Star Wars Weekend Costume Build

[Batphobic]

Hi all -

A dream of mine for several years has been to march in the SWW motorcade. For most of these years I simply had no clue whether this was possible or where someone would start.

Fast forward to today and I have an *approved* Sandtrooper costume so I can march in the 2015 SWW!

If you're a fan of Star Wars, or just a fan of Star Wars Weekends, you might enjoy the writeup that I put together to document the experience, complete with many, many photos.

You can access it here:
http://td20290.com/

Let me know if you have any questions! Thanks for looking!

 

[Texas84]

Some amazing work there! Interesting info on the 501st.

 

[Batphobic]

Some amazing work there! Interesting info on the 501st.

Thanks! Yes, the 501st is an amazing group. They do a lot of good for charities. Nice to be able to mix a geeky interest in Star Wars with charitable work.

 

[invader]

Read most of your site. Sounds like you've put a lot of work into the build and it definitely shows. Hopefully will see you at SWW next year!

 

[disneypearl]

That's great! That is a terrific Sandtrooper costume you have. I've just recently rediscovered my love of Star Wars and would really like to see Star Wars Weekends. What a great experience you have to look forward to. Congratulations!

 

[Batphobic]

Read most of your site. Sounds like you've put a lot of work into the build and it definitely shows. Hopefully will see you at SWW next year!

Most definitely! I'll have to come back to this forum early next year and devise a way you can pick me out!

That's great! That is a terrific Sandtrooper costume you have. I've just recently rediscovered my love of Star Wars and would really like to see Star Wars Weekends. What a great experience you have to look forward to. Congratulations!

Thanks! I'm the same way. Wouldn't say I could always call myself a Star Wars nerd. But thanks to SWW I've gotten into it. Check out the 501st! It's been such a blast. We did an appearance last night at the birthday party of an 8-yr-old autistic boy. Tons of fun.

 

[Dwarful]

Wow! I am impressed. What a great accomplishment. Can't wait to hear all about your experience marching in the SWW parade next year.

 

[Batphobic]

Wow! I am impressed. What a great accomplishment. Can't wait to hear all about your experience marching in the SWW parade next year.

Thanks! Yeah I've learned a little about the experience from other 501st members who did it this year.

For those interested...
The "face" characters (which, in Star Wars terms is any character that only has one of them in the movies/cartoons... like Boba Fett - even though he has a helmet he's a "face character" because there's only one Boba Fett) are all Disney employees, not 501st characters. These individuals can interact with the crowd, pose for photos, etc. So the 501st members only march in formation and sometimes wave. In other words, even though the 501st has approved Boba Fetts, and Darth Vaders, etc -- Disney does not use the 501st's versions of these characters.

The 501st members have an employee parking lot sectioned off for their use to get dressed in their costumes and to queue up to march. The actual march in the park is short - the walk only takes about 15 minutes.

Disney gives 1 free park ticket to each 501st member for each parade day they participate in. So a 501st member could march all 3 parades in a weekend and get 3 park tickets. These have to be used within 1 year. 501st members can march in as many weekends as they're able, it seems.

Even if a person is 501st approved, evidently Disney has to see pictures of each individual's costume, too, to ensure accuracy.

501st members get some sort of killer deal at an off-site hotel. I'm not sure what the rate is but evidently most people stay there because it's such a good deal. I'm gonna look into this more.

 

[tk924]

Very cool to see another 501st member here! I used to be an active member but life usually kept me from "Trooping" so I've been officially "retired" for a while now. I still have my armor mounted on a mannequin in my "Star Wars room".
Good luck on your SWW endeavors!

 

[Batphobic]

Very cool to see another 501st member here! I used to be an active member but life usually kept me from "Trooping" so I've been officially "retired" for a while now. I still have my armor mounted on a mannequin in my "Star Wars room".
Good luck on your SWW endeavors!

Wow awesome -- good to get confirmation that there is a good overlap between Disney fans and Star Wars fans. And yeah -- I'm still in the "honeymoon" stage where there doesn't seem to be enough reasons to suit up and attend an event. I've just got my eye on the prize of SWW 2015! Have you ever marched at SWW? Maybe you'll come out of retirement for that next year???

 

[tk924]

Yeah, been hooked on SW since '77 and Disney since '01 with our first visit.

I did consider attending SWW several years ago and was even encouraged to do so by my family, but life just seems to throw a wrench into my plans from time to time and it just never worked out. Time and finances seem to always be a factor too. If you can afford both, you'll do just fine. SW can be an expensive hobby.
Once you do get out there and suit up, I would recommend "Trooping" a charity event. The 501st mainly supports the "Make-A-Wish" foundation, among others. It was always fun to me to be a real life Stormtrooper and put some smiles on kids faces all while helping the charity.

 

[TB4244]

Hey! Greetings from the UK Garrison, it's good to know I'm not the only trooper here

 

[Gullywhumper]

Hope you have a good time at SWW next year!

 

[EOD K9]

Very cool to see another 501st member here! I used to be an active member but life usually kept me from "Trooping" so I've been officially "retired" for a while now. I still have my armor mounted on a mannequin in my "Star Wars room".
Good luck on your SWW endeavors!

Pics of the room and/or mannequin please.

 

[Wags14]

Well done, I am impressed. Have a great time!

 

[raceroom]

Man this is super crazy. Your story is a lot like mine. Being a huge Disney and Star Wars fan this was a dream of mine as well. I decided on guess what character yep a Sandtrooper. My DW read your story and asked if I wrote it lol. I am going to SWW next year. Would be wild if we were there same weekend. Congrats on your approval. I'm TD32702.

 

[TB4244]

Absolutely, congrats on your clearance and welcome to the Legion!

Wow, I forgot we were in 5 figure numbers now (I joined back in 07)

 

[Joshua&CalebDad]

Greetings to all of the 501st members. Although not a member myself, I'm proud to know and be a friend of your founding member, Albin. He and I attend Church together and he has been my assistant soccer coach on many occassions. If you don't know him personnally, he has a prostetic leg that he lost in an accident years ago. I love to hear him tell the kids that he lost his leg during a light saber duel.

I've told him a couple of times that I would be happy to be his groupie and roadie.
I love hearing all the great stories and charitable work that the 501st has done. Keep up the good work.

 

[tk924]

Pics of the room and/or mannequin please.

Here ya go...

 

[Batphobic]

Man this is super crazy. Your story is a lot like mine. Being a huge Disney and Star Wars fan this was a dream of mine as well. I decided on guess what character yep a Sandtrooper. My DW read your story and asked if I wrote it lol. I am going to SWW next year. Would be wild if we were there same weekend. Congrats on your approval. I'm TD32702.

That is wild! Are you trooping in SWW in 2015? I still have to build a backpack (I know it's not required but I'd like to have one).