Star Wars Weekend Tips 2012

It's amazing how still doubling the times for JTA it's all booked in 20min. I remember when the master used to pick the kids from the audience, I saw plenty of little Padawans crying because they had tried multiple times and didn't get picked.
Don't forget they also double the class size (15 padawans on stage, 15 on the ground). I think the day we were there, the signups lasted about 40-45 minutes.

15 shows * 30 kids per show = 450 kids per day. Assuming 45 minutes was right, that was handing out 10 FP per minute, 1 about every 6 seconds. :scared1:

I am VERY glad we never had to experience the "will we get picked or won't we".
 
Don't forget they also double the class size (15 padawans on stage, 15 on the ground). I think the day we were there, the signups lasted about 40-45 minutes.

15 shows * 30 kids per show = 450 kids per day. Assuming 45 minutes was right, that was handing out 10 FP per minute, 1 about every 6 seconds. :scared1:

I am VERY glad we never had to experience the "will we get picked or won't we".

Alot of people were not happy with the change, but it's better to be there early, sign the kids up and have a specific time that you must be back vs staying around all day at JTA waiting to see if your kids would get picked. Now if we could get CM to make sure people sit down for Hoopla or at least don;t have kids on shoulders that would be great :love:
 
Alot of people were not happy with the change, but it's better to be there early, sign the kids up and have a specific time that you must be back vs staying around all day at JTA waiting to see if your kids would get picked. Now if we could get CM to make sure people sit down for Hoopla or at least don;t have kids on shoulders that would be great :love:
Sorry, I think it's an "either/or". If you have people sit down, you don't have kids on shoulders (spoken as someone who had a 50lb DS on his shoulders for 45 minutes). :rotfl:
 

Yes!!! DISboards is back up. I kept getting the "Come back in 60 minutes" :hourglass, so I :laundy:, then :bored:, then I got in the :car: and did errands, and now :banana:.

Can't go back to work till I take a mandatory upgrade computer class next week. :surfweb: So this is the most time I've spent on the DIS. I was in severe withdrawals late last night and this morning, I tell you.


Alrighty, where were we? Ahhh, JTA. My kids have since yet to fight against Darth Vader during SWW. Every single time it's been with Ventress. Last time I asked DD to go up to the stage the CM told her she was needed to stay on the floor. :confused3 So, if anyone has a hint I'd like to hear it.

As for the kids being in the parade, it was a random thing too. My kids were asked by the CM at Ray's signing 2 yrs ago and that was cool. Last year I asked at the Sounds Dangerous stage and they said it's random and that CM couldn't/wouldn't let the kids be in it.

But, if your kids happen to get in it, I would advise him/her to stay near the edge on the side where the other parent will sitting during the parade. DH and the kids were in the parade and surrounded, and I don't have good pics of them. And I had fast speed on as well.
 
Alrighty, where were we? Ahhh, JTA. My kids have since yet to fight against Darth Vader during SWW. Every single time it's been with Ventress. Last time I asked DD to go up to the stage the CM told her she was needed to stay on the floor. :confused3 So, if anyone has a hint I'd like to hear it.
I mentioned this earlier, but last year, the kids lined up at a fence line at Sounds Dangerous when it was time to meet. A CM lead them single file from there to the JTA stage. The first 15 kids went on stage (and fought Vader), the second 15 were on the ground. I don't know which side the CM lead from. Maybe try to put the kids in the middle, and once you know which way is "leading", try to go "pass" one child?:confused3

Even that is no guarantee.
 
Sorry, I think it's an "either/or". If you have people sit down, you don't have kids on shoulders (spoken as someone who had a 50lb DS on his shoulders for 45 minutes). :rotfl:

And if they'd put it on a stage where people could sit down and still see, then maybe they could get them to sit down.
 
I mentioned this earlier, but last year, the kids lined up at a fence line at Sounds Dangerous when it was time to meet. A CM lead them single file from there to the JTA stage. The first 15 kids went on stage (and fought Vader), the second 15 were on the ground. I don't know which side the CM lead from. Maybe try to put the kids in the middle, and once you know which way is "leading", try to go "pass" one child?:confused3

Even that is no guarantee.

What I've noticed is that bigger kids tend to stay on the bottom tier, maybe 'cause Darth Maul/Ventress are scarier? Kids on the top stage usually are smaller. It's just my impression and I could be very wrong. But I would ask the CM when you are signing them up if they can be with Darth Vader.
 
And if they'd put it on a stage where people could sit down and still see, then maybe they could get them to sit down.

The change to a stage with real seats (example Indy stage) will have to wait till next year, since they already announced that Hoopla will be performed at the Hat Stage. I'm still hoping this will happen in the future.
 
The change to a stage with real seats (example Indy stage) will have to wait till next year, since they already announced that Hoopla will be performed at the Hat Stage. I'm still hoping this will happen in the future.

The hat stage is still better than the JTA stage- that area was WAY too small for the amount of people who wanted to see the Hoopla. I hope they still broadcast it on the AI screen too :wizard:

But count me in as someone who love to move it to a "seated" theater ultimately.
 
