TIPS: Star Wars Weekends 2011

[Corrine 1973]

Would you be interested in a breakfast INSIDE Disney's Hollywood Studios BEFORE park opening on Sunday, May 22 during opening weekend for Star Tours and Star Wars Weekend? Here's your chance. You're invited to join us!

The breakfast would be in the Backlot Express (right next to Star Tours) on Sunday, May 22 from 7-9:30a. When the park opens at 9am, we would be right next to Star Tours, and you would be among the first in line for Star Tours (you will need theme park admission if you want to stay in the park after opening).

This would be an event for charity with all proceeds going to Give Kids The World. Based on what Disney would charge us for the food and venue, in order to raise funds for GKTW, the cost would be $50/adult 10+. Children ages 3-9 would be $25, and children 2 & under are free.

People line up incredibly early to get into Hollywood Studios for Star Wars Weekend, and there is going to be a huge demand for the new Star Tours ride. You will still need to get to the park early, but why not come join us, have breakfast, and wait comfortably right next to the new attraction?

Based on this information, would you be interested in attending? We're trying to see how many people are really interested before signing the contract with Disney.

For more information, please see the following thread.

http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=2678327

What an amazing event, I so wish we were going to be there that weekend. But no, we are not going to be there until the 29th

Though I do want to thank you from someone who stayed at Give Kids the World in 2009. It is a great thing you do and Give Kids the World is a truely magicaly place.

 

[Disneymomma41304]

Does anyone know if the sell SPECIAL Star Wars week-end SHIRTS?????? Would they sell them at the resorts too or just Hollywood Studios????

 

[Order66]

They do sell SWW shirts, only at HS and only Fri-Sun. They also have special SWW only pins and last year the "spend X and Buy this for Y" was a pretty cool throw blanket. My favorite of the things I bought.

regards

 

[chamonix]

My daughter isn't interested in the celebrities, she's only interested in certain characters, especially Cad Bane.

We had a fantastic time at SWW last year, but of course, Cad Bane wasn't there. Has anyone heard any rumors or know if Cad Bane may show up this year? We're planning to come back anyway, but it would be amazing if Cad Bane was there.....

 

[yulilin3]

My daughter isn't interested in the celebrities, she's only interested in certain characters, especially Cad Bane.

We had a fantastic time at SWW last year, but of course, Cad Bane wasn't there. Has anyone heard any rumors or know if Cad Bane may show up this year? We're planning to come back anyway, but it would be amazing if Cad Bane was there.....

No word yet on any characters...still waiting for the official celeb list as well, this is the longest we've waited for the list from Disney...weekend 1 better have a darn good celeb appearing because so far the list of unofficial people is pretty dissapointing (not that who's coming isn't great but people that have gone to SWW in years past already met them) we need some new faces.

 

[anne0866]

Well - I just read through this entire thread. Thnaks to everyone for all of your helpful hints. Our 9 year old son is a Star Wars freak! This is a surprise for him! We are going the first weekend. He will be so patient for anything to do with Star Wars. We have taken him to the Star Wars in Concert show and he was better behaved thanmost of the grown ups when it came to meeting some characters. I just can't wait to see the expression on his face when he sees those stormtroopers on top of the gate!

I have to say that when we booked this trip (just last week) I hadn't heard about George rumour for thr deciation cermony of Star Tours2. That has hubby and I concerned about the crowds - but our son would be thrilled just to be in the same park as him. Let alone possibly catch a glimpse of him.

 

[yulilin3]

Well - I just read through this entire thread. Thnaks to everyone for all of your helpful hints. Our 9 year old son is a Star Wars freak! This is a surprise for him! We are going the first weekend. He will be so patient for anything to do with Star Wars. We have taken him to the Star Wars in Concert show and he was better behaved thanmost of the grown ups when it came to meeting some characters. I just can't wait to see the expression on his face when he sees those stormtroopers on top of the gate!

I have to say that when we booked this trip (just last week) I hadn't heard about George rumour for thr deciation cermony of Star Tours2. That has hubby and I concerned about the crowds - but our son would be thrilled just to be in the same park as him. Let alone possibly catch a glimpse of him.

the crowds for weekend one will be crazy, particularly on Friday with the opening ceremony; but with him being a SW fan I'm sure he'll love it. Just have a ton of patience, lots of water. Make sure to catch the 2 shows (Stars of the Saga and Behind the Force) get in line early to get a seat. Have Fun and MTFBWY

 

[jennib5426]

Please oh please let there be AP preview days for the new ride the week before....
We are there May 14-22 and would love to get the ride in before SWW. With a 7 year old we just want to do autographs, parade and shopping during the first SWW.

 

[Klarah]

Oh no, I feel really dumb. I booked a trip for Memorial Day weekend to take my grandmother. The only park we planned on leaving the resort for was Hollywood Studios on Sunday, May 29th! We have reservations at Brown Derby for 7ish then planned to see fantasmic at 9pm. . I had no idea about stars wars weekend! We usually go around mothers day. But I wanted to try MDW.

From reading over this post , I gather that SW is only at Hollywood studios, and the crowds are rockin' at a level 9.

So I probably re-plan our Sunday night??
Anyone think my Nana & I can hack thru the crowds while I push her in a chair?

Oh my,

 

[TallandGoofy]

I booked an ADR for the Hollywood and Vine breakfast at 8:05 on the last Saturday of SWW.

