[cinderbella]

My aunt recently gave us two free tickets for Busch Garden today. I have been there before and I know it's 'not' Disney...but they are going and I rarely get to see this part of my family and would like to go..
BUT...that throws a wrench in my Over Planners Annoyomus Complex. We had orginally had two days for MGM, one to do all the regular MGM things, and one strictly for SWW...my question for you..
Is it possible to do the 'normal MGM things' (RnR, TOT, Beauty and The Beast, WWTBAM?, GMR, LMAS..) and all the 'Star Wars MGM' things in a day?
It seems like a strech?

[EmpressJenny]

Yes, we did everything in one day when we were there last Friday.

Busch Gardens is right near me, too!

[disneyguy]

Bush Gardens in Williamsburg is VERY Disney-like, so I assume the Tampa one is just as good.

As far as MGM... I think you can do it. Do all the major rides first thing in the morning and then do the shows and Star Wars stuff in the afternoon.

[jwdj4lfe]

You should be able to fit it all in in one day. I went to SWW 2 weeks ago and all the people migrated towards Star Tours giving us 15 minute waits for RnRC and ToT! Hit those