TIPS: Star Wars Weekends 2011

[Marlton Mom]

Hi Marlton Mom!

We are going the same day. As of now we have a 7:30am at Cape May for DS's birthday, but I will let him decide whether or not he wants to keep it. Our plan is to eat fast, pay the check quick and take a cab from the YC to DHS with a 8:15am +/- arrival. If he decides not to keep the ADR, we will grab a cab around 7:45 am to DHS.

Hi back
We are catching a plane from Jersey at 6:20 am Friday so that means a 3:00am wake up call for us. we plan on arriving at 10:30 am, hitting SAB and the bed for a nap and then heading out for a 4:30 ADR at 50's and then Hyperspace Hoopla. Then to bed! ZZZZzzzzzzzz

We have 7:45am ressies Sat June 11th at the Captains Grille. I'm planning on checking the weather and, if it's clear, ditching the Captain and cabbing it to HS around the same time. Hopefully we will see each other at that time, if not before.

We will probably head back after the Parade and hit SAB then we have Cape May buffet at 5:15 pm. After that we will have to see if it will be Magic Kingdom or the Magic mattress as I'm sure we will be beat!

Of course we are staying with two other families that we are good friends with from back home for this trip. One family will drift in friday night and the other Sat morning. I have a feeling all my carefully crafted plans are going to be for naught!

Check out my Flicker pix so you know what we look like and then holler like heck when you see me.

See Ya SOON!!!

Joanie

 

[d-r]

I don't think we will have to worry about rain. I have been watching the extended forcast for several days. Each day keeps improving!! Now there is not mention of rain for Friday or Saturday. Two days ago they were calling for rain on both Saturday and Sunday. I'm guessing that everything is moving slower than forcasted and by tomorrow or Tuesday, Sunday's forcast will be sunny and hot.

JMO

One thing is, the usual Florida "rainy season" pattern of an afternoon thunderstorm every day is late in coming. They keep thinking it will come anyday, but the winds from the east coast have delayed it. Don't base you weather expectation on what happened in the last few weeks, once the rainy season pattern hits it will hit.

 

[thecapells]

Okay, so the park should open at 8 for SWW on Friday.
Chewbacca comes out around 9:30.
So the plan is FP for Star Tours and ride Star Tours.
When should we get in line for Chewie?
Do we need to be there at 8:30?
Or is it better to come back later and get a wait shorter than 1 hour?
Would heading to the Jedi Mickey make more sense that early?
Does he come out with R2-MK at 9:00?
Any help would be appreciated.

 

[yulilin3]

Okay, so the park should open at 8 for SWW on Friday.
Chewbacca comes out around 9:30.
So the plan is FP for Star Tours and ride Star Tours.
When should we get in line for Chewie?
Do we need to be there at 8:30?
Or is it better to come back later and get a wait shorter than 1 hour?
Would heading to the Jedi Mickey make more sense that early?
Does he come out with R2-MK at 9:00?
Any help would be appreciated.

From what I have read in previous posts. It's better to ride ST at 8am and get in line for Chewbacca, it's easier to wait an hour early in the morning rather than later when it's hotter and there are more poeple walking around. After Chewie I would go to the Disney SW line. I have walked by Chewies line around 8:45am and people are already lining up.

 

[Karpkg]

Okay, so the park should open at 8 for SWW on Friday.
Chewbacca comes out around 9:30.
So the plan is FP for Star Tours and ride Star Tours.
When should we get in line for Chewie?
Do we need to be there at 8:30?
Or is it better to come back later and get a wait shorter than 1 hour?
Would heading to the Jedi Mickey make more sense that early?
Does he come out with R2-MK at 9:00?
Any help would be appreciated.

I would ride Star Tours and check the line occasionally starting around 8:20(we did Star Tours 2x before lining up for Chewbacca). A few families start lining up around 8:30 thinking they'll see Chewbacca at 9A, but again, he doesn't come out till 9:30. If you start your wait at 8:30A you'll wait an hour but it's a guaranteed hour in that you will see Chewbacca, as opposed to getting in line later and then wondering if you'll see him before he goes to break time or if he'll switch over to Ewoks.

