Star Wars Weekends 2014

[tribbleorlfl]

Oh boy, this is looking better and better. I am bringing my Willow dvd with me and a sharpee, think I can get it signed??? Think I can get a pic with him too??? Do they let you get pics????

FYI, some of the actors in the past have refused to sign certain items. I've seen them turn down statues and even non-SW items; heck Anthony Daniels only signs the black and white prints Disney provides. Whether this is the celebrity's preference or Disney's, I don't know.

I'm not necessarily saying he won't sign your Willow DVD; I've met him before and he's a really nice and fown-to-earth guy. Just saying be prepared w/ a backup. I suspect if you tried to get something HP related autographed, Disney would probably say no.

 

[Master Yoda]

FYI, some of the actors in the past have refused to sign certain items. I've seen them turn down statues and even non-SW items; heck Anthony Daniels only signs the black and white prints Disney provides. Whether this is the celebrity's preference or Disney's, I don't know.

I'm not necessarily saying he won't sign your Willow DVD; I've met him before and he's a really nice and fown-to-earth guy. Just saying be prepared w/ a backup. I suspect if you tried to get something HP related autographed, Disney would probably say no.

From what I have been told, the celebrities, not Disney, decides what they will or will not sign.

 

[tribbleorlfl]

I can't imagine getting there at 6am to meet Peter, dude does damn near every con in the nation on an annual basis.

Met him last year at Monster Mania, it left much to be desired honestly. Maybe his mood has improved after his surgery.

He was pretty unengaged at MegaCon last month. I asked him how he was feeling after his knee surgery and he said "Up and Down." As soon as he signed my ESB poster, he looked away, signaling my $40 interaction was over.

 

[jlsHouston]

FYI, some of the actors in the past have refused to sign certain items. I've seen them turn down statues and even non-SW items; heck Anthony Daniels only signs the black and white prints Disney provides. Whether this is the celebrity's preference or Disney's, I don't know.

I'm not necessarily saying he won't sign your Willow DVD; I've met him before and he's a really nice and fown-to-earth guy. Just saying be prepared w/ a backup. I suspect if you tried to get something HP related autographed, Disney would probably say no.

From what I have been told, the celebrities, not Disney, decides what they will or will not sign.

Okay well do they have special autograph books or materials for SW?

 

[JohnD]

Okay well do they have special autograph books or materials for SW?

I'm sure they do. Disney sells autograph books all over WDW for the characters to sign. Obviously, these are just the CMs inside the suit signing but children don't know that. I can't imagine they're not having SW themed ones as well. Kids may want "Jedi Mickey" or "Darth Goofy" to sign while you use it for Warrick Davis and Jeremy Bulloch.

 

[Master Yoda]

Okay well do they have special autograph books or materials for SW?

They will give out black and white photos of each of the celebrities that you can have autographed.

 

[jlsHouston]

They will give out black and white photos of each of the celebrities that you can have autographed.

Perfect!

 

[JLipnick]

hasn't ashley eckstein been there the last few years? i was surprised to not see her on this year's list. also surprised to see so many from the new Star Wars Rebels which no one has seen yet.

 

[Master Yoda]

hasn't ashley eckstein been there the last few years? i was surprised to not see her on this year's list. also surprised to see so many from the new Star Wars Rebels which no one has seen yet.

I was a little surprised about Ashley as well. I guess since her voice gig is done, they decided to move on. Either that or she was ready for a break. No mater what it was my family will miss her as she is a personal favorite.

Voices from Rebels are however not a surprise at all. The is one of the first Star Wars things to come out since Disney purchased them so you can bet that they will be pimping it full force.

 

[RAXIP]

Ashley will be there every week:

We’re pleased to announce today that Ashley Eckstein, voice of Ahsoka Tano in The Clone Wars, a former Walt Disney World Resort parade performer and now a successful fangirl fashion designer, will be the host of a special “Behind The Force” show each weekend.

 

[SorcererDonald16]

Do they have pressed pennies for Star Wars weekend? Or they just keep the regular machines out?

They had a SWW only machine in Darth's Maul last year, near the checkout and exit. The machine was bright red.

Three die, all pennies: Darth Goofy; Jedi Mickey; Leia Minnie.

I really hope it comes back this year. I ran out of quarters and only had the change to get Goofy.

 

[Thomas morrow]

Ashley is very nice the first time my wife and I met her we almost had to excuse ourselves she just kept talking.

 

[Finiamh123]

I really don't think Mark will sign. His autographs fetch $125 +/- each at conventions. He can easily make 5 figures a day doing this. Having him sign for free would both devalue what he gets at conventions and would cost Disney a heap of change.

Disney pays for the autographs. Anthony Daniels wanted to be paid more for his autos than usual after the first day and made a fuss. Yes, this is from a reliable source. Probably one reason he has not been invited back. So yes I would imagine Disney found it smarter cost wise to not ask Mark to sign. Besides just crowd control issues. People trying to "Walk up" and get autos at each signing alone would be crazy.

