Star Wars Weekend Tips 2012

[MeggyK]

I'm surprising my son too. We leave the same day as you (my ticker is off by one day). Ds will get up to go to school Friday morning and find out he is going to Florida instead. Its so hard to keep the secret!

Great that so many kids are going to be surprised! Can't wait!!

 

[CentralFloridian99]

Here's the situation with Ray:

If you're before bag check, you'll be first session garunteed.
If you're just after bag check, you'll be getting an early return time for session 2.
If you're far from bag check, it'll be a late session 2 or standby.

I fell into the 2nd category.

 

[DarthDad]

Just curious if the characters like Chewie or Darth do any interaction for pics, say, if you pretend to get Darth with a light saber will they do anything back for the pics or is it just stand there with them and smile for the camera? Just curious!

7 sleeps until we are there! Can't wait!

They do react or act with you depending on what happens. The little girl infront of my actually handed Vadar her dolly and went to stand next to her dad while Vadar was left to pose with the dolly. I didn't think it possible to convey confusion while dressed as Vadar but he pulled it off great!

I have a few very good pictures of my son with Vadar, we're standing with him sabers crossed and another with Darth Maul and I facing off... unfortunately post count is low and I can't link.

 

[CentralFloridian99]

They do react or act with you depending on what happens. The little girl infront of my actually handed Vadar her dolly and went to stand next to her dad while Vadar was left to pose with the dolly. I didn't think it possible to convey confusion while dressed as Vadar but he pulled it off great!

I have a few very good pictures of my son with Vadar, we're standing with him sabers crossed and another with Darth Maul and I facing off... unfortunately post count is low and I can't link.

Sunday Vader forced choked several people with nothing to sign

 

[DarthDad]

I was wondering how they could possibly pull off GG walking around the park.

You'd be surprised, I've seen a few good Grevious costumes, last one at CV. I think it would violate Disney rules about guest having a "masked" costume on though.

 

[Mr. Donald Dad]

$1700 for a Storm Trooper costume? Ouch

 

[DarthDad]

I have a few very good pictures of my son with Vadar, we're standing with him sabers crossed and another with Darth Maul and I facing off... unfortunately post count is low and I can't link.

Turns out I think I can...


35173640004 by rogue2012, on Flickr


35173640002 by rogue2012, on Flickr

 

[kswm30b]

I'm sure people have moved on to week 2, lol, but I ended up meeting 28 of the 30 characters out last weekend. I probably could have met the final 2 (Commander Rex and Ventress), but I got to that line just as she was leaving towards the end of the last day, and we decided to go ride Star Tours instead (can't do Star Wars Weekend without riding Star Tours, can we!?)

I'm horrible at posting my Disney pics online since I always take so many (even though I go a lot, I still take thousands of pictures each trip!) But, I did want to post these! Here are my pics with all the characters I met.

http://heatherw.com/other/gallery/v/travel/florida/disney/sww

 

[mesaboy2]

I'm sure people have moved on to week 2, lol, but I ended up meeting 28 of the 30 characters out last weekend. I probably could have met the final 2 (Commander Rex and Ventress), but I got to that line just as she was leaving towards the end of the last day, and we decided to go ride Star Tours instead (can't do Star Wars Weekend without riding Star Tours, can we!?)

I'm horrible at posting my Disney pics online since I always take so many (even though I go a lot, I still take thousands of pictures each trip!) But, I did want to post these! Here are my pics with all the characters I met.

http://heatherw.com/other/gallery/v/travel/florida/disney/sww

 

[yulilin3]

I'm sure people have moved on to week 2, lol, but I ended up meeting 28 of the 30 characters out last weekend. I probably could have met the final 2 (Commander Rex and Ventress), but I got to that line just as she was leaving towards the end of the last day, and we decided to go ride Star Tours instead (can't do Star Wars Weekend without riding Star Tours, can we!?)

I'm horrible at posting my Disney pics online since I always take so many (even though I go a lot, I still take thousands of pictures each trip!) But, I did want to post these! Here are my pics with all the characters I met.

http://heatherw.com/other/gallery/v/travel/florida/disney/sww

awesome pics!! and great sw t-shirts. you got alot done

 

[disneymomma76]

I'm sure people have moved on to week 2, lol, but I ended up meeting 28 of the 30 characters out last weekend. I probably could have met the final 2 (Commander Rex and Ventress), but I got to that line just as she was leaving towards the end of the last day, and we decided to go ride Star Tours instead (can't do Star Wars Weekend without riding Star Tours, can we!?)

