TIPS: Star Wars Weekends 2011

[yulilin3]

at what location do you meet the Disney SW characters? TYIA

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 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.

 

[TallandGoofy]

I would FP TSMM and go straight to Vader and the Disney SW Characters
Being early for an ADR won't give you any advantage, if you finish before rope drop they make you wait with everyone else. Since the parade route is so short people are grabbing spots 1 1/2 to 2 hours prior.

Thanks for the tips!

I'm not worried about being in front since I'm 6' 6". If we get out of H&V at around 12:15/12:30 and veer right...we'd be in back of the crowd but still maybe able to see some parade, right?

I won't be able to grab a spot and wait an hour and a half regardless. No way my 3 y.o. will sit still for that. But, thinking we could bide our time at the character lunch and then walk out and only have a 15 - 20 minute wait (albeit in the back of the crowd). Does that seem feasible?

 

[TallandGoofy]

Park open 8:40a

That is great to know!! Thanks for sharing!!

Is it OPEN open? Like you are able to go on rides at 8:40? Or are they just letting you get into the park but still behind a rope?

 

[amykay9377]

We will be coming down tomorrow (just decided today!) to do a one day 'trip' and hubby wants to ride the new Star Tours. Is it open now (for everyone, or just AP holders, like a soft opening)? Are the fastpasses up and going? I was thinking that DD and I could get in line for characters (Mickey et al) while he goes and gets FPs for ST.

Thanks for the info! Can't wait to go tomorrow!

 

[yulilin3]

We will be coming down tomorrow (just decided today!) to do a one day 'trip' and hubby wants to ride the new Star Tours. Is it open now (for everyone, or just AP holders, like a soft opening)? Are the fastpasses up and going? I was thinking that DD and I could get in line for characters (Mickey et al) while he goes and gets FPs for ST.

Thanks for the info! Can't wait to go tomorrow!

It's open for everyone, getting Fp's for it is a good idea! Have fun.

 

[amykay9377]

It's open for everyone, getting Fp's for it is a good idea! Have fun.

Awesome, thanks for the quick response! We can't wait.

 

[mGreeneLantern]

Just wondering, is Jabba's Hutt only open on the weekends? I'll be down during the week at the start of June, but leaving before the weekend.
Thanks!

 

[yulilin3]

Just wondering, is Jabba's Hutt only open on the weekends? I'll be down during the week at the start of June, but leaving before the weekend.
Thanks!

Yes, Jabba's Hut is only opened during SWW, just Friday, Saturday and Sunday. Tattoine Traders is open all the time but their SWW merchandise is limited.

 

[Finiamh]

I have to concur here. Walt himself wanted a place where kids and adults could partake in everything. That was the whole point to all the parks.

The whole thing of "let my kid in front of you because this is for kids" just goes against the fabric of the place.

Plan better for your kids to enjoy what you want them to see, and do not assume you have the right of way over an innocent adult that got there first.

 

[Finiamh]

Although Anthony Daniels is only signing the card, he is also spending time with each person and talking to them. We had a conversation about one of the scenes in the new ride that wore his voice out.

People that assume he should sign what we want him to also miss the point of this person giving a signature. He puts his pants on the same way we do yes, but can someone force you to sign something? No.

He has his reasons and those should be respected.

 

[Mrs D]

Stormtroopers out 8:20

Park open 8:40a

Thanks for the updates!

 

[TravelGrl]

Info for next weekend -

MattLanter from twitter Matt Lanter
I'll be hosting a behind the scenes show and signing autographs at Disney Star Wars weekends next week, June 3-5...come out and say hi!!

 

[leshunlenese]

For the Disney SW characters, deos anyone know if there is a specific order or time they come out to switch up or is it random . For example, if i go there at opening is there a specific character that comes out 1st or deos it switch up?

 

[BrerNashville]

In line for AD. Next longest line is spence baker Taylor eckstein. Won't tell me chances. For ad. In line since 7A.

Did you get the AD fastpasses?

 

[d-r]

Although Anthony Daniels is only signing the card, he is also spending time with each person and talking to them. We had a conversation about one of the scenes in the new ride that wore his voice out.

People that assume he should sign what we want him to also miss the point of this person giving a signature. He puts his pants on the same way we do yes, but can someone force you to sign something? No.

He has his reasons and those should be respected.

