Tips for Star Wars Weekends?

[Stitch2365]

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

[phlo8810]

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.

[LVT]

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.

[Stitch2365]

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

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!

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.

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!

[Kathy Jetson]

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

[Stitch2365]

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

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.