Star Wars Weekend Tips ~ 2011 Update

[desert_starr_57]

Cant Wait- we are going Sunday to DHS and my son (4yo) is counting down the days! I am praying the weather holds- as much as he LOVES SW he HATES Thunder.....

We are going on Sunday too! I am with you on the weather! I hope it all doesn't get too bad.

 

[SignMeUp]

Hi, I have a stupid question. My DH found out about SWW a week before our trip and asked if I could shuffle around our plans so we can attend. I see the dates May 28-30 listed, but no one ever mentions going on a Friday. I just want to make sure the parades and Storm Troopers are at rope drop on the Friday May 28 before I move everything around. We don't care about meeting any celebs. Thanks!

I have heard/read that they do NOT have the morning Storm Trooper show on EMH mornings. Other than that, all the SWW stuff happens Fri, Sat & Sun. Have fun!

 

[Claire-Bear]

My DBF is very disappointed to hear we're going to miss this by just a few days! Didn't know about it until after we had booked.

Can I ask, though, do they generally sell the Star Wars characters and plushies in Epcot or AK?

 

[LilGMom]

My DBF is very disappointed to hear we're going to miss this by just a few days! Didn't know about it until after we had booked.

Can I ask, though, do they generally sell the Star Wars characters and plushies in Epcot or AK?

I haven't seen any SW merch. in Epcot or AK but they do sell some SW merch. at Once Upon a Toy at DTD as well as in DHS.

 

[Claire-Bear]

Cool, we'll be going to DTD

 

[turtlebean]

My DBF is very disappointed to hear we're going to miss this by just a few days! Didn't know about it until after we had booked.

Can I ask, though, do they generally sell the Star Wars characters and plushies in Epcot or AK?

I have seen Star Wars stuff in Epcot. Actually we bought stuff there last year. I think it was at Mouse Gears. Whatever the shop is to the left of the big fountain, across from where the character meet/greet is w/mickey and minnie. They had plush stuff and figures.

 

[samoyed]

Merchandise specific to Star Wars Weekends will ONLY be sold at Star Wars Weekends in a specific Star Wars store they open only on the Fri, Sat and Sun of the event. General Star Wars stuff can usually be found in the Star Tours shop and Downtown Disney in the World of Disney.. you may find a few items in Epcot too... But the specific pins and shirts for the event will only be sold on the specific weekends in their designated store.

 

[samoyed]

Confirmed-- The Stormtroopers do not open the park on EMH days.... I was dissapointed one year when I did not see this......

 

[Supermom3]

Still looking for a plan of attack. Anyone willing to share? Not interested in meeting the real actors/autographs, but everything else sounds good.

Jenn

This will be our first year going, so I am by no means an expert, but this is more or less what we are doing.

I have 2 boys who want to do Jedi Training, so DH will head there with them at RD, and hope they are speedy enough to make the first show. Meanwhile I'm going to sign up my boys for the 2nd show of Padawan Mind Challenge, and then go get FP for TSM, then head back to watch Jedi Training (if all goes as planned). After that I gave us to around 10:45-11:00ish to either meet characters and/or ride Star Tours (depending on wait we might get FP). No later than 11:00 we plan to get a spot for the parade, and have some snacks/lunch while we wait for the parade. After the parade we plan to meet lots of characters, use the TSM FP, and possibly see the Indiana Joans show if we feel like we've met enough characters. We'll try to get one more Star Tours ride in before we make our way to 5:45 (I'm going off the time from last year) Padawan Mind Challenge. Once that's over, we'll most likely just hang out in that area with snacks/dinner and wait for the Hyperspace Hoopla. If the day is getting too long for the kiddos, we'll head out after PMC, and just come back another day to finish up what we weren't able to get done.

Our priorities are Jedi Training, Padawan Mind Challenge, the SW parade and SW characters. We plan to focus on mostly SWW related events, and will save the rest of DHS for a non-SWW day. We are planning on not really having any sit down meals, but just eating snacks and easily carried food as we go. We are planning a good breakfast before we leave the hotel for the day.

This is our plan. I welcome all comments. Thanks.

 

[PrincessBetsy]

This will be our first year going, so I am by no means an expert, but this is more or less what we are doing.

