Star Wars Weekends Tips & Tricks
Star Wars Weekends is a summer event at Disney’s Hollywood Studios in Walt Disney World. This post features photos from the festivities, info about the entertainment & character meals, our tips for visiting, and more. The event is a lot of fun whether you’re a hardcore Star Wars fan or just a fan of fun (we fall into the latter camp).
Star Wars Weekends are geared towards all things Star Wars (from Episode 7: The Force Awakens, to Star Wars Rebels to merchandise like “Her Universe” to the animated TV show, Star Wars: The Clone Wars). Celebrities who have played a part in the Star Wars universe are at DHS, there’s a special parade, shows, and every day ends with fireworks.
UPDATE: Disney has announced that Star Wars Weekends will not be returning during Season of the Force and while construction for Star Wars Land occurs. It’s unclear whether Star Wars Weekends will be back in 2020 following the debut of Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge in Late 2019.
If you’ve been to Walt Disney World countless times (and it’s probably not a bad assumption that you have if you’re reading this blog), you might be looking for ways to see the place a-new. One way to to find new experiences is to visit during a seasonal festival or weekend event. One such weekend event is Star Wars Weekends, held in May and June at Disney’s Hollywood Studios.
This post reflects everything that occurs during Star Wars Weekends, including the character meals, potential tie-ins with Star Wars Episode VII: The Force Awakens, as well as new strategy and tips. It also reviews the extensive changes that occurred last year. We attended Star Wars Weekends last year, and did everything that was new for last year.
With those housekeeping notes out of the way, let’s take a look at what Star Wars Weekends have to offer, whether they might be for you, and how to make the most of your time at the event. We’ll start with why you should visit, and then cover the best weekend for Star Wars Weekend, and move on to other strategy from there…
Why Visit During Star Wars Weekends?
If you’re thinking, “I have no interest in being in a crowd of Trekkies dressed up as Chewbaccas,” fear not. Sarah and I are not big Star Wars fans, either, but we have had an absolute blast during Star Wars Weekends. We’ve now been multiple times, and hope to do Star Wars Weekends again.
Much like the name implies, Star Wars Weekends take place over Friday, Saturday, and Sundays—so no wacky schedules based on the Klingon Astro Calendar or anything like that. Although the Studios can get a little crowded during these events with Star Wars fans (and, I suppose, some Trekkies who end up in the wrong place) the energy these fans bring to the park is palpable.
While events like Star Wars Celebration have no allure for me, Star Wars Weekends give me a chance to see those hardcore fans in their finest fan-made attire—and some of these costumes are quite impressive—while still getting to enjoy the Disney Parks, and without having to endure the geek-dom of the other events. No knock at geeky fan events, after all, we attend countless geeky Disney events and count ourselves as geeks. Much like Justin Timberlake brought back sexy, I think that wretched movie, Napoleon Dynamite, actually brought geeky back.
In addition to this guest “experience,” there are a lot of actors who portrayed characters in the Star Wars movies in attendance for autograph signings and for the daily parade. Mind you, unless you’re a huge Star Wars fan, most of these actors’ names won’t ring a bell. However, if you are a fan of the films, meeting these actors can be pretty cool. Just be warned, if you want anything signed, you will want to arrive to the park hours before it opens to wait in line to be guaranteed a meeting with them. We’ll cover this further in the “Tips” section below.
Suffice to say, Star Wars Weekends can be a lot of thing even if you can’t tell a Wookie from an Ewok. It’s just a fun atmosphere with a good kinetic energy in the park, if that makes any sense. Plus, waits are relatively normal for “normal” attractions and there are fireworks to end the day, so even if you do nothing Star Wars-related (or very little) you have nothing to lose. Win-win!
When is the Best Time for Star Wars Weekends?
If you’re more concerned with seeing photos of Star Wars Weekends to get a visual idea of what it’s like, check out our pages containing hundreds of photos from past Star Wars Weekends. If you’ve already made up your mind that you want to visit during Star Wars Weekends but don’t know which one to plan your trip around, consider the first weekend.