I'm horrible at posting my Disney pics online since I always take so many (even though I go a lot, I still take thousands of pictures each trip!) But, I did want to post these! Here are my pics with all the characters I met.

http://heatherw.com/other/gallery/v/travel/florida/disney/sww

AWESOME! I hope we are as fortunate!

 

[Kayli]

I haven't had time to read this whole thread, but it looks like a great resource. We are going to surprise our kids soon with our first trip to SWW. I was just wondering if any of the characters (Star Wars characters or the dressed up Disney characters) will sign autograph books?

 

[d-r]

I'm sure people have moved on to week 2, lol, but I ended up meeting 28 of the 30 characters out last weekend. I probably could have met the final 2 (Commander Rex and Ventress), but I got to that line just as she was leaving towards the end of the last day, and we decided to go ride Star Tours instead (can't do Star Wars Weekend without riding Star Tours, can we!?)

I'm horrible at posting my Disney pics online since I always take so many (even though I go a lot, I still take thousands of pictures each trip!) But, I did want to post these! Here are my pics with all the characters I met.

http://heatherw.com/other/gallery/v/travel/florida/disney/sww

Well done!

 

[d-r]

Day 1, Wk 2 down. Took it kind of slow, I'm sure DR will post pics later. We arrived around 4:55 or so and we among the last 8 people to get a fast pass for Ray Parks first signing. He was great as always - actually remembered the kids from being in his show last year.

Not planned at all, but the kids got selected to be in the parade. That was a first, but they loved it! MH did have her face painted like Darth Maul - pretty sure thats what triggered that chain of events.

MH did PMC - Holden didn't feel like it. The kids DID have to be with us this morning when we signed up. The 2:10 show was all Clone Wars - toys were given out at the end.

We left after that...starting slow. Time for a swim - back for more SW tomorrow morning!

Melissa

 

[kswm30b]

Thanks guys.

If anyone has questions about when characters are out, make sure you ask the CMs in black Star Wars shirts. The other CMs with the characters (they are in white and blue stripes) don't know as much (most don't even usually work on DHS, they are brought in just for the event.) The right CMs always were able to tell me when a character would be back out, while the others either said they didn't know, or, I think made things up (one told me Anakin wouldn't be back for an hour and a half. I asked the black shirt CM, and he told me 4:50, which was about 30 minutes from when I asked.)

I was lucky enough that I never had a problem trying to catch a character in the lines where they switch out. The only time I got to the front and wanted a different character was for Kit Fisto, and they let us wait (there were about 3 of us waiting.) And then we lucked out and he was with Shaak Ti when I got up there. From what I could see, the CMs by the Fetts and in the tent (for the droids & Luke & Leia) were the ones that wouldn't let you wait, but the CMs obviously may change over the course of the weekends.

For the fab 4, I went straight there on the first day. Got Mickey, got back in line, caught Minnie, got back in line thinking it would be Donald...but it was Mickey again. The black shirt CM told me the next time he would be out, so I was able to use my TSM FP (I didn't think I'd have time to ride TSM at all during SWW, but I was able to ride 6 times over 2 days! Not bad!) Got back to the line and just missed Donald, BUT, the CM told me Donald would be out briefly with Goofy right before they left for the parade at 11:40, but the line would be closed soon. So I just got back in line (the line was closed a few people after me), and was able to catch them together (I heard they didn't do this the next day, though, so I'd double check with the CM if you're trying to get them together.) So basically, the first half of the first day was just getting those 4 characters. I was glad to never have to stand in that line again, lol. Even at 10am that line was brutally hot since the sun is RIGHT on you. I never thought I'd be able to meet a lot more that day, but all of the other lines went much more smoothly.

Forgot to post about one of the cool celeb moments I had! I didn't go to meet any of them, even though all but Ray always had spots available when I got to the park Friday & Sunday (Saturday I got there late, just to see the parade, though I still met a few characters. ) But thanks to this thread, I knew I could go around and take pics of the celebs. I did this for Ray one day, and then went back on the last day. Dee Bradley Baker was just leaving, so I went to snap a pic on my phone (I was tweeting pics all weekend ) & he said, "wait!", took my phone, switched it so it took a front picture & took a pic of us together!! I kept saying thank you! I was pretty excited

I was just wondering if any of the characters (Star Wars characters or the dressed up Disney characters) will sign autograph books?

Everyone signs except C3PO & R2D2. Not all of the Catina Band members sign. I caught one that didn't, he motioned that another one did, but I didn't feel like trying to grab him to get an autograph...catching the roaming characters can be a pain, and I was just happy to get a pic with one, lol. Aurra Sing is awesome, but a pain to try to get to stop and get a pic or sign. After following her around for a bit, and trying not to smile at her, she finally stopped for a second so I could get a picture. She wouldn't sign my book, though. She did grab some books from others, so she *does* sign, it's just hard to grab.

