Heather joins us again, and we couldn’t be happier!!! Heather is an annual passholder that loves coming up with excuses to take a trip to the World. Follow her adventures at Disney on twitter and instagram. Visit her website, I Love Characters, to see pictures of the over 200 characters she’s met at Disney World and Disneyland.
My favorite thing to do at Disney is meet characters, and Star Wars Weekend provides a great opportunity for this! You can meet over 30 characters, including beloved Disney characters in Star Wars outfits! Today I’m going to show you the where and hows of the Star Wars character meets.
Before attending, I recommend re-watching all the films. I love the originals, but I don’t watch the prequels too often. Also, along with the well known characters, there are some characters with smaller parts in the films, and I wanted to make sure I knew all the characters I would find! Star Wars Weekends also has characters from the animated series, the Clone Wars (rumor is, this might be the last year for Clone Wars characters.) Even though the theme of this year’s Star Wars Weekends is the new Rebels animated series, none of those characters meet (though they are in the closing show and motorcade parade.)
Over the 2 years I’ve attended Star Wars Weekends, I’ve only missed one character: Commander Rex from Clone Wars. Since I never saw the series, I was ok with that, lol. My first year, I met 17 on the first day, 4 on the second day, and 7 on our last day. This year, I didn’t spend the whole time character hunting, so it was a little less. I also did both character meals, which helped not having to run around to meet some characters! I met 5 at the character breakfast, 9 on our first Star Wars Weekends day (including the character dinner), and 11 on our last day (which was our only full Star Wars Weekends day.)
One quick tip, if you have any questions about when characters are out, make sure you ask the Cast Members in red Star Wars shirts. The other CMs with the characters (they are in white and blue stripes) usually don’t know the Star Wars Weekends character schedules. I also recommend KennythePirate’s blog, which usually has the correct info! Also, while most characters have set places to meet, and you get in line, there are several roaming characters. You don’t have to worry about lines, but they are a little harder to stop and get a picture with. If you ask one of the red shirt CMs in that area, they will know exactly when the roaming characters come out as well.
Now it’s time to get to all the characters that meet! There are 6 Disney characters that dress as Star Wars Characters: Jedi Mickey, Leia Minnie, Stormtrooper Donald, Vader Goofy, and Ewoks Chip & Dale. If you don’t want to wait in line for these characters, you can do the Jedi Mickey’s Star Wars Dine at Hollywood & Vine. If you couldn’t get an ADR for this dinner, the good news is they’ve moved Mickey, Minnie, Donald & Goofy into the Darth’s Mall this year, so you won’t have to wait in the sun & heat like in past years! Mickey & Minnie switch out with Donald & Goofy, usually on the half hour. Chip & Dale meet near the Sci-Fi Dine-In all day, and their line is usually reasonable.
One of the characters with a constant long line is Chewbacca. He meets across from Star Tours, where they have the fun speeder bike photo spot. He’s a character that you might want to try at rope drop, though if you wait until after the parade, an Ewok joins him. The first year I waited over 40 minutes for him (and the wait can get up to 90 minutes.) This year, I lucked out because I ran over to his spot after a rain storm, hoping he would come back out. There was only one other guest there, and I asked one of the Star Wars Weekends CMs if he would be back out, since it was already close to 8pm. She said, if I were you, I would stay here. 😉 He and Wicket came out shortly after. I only waited about 5 minutes! The characters have been staying out later this year, which is great because usually the line is shorter, and you’re not waiting in the sun!
In this Star Tours area, you’ll also find members of the Cantina Band roaming. I was able to catch one of them on my last trip. I asked if he signed, and he motioned that he didn’t, but one of the others did. There was a mob of people around the others, so I just decided to be content with getting my picture and moved on. I had hoped to catch other members this time, but my timing never worked.
A little past where Chewy meets, next to the Sounds Dangerous theater, you’ll find Queen Amidala. She also has a pretty backdrop that you can’t miss. Her line usually isn’t bad throughout the day, and her costume and makeup is gorgeous, so I definitely recommend stopping by!