We recommend the first weekend for a few reasons. First, it’s the best weather-wise, as summer heat and humidity can get bad in Florida by June. Second, it falls before many schools are out for the summer. Finally, you benefit in having Star Wars Weekends overlap with the last weekend of Epcot’s International Flower & Garden Festival that first weekend. Two special events in one trip can make for a lot of fun. The only downside is that Star Wars Weekends is usually busiest on that first weekend–but we don’t think this is enough of a “con” to outweigh those “pros.”
If you’re a huge Star Wars fan who is into the celebrities, you’ll probably want to wait for the official celebrity schedule to be released before deciding upon a weekend. Some celebrities are only in town for one weekend of the event.
Star Wars Weekends Tips
This tips are based upon our Star Wars Weekends visits, and what we’ve learned works and doesn’t work based on our experiences. Regardless of whether you want these actors to sign anything, you should arrive at Disney’s Hollywood Studios prior to park opening, as one of the coolest experiences of the weekend is “Storming the Park,” which features the Storm Troopers at the park entrance.
The little skit they put on is hilarious, and not to be missed. It has changed in the past few years from being something from atop the turnstiles to actually inside the park last year. It remains to be seen how it will be handled this year. It may seem like something minor and not worth arriving early to experience, but trust me, you will be thankful you dragged yourself out of bed early. Plus, you will need the time to experience as much as you possibly can in the day.
If you want autographs, arriving to Disney’s Hollywood Studios by 6 am is probably a good idea. If you don’t want autographs, you can sleep a little longer, but we still recommend arriving about an hour before the official park opening, which will usually be 8 am during Star Wars Weekends. This is because the turnstiles often open earlier than the official open time during Star Wars Weekends due to the crowds.
Last year, we got in the park at around 7:30 am, immediately got Toy Story Mania FastPasses, and then rode Toy Story Mania with only about a 5 minute wait. From there, we also quickly did Tower of Terror and Rock ‘n’ Rollercoaster. Finishing the “Big 3” at Disney’s Hollywood Studios before the Star Wars Weekends events even kick off will be huge, as there is a lot of waiting in lines for character photos and to secure show and parade seats that will likely prevent you from doing attractions AND experiencing all of the Star Wars Weekend festivities.
Disney uses a FastPass system for celebrity autographs during Star Wars Weekends. Each guest is allowed one such FastPass (per day–they are free), and how late you can show up and still get a FastPass depends upon the popularity of the celebrity you want to meet. We aren’t particularly interested in meeting Star Wars celebrities, so this is something we’ve never done.
Based on what we’ve heard from friends, Ray Park is the most ‘in-demand’ celebrity, and if you want a FastPass for him, you should plan on showing up around 6 am. If you arrive late or want to meet more than one celebrity, standby is available, too. Obviously, it behooves you to get the FastPass for the most popular celebrity and rarest (so if they are popular but appear at every Star Wars Weekend, they aren’t going to be as in-demand for FastPasses) and do standby for less-popular and more common ones. StudiosCentral has a good summary of how this system works.
For the first time ever, Mark Hamill appeared at Star Wars Weekends last year. Celebrities have not been announced yet, but given that Disney will be wanting to hype The Force Awakens this year, we are betting that either he or another big name will be here. We anticipate demand for anyone in Episode 7 being so high that people will start lining up before the park closes the day before to obtain FastPasses if they sign autographs.
At the very least, demand for the motorcade and talk show will be significantly higher than normal. Expect attendance to be significantly higher than normal, and waits for Star Wars events will certainly be much longer for any weekends slated to feature popular celebrities. (On the plus side, non-Star Wars attractions shouldn’t have longer than normal wait times–but you’ll still be dealing with high crowd levels.)
One of my favorite times of year to meet characters is at Star Wars Weekends. No, not because these character meetings are held outdoors during the most unbearable heat of the year, in some of the longest lines of the year, but because of the Disney characters’ costumes! These costumes are really cool, as are some of the backdrops for the meet and greets. Definitely plan on spending some serious time in line for these. I would recommend doing these in late afternoon as the lines aren’t so bad.