I've also sent the kids and DH to ride Star Tours without me, eaten breakfast in line and/or gathered FP's for either Star Tours or TSM.

By 9:00 the line will have gone all the way down to American Idol's back entrance. Your waits will only get longer at that point. People are willing to wait as long as they're sitting down and in the shade.

I haven't made it out to Jedi Mickey & friends that early to tell you what time they start.

 

[thecapells]

So the consensus is that later in the day, the line for Chewie is over an hour?
How about afternoon lines for the Disney SW chars?
Or would I try them on Sat morning after Star Tours?

Either way though it sounds like we are good for 2 rides on Star Tours before we line up around 8:30/8:45 or so.

 

[yulilin3]

So the consensus is that later in the day, the line for Chewie is over an hour?
How about afternoon lines for the Disney SW chars?
Or would I try them on Sat morning after Star Tours?

Either way though it sounds like we are good for 2 rides on Star Tours before we line up around 8:30/8:45 or so.

I don't know how long the lines have been since I haven't done any characters this year, but I would do characters meets in the morning just because of the heat and/or rain. Especially the Disney SW characters are in the sun all day long so it's more confortable to make the line in the morning when the temps are still bearable

 

[MelissathePooh]

OMG! Do you not know who her husband is? He is a major league baseball player! That is too funny...he has won TWO World Series rings and been an All-Star two times. Look him up...David Eckstein. I would have been more thrilled to meet him because he also played college baseball for my alma mater...UF! GO GATORS! That is very cool that you bumped into him.

Nice to know he is as nice as he as always seemed.

I had to look him up after we got home - that's when I was really glad I didn't know who he was to be flabergasted. I'll admit to being one of the folks who left baseball after the strike so many years ago. Just never stayed interested in it. I knew she was married to a professional baseball player, but didn't know anything about him

Seriously though - he was just the nicest guy - and I think it was his sister there as well. We were just sitting there chatting like it was any other famliy you'd talk to waiting in line. Between that and the only reason we were there was because Ray Park had personally invited the kids to be in the show (which I'm sure he does often) - it was a bit of a surreal afternoon.

 

[yulilin3]

schedule for weekend 4: http://sww.studioscentral.com/main/files/sww-061011.pdf
after that it's bye bye Star Wars Weekend, until next year

 

[thecapells]

schedule for weekend 4: http://sww.studioscentral.com/main/files/sww-061011.pdf
after that it's bye bye Star Wars Weekend, until next year

Awesome!
Thanks for the early release of the schedule.
Now to go finish planning!

 

[Karpkg]

I had to look him up after we got home - that's when I was really glad I didn't know who he was to be flabergasted. I'll admit to being one of the folks who left baseball after the strike so many years ago. Just never stayed interested in it. I knew she was married to a professional baseball player, but didn't know anything about him

Seriously though - he was just the nicest guy - and I think it was his sister there as well. We were just sitting there chatting like it was any other famliy you'd talk to waiting in line. Between that and the only reason we were there was because Ray Park had personally invited the kids to be in the show (which I'm sure he does often) - it was a bit of a surreal afternoon.

When I first read that you had met him I thought that was the funniest thing... I'm sure he got a kick at the role reversal...in Star Wars and Disney his wife was more famous and recognizable than he was!

I told Ashley I appreciated that she was a great role model for my DD. Because of Ahsoka Tano my DD can swing a light saber confidently alongside any boy and she was Ahsoka this past Halloween because of Ashley. Funny, out of the celebrities she met these past weekends, it's also Ray and Anthony Daniels she's liked. (They've been the most interactive with the kids).

The Disney SW characters are in the sun as early as 9A and the lines stay consistent in length unlike Chewbacca's who seems to grow and grow and grow. I've sent the kids and DH to sit in the shade while I've sacrificed myself to the sun god irregardless what time of the day in this particular line. This line you remain standing and so people tend to take a look at this line then turn away if it gets too long.