I have 2 boys who want to do Jedi Training, so DH will head there with them at RD, and hope they are speedy enough to make the first show. Meanwhile I'm going to sign up my boys for the 2nd show of Padawan Mind Challenge, and then go get FP for TSM, then head back to watch Jedi Training (if all goes as planned). After that I gave us to around 10:45-11:00ish to either meet characters and/or ride Star Tours (depending on wait we might get FP). No later than 11:00 we plan to get a spot for the parade, and have some snacks/lunch while we wait for the parade. After the parade we plan to meet lots of characters, use the TSM FP, and possibly see the Indiana Joans show if we feel like we've met enough characters. We'll try to get one more Star Tours ride in before we make our way to 5:45 (I'm going off the time from last year) Padawan Mind Challenge. Once that's over, we'll most likely just hang out in that area with snacks/dinner and wait for the Hyperspace Hoopla. If the day is getting too long for the kiddos, we'll head out after PMC, and just come back another day to finish up what we weren't able to get done.

Our priorities are Jedi Training, Padawan Mind Challenge, the SW parade and SW characters. We plan to focus on mostly SWW related events, and will save the rest of DHS for a non-SWW day. We are planning on not really having any sit down meals, but just eating snacks and easily carried food as we go. We are planning a good breakfast before we leave the hotel for the day.

This is our plan. I welcome all comments. Thanks.

That sounds like a really good plan!! Just make sure you drink plenty of water and try to find a shady spot for the parade. I'm sure your sons will be able to be in the Jedi Training show since you are heading there right at rope drop. You are probably going to want to arrive at DHS at least an hour before it opens so you can be near the front of the turnstiles. What day are you going to be there?

Confirmed-- The Stormtroopers do not open the park on EMH days.... I was dissapointed one year when I did not see this......

Thanks for confirming that! I've added that to the first page.

 

[lucas]

Is 11:40 for the parade correct?

 

[Supermom3]

That sounds like a really good plan!! Just make sure you drink plenty of water and try to find a shady spot for the parade. I'm sure your sons will be able to be in the Jedi Training show since you are heading there right at rope drop. You are probably going to want to arrive at DHS at least an hour before it opens so you can be near the front of the turnstiles. What day are you going to be there?


Thanks so much for the feedback. We'll be there Friday 5/28 with a possible second day on Sunday 5/30. Is it possible to get all of SWW stuff done in one full day provided we focus on mainly SWW events only? We won't be doing celeb autographs or the talks. I'm thinking that the boys will love it so much, we may need a second day. Thanks!!

 

[yulilin3]

Is 11:40 for the parade correct?

It was last year

 

[samoyed]

Don't blow off the talks so fast.... They are quite funny... the Stormtroopers usually but on a small show as the auditorum fills up... I really enjoyed it... but it does eat up a lot of your time.

 

[LilGMom]

Is 11:40 for the parade correct?

Do they only do one show each day? We have an ADR for 11:05 but I'm willing to miss it if they only do one parade a day.

Supermom3, what is this Padawan Mind Challenge that you speak of? Where is it, what is it and is there an age limit? TIA

 

[samoyed]

The Star Wars parade is only once per day.. they run their regular parade at 3pm I think but that is not the Star Wars one.

The Padawan Mind Challange is for kids only I believe age 5 to 12 only... not sure of the ages.... It is a number of questions they ask the children on the stage where they do the Jedi Training.... The questions get hard... you really need to know your Star Wars trivia... no parent helping is allowed.. they mention that numerous times in the show.... It is very hard to get into... you need to sign up the minutes the park opens... and I mean run over to the sign up area... They will tell you that day where the sign up is.. usually near Star Tours somewere...

Good Luck

 

[cocogrovemom]

We have 8:30 ADRS at HWV for Friday. Has anyone done this before? Will we be able to go straight to Jedi Training? Do the do the rope drop before 9?Any other suggestions to make the most of our plans?
Thanks!

 

[samoyed]

Firday is EMH... parks open at 8am...

 

[Coach81]

Thanks

 

[cocogrovemom]

Firday is EMH... parks open at 8am...

It shows Sat at EMH on their website.