Official Star Wars Weekends 2013 Tips and Tricks

[TygerHawks]

Information on Weekend 4 is out...no map yet:


Specialty shows (in Premiere Theater):

•Behind the Force: "Star Wars" Voices – Explore the voices behind "Star Wars: The Clone Wars" with a fascinating look behind the scenes led by the talented voice behind “Ahsoka” at noon & 1:45 p.m.
•Stars of the Saga – Celebrity Talk Show hosted by James Arnold Taylor at 3:30 p.m.
◦With special pre-show featuring everyone’s favorite stormtroopers
•Obi-Wan and Beyond starring James Arnold Taylor and a galaxy of iconic characters as he takes his audience on a journey into the world of voice acting at 6 p.m.

Since focus will be on meet and greets, any of these shows a definite must see?

 

[nomargat]

I've got an original Empire Strikes Back movie poster signed by Harrison Ford, Mark Hamill, Carrie Fisher, James Earl Jones, David Prowse, Peter Mayhew, and Kenny Baker. I'd love to get Billy Dee Williams to sign it, but I'm afraid to travel with it and have to potentially carry it around trying not to let it get wet if it rains.

I'd also be second guessing whether I wanted to bring 3 kids to get in line in the middle of the night.

Maybe I'll just be able to point at him and tell the kids "Hey, there's Lando."

I saw several people carrying posters in a plastic tube with a strap on it that you can carry over your shoulder. It's made for posters. I even saw one made like Darth Vader's lightsaber. The rain shouldn't get in it. I wouldn't trust a cardboard tube though.

 

[jtowntoflorida]

Around 15-20 minutes. However, a line forms across the way behind Muppetvision 3D, and those people will be let in first. I don't know if it has reached the point that people in line don't get in due to capacity...but I've seen people lining up more than an hour before. From my experience this past weekend with the Voices and Ewok shows, I'm pretty sure everyone there at least 30 minutes early got in.

Great! I was thinking that if we head over at 2:45ish we should be in good shape, and it sounds like that will be plenty early.

 

[doconeill]

Great! I was thinking that if we head over at 2:45ish we should be in good shape, and it sounds like that will be plenty early.

My only caution now that I think of it may be that because of Billy Dee Williams (and the lack of a fourth show), it will be extra popular.

 

[jtowntoflorida]

My only caution now that I think of it may be that because of Billy Dee Williams (and the lack of a fourth show), it will be extra popular.

Well, flarg. We do have a 1:45 ADR, so we're not going to be able to get there much earlier. I guess we'll just have to wait and see!

 

[WillAustin]

I saw several people carrying posters in a plastic tube with a strap on it that you can carry over your shoulder. It's made for posters. I even saw one made like Darth Vader's lightsaber. The rain shouldn't get in it. I wouldn't trust a cardboard tube though.

Thanks! Good to know.

 

[yulilin3]

Since focus will be on meet and greets, any of these shows a definite must see?

To me, all three are musts sees, especially if you've never seen them before.
Behind the Force is fun for people that like the Clone Wars and also it's ineteresting to see how the make animated cartoons with voice-over actors. Tom Kane is really great, he's the voice of Yoda but also a whole lot of other characters.
Stars of the Saga is really interesting, this weekend in particular with 2 very important actors from the movies and the Pre-show is not to be missed,
Obi-Wan and Beyond is awesome, James really knows how to entertain, he does a lot of voices in this show and it has a great message at the end

Great! I was thinking that if we head over at 2:45ish we should be in good shape, and it sounds like that will be plenty early.

For Stars of the Saga the Stormtrooper Pre-Show starts at 3:15pm so as long as you're in the theater by that time you should be fine...also, this weekend with Billy Dee Williams coming I would make sure to be in line at least by 2:30pm, it'll be a very popular show

I've got an original Empire Strikes Back movie poster signed by Harrison Ford, Mark Hamill, Carrie Fisher, James Earl Jones, David Prowse, Peter Mayhew, and Kenny Baker. I'd love to get Billy Dee Williams to sign it, but I'm afraid to travel with it and have to potentially carry it around trying not to let it get wet if it rains.

I'd also be second guessing whether I wanted to bring 3 kids to get in line in the middle of the night.

Maybe I'll just be able to point at him and tell the kids "Hey, there's Lando."

It's hard to get the kids up early. I remember when we met Dave Prowse (Darth Vader) we got to DHS around 3:30am, my DD was 7 but she already was a huge SW fan and was willing to wait. We brought portable DVD players, playing cards and books to pass the time.
If you do bring your poster they have lockers you can rent and if it doesn't fit (I don't think it will) you can always leave it in Guest Relations, they will put it in a safe room and give you a ticket to retrieve it later.

 

[palmtreegirl]

Currently on hold with Photopass trying to find missing Chewy pictures. At least the music is great.

