As a huge Star Wars enthusiast (read: nerd), I was looking forward to experiencing my first Star Wars themed event this year.   After attending SWW for the past four weeks, I can confidently say that overall, it is a lot of fun.  With that said, there are some weaknesses that keep SWW from being a 100% success.  With the event behind us now, let’s take a look at my review of Star Wars Weekend.

The weather and the crowd levels are my biggest complaint about SWW.  As most of you know, June is a popular month for guests, despite the Florida heat and humidity.  As the weekends progressed, it became more apparent that it is a bad idea to hold this popular event in one of the hottest and busiest months of the year.  Past SWW were held from mid-May to mid-June; however, that all changed last year when SWW was moved to accommodate Celebration IV in late May.  Apparently the move was permanent, as the dates this year were all scheduled for June.  The problem with holding this event in June is that the crowd levels are huge, wait times are through the roof, and you are forced to wait in line in extremely uncomfortable conditions.   In my opinion, the event needs to move to a less hot and less crowded time of year.

Merchandise is a big reason many make the journey to Orlando in the month of June.  On the first day of Star Wars Weekends, the merchandise line was extremely long.  People hoping to get their hands on some limited edition merchandise made their way to Wicket’s Warehouse.  There was a lot to be excited about this year in terms of merchandise:  four new big figs, an impressive set of pins, and Star Wars themes coins, just to name a few.   Much like Disney, George Lucas can get away with selling $180 stormtrooper jackets, $200 watches, and $165 coins.   I have to admit that I succumbed to some of the limited edition merchandise…I mean, I’m only human. 

Perhaps the biggest controversy involving merchandise was the lack of Big Figs available at the event itself.  Unlike previous years, one of the big reasons for collectors to go to SWW was to get their hands on the Big Figs.  However, due to some delays, the Big Figs were only available online – moreover, the Big Figs themselves would not even be available until September.  The person in front of me was incredibly angry by this announcement.   He turned to me and said that he bought admission to the parks solely to purchase Big Figs, and he subsequently left the line.  Disney needs to communicate better about their merchandise in order to avoid problems like this in the future. 

Turning to another aspect of SWW, I noticed that the meet and greet areas were spread across the park in a confusing pattern.  Moreover, there was no clear schedule in the times guide or the special SWW guide map to when or where these characters could be found.  Instead, you would have had to know that the list of character meet and greets could be found at the Event Information table, located all the way back by Sounds Dangerous.  I think many were confused and/or disappointed when they couldn’t find the character they were looking for and if they were fortunate enough to happen upon a character like Darth Goofy, some were still upset when he was rotated out every 15 minutes, in place of Leia Minnie or Stormtrooper Donald.  While I think the characters are an important part of SWW, I think it could be better handled and planned out to lessen guest frustrations and improve the efficiency at which guests can meet up with their favorite Star Wars character if only locations and times were readily available to all guests. 

I never had the opportunity to attend Who Wants to Be a Millionaire: Star Wars edition, or the Star Wars Adult Trivia, so I can’t speak to how those shows added to SWW as a whole.  Nevertheless, SWW is missing something on top of the two shows it already has.  Behind the Force, one of the shows that take guests behind the scenes was definitely worth waiting in line for an hour for.  However, once you see the sneak peek for the upcoming Star Wars: The Clone Wars movie, there is no reason to see it again.  The Stars of the Saga, a talk-show where the host of SWW (Warwick Davis) interviews the other two weekly guests, is also a fun and intriguing show to attend – but results can vary depending on the mood of the celebrities and whether or not they rehearsed beforehand.  

Disney and Lucas came close to finding that missing element in Weekend One and Two.  Authors Troy Denning and Steve Sansweet were on hand to sign their books at Wicket’s Warehouse.  Even though this was a convenient way to sell their books, it offered another fascinating glimpse into the Star Wars universe.   Denning and Sansweet took time from every autograph they gave to talk with the fans about their careers, what attracted them to working for George Lucas, and what new projects they have on the horizon.  These events added a lot to Weekends One and Two because it was not some big impersonal presentation like Behind the Force.  Much like the celebrity meet and greets, these book signings were opportunities to “talk shop” with the people that create the Star Wars universe.  It was a definite highlight for me, and goes to show that an added event like a simple book signing can really go a long way to making SWW an even better event. 

At its core, SWW is about meeting people with the same interest in the genre as you.   Much like fans of Disney tend to hit it off so well with one another, fans of Star Wars are easy to get along with and talk to.  It does not matter if you are in a long line with the sun beating down on you – there is always the opportunity to strike up a conversation with the person in front of you in line.  Whether you are waiting in the merchandise line, or waiting for the parade to begin, Star Wars fans are eager to talk to you about what the movies and the franchise as a whole have meant to them.  Take for example the StudiosCentral/MEI Travel sponsored Dinner event at the backstage Studios Prop Shop.   40-50 people were in attendance that evening – all brought together by Star Wars Weekends.  People shared what time they got up to get to the parks, what celebrities they had the chance to meet, and what merchandise they absolutely had to purchase.  People really came together – and that is, what I think, will make me want to return to Star Wars Weekends the most.  

Due to my limited experience, I can’t compare SWW 2008 to previous years.  I leave that to Matt, The Dark Lord of the Sith, and the other members of StudiosCentral.   What I can tell you that SWW is, despite all of its shortcomings and problems, is a worthwhile event for any Star Wars fan.  SWW provides one of the best ways to meet celebrities, find Star Wars characters, collect merchandise, and mingle with like-minded fans, and all of this with Walt Disney World as a backdrop.   With that said, I hope to see some of you next year at SWW 2009.  May the Force Be With You!