Once, we made the mistake of lining up first thing in the morning for Jedi Mickey (who rotates with a slew of other Disney characters). The lines ended up being shorter for him later in the day. Instead, we should have lined up for Darth Vader, who consistently had a line over an hour(!) later in the day. These character lines can be brutal, so if you’re not a fan of meeting characters, you’ll save a lot of time during Star Wars Weekends. If you do want to meet these characters, be prepared for long waits. Here are photos of some of the Disney and Star Wars characters you might see and be able to meet at Star Wars Weekends.
Another main attraction of the weekends is the daily Star Wars Legends of the Force Motorcade. This motorcade is cool for the costumes that you’ll see, but it’s a bit short (as is the parade route–making it tough to get good spots).
We recommend staking out a spot an hour before this motorcade if you want an unobstructed view, perhaps an hour and a half. If you don’t mind having a few heads in your way, you don’t need to claim a spot quite as early, but still get to the motorcade area at least 40 minutes in advance (even that is cutting it close).
There are various other events throughout the day, typically including a question and answer seminar and a trivia contest (called the Padawan Mind Challenge in past years) for kids. The exact names and details of these events change from year-to-year. There are several shows held throughout the day in a large theater in the Backlot. We’ve seen several of these, including Behind the Force, Stars of the Saga, Obi-Wan and Beyond, An Ewok’s Tale – My Short Story, and Visit to the Maul.
We really enjoy these shows because they usually combine three things: behind the scenes presentations, humor, and some sort of demonstration. In the case of Obi-Wan and Beyond, the ‘demonstration’ is James Arnold Taylor showcasing his impressive range of vocal talent, which in itself is funny.
In Visit to the Maul, the demonstration is Ray Park’s impressive light saber action. In Ewok’s Tale, it’s Warwick Davis playing director and interacting with the audience, which is also incredibly funny. Actually, Ewok’s Tale is our favorite of these, so if you get a chance to go when Warwick Davis is visiting, definitely check out this show.
We also consider Obi-Wan and Beyond to be a can’t miss, and this one is offered every weekend–at least as long as James Arnold Taylor is the host of Star Wars Weekends. People line up for these shows early for good seats, but the theater where these presentations take place is huge, so you can show up 5 minutes before showtime and typically still get a seat. It just won’t be a close seat.
One non-event that has become somewhat of an event is the purchase of merchandise. If you plan on buying anything unique to Star Wars Weekends, I highly recommend doing this early. Lines will get long, and limited edition items will sell out.
Each day used to conclude with Hyperspace Hoopla. If you didn’t go last year, it’s important to know that Hyperspace Hoopla has been retired, replaced with the “Symphony in the Stars” fireworks. Hyperspace Hoopla was a hilarious, snarky, and well-orchestrated show. I run out of adjectives just trying to describe it. It was rife with pop culture references, a real hoot overall. I’m actually a bit surprised that Lucasfilm has allowed such an irreverent show (although maybe that’s why it was stopped).
Now, each day of Star Wars Weekend concludes with “Symphony in the Stars” Fireworks show at 9:45 pm. This show debuted with the special “May the Fourth be With You” Limited Time Magic Event, and was so well-received that they’re doing it every night this year.
We saw the show for the first time at last year’s Star Wars Weekends, and it was absolutely amazing. The music and the pyro made it one of the best fireworks shows I’ve ever seen, and it really made me hope for an expanded Star Wars presence at Disney’s Hollywood Studios, with this fireworks show running on a nightly basis. If you are visiting during Star Wars Weekends, DO NOT MISS THIS FIREWORKS SHOW!
Symphony in the Stars has a stage show element before the fireworks starts, so the most coveted spots are directly in front of the Sorcerers Hat, with a clear view of the stage. However, this “stage show” is nothing more than the introduction of a few characters, and only lasts about 5 minutes. Sarah watched the fireworks from here so she could see the stage show, while I watched from back near Disney & Co (the store about halfway up Hollywood Boulevard). She was in an incredibly crowded area, and due to the perspective, her view of the fireworks was not the best.