At least the CM for this line is more on the ball. She'll yell out directions, which character is next, where to stay if you're waiting for a certain character, and answer any questions. The worse CM's are those in Jabba Hut. I've asked other CM's at other character lines for the Luke and Leia time slots and they'll tell me but not those in Jabba's Hut. "They're random and there's no way of knowing who'll be out" is their robotic reply and they'll refuse any other specific answer.

 

[Buckeye Princess]

I heard that Disney just announced DHS will be opening 1 hour earlier this weekend but the website still lists 9am. Does anyone know if this is true? Also is that just Sat and Sun or Fri too?

 

[baler31]

I have looked at the map and read through the thread and wondered if anyone had a list of which characters are where. We will be going for two days the final weekend and my children would like to see as many characters as possible.

We are passholders but this is our first SWW so we are not too picky about which ones we get, with the exception that I have a request for SW Mickey or Goofy, other than that they just want to meet them as it will be a new thing for us. We will not be there for any celebrity autographs. Any suggestions or locations ? Thank you.

 

[marsh0013]

I heard that Disney just announced DHS will be opening 1 hour earlier this weekend but the website still lists 9am. Does anyone know if this is true? Also is that just Sat and Sun or Fri too?

i sure hope not! i'm really banking on that extra hour when the masses don't know yet...

 

[yulilin3]

I heard that Disney just announced DHS will be opening 1 hour earlier this weekend but the website still lists 9am. Does anyone know if this is true? Also is that just Sat and Sun or Fri too?

They have been opening an hour earlier from the official hour every weekend. So I still expect that DHS will open at 8am Fri, Sat and Sun.

I have looked at the map and read through the thread and wondered if anyone had a list of which characters are where. We will be going for two days the final weekend and my children would like to see as many characters as possible.

We are passholders but this is our first SWW so we are not too picky about which ones we get, with the exception that I have a request for SW Mickey or Goofy, other than that they just want to meet them as it will be a new thing for us. We will not be there for any celebrity autographs. Any suggestions or locations ? Thank you.

Disney SW characters: next to ABC Commisary
Queen Amidala: next to SOunds Dangerous
Chewbacca: Speeder bike next to Star Tours
Ahsoka, Cp. Rex, Commander Cody and Assaj Ventress: Next to Premiere Theater
Jedi Council( Anakin, Shaak Tii, Kit Fisto and Mace Windu: Next to San Francisco Street.
Roaming characters in this area Clone Troopers and Jawas
Darth Vader: Next to Studio Catering Restaurant.
Darth Maul: Next to Backlot Tour
Jango and Bobba Fett: Backlot Tour
Roaming characters in this area: Stormtroopers, Aurra Sing, Zam Wessel Tuscan Raiders and Gamorrean Guard
Luke, Leia, R2D2 and C3PO: Jabba's Tent by RnRC
characters that appear in the same area rotate, keep that in mind.
Longest lines are Chewbacca, Darth Vader and Disney SW. around 1 hour to 1 hour and a half. If you want to take pics with characters go there first thing in the morning, the heat gets really bad the longer in the day and almost most of the characetrs are in direct sunlight.

 

[yulilin3]

i sure hope not! i'm really banking on that extra hour when the masses don't know yet...

I have heard many people complain about not knowing that the park was opening at 8am, maybe that's why they want to announce it.

 

[baler31]

They have been opening an hour earlier from the official hour every weekend. So I still expect that DHS will open at 8am Fri, Sat and Sun.



