Update: Daily analysis updated for June 15 – 30 as well.
I updated the Crowd Calendar image along with the daily analysis for the first two weeks in June 2012. June 15 – 30 should follow tomorrow, barring any technical difficulties or better things to do coming up.
StudiosCentral.com has this weekend’s map for Star Wars Weekends here: http://www.studioscentral.com/sites/default/files/matt/blog/SWW_0518-202012.pdf. I plan to spend most of the day on Friday at Hollywood Studios to report any pertinent information. We should have a pretty good idea about crowds, wait times, character locations/lines, when Jedi Training spots fill up, etc. Feel free to post a comment if you have a bizarre information request. Or a normal one that I haven’t thought of. I can tell you that Jedi Training Academy sign-ups are supposed to take place outside Indiana Jones Epic Stunt Spectacular and Padawan Mind Challenge sign-ups are at Sounds Dangerous (ABC Sound Studio). Also ask about getting your child into the Parade at both locations if they would like to participate. In case you missed my last 37,000 mentions of my Star Wars Weekends overview from 2011, here it is. Also from last year:
Hollywood Studios Walkabout May 19 2011 And Star Wars Weekend Reconaissance
Star Wars Weekend Report From Hollywood Studios May 20 2011
Star Wars Weekends Motorcade Parade at Hollywood Studios May 21 2011
Star Wars Weekends Day 2 May 21 2011 – Parade, Crowds, and Lunch With TouringPlans.com
Hollywood Studios Walkabout May 29 2011
Saying Goodbye to Star Wars Weekends 2011
Those were written a long time ago, so I have no idea if they make sense or not.
I will say that whoever set the Star Wars Parade route either has never set foot inside the Studios on a Star Wars Weekend date or hates NVIBs (not very important bloggers). To be blunt, waiting for that Parade sucks. The entire route runs the length of Hollywood Boulevard from the main entrance to the Sorcerer’s Hat. That’s it. Normally, the regular Parade continues through Echo Lake and exits near Star Tours. And way more people are going to want to see this Star Wars Parade. Then people are expected to follow the Parade and cram into the Sorcerer’s Hat area for a “celebrity welcome.” So you’re looking at a minimum of an hour wait in the blaring sun to see some D-level (at best) talent and a bunch of people that have fashioned their very own Stormtrooper outfits out of pvc pipes and nerdom. Anyway, I’m really excited for that.
Sounds Dangerous at Hollywood Studios now appears as “ABC Sound Studio” on the Studios’ maps distributed throughout Walt Disney World. Miss you Drew.
The “New Fantasyland” model is coming to One Man’s Dream at Hollywood Studios tomorrow. More info at Disney Parks Blog here.
Princess Merida begins greeting guests at Magic Kingdom on Friday in Rapunzel’s old location, Fairytale Garden. Her meet times are expected to be intermittently from 9:15am through 5pm. It looks like a very good meet from what I’ve seen, which should come with very high wait times. If you’re in Magic Kingdom on Wednesday or Thursday, swing by and see if she’s meeting. She has been out practicing over the past week or so.
Cars Weekend is returning to Downtown Disney on June 2nd and 3rd. More information on Disney Parks Blog here. I visited last year’s event and didn’t come away too impressed. Here is that post, including a look at the Pixar Anniversary Event at Epcot. It will also give you an idea about how bad this website was last year. I’m not sure Cars Weekend is worth venturing out for unless you don’t have much else to do.
{ 23 comments… read them below or add one }
My one goal is to get a picture with Chewbacca if you wouldn’t mind posting where he is this year as I read that he was out by Star Tours last year I would assume probably the same place but want to make sure as that’s where I am bee-lining for when we get in the park on the 27th. Thank You so Much!
The first time I saw ‘Star Wars’ I thought Chewbacca was a bear.
Wookie mistake.
“Wookie mistake.”
Nice
.
We saw Merida yesterday with no wait. In fact the CM running the entrance told me they might close early if they didn’t have enough guests visiting. Score!
Yes, a confirmation of the JTA sign up would be great… and Agreed, the new parade route leaves a lot to be desired. While the crowding around the hat is better than crowding around the JTA stage (like previous years) but the short route was heavily congested last year. Thank you Josh.