By contrast, I had a poor view of the character introductions on the stage (I could see them on the video screen above the stage), but I had an excellent view of the fireworks, and where I was standing was not crowded at all. I highly recommend standing farther back on Hollywood Boulevard, and not worrying about seeing the fireworks pre-show on the stage. It’s nothing special, anyway.
For another great view with lower crowds, head over to Echo Lake, right in front of 50s Prime Time Cafe. (The above photo was taken from this location.) Another unique option, especially if you don’t have park tickets, is actually outside Disney’s Hollywood Studios on the walkway to Epcot, near the Friendship Boat dock.
Crowds are typically bad at Star Wars Weekend, with especially long lines for Star Tours: the Adventures Continue, and also for all of the special meet & greets. As a general rule I wouldn’t recommend doing Jedi Training Academy or Star Tours during Star Wars Weekends if you can experience them other times during the week. Jedi Training Academy has a better energy during Star Wars Weekends, but it’s just not worth the crowds. If someone in your party does want to do Jedi Training Academy, make sure to head to the sign-up first thing in the morning.
Some of the special presentations also require waiting in line at least 30 minutes in advance of the presentation. We were able to get in two of the presentations last year after getting in line about 30 minutes before they started (the lines usually form in the MuppetVision 3D overflow queue or in areas around there–ask a Cast Member if you’re not sure what the lines you see are for) and another presentation we got in line right prior to it starting, but our seats were not the greatest.
If you want good spots for these shows, you’re going to have to pick and choose which matter most to you, and line up about an hour in advance for those ones (this will likely prevent you from seeing them all in a single day due to timing). Note that the auditorium where these presentations are held is huge, so you likely will get into most shows without waiting a ton of time, it’s just a matter of whether you’ll need binoculars to see the presenter.
Star Wars Character Meals
Returning this year, Walt Disney World will offer Star Wars character meals during Star Wars Weekends. Prices are quite steep, but if you would otherwise be waiting in line for these characters in the hot, Florida sun, this could save you a ton of time and potentially be worth the money.
There are two meal options. The “Jedi Mickey’s Star Wars Dine” is a dinner at Hollywood and Vine and features Disney characters in Star Wars outfits. Featured characters are Jedi Mickey, Princess Leia Minnie, Ewok Chip ‘n’ Dale, Stormtrooper Donald, and Darth Goofy.
The second Star Wars/Disney character meal is the “Star Wars Dine-In Galactic Breakfast.” Standard Star Wars characters for this meal, consisting of Darth Vader, Stormtroopers, Boba Fett, Greedo and Jawas. In place of Sci-Fi Dine-In Theater’s standard sci-fi movie trailers, there will be Star Wars clips playing during the meal.
We attended both of the new Star Wars Character Meals last year, and had a great time at both of them. We did find them overpriced, so it’s a bit concerning that they are even more expensive. Check out our comprehensive review of Jedi Mickey’s Star Wars Dine at Hollywood & Vine. If you’d rather do breakfast with the Star Wars characters, read our Star Wars Dine-In Galactic Breakfast Review.
Overall, we think it’s a worthwhile event if you’re a Star Wars fan, frequent Walt Disney World guest looking for something new, or would already be visiting this time of year. The big downside to a May or June visit can be the weather and growing crowds, so keep that in mind before planning a dedicated trip for the event. If you’ve been to Walt Disney World more times than you can count, but have never visited the Studios during Star Wars Weekends, you owe it to yourself to plan a trip down during May or June to experience The Force, Disney-style. Even if you’re not a hardcore Star Wars fan, you’re sure to have a good time!