OK. Here's what ticked me off. Our son started working on an original trilogy poster last year (Billy D. Williams, Peter Mayhew, Jeremy Bulloch). The whole sad story thing is that a tree came in through his room in the tornados in April, and on the wall that was still up he had a clone wars poster still hanging there. Yeah, I know my little snow flake and everybody has a story. So we bring that poster down. We figured that Anthony Daniels and Peter Mayhew could sign it because the do voices with clone wars. And Daniel Logan of course. I felt bad about asking Ashley Eckstein to sign it because it didn't have an Ahsoka Tano on it, but when Holden mentioned that to Dave Filoni, he said "I can fix that" and drew her in it. So that's all cute and all. So Anthony Daniels isn't going to sign anything. OK, that's fine whatever. Last weekend we didn't even bother waiting in his line because he'd be back this weekend. So both kids want to see him and we get fast passes today.

NOW here is the thing that ticks me off. Not that he wouldn't sign anything other than the black and whites. Fine. We knew that. Whatever. You are in all six star wars movies you can be a prima dona, you can tell Disney that your going to charge them $60 per autograph after you had already agreed to $50, and then throw up all these requests. But what ticked me off was that while we were in sounds dangerous waiting, without bringing in anything just like we were told, right in front of our snowflakes we had explained this all to, he signs some lady's poster. Right there. He gets up, and comes back to the place where he makes everybody keep there stuff so he can't be bothered with it, and he signs the woman's poster. I don't know and I don't begrudge it, the lady probably had some kind of story and it isn't my business why he did it. But there is Holden asking about why he can't have is poster signed and wanting me to ask him because he's afraid to. And me getting yelled at by his stooges because I dared to take a picture of him signing it. Look, I get it, he wants to be able to charge people more money to sign his autograph, whatever, but if he is going to make this kind of rule and bully Disney in to enforcing it then he really ought to stick to it and least out in public in front of other guests. Really, really bad show. That said, he was really nice to our kids, but as an adult I couldn't care less about getting his signature.

 

[delmar411]

Stormtroopers out 8:20

I saw on FB that you had checked in when I did. Saw you all a few times in passing in the park but never had a chance to stop and finally meet my photopass buddy. LOL

Two of my kids were able to fight Ventress this morning and were also both in the top 3 at tonights mind challenge. They made my star wars crazy Dh so proud.

I hope you had a great day in the park!

 

[Mrs D]

I saw on FB that you had checked in when I did. Saw you all a few times in passing in the park but never had a chance to stop and finally meet my photopass buddy. LOL

Two of my kids were able to fight Ventress this morning and were also both in the top 3 at tonights mind challenge. They made my star wars crazy Dh so proud.

I hope you had a great day in the park!

That was awesome that your kiddos got to fight Ventress. My DS would love that!

I hope we get the chance to bump into each other next weekend!

 

[yulilin3]

Ready for weekend 2...I went to DHS yesterday just to see James Arnold Taylor's show and Hoopla. Arrived around 5:30pm got in line for JAT, great show!! Then walked over to Star Tours the line was 60min. the CM told me it had been long all day, not coming under 45min. Got a spot for Hoopla around 7:15am, pretty decent, to the side by the sounds tent. Great show and the rain managed to wait until the very last second of Hoopla, then the skies went crazy, with thunderstorms, pretty nasty stuff, left DHS right after Hoopla.
Today will try and get a good spot for the Parade, I'll walk around the characters some more and get better info on their rotations and ride Star Tours. Look and decide on merchandise at Jabba's tent. I always wait for the last weekend since they put SWW merchandise for sale. (Just SWW merch not regular SW merch that they sell at Tattoine TRaders)
MTFBWY

 

[LSUDis]

What were the actual opening times THIS weekend so far?

 

[trackmom]

Hi! My sons, 8 and 6 are HUUUUGE SW fans! We just found out we have the opportunity to go next weekend, June 2-3. We were thinking about doing MK Thursday for my DD, who is 2 to see the castle, some princesses, etc and then going to SWW on Friday.

I have read through this thread and think I got some good information from it. Plus now I'm super excited for them!!

We are going to be there at open, run to get FP for JTA, can I run to get FP for TSM while my husband does the other? I really want to be able to take DD to TSM as well. Then we do what...just wait and figure out when we have to be there for JTA? That is priority. Then Star Tours?

I read that the parade is short, hot and hard to even see. So should we just walk around and try to catch characters instead? Maybe do the evening thing instead? Anything else we can't miss that day? HS was our least favorite day a few years ago, after seeing Indiana Jones and Lightning McQueen this was our "lazy day" in terms of rushing around to all the rides.. Thanks in advance!!