Star Wars Weekends 2013

When it was announced that Disney had bought Lucas Films and intended to create new movies many of my friends asked if I was going to suddenly start liking Star Wars now that it was Disney. I just giggled because there were a few things they didn't realize.
1. I grew up on Star Wars and have always loved the original movies
2. Disney pretty much already owned Star Wars
3. I've been attending the Star Wars Weekends at Hollywood Studios for a few years now

With my avid obsession of Character Autographs and Greetings its easy to understand why I really enjoy these special weekends each summer. The entire park is crawling with rebel and empire forces. From Tusken Raiders to Ewoks, Darth Vader to a Jedi Mickey Mouse there are so many opportunities to see these rare characters. Throughout my visits I've been able to see Luke Skywalker, Darth Vader, Darth Maul, Queen Amidala, Clones, Storm Troopers, Jawas, Chewbacca, Classic Disney Characters dressed in Star Wars theme, among dozens of others. My main advice for catching some of the roaming characters is to not give up. Quite often they will walk past you if you try to get a picture or autograph but hey the rebels have their hands full and the clones are too busy following orders some times.

One thing I never fully understand about Star Wars Weekends is how the line for Star Tours is 1 to 2 hours long yet there are Fast Pass available for 45 minutes from the time you get them. Some people don't know about the wonder that is Fast Pass but it is a great way to make the most out of your time in the parks.

For the true fans there are celebrity meet and greets but you have to be there before park opening in order to get your tickets! Unfortunately I have not yet had the opportunity to rub elbows with the real life stars. Often they have special seminars being held each day though as well so be sure to check out the times guide for who will be there!

Looking for Star Wars Merch? Look no further than Darth's Mall (yes that's the real name). Limited edition merchandise and event only items are available here along with a meet and greet area.

Don't miss out on the ending show. If you've ever wanted to see Clones break dance or Senator Palpatine rap or everyone's favorite Cantina Band perform this is the place where anything can happen. I wasn't entirely sure what to expect but I am so glad I was able to find a spot to watch it!

*Jedi Hand Wave* These are the photos you were looking for
May the force be with you, and have a Magical Day!

Disneyland Paris April 2012: Studios

While studying abroad in Europe it was a must that I spend at least one day visiting a Disney location.  (disclosure: I do not speak nor understand French and most every ride has French soundtracks)
My friend and I arrived fairly early in the morning and had already decided to spend the first part of the day at Hollywood Studios so to avoid going back and forth across the parks. The first ride we hit was Tower of Terror, very similar to the ones back home but a thrilling experience as always.
Then Rock'n'Rollercoaster hit our radar. Knowing we did not have enough time to go on every ride in both parks we had to condense what we chose. Fortunately there were not too many lines during the day so we did get on all the ones I could not miss out on.
The day was on and off rainy so while walking through the Toy Story area we got rained on and quickly got in line for Crush's Coaster (Very Awesome!). I appreciated having a fun ride form of Finding Nemo much more than the "Turtle Talk with Crush" that is back home. In this same area they have little kid rides Cars themed and replicas of the buildings from Radiator Springs.
Back towards the entrance are several buildings for different sit down experiences and shows with specific start times. Some of these included musicals, the art of Disney animation, and Cine Magique. I wish we could have spent time at the different shows at here but we had too much ground to cover to stay in one park all day. I look forward to when I will be able to visit again and have more time to explore.

Enjoy the photos and have a Magical day!

Hollywood Studios Character Area

Having worked on my collection of Disney Character Autographs for close to 3 years with over 150 unique autographs its getting harder and harder to find ever rarer characters. One spot I've profitable every time I visit is the Animation Studio at Hollywood Studios. This area is to the right once you reach the Sorcerer Mickey Hat. You can either watch an short background on one of Disney's animated characters then walk through a display of a new movie and into the character greeting area, or you can follow another line to the character area and not wait through the video.

From around 4 p.m. until 6 p.m. everyday a whole slew of random characters wander out from backstage and do meet and greets. Unlike Sorcerer Mickey, The Incredible's Characters, and (as of right now) Winnie the Pooh, who are listed on the print outs available around the park, the random characters are not listed as official meet and greets. For the character buffs its true that the more characters you have the harder it is to find new characters and all the more exciting it is when you stumble across one.

What's your favorite or rarest character, or your favorite spot to find them?

Have a Magical Day!