If you haven’t visited multiple times and are planning a trip to Walt Disney World, make sure to check out our Disney Tips & Tricks page for a lot of helpful tips to outsmart the masses. Also check out our dining reviews to find the best restaurants and our trip planning posts to figure out what to pack, where to buy Walt Disney World tickets to save money, which discounts to look for, and all the other ins and outs of a trip to Walt Disney World, all of which are covered extensively in our Walt Disney World Trip Planning Guide.
Your Thoughts
Have you visited during Star Wars Weekends? Do you think it’s worth braving the crowds to experience these special event weekends? Do you want to visit during Star Wars Weekends? Please share your thoughts in the comments!
HUM didn’t know it was a Star Wars Weekend when I planned this trip (May 6 thru 20, 2013) and not sure if this is a good thing or a bad one. I was told that May usually had smaller crowds but this sounds like the crowds might actually be larger.
We went to HS in 2010, not realizing it was a Star Wars weekend. We saw Billy Dee Williams/Lando Calrissian. There was a huge line, but we were able to walk up to the booth he was in and we were only about 4 feet away from where he was signing autographs and I got a great picture. The guy who played Darth Maul was there, as was the director of the Clone Wars movies. My son was 5 then, and is now 8 and a huge Star Wars fan, so hoping they have some good ones there this year!
Darth Maul will be there again this year…he’s one of the “big” actors that typically appears every year. Have fun!!!
Any idea if they will bring the Carbon Freeze Me back this year?
To meet Ray Park, you are advising to arrive around 5am?
Haven’t heard whether it will be back yet, but it made so much money last year that I assume it will.
Yeah, I’d arrive EARLY to meet Ray Park.
do you know if the Disney buses run that early?
This is a great blog! I am taking my son who will be 9 to Disney for the first time in May and will be there May 22-28. I was second-guessing my decision to go during Memorial Day weekend but now that I know about Star Wars weekend I am thrilled. Let’s put it this way, our Golden Retriever”s name is Princess Leia. These tips are very helpful as there is so much to do that it is hard to know where to begin. I haven’t been to Disney in almost 20 years.
Does anyone have suggestions on the best places to eat at HS and if reservations are necessary? I’ll be looking for a schedule of events but please keep the tips coming. I’ll be sure to add to this after our trip to share our experience.
We always enjoy dinner at Mama Melrose’s Italian Restaurant and yes you do need reservations. Most of the nicer restaurants require reservations. But therer are places to get food without reservations. We enjoy lunch at the Backlot (not sure if name is correct) and watch the Jedi Trtaining academy show which is right next door. Enjoy your ttrip!! MTFBWY!
What would you say is the best weekend to go for Star Wars days? We were thinking of taking our 5 and 2 yr old down the first weekend. Even though it’s the first weekend how does this compare to the others since schools will most likely still be on session when when we go.
We are taking our boys to Disney for the first time and will be there for the final weekend of Star Wars Weekends. Would you recommend going both Saturday and Sunday or picking 1 weekend day and then a different day during the week?
I would recommend going Saturday and Sunday because you can split your days in half.Example:1 day you meet some characters and watch some shows and the 2 day you meet more characters by merchandise and ride Star Tours.
My husband and I love Star Wars Weekends! We will be going for our 5th time this May. Unfortunately we have almost always missed “storming the park” we will definitely peel ourselves out of bed early this time!!! Thanks for the additional information!
how is the crowd level at the other parks during SW weekends? Is it lighter b/c everyone is at HS events or is the crowd level high in general across the board? We are planning a visit May 23-June 1. Trying to get a feel. Thanks for the info!
You’re looking at the beginning of the summer season, so you’re looking at an across-the-board increase. I doubt the cause is Star Wars Weekends, but it’s still an increase as compared to the period before SWW.
