Tips for Star Wars Weekends?

So with Star Wars Weekends coming up here in about 2 weeks, I was wondering if anyone could answer some questions for a couple of first-timers. :)

• What's the best time to arrive at DHS if you want to get a good view of the Stormtrooper show before the park opens?
  
  
• I've read that they open the park about 30 minutes before the park opens and you go in and wait for the rope drop. Where is the best place to go first? What should we get done early in the day before it gets too busy? We're unfortunately a little too old for the Jedi Training Academy, so we don't need to go sign up for that.
  
  
• How early should we get to the shows? We're hoping to go on the first day of the first weekend, so I don't know how much time to allow since I'm not sure how much busier it will be compared to other days.
  
  
• How much time should we allow for waiting in line to meet popular characters such as Darth Vader or Boba Fett?
  
  
• And lastly, how early should we arrive for the Hyperspace Hoopla to get a good view?

And if anyone has any tips to share, I'd greatly appreciate it. This is our first year and I'm very excited! :D

We are going for week 1. I am a huge star wars fan my wife not so much. We've been to 2 SW weekends before, both times by accident. This year however was planned and we are taking the kids who are SW freaks. I plan on waking up early Sat morning and running to the park just to sign up for the training academy. If you are there my kids will be the ones completely ignoring the instructors and going all out to kill Darth Vader. I'm not sure I can help you with any of your questions other than I remember it being very crowded but not so much that you couldn't get around.

1. Hot and crowded on weekend. Try to do as much as possible Friday.
2. Character meet and greets are tucked in all over. Beware that the character may change on occasion for CM breaks. I just took photos, I did not do the Meet part.
3. There are some roving characters.
4. There are some photo backdrops to get your family photos at.
5. Hoopla is very popular and there is not a good location to hold it. Get there early.
6. Shop!!, There is an enormous airconditioned tent with a fantastic assortment of shirts and souvenirs. I think it was behind some rides, maybe tower of terror.
7. The storm troopers clown around on top of the entrance just before and during opening. They are all over the park, especially at Star tours.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by LVT

5. Hoopla is very popular and there is not a good location to hold it. Get there early.

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I was planning for us to get to the Hoopla about an hour early to get a good spot, but I read even that early wasn't enough to get a front row spot!

Quote:

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Originally Posted by LVT

7. The storm troopers clown around on top of the entrance just before and during opening. They are all over the park, especially at Star tours.

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We love the Stormtroopers, and look forward to seeing them! They're so funny. One time at DHS there were a couple of Stormtroopers walking around the Star Tours area. We were getting our pictures with them and one of them pointed his blaster at the miniature Duffy I had attached to my bag and started pointing up towards the Ewok village over Star Tours. It was hilarious!

What exactly is the Hoopla is it a show or a dance party or something else?

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Originally Posted by Kathy Jetson

What exactly is the Hoopla is it a show or a dance party or something else?

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It's a show they do at the end of the day.

The characters come out and and compete against each other, it's hilarious!

I think there may be more to it than just the dancing, but the dancing is mostly what I've seen.

Another question:

What time do they allow you to get Fastpasses for the celebrity autographs? How early should you get there?

EDIT:
I just read that you use your park ticket to get one of the Fastpasses, how does that work? Do you need to go to where the signing will be held, or is it somewhere inside near the entrance of the park?

The merchandise tent wait was very long last year. The line for Chewie took forever, he goes in for "a snack" frequently.

:darth::trooper:just so you know after the star wars parade go behid the hat and wait near "Narinia" they charaters walk right through so you can get great pics of them!!! have a ton of great photos of R2-D2..and darth with the troopers.

also if it isn't busy you can walk right you to the Celebs and get a glossy!! and a photo with them...LIKE I said as long as it isn't busy.

For the dance off(Star Wars HOOPLA) at night get there early...there are alot of people now using thier IPAD2 to tape /video..so make sure the person right infront of you doesn't have one cause you won't see a thing!!!:mad:

they Had last yr Vadar in the shade near where MIKE AND SULLY ARE so take half the family to MIKE and SUlly for photos (no photo pass)... and 1 member stay inline with VADAR... this line is long but shaded.. I hope they put Chewy in shade thsi yr..he was in the hot sun and didn't last long..totally understand!

As far as the parade doun the Maine stree..stay of the left if you are looking at the HAT..beacuse the sun will be in your eyes other wise and will effect you photos... and your kids will be more sunburn and cranky too!!!:balloon:

Hope this helps!!! :yoda:
MAY THE FORCE BE WITH YOU!!!

i heard last wkend was one of the busiest in recent times. ill b there next wkend and wonder if i should bother spending much time at DHS on the wkend. I have been to previous ones, mainly to see whats going on, never stood in line for autographs. from what i have seen the pins etc dont look as interesting this yr