 

[Ignohippo]

There is no false demand for these things. There is a very real demand that exceeds the supply. You had to secure a viewing location 1-2 hours before showtime to see Hyperspace Hoopla last year. Jedi Training is filled by 9:00 AM and getting in line for shows 1/2-1 hour early has been a necessity for years.

There is a very real demand to avoid all of this waiting and people are more than willing to shell out cash for it.

Right. Did you not actually read my post?

This has nothing to do with Jedi Training and that wasn't even mentioned. If you took this as though I was saying there wasn't a demand for seeing the Star Wars characters, then you absolutely and completely missed the point of my post.

The point is, that there aren't nearly enough characters in the park for this event and because of it, people (like me) have not been able to get their kids anywhere close to the characters in years. So now, we've been so conditioned that paying $100 for an adult to take one child to a character breakfast now seems like a good deal.

Simply put, there isn't nearly the supply of character meet & greets for this event to even come anywhere close to meeting the demand. If they would have 6-10 more characters out there (by at least just having masked characters each have their own line rather than alternating) then it would alleviate a lot of the insane wait lines to meet the characters (and therefore something like a character breakfast wouldn't be as much of a necessity).

 

[Master Yoda]

Right. Did you not actually read my post?

This has nothing to do with Jedi Training and that wasn't even mentioned. If you took this as though I was saying there wasn't a demand for seeing the Star Wars characters, then you absolutely and completely missed the point of my post.

The point is, that there aren't nearly enough characters in the park for this event and because of it, people (like me) have not been able to get their kids anywhere close to the characters in years. So now, we've been so conditioned that paying $100 for an adult to take one child to a character breakfast now seems like a good deal.

Simply put, there isn't nearly the supply of character meet & greets for this event to even come anywhere close to meeting the demand. If they would have 6-10 more characters out there (by at least just having masked characters each have their own line rather than alternating) then it would alleviate a lot of the insane wait lines to meet the characters (and therefore something like a character breakfast wouldn't be as much of a necessity).

How many more characters could they even have? They already have 6-10 characters out from open to close and even with that they are pulling such barely knowns as Shak Ti and Kit Fisto into the mix. Do you want three Darth Vaders in a row maybe 5 Boba Fetts?

You also have to consider that the temperatures are in the 80's-90's during SWW. Wearing that gear in a 72 degree convention hall is taxing. Wearing it in June in central Florida borders on cruel and unusual punishment.

I have gone to SWW nearly every year and have never had problems getting photos, you just have to get there early and commit to doing it.

 

[Ignohippo]

How many more characters could they even have? They already have 6-10 characters out from open to close and even with that they are pulling such barely knowns as Shak Ti and Kit Fisto into the mix. Do you want three Darth Vaders in a row maybe 5 Boba Fetts?

You also have to consider that the temperatures are in the 80's-90's during SWW. Wearing that gear in a 72 degree convention hall is taxing. Wearing it in June in central Florida borders on cruel and unusual punishment.

I have gone to SWW nearly every year and have never had problems getting photos, you just have to get there early and commit to doing it.

As I said (now for the third time), the way they have it now, some of the masked characters alternate (1 Boba/1 Jango, 1 Rex/1 Cody). They need to separate those lines and have one Boba Fett line, one Jango Fett line, one Rex line, one Cody line (with obviously 2 people playing the roles throughout the day and alternating – like they do with the costumed regular Disney characters). Chewie and the Ewoks should be separated too. The same thing should be done with Mickey, Minnie, Donald and Goofy in their Star Wars costumes. Right there I've added 6 additional opportunities (without even touching on new characters).

If you've never had problems getting photos then I applaud you. We go every year (sometimes twice) and it has gotten to the point where I wouldn't even consider making my kids wait in the lines. One hour outside in the Florida heat to meet Boba Fett is entirely too long when something could daily be done about it by TDO by simply adding more opportunities.

Plus, we've been burned so many times by waiting in line for one character for over an hour and then having them switch right before we get to the front of the line, that it just isn't worth it.

Since the character meet and greets are really one of the few reasons to go to SWW, you'd think Disney would do something about making it easier on the guests. I guess making them spend an addition $50 per person (for something that should be part of the event in the first place) is their answer.

 

[LostPrincessKarleigh]

They had a SWW only machine in Darth's Maul last year, near the checkout and exit. The machine was bright red.

Three die, all pennies: Darth Goofy; Jedi Mickey; Leia Minnie.

I really hope it comes back this year. I ran out of quarters and only had the change to get Goofy.

AWESOME! I am starting my pressed pennie collection this year and since this my first Star Wars Weekend I would really love to have some.

 

[prberk]

I need you to call me when news I want to know comes out. Can I forward yo my cell number?

Master Yoda, don't you just feel a disturbance in the force when news happens?

 

[Master Yoda]

Master Yoda, don't you just feel a disturbance in the force when news happens?

Usually, but I can sometime mix that feeling up with being hungry.

 

[Furiated]

Guests can now book FP+ for some of the Star Wars Weekends shows like Behind the Force and Stars of the Saga. No parade or fireworks but still handy. I just redid my FP+ to snag one. They count as Tier 1 so you can only grab one show per day and would have to give up TSM or F!