BTW, if you ask one of the black shirt CMs in that area, they will know exactly when the roaming characters come out as well. That's how I was able to catch the last 2 I was trying to find.

 

[Cinderumbrella]

Another question for yall. I am thinking of bringing our two panda umbrellas that we bought in China at Epcot for shade while waiting for characters or the parade. I figure they are really light and we can use a clip to hang them on our belt loops. Would anyone consider this rude? Obviously we would put them down during the parade so as not to block views.

I pull out my umbrella frequently at SWW to use for shade . I just take it down at parade time etc so I am not blocking anyone's view.

 

[Alysa]

I think this is the umbrella you'll need though

 

[mesaboy2]

Thanks guys.

If anyone has questions about when characters are out, make sure you ask the CMs in black Star Wars shirts. The other CMs with the characters (they are in white and blue stripes) don't know as much (most don't even usually work on DHS, they are brought in just for the event.) The right CMs always were able to tell me when a character would be back out, while the others either said they didn't know, or, I think made things up (one told me Anakin wouldn't be back for an hour and a half. I asked the black shirt CM, and he told me 4:50, which was about 30 minutes from when I asked.)

I was lucky enough that I never had a problem trying to catch a character in the lines where they switch out. The only time I got to the front and wanted a different character was for Kit Fisto, and they let us wait (there were about 3 of us waiting.) And then we lucked out and he was with Shaak Ti when I got up there. From what I could see, the CMs by the Fetts and in the tent (for the droids & Luke & Leia) were the ones that wouldn't let you wait, but the CMs obviously may change over the course of the weekends.

For the fab 4, I went straight there on the first day. Got Mickey, got back in line, caught Minnie, got back in line thinking it would be Donald...but it was Mickey again. The black shirt CM told me the next time he would be out, so I was able to use my TSM FP (I didn't think I'd have time to ride TSM at all during SWW, but I was able to ride 6 times over 2 days! Not bad!) Got back to the line and just missed Donald, BUT, the CM told me Donald would be out briefly with Goofy right before they left for the parade at 11:40, but the line would be closed soon. So I just got back in line (the line was closed a few people after me), and was able to catch them together (I heard they didn't do this the next day, though, so I'd double check with the CM if you're trying to get them together.) So basically, the first half of the first day was just getting those 4 characters. I was glad to never have to stand in that line again, lol. Even at 10am that line was brutally hot since the sun is RIGHT on you. I never thought I'd be able to meet a lot more that day, but all of the other lines went much more smoothly.

Forgot to post about one of the cool celeb moments I had! I didn't go to meet any of them, even though all but Ray always had spots available when I got to the park Friday & Sunday (Saturday I got there late, just to see the parade, though I still met a few characters. ) But thanks to this thread, I knew I could go around and take pics of the celebs. I did this for Ray one day, and then went back on the last day. Dee Bradley Baker was just leaving, so I went to snap a pic on my phone (I was tweeting pics all weekend ) & he said, "wait!", took my phone, switched it so it took a front picture & took a pic of us together!! I kept saying thank you! I was pretty excited



Everyone signs except C3PO & R2D2. Not all of the Catina Band members sign. I caught one that didn't, he motioned that another one did, but I didn't feel like trying to grab him to get an autograph...catching the roaming characters can be a pain, and I was just happy to get a pic with one, lol. Aurra Sing is awesome, but a pain to try to get to stop and get a pic or sign. After following her around for a bit, and trying not to smile at her, she finally stopped for a second so I could get a picture. She wouldn't sign my book, though. She did grab some books from others, so she *does* sign, it's just hard to grab.

BTW, if you ask one of the black shirt CMs in that area, they will know exactly when the roaming characters come out as well. That's how I was able to catch the last 2 I was trying to find.

Fantastic info and very helpful. Thanks for taking the time to let us know your experience!

 

[Karpkg]

Ray remembers us! he signed our photobook and got DD and I to join w/ DH and DS over the handlers objections.

He talked with us a bit and hen we raced off to a late lunch. It's been a crazy day.

Currently waiting for PMC. Don't know if we'll last till hoopla. 3 hrs of sleep last nite. Very hot.

 

[jar]

DS is sick so we're no longer going this weekend. We'll have to wait til next year (hopefully) for first SWW experience -- given that he's watched episodes 6 and 1 and is halfway through 2 today, I don't think that his interest will wane in the next year.

Thank you to everyone for all of the posts about what to expect and advice -- they are terrific.

I just cancelled our Sci-Fi reservation for 5:30pm tomorrow two minutes ago if anyone wants to grab it.