I’m really glad I stumbled upon your blog. I’m taking my son, 6 years old, down to Disney for his 3rd trip and my…well I have lost count at this point. He’s been SERIOUSLY into Star Wars for about 2 years now and I thought this was the perfect time to take him to Star Wars weekend which happens to also fall on my 31st birthday weekend. I’m super psyched to see his reaction to seeing some of his favorite Star Wars characters as well as some of his favorite Disney characters in Star Wars costumes. He lives and breaths Star Wars…sneakers, tshirts, lightsabers (4), bed tent, sheets, night light, calendar, legos, stuffed animals, vinylmations, playskool heros, clone wars figurines, books, hats, backpacks, sweatshirts…you name it, he has it. I think your blog was really helpful because it is just the information I am looking for. Everything else just tells you about Star Wars Weekends but not what we really want to know such as how long we can expect to wait, when we should get there, etc. Thank you, thank you, thank you!
Great page! By far the most informative SWW site I have found! Love the photos, as well! I just had a quick question…We are a family of SW geeks, and will be experiencing our first SWW on May 26, 2013. I’m trying to plan our day, and want to make lunch reservations, but don’t want to miss the Legends of the Force parade. What time did the parade take place during previous years?
Last year it was around 12:30. If you have *any* interest in meeting characters, I’d suggest doing counter service lunch instead of table service. If you meet characters, it’s tough to do everything at Star Wars Weekends in one day due to lines.
Thanks Tom!
We went ahead and made 11:00am lunch reservations at the Sci-Fi dine in theater. I think that should give us plenty of time to eat and get a good parade watching spot!
For Ashley R. – The crowd starts lining up for the parade as early as 2 hours before it starts. Best of luck in finding a good parade viewing site. We have been going the last three years and it is tough getting a good view of the parade, especially if you have younger children. MTFBWY!
I’ll be there opening day this year on May 17th. Hope to see you there.
We probably won’t be there for the opening weekend this year, but we’re hoping to make it at least one of the weekends. Enjoy your trip!
This is a great review of Star Wars Weekends! While I’ve been 67 times to WDW, this May will be my first Star Wars weekend! I appreciate the great information and pro/con analysis of the activities!
Can you do Jedi training academy on a day other than during te star wars weekend? Is it offered on other days, weekdays? Thanks for all the info!
Jedi Training Academy is a regular “attraction” that performs multiple times per day, everyday.
I wonder if there will be anything new this year, considering the recent LucasFilm acquisition!
We sure hope so!
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Is it worth it to visit during Star Wars weekends or would we have just as much fun any time at Hollywood Studios? I do have Star Wars fans. Is the only addition to the Star Wars part of the Studios the parades and autographs?
Don’t under-estimate the fun you’ll have during Star Wars Weekends, especially if you have Star Wars fans in your group. Autographs don’t do much for me, but the parade, Hyperspace Hoopla, and various other events are a LOT of fun. There is a palpable energy in the air, and it’s definitely something worth seeing. Crowds can be higher at DHS during these weekends, but non-Star Wars stuff isn’t generally that busy. I’d go for it!
Tom, would you say that the Star Wars crowds spill over into the other parks? We are planning a day at EPCOT on Saturday May 17th to drink around the world (we’ll be on a family vacation in Daytona Beach but will make a day trip to Orlando) but this is the last weekend of the Flower and Garden Fest and the first Star Wars Weekend… we’re a little unsure how crowds will be but unfortunately it’s the only day that works for our whole group.
I don’t think Star Wars Weekends crowds spill over into the other parks at all. That’s just based on what I’ve observed, I have no real stats to back this up. In general, I think SWW attracts a pretty unique crowd, much of which probably isn’t too concerned with the other parks.
We went to Star Wars Weekend, May 2009. We surprised our son who was 8 1/2 at the time. We had so much fun! It was very hot and I will never go back to WDW that time of the year but for a one time thing that surprised my avid Star Wars Fan, it was well worth it.
Any word on which cast members will be present for the grand re-opening weekend this year?
Great article and tips Tom. I am looking forward to attending the first day of Star Wars Weekend this year. I am not a Star Wars fan at all but am sure I will enjoy everything that is going on – especially the opening of Star Tours 2!
I didn’t know about “Stormin the Park” Sounds like a blast. Thanks for this well-written article. I admit I was more inclined to shy away from Hollywood Studios, but now I think I’d be more willing to try it. Love the pics.