Head on over to the Streets of America for our next set of characters. Near Lights Motor Action! and the Monsters Inc meet & greet exit, you’ll find the Clone Wars characters. The first day, I walked by and there were 3 characters meeting together. I got in line on the second day, and met Ahsoka Tano and Commander Cody together, though Commander Cody was just about to leave. This year, my priority was Asajj Ventress, and I got her on my first try. The line is usually pretty short, so it should be easy to catch who you want. They also meet in front of a great backdrop. If you are there on a non Star Wars Weekends day (or when the characters aren’t out), you can get a great photo with just the backdrop! You’ll also find Clone Troopers roaming in this area
The Jedi Council meets in the San Francisco section of the Streets of America, right next to the Singing in the Rain umbrella. There are 4 Jedi who switch out, though sometimes you can luck into catching 2 together. I got in line and met Shaak Ti, and then I got back in line and was able to meet Anakin Skywalker. The next day I came back, wanting to meet the last Jedi member meeting, Kit Fisto. This was the only time I got to the front of the line and wanted a different character than was out. Thankfully they let us wait (there were about 3 of us waiting.) I lucked out and I met him and Shaak Ti together. I think of all the characters I met at Star Wars Weekends, Shaak Ti was the most talkative. She talked to me about the droids on my shirt, becoming a Jedi, and showing me Jedi poses to do for our pictures. Mace Windu wasn’t meeting that year, so he was one of my character priorities this year. I got in the line for one of his first sets of the day, and caught him with Kit Fisto. He wasn’t nearly as talkative as Shaak Ti, but he still liked my R2-D2 dress, lol. I checked this line a few times, and it never seemed that long of a wait, though it may seem a little slow since the Jedi all like to interact.
In the same area as the Jedi meet, you’ll find roaming Jawas. My first year, I had a hard time getting a picture with one, since the Jawa kept turning around and away from me. I had better luck the second day, and there was even a Photopass photographer near there that took a few pictures of us. The Jawas also love to make trades. I saw someone trade a paper clip and get a used soda can in return, another get a set of stickers. I forgot to bring something to small to trade, but on the second day, the Jawa took out a toy camera, and kept trying to trade it for my own camera! I kept saying no, I think I like mine better, lol! This year, I met 2 Jawas at the Star Wars Galactic Dine-In Breakfast at the Sci-Fi Dine-In. Once again I forgot to bring a paper clip or something small, but I tried to trade a lifesaver that was in a plastic wrapper. Both refused, ah well!!
You’ll see a great backdrop over by the Hat, and here is where you can find Princess Leia, Luke Skywalker, and usually C3PO and R2-D2 switching out throughout the day. The droids sometimes have technical issues, so they may not show up, or leave before they are supposed to. Of course my main goal the day I wore my R2-D2 dress was to meet him, and I got in line an hour early for what was supposed to be Leia and R2…and that day, he didn’t meet. Ah well, thankfully I had met the droids my first year. If C3PO and R2-D2 are meeting, they are the only characters that don’t sign. Even though I couldn’t catch R2, I had a great time meeting both Luke and Leia. They switch out, though sometimes you can catch them together. They were meeting together when I was waiting for Luke, and then she left after meeting the family before me. That was my luck with the line that day lol!
If you’re looking for the Dark Side characters, the Backlot area is where you need to be! Here you can meet Darth Maul, Darth Vader, Boba Fett, Jango Fett, and 5 roaming characters. Darth Vader’s line is usually one of the longest lines of the day, and I highly recommend getting in line at rope drop for a shorter wait. He meets undercover (so, no sun and not as hot!) near the Monsters Inc meet & greet. Even if you have to wait a while, watching Vader intereact with everyone is incredibly entertaining. When I stood in this line, I watched one girl take her shoe off for him to sign, and he made her get on the ground and bow before he would do it. Another guest tried to hug him, and he did not approve. He also force choked several guests (I was going to ask for that pose, but I chickened out once I got up there.) When he leaves and comes back to his spot, Stormtroopers walk him back and forth, which is really fun to watch, especially other guests reactions!