Hi Josh – I mentioned this in a post you already read but wondered if you could find out if they still do Characterpalooza at 4:50 on SWW? Thank you!
Did you also know there is going to be a meet up Saturday May 19th at 11:00 for all Duffy fans by his meet and greet. I know how much you love Duffy, could be interesting to see how many people show up!!
I was so disappointed last year with the parade route. In 2010, the route went around to the L at the hat, towards Echo Lake. We were between the hat and American Idol, in 2011, thinking we had a great spot. It sucked! I wish they would change the route back to going around Echo Lake.
Hi Josh. Regarding the updated June calendar… for the 6th June analysis you have Hollywood Studios as “Not Recommended” because it has morning EMH. However, in the image you can click on to enlarge, it shows HS as the most recommended on 6th June. The image doesn’t seem to match the pdf file.
Otherwise, as faultless as ever. Thanks!
I’ll check on Characterpalooza on Friday if I don’t melt/die before that. And yeah, that Star Wars Parade is hell on earth.
Thanks Steve, neglected to change the “u4″ to “u5″ in the file name apparently.
Not a Star Wars question, but a HS (or any other park) question. I was under the impression years ago that cast members avoided the discussion of Hidden Mickey’s, or at least not make haste to point them out. When I was a ToT 2 weeks ago, the cast members seemed to fall all over themselves to point them out to us. One was obvious with some clock arrangements in a drawer in the “photo office”, but the other 2 were stretches with one being different colored tiles on the floor and another was some impression in the wall just outside the exit that I never could figure out. So are there really that many or are the cast members just messing with people now? My wife and I spent the rest of the weekend finding hidden Mickey’s, Donald’s, Minnie’s, etc in every wall and crack in all 4 parks…
Can you clarify something on Friday about the JTA sign up…do you just get slotted into the next available show or do you get to choose the best time for your schedule out of the times that are still available when you get to front of the line?
Thanks!
Just noticed your website operates on West Coast Time…SHUT IT DOWN!!
Sorry, I can’t concentrate on this post bc I’m still unclear on the budgeting protocol for my “American Gigolo” moment in the POR carriages.
Question: if I rent the carriage do I tip the driver or just Josh? Or both? And what is the appropriate percentage? Can I knock 5% off if I let him get to 2nd base? (Josh, not the driver.) (Although that’s also optional.) (Especially if I can knock another 5% off.)
This is STRESSFUL. I never have to worry about these kinds of things when I go to Sea World.
^^^^^Just added this website to “My Favortites”
@zzgator – nah, josh just needs something to help him remember what time it is when he calls his mom. this is less confusing than having a second clock in the kitchen with SEATTLE TIME underneath.
Crazy SWW question…
With the “classic” characters in their Star Wars gear rotating every 15 minutes, we have never been able to time it just right to see Jedi Mickey. It is the only wish of our 8 year old Star Wars fan. Last year we tried splitting my husband and myself and had our 4 kids pose for pics then run back in the line, join the other parent, and get pics with the next character. We repeated this over and over in the direct sun for 2 hours. It was hell. We saw some characters twice but never Jedi Mickey. Do you have any idea how many people in line equate a 15 minute wait? This is again the only wish of one of our kids…if it weren’t for him, we would avoid Hollywood Studios during Star Wars Weekend all together!
Thank you for any help with this. Your site is incredibly entertaining and extremely helpful! Thanks for the laughs!
Katie
@gator girl LMAO!!!
What time is the Star Wars parade? Does it take the place of the normal 3pm parade?
@keri HA! West Coast Bias.
Hey Josh, I love you blog! I was wondering if you knew if Merida is still going to be doing meet and greets in Epcot at the beginning of June? I was thinking it might be easier to see her there than at MK.
Would it be a better idea to get to the Magic Kingdom from Alligator Bayou by taking a bus to Epcot and then the mono rail into the Magic Kingdon? Going at the beginning of October. Cannot wait! Trying to figure out the most efficiant way to get to Magic Kingdom. Any advice would be greatly appreciated. Maybe just take bus directly there? I keep hearing it gets filled up fast.
Thanks again. Lori *S*