Disney SW characters: next to ABC Commisary
Queen Amidala: next to SOunds Dangerous
Chewbacca: Speeder bike next to Star Tours
Ahsoka, Cp. Rex, Commander Cody and Assaj Ventress: Next to Premiere Theater
Jedi Council( Anakin, Shaak Tii, Kit Fisto and Mace Windu: Next to San Francisco Street.
Roaming characters in this area Clone Troopers and Jawas
Darth Vader: Next to Studio Catering Restaurant.
Darth Maul: Next to Backlot Tour
Jango and Bobba Fett: Backlot Tour
Roaming characters in this area: Stormtroopers, Aurra Sing, Zam Wessel Tuscan Raiders and Gamorrean Guard
Luke, Leia, R2D2 and C3PO: Jabba's Tent by RnRC
characters that appear in the same area rotate, keep that in mind.
Longest lines are Chewbacca, Darth Vader and Disney SW. around 1 hour to 1 hour and a half. If you want to take pics with characters go there first thing in the morning, the heat gets really bad the longer in the day and almost most of the characetrs are in direct sunlight.

Thank you so much.

 

[Karpkg]

I have heard many people complain about not knowing that the park was opening at 8am, maybe that's why they want to announce it.

Best enjoy it while it lasts. Don't think it'll happen (be unannounced, and only us knowing) like that next year.

Disney was generous in this regard. Suspect it's only because of Star Tours reopening with such fanfare. Did they really open just because of people camping out in the parking lots? (Then how about those that stay out the entire night? Would opening one hour earlier make that much a difference?)

I wonder how much of the changes this year they'll keep for next year? I think they'll keep the big stage(hate the shortened parade route to the stage though). They may keep the celebrity wristbands and the one celebrity/day(don't like that one, you'll have to come back multiple days to get those you want)

Overall though I believe Disney this year has opened the Star Wars experience to more people visiting DHS during the weekends this year. Moving the Hoopla, Celebrity Welcome and Padawan Mind Challenge to the stage helped enormously.

Keeping guidelines among character and celebrity handlers CM's on how to handle the public have been very inconsistent. Frustrating and irritating.

Oh well. My trip's over so I'm looking forward to living vicariously through others when Wknd 4 comes along.

 

[RedM94]

Vacation officially starts tomorrow!!!! DS 10 and I will fly into Orlando Thursday morning. This will be our first trip for SWW. This thread has been has been an excellent source of information for planning our trip.

I do have a question regarding the autograph FP. I'm sure it has been mentioned, but I have only been keeping up with this thread for about a week.

If you are in line early for the autograph FP, can you select the session you want to attend or do they fill up from the first session to the the latest session?

We hope to see some of you there this weekend!!

Thank you to everyone for their time in posting all of the updates!

 

[Karpkg]

Vacation officially starts tomorrow!!!! DS 10 and I will fly into Orlando Thursday morning. This will be our first trip for SWW. This thread has been has been an excellent source of information for planning our trip.

I do have a question regarding the autograph FP. I'm sure it has been mentioned, but I have only been keeping up with this thread for about a week.

If you are in line early for the autograph FP, can you select the session you want to attend or do they fill up from the first session to the the latest session?

We hope to see some of you there this weekend!!

Thank you to everyone for their time in posting all of the updates!

As Yoda would say, choose your celebrity wisely. A celebrity will have a certain number of sessions during the day and they all fill up quickly. You'll be given a fast pass and the same fast pass rules apply; after 2 hrs you can get another celebrity fast pass. Usually by then, if you're able to get another fast pass it'll be as a stand by and stand by's may or may not get in.

Unless you're really early and you know you're near the front of the line there's no way of knowing at what session you'll be. My family usually got there shortly before or around 7AM and we tended toward getting 2nd sessions early in the celebrity's hour. But the more "famous/rare" the celebrity, the earlier people get to the line and that line gets pretty long fairly quickly. The hosts line because they're there all weekends tend to be the shortest.

Unfortunately you don't get to pick your sessions. You're just handed a fast pass by the CM. They're yelling out what sessions have filled up and what session they're currently on as they are handing the fast passes out.

We've tried to shoot for 1st session to do the morning ones and get the afternoon free but unless the celebrity has only one session, we've been unable to do that in the past 2 wknds.