Not good.

Apparently there where "technical difficulties" with that photographer. She said there are very few photos of Chewy between the time frame and there should be tons. She did say I could try back later (next week) and see if any were able to be recovered.

Lesson learned. Backup Photopass with my own camera.

We're missing our photos with Chewy from the opening day.

 

[WillAustin]

It's hard to get the kids up early. I remember when we met Dave Prowse (Darth Vader) we got to DHS around 3:30am, my DD was 7 but she already was a huge SW fan and was willing to wait. We brought portable DVD players, playing cards and books to pass the time.
If you do bring your poster they have lockers you can rent and if it doesn't fit (I don't think it will) you can always leave it in Guest Relations, they will put it in a safe room and give you a ticket to retrieve it later.

Thanks for the info. My kids don't really mind getting up for rope drop, but getting up at 2 or 3 in the morning just to go wait in a 4 hour line for an autograph, maybe not. My wife isn't coming on this trip, so it couldn't be me going alone while they sleep and arrive later.

 

[delmar411]

Thanks for the info. My kids don't really mind getting up for rope drop, but getting up at 2 or 3 in the morning just to go wait in a 4 hour line for an autograph, maybe not. My wife isn't coming on this trip, so it couldn't be me going alone while they sleep and arrive later.

Well you could just plan for them to camp out. They can go lay down in line and sleep. That's what the adults are doing. Dh has slept out each weekend and has gotten his best sleep those nights. He just sprawls out on the ground and zonks out for the night. Lol most people bring chairs and blankets and pillows and then you go put them in the car around 6am.

 

[nomargat]

Anyone camp out Friday night/Saturday morning? What was that fight between the guy and woman about?? All I could hear was that she wanted her phone and she kept on pushing him and screaming.

 

[ajh88]

Well, flarg. We do have a 1:45 ADR, so we're not going to be able to get there much earlier. I guess we'll just have to wait and see!

The up side is that the theatre is huge. When we lined up for Warwicks show, the line was clear out of the queue, wrapping around to the street outside. We still got pretty much our pick of seats, save the first few rows. There could have been twice as many people. The theatre did eventually fill up but don't let a long looking line deter you.

 

[Zooshoveller]

We're missing our photos with Chewy from the opening day.

I wonder if its the same photographer? Ours are from the second Saturday.

 

[yulilin3]

Just a reminder for anyone going this next/last weekend
They usually put all the merchandise that has the Official logo on sale at Darth Mall and everywhere else they sell it. Last year it was 30% off.

 

[TDC Nala]

Since focus will be on meet and greets, any of these shows a definite must see?

I don't watch the Clone Wars, so I've never seen the first one, but the other two shows are must-sees for me. But then, when I go to SWW, I don't do any character greetings and just go to shows.

In my weekend they also threw in shows by Warwick Davis and Ray Park. Well worth it, all four shows plus Hoopla, although it made for a long day. The day I did all the shows it was 92 degrees. I'd get into line at least an hour before, so I could sit under cover in the Muppets queue area. Next time I would bring a cushion for sitting on the ground. There was time between shows to go for a restroom break and grab water or a Darth Vader cupcake from Pizza Planet.

If you need to pick one, pick Stars of the Saga if you are interested in the celebrities and Star Wars talk, and Obi-Wan and Beyond if you want to see a funny show with an uplifting message that is only peripherally about Star Wars. Can't comment on the Clone Wars show as I've never seen it.

If you attend Stars of the Saga get there early enough to see the Stormtrooper pre-show, which is hilarious. The show is good too. We got a friendly argument between Warwick and Ray about them turning Wicket's Warehouse into Darth's Mall (which they thought should have "prices slashed half-off" sales). Which Warwick ended up winning by stating "Well, you're still dead" until JAT reminded him that Darth Maul gets an electronic lower half in Clone Wars.

 

[bigz93]

I hope getting on the line for Billy Dee at 3 AM for Friday is good enough for a fast pass, I'm even ok with stand-by, since I heard he gets through a lot of them.

 

[TallandGoofy]

Today was our Studios/SWW day. It was awesome! I hope this info will help anyone going next weekend. First, though, I must say, it ended up being less "Star Warsy" than I'd anticipated but still a wonderful day. I thought my DS10 would be more interested in the SWW stuff but, ended up getting hooked on ToT and RnR which he had never done before. I was fine with it though. Still fun to be there with SWW going on. So here is a run down.

Bus stop at AKL by 6:40 am. Picked up at 6:50ish. At the gate by 7:10. Wasn't all that crowded at that time. Plenty of people, maybe 20 or so ahead of us in our line. Gates opened around 7:30 then Stormtroopers and then we
walked to the JTA sign ups. This took a good 20 minutes or so to get through. We got the 10:35 show which was the one I was hoping to get. DW meanwhile went to get FPs for TSMM. The return time was for 8:55.