Would you think this a good strategy for being in the park earlier? Will I be able to grab FP's pretty easily for either Star Tours or TSM?

My thinking is, with my antsy 8 and 3 year olds, it'll be easier to wait for RD in an entertaining, air conditioned place than with the massive crowd that I'm guessing will have built up at the front gate.

I'm not going for any celeb autographs or JTA. Mainly just want to look around and enjoy the atmosphere - snap some pictures with characters and try to ride things (mainly Star Tours) here and there. We are also going there in the evening on a non-SWW day so we will be able to do things then as well.

Any thoughts or advice you have are greatly appreciated!

 

[sweetpea29488]

We'll be at DS on June 5th. We are going only for the rides and reg. shows, not doing anything SW. We don't need fp for anything SW. We'll head 1st thing at rope drop for TSM. We usually arrive before opening. With it being SW weekend how much earlier should we arrive?

 

[kschafer]

We'll be at DS on June 5th. We are going only for the rides and reg. shows, not doing anything SW. We don't need fp for anything SW. We'll head 1st thing at rope drop for TSM. We usually arrive before opening. With it being SW weekend how much earlier should we arrive?

someone else who has been there may be able to speak to this better but it seems to me that if you are intentionally avoiding the SW events, you may not find much larger crowds than any other day since so many of the SW things require people to stand in lines for a period of time (like if you went into MK with the intention of doing all the character greets you possibly could. It would keep you out of the attraction lines)

I imagine that although the park will have large crowds in terms of number of people through the gates, if you stick with the non-SW rides and attractions, you might find they aren't too bad. I would almost be tempted in your case to arrive about 15 minutes after RD in order to avoid that first rush of people

 

[yulilin3]

Oh no, I feel really dumb. I booked a trip for Memorial Day weekend to take my grandmother. The only park we planned on leaving the resort for was Hollywood Studios on Sunday, May 29th! We have reservations at Brown Derby for 7ish then planned to see fantasmic at 9pm. . I had no idea about stars wars weekend! We usually go around mothers day. But I wanted to try MDW.

From reading over this post , I gather that SW is only at Hollywood studios, and the crowds are rockin' at a level 9.

So I probably re-plan our Sunday night??
Anyone think my Nana & I can hack thru the crowds while I push her in a chair?

Oh my,

I don't think you need to re-plan. It will be crowded but not so much that you can't make your way thru the park. The busiest area will be around STar Tours. In the past all SWW activities have ended at 7pm (with the final show Hyperspace Hoopla from 7 to 7:30) after that the majority of people that attend SWW leave the park. I think you should be Ok.

 

[yulilin3]

I booked an ADR for the Hollywood and Vine breakfast at 8:05 on the last Saturday of SWW.

Would you think this a good strategy for being in the park earlier? Will I be able to grab FP's pretty easily for either Star Tours or TSM?

My thinking is, with my antsy 8 and 3 year olds, it'll be easier to wait for RD in an entertaining, air conditioned place than with the massive crowd that I'm guessing will have built up at the front gate.

I'm not going for any celeb autographs or JTA. Mainly just want to look around and enjoy the atmosphere - snap some pictures with characters and try to ride things (mainly Star Tours) here and there. We are also going there in the evening on a non-SWW day so we will be able to do things then as well.

Any thoughts or advice you have are greatly appreciated!

Even if you finish your breakfast before 9am you can't go and walk around the park, you have to wait for rope drop. But it is a good idea to be in the park eating breakfast than waiting with the crowd outside. I would think that Star Tours FP will be more popular than TSM Fp during SWW, so if you can grab a FP fr ST and then you can go ride TSM.

 

[perrytheplatypus]

are the characters that are normally at the park there on a SWW day? we're hoping to see Phineas and Ferb.

 

[Cinderumbrella]

are the characters that are normally at the park there on a SWW day? we're hoping to see Phineas and Ferb.

Yes. The Star Wars characters have their own areas.

 

[Joanna71985]

I'm not sure what will happen with Phineas and Ferb during SWW (the area they will be meeting in is used for SWW characters).

 

[anne0866]

My son had a field trip at school today. He heard another older child on the bus discussing Disney Star Wars weekend that he attended last year. My son came home begging us to someday take him to it. Little does he know that we are leaving in 3 weeks 6 days. It nearly killed me to not say something. This is really going to be a long wait.!

Hubby an I were concerned about the crowds that 1st SWW weekend but the way our son is such a huge SW fan - it'll be great and magical no matter what!

 

[GoofyTraci]

My son had a field trip at school today. He heard another older child on the bus discussing Disney Star Wars weekend that he attended last year. My son came home begging us to someday take him to it. Little does he know that we are leaving in 3 weeks 6 days. It nearly killed me to not say something. This is really going to be a long wait.!

Hubby an I were concerned about the crowds that 1st SWW weekend but the way our son is such a huge SW fan - it'll be great and magical no matter what!

awww so exciting. hope u guys have a great time. We r going the first time this year too.

 

[yulilin3]

are the characters that are normally at the park there on a SWW day? we're hoping to see Phineas and Ferb.

Last year they had the Cars meet and greet right next to the Clone Wars and the Jedi Council characters. I'm not sure if they will move some SWW to other places but from what I've heard they are having Phineas and Pherb around that same area so I don't think they will the same set up as last year.
Phineas and Pherb are huge and I don't think they will not appear during SWW after the long wait to meet them. I am sure they will figure something out to make everyone happy.