A few steps away from Darth Vader is Darth Maul. Of all the characters I met, he was definitely the creepiest! I was a little freaked out, I don’t know how kids didn’t run away, lol. He didn’t want to sign my book, and we stared each other down until he finally did. Then he snapped it closed, which was pretty funny (even though I know it wasn’t supposed to be!) I can’t talk enough about how in character all of the Star Wars Weekends characters were, it was amazing and made every wait worth it. He meets near the Backlot Tour, and his line is kind of hidden behind the Backlot line.
Across from where Darth Maul meets is where Boba Fett and Jango Fett meet. You can’t miss it because there is a great backdrop for this meet! When the characters aren’t out, you can take fun pictures here.
Boba and Jango switch out, and usually the CM there wouldn’t let you wait for who you wanted to see. Thankfully I was able to catch both by just waiting once each time. I met Jango on the first day, and Boba on the third day.
The roaming characters in this area were so fun. I met a Stormtrooper, and he walked me over to another area. My mom was still in the first area, and I was telling her to come over. The Stormtrooper walked towards her and pointed at her to come over, it was great. There was a Photopass photographer there, so I got a lot of great pictures, even if my mom was somewhere else, lol. I almost got another picture with a Stormtrooper on the third day, but after he motioned that I come over to where he was, he walked away!
There are also several Tusken Raiders in this area. When you are waiting in line for Darth Maul, you might even see some peeking over the wall at you before they come out. As you can see in the picture, this one didn’t like me very much. I asked if he signed, and he just stared at me. Then I said please, and he took the book and signed, but when I asked for a pic, you can see the pose, lol. Another time we were trying to get another character, and didn’t know that one of the Tusken Raiders was behind my mom until he scarred her. If only I had a picture of that! This year, when I went to get a picture, he came right up to my camera and pulled out the lens cloth and played with it. My selfie with him probably came out better than the regular picture, and it ended up being shown during the pre-fireworks show at the hat!
Gamorrean Guard is another great roaming character. I know I said Darth Maul was creepy, but this guy was almost just a creepy. His eyes kind of looked right through you! When I asked if he signed, at first I thought he wasn’t going to, since he posed for a picture. But then he grabbed my book and signed.
The first year I went, I had trouble catching the last 2 roaming characters, bounty hunters Zam Wesell and Aurra Sing. Zam Wesell came out while I was in line for Boba Fett, and the guy behind us held our place in line while I ran to try to catch her (one more reason to chat with people while you wait in line!) I was able to get a picture before she started walking around and got mobbed, and it’s one of my favorite Star Wars Weekends pictures. This year I had an easier time getting a picture, and we even took a selfie together.
Aurra Sing was MUCH harder to catch. We held the place in line for the guy behind us, while he ran over with his son, and was able to get a picture and signature. I waited until we met Boba Fett, and then started following her around, but she just wouldn’t stop. She’ll stare right at you, but not really stop. Finally I tried not smiling at her, and she stopped for a second and I finally got the picture! She wouldn’t sign for me though, but she did grab others’ books. This year, there was a photopass photographer following her, and I had an easier time having her stop, sign my book, and take a picture…but she ran away before I could get a selfie. 😉
Needless to say, while you don’t have to worry about lines, catching these roaming characters can sometimes be a challenge. Once you get a picture with them, though, and just hang back, they are a ton of fun to watch interact with everyone. One of my favorite moments this year was watching Aurra Sing approach a kid in a stroller, and then he pulled the top down because he was so scared!
If you don’t want to try to catch some of the Dark Side characters throughout the day, you can meet Darth Vader, Boba Fett, Stormtroopers, Jawas, and Greedo at the Star Wars Galactic Dine-In Breakfast. You can only meet Greedo at the character breakfast this year, he won’t be a random character during Star Wars Weekends this year.
I hope I didn’t bore you on my character hunt throughout Star Wars Weekends. It was a lot of waiting, but for a character hunter like me, it was completely worth it!
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