you may have to be flexible about your date/time..., but if you watch Yullian's thread (which she'll start in September) then you'll have a very good idea of when they will go on sale, and can grab one. You'll want to have an idea of what dates you want, so you won't have to make that decision on the spot.

 

[hiroMYhero]

@yulilin3 will have Dining info posted as soon as she knows, which is in advance of the booking availability.

For this past May, the ADR booking system, at 180 days out, had SciFi lunches and H&V dinners as "No Availablilty" until the SWW character meals were released and added to the reservation system. Then, SciFi breakfasts and lunches came back online as well as the H&V dinner - SWW meals began on May 4th.

Before your 180 booking window opens, begin checking yulilin's thread for the most up to date SWW meal info.

 

[soniam]

yulilin3, who runs the Star Wars Weekends thread, thinks it could run 5/13-6/12/2016 or 5/20-6/29/2016. She's thinking the first one is more likely, so that they don't go too far into June/summer. Last year, 2015 dates were not announced until late November or early December. She will start the 2016 thread on September 1.

I just realized that I had a typo. Here are the possible dates. It wouldn't go out to 6/29. It should be 6/19. I just noticed it, because I am looking at booking our room. Oops.

5/13-6/12/2016
or
5/20-6/19/2016

 

[Dittz]

I just booked my 2016 trip on Tuesday. Starting all my planning now as I have to do it all on my own as it is a surprise for my soon to be 10 year old. Just he and I are going. Leaving daddy and his sister at home. For my planning purposes. were both the sci-fi breakfast and the Hollywood and vine character meals both 2 credit meals again this year, or did they put them back to 1 credit meals? Thanks.

 

[LATJLP]

I just booked my 2016 trip on Tuesday. Starting all my planning now as I have to do it all on my own as it is a surprise for my soon to be 10 year old. Just he and I are going. Leaving daddy and his sister at home. For my planning purposes. were both the sci-fi breakfast and the Hollywood and vine character meals both 2 credit meals again this year, or did they put them back to 1 credit meals? Thanks.

Yes, the special SWW meals at Sci-Fi and H&V were 2 dining plan credits.

http://allears.net/tp/mgm/star-wars-weekends-dining-and-packages.htm

 

[Dittz]

The good thing is that you should be able to get a good rate on Southwest a bit closer to your dates - they very often have sales at a couple of different times during the year. A couple of years ago, we also had a May trip scheduled and I was able to get a reduced rate a couple of different times (additional reduction each time). For example, this year, we are going in December, I made my original reservations in May. A few weeks later, they announced a sale and I was able to get a reduction. Good luck!

When you say that you got a reduced rate a couple different times, did you get your money back for the difference, or did you just get a credit to use next time. I have never bought airline tickets before, so I am just figuring out how to do this. thanks.

 

[jessicag13]

When you say that you got a reduced rate a couple different times, did you get your money back for the difference, or did you just get a credit to use next time. I have never bought airline tickets before, so I am just figuring out how to do this. thanks.

I recently changed the departure day for my trip in November and it turned out to be a little less- I got a Southwest credit back for the difference- so that'll be $20 towards my next trip to WDW

 

[LATJLP]

Southwest has three categories of tickets..."Wanna get away" which are the least expensive.....you do NOT get your money back if you find a lower fare, but you do get credit to your account that is valid for use for one year. The other two categories are more expensive, but you do get a refund to your credit card for either of these if you find a better price. All three categories allow you to cancel your reservation and get the credit/refund. 99.9% of the other airlines don't give you ANY of these options....changes will cost you and refunds are only available on the most expensive of the tickets.

Southwest also gives you TWO bags FREE.

 

[39CINDERELLA]

I just booked my 2016 trip on Tuesday. Starting all my planning now as I have to do it all on my own as it is a surprise for my soon to be 10 year old. Just he and I are going. Leaving daddy and his sister at home. For my planning purposes. were both the sci-fi breakfast and the Hollywood and vine character meals both 2 credit meals again this year, or did they put them back to 1 credit meals? Thanks.

as of right now it will be just me and my DS trip too

 

[DebbieB]

One thing to keep in mind - things may change next year if the rumored DHS construction starts.

 

[LATJLP]

Ok, so with the WONDERFUL announcements yesterday, anyone have any insider information about the Season of Force? The Travel Agent calendars don't show F! at all for Feb or March....so wondering if SoF will take place then.....and nail-bitingly worried that SWW may not happen in 2016. @yulilin3 any wisdom to share?