After JTA sign up, we did RnR with a 10 minute wait. Then ToT with a 10 minute wait. Then used our FPs for TSM. After that, we got FPs for Star Tours (wait was 40 minutes) and went over to MuppetVision. After that it was 10 am and time to check in for JTA.

(will need to continue later...need to sign off just now)

Ok...checked in for JTA at 10 and then at 10:30 or so they paraded the kids over to the stage. My kids were on the bottom and got to fight Darth Maul. Afterward, I gave DS choice of trying to see the parade (which was starting in just a few minutes) or go on Star Tours with our about to expire FPs. He picked Star Tours so we did that.

Next, we headed to SciFi Diner for an 11:30 am reservation. Nice and cool and we all enjoyed our lunch. Finished lunch around 12:15 and my DW and DD5 left to go to hotel. This was when I'd planned to go to some SWW shows and meet characters with DS10. Well, we did go over to Darth's Mall and look around. But, DS decided he wanted to go on RnR and ToT more than he wanted to wait for characters or see the shows. We got FPs for ToT which were about an hour and 15 minutes out and then, in the mean time, rode RnR twice via Single Rider line. Rode ToT and then went to see the 2:45 Lights, Motors, Action Show.

So...again....this really did turn out to be more "regular" Studios day than alot of SWW...but, for those that are trying to fit in "regular" stuff too, hopefully helps a little...

We did get a picture with Darth Maul on our way to Muppets earlier that I forgot to mention. It was also fun to see Chewie and Darth Vader along the way though we didn't get in their lines.

After LMA, we did a little walking around and saw Stormtroopers and Tusken Raiders and got pictures. DW and DD5 met up with us at 5pm for the Disney Jr. Show. Then, we went to Brown Derby for our 5:30 dinner reservation. After dinner, we went to Little Mermaid - the 6:50 show. Then went to meet Mickey in Animation and then back to ToT and got FPs. Walked around Darth's Mall again and got pics with the rancor and the LEGO Vader.

We rode ToT around 7:55 pm. Walked by Hoopla and went on Great Movie Ride (my first Disney job). Got out of GMR around 9 pm. It was raining a little bit and they apparently cancelled Fantasmic. We left just ahead of the big throng of people that were heading toward us from Sunset.

Really a great day overall. I would have liked to have gone to see one of the shows or Hoopla but it was also really fun to see my DS suddenly turn into a thrill-ride lover. He would never go on anything faster than Splash or Big Thunder in the past. Funny, my DD5 had no problem going on RnR or ToT this time. I loved getting to go on them with both my kids. Usually I have to go off and ride by myself if I want to do those.

So...I know not as SWW a day as planned but that is my report!

 

[nomargat]

I hope getting on the line for Billy Dee at 3 AM for Friday is good enough for a fast pass, I'm even ok with stand-by, since I heard he gets through a lot of them.

If it's like past weeks, it should be. It won't be his first session, probably second.

 

[bigz93]

If it's like past weeks, it should be. It won't be his first session, probably second.

Yeah, I'm hoping for 2nd or early 3rd because I have ADR for Mama Melrose's as part of Fantasmic package at 4:55. Also, random question: are they selling the Star Wars autograph book outside of Darth's Mall?

 

[Music City Mama]

Information on Weekend 4 is out...no map yet:


Specialty shows (in Premiere Theater):

•Behind the Force: "Star Wars" Voices – Explore the voices behind "Star Wars: The Clone Wars" with a fascinating look behind the scenes led by the talented voice behind “Ahsoka” at noon & 1:45 p.m.
•Stars of the Saga – Celebrity Talk Show hosted by James Arnold Taylor at 3:30 p.m.
◦With special pre-show featuring everyone’s favorite stormtroopers
•Obi-Wan and Beyond starring James Arnold Taylor and a galaxy of iconic characters as he takes his audience on a journey into the world of voice acting at 6 p.m.

•Autograph Sessions around Echo Lake
◦James Arnold Taylor – 9:45 a.m.
◦Ashley Eckstein – 4:30 p.m. (Darth's Mall), 5:45 p.m.
◦Peter Mayhew – Noon, 2 p.m., 4:30 p.m.
◦Tom Kane – 9:45 a.m., 3 p.m., 4:30 p.m.
◦Billy Dee Williams – 9:45 a.m., 1:30 p.m., 4:30 p.m.

It looks like Ashley wants to just stay at Darth Mall between her Her Universe signing and the 4:30pm session...not sure how much space is in there for the regular autograph signings...It'll be interesting

Thanks for the info. So, it looks like without the additional shows, they did move Obi-Wan and Beyond up a little earlier (to 6:00 from 6:30). That's okay, still works with our plan.

On a side note, how is the WiFi at DHS? Just wondering if it has any reliability or if I'll need to use my data.