And if they'd put it on a stage where people could sit down and still see, then maybe they could get them to sit down.
I would have no problem with that. I think the idea of bringing it to the Indy stage is a good one, they'd just need to create some "roll on" scenery to make it look more 'Star Warsish'.:lmao:
What I've noticed is that bigger kids tend to stay on the bottom tier, maybe 'cause Darth Maul/Ventress are scarier? Kids on the top stage usually are smaller. It's just my impression and I could be very wrong. But I would ask the CM when you are signing them up if they can be with Darth Vader.
Granted, we've only been one time, but I don't remember them "sizing" the kids.
 
The hat stage is still better than the JTA stage- that area was WAY too small for the amount of people who wanted to see the Hoopla. I hope they still broadcast it on the AI screen too :wizard:

But count me in as someone who love to move it to a "seated" theater ultimately.
I am almost 100% sure they'll show it again on the big screen. Since they already said it would be at 8pm and AIE finale show is at 7pm. This is why they moved it last year as well. They started showing Hoopla at 7:45pm but it cut it too close with the AIE finale so they moved it to 8pm.

I would have no problem with that. I think the idea of bringing it to the Indy stage is a good one, they'd just need to create some "roll on" scenery to make it look more 'Star Warsish'.:lmao:
Granted, we've only been one time, but I don't remember them "sizing" the kids.
They have a big roll up screen that they use every year for the cheerleaders when they do it at the Indy stage, it covers the entire city of "Cairo" so that shouldn't be a problem.

I think it's a matter of having kids not freeze or cry on stage, that's why they get asked questions while being signed up. Do you love Sta Wars? What's your favorite villain? stuff like that. But like I said before I could be wrong.
BTW Happy Friday the 13th everyone!! MTFBWY
 
:crazy2: IT TOOK ME, 5 STINKIN' PAGES TO DIG THIS UP! On a serious note, are there any tips for actually talking to the celebrities? What do they talk about (Obviously Star Wars but anything else?) and how long will they talk to you?
 
:crazy2: IT TOOK ME, 5 STINKIN' PAGES TO DIG THIS UP! On a serious note, are there any tips for actually talking to the celebrities? What do they talk about (Obviously Star Wars but anything else?) and how long will they talk to you?

It looks like everyone took a break this weekend :thumbsup2
Celebrities will talk to you almost about everything.
For example it doesn't have to be Star Wars related. Ray Park and Warwick Davis would talk about up coming projects (GI Joe and Harry Potter).
There are celebs that are more vocal than others; very talkative celebs are: Ray Park, Ashley Eckstein, James Arnold Taylor, Dee Bradley Baker, Daniel Logan, Jeremy Bullock
Not very talkative from my past experiences: Tom Kane and Jake Lloyd (like I said before Jake just seemed "out of it")
Now the problem with celebs that are talkative is that they'll spend more time talking to each guest and then have no time at all to meet anyone with a standby pass.
For example: Matthew Wood (voice of General Griveous) talks alot and he only could see about 40 people per signing hour. Peter Mayhew (Chewbacca) didn't talk at all and could sign more that 75 people per hour sohe would be able to get people with guaranteed fp and people with standby's.
 
Park hours have been updated to 8 a.m. to 10 p.m. with Fantasmic! at 9:00 p.m. and 10:30 p.m. for the first weekend. (per easywdw and double-checked by me on the WDW website (if you click on the day, it shows the extra F!))

Does this mean arrival times for celebrity FP on Weekend 1 will need to be backed up to 4:30 instead of 5:30? :worried: I don't think I can make that happen - DS and DH would be absolute bears for the rest of the day!

(I'm hoping the original recommendation of 5:30-ish was with the expectation that hours would be extended as they now have been.)
 
Park hours have been updated to 8 a.m. to 10 p.m. with Fantasmic! at 9:00 p.m. and 10:30 p.m. for the first weekend. (per easywdw and double-checked by me on the WDW website (if you click on the day, it shows the extra F!))

Does this mean arrival times for celebrity FP on Weekend 1 will need to be backed up to 4:30 instead of 5:30? :worried: I don't think I can make that happen - DS and DH would be absolute bears for the rest of the day!

(I'm hoping the original recommendation of 5:30-ish was with the expectation that hours would be extended as they now have been.)
God, I hope we won't have to get there at 4am. I will be one crabby (insert a five letter word ;) ) lol! But I know my husband and his guy friends are dying to meet Ray Park so we'll need to get there very early.
 
God, I hope we won't have to get there at 4am. I will be one crabby (insert a five letter word ;) ) lol! But I know my husband and his guy friends are dying to meet Ray Park so we'll need to get there very early.

I hear ya! DS really wants to meet Ray Park as well. Hopefully the SWW vets will set our minds at ease.
 
I hear ya! DS really wants to meet Ray Park as well. Hopefully the SWW vets will set our minds at ease.
We go every year, but have gotten very serious about meeting as many celebs as we can just the last few years. last year we got to DHS at about 6am and the guys got wristbands to see the C3PO dude (I know, gasp! I don't know his name lol) they were very excited and dumbstruck when they came out after the session. It's worth it for that but we crashed so hard that night.
 
If the parks opens at 8am you would still be Ok to get there between 5:30am and 6am. The process to get the wristband and fp is very quick but be prepared for the park to open around 7:30am maybe. If they see alot of people waiting they'll open the park earlier but I'm sure we'll get more info closer to the event. (I have close friends that work at Star Tours and my husband works at Backlot Tour so I'll ask about their schedules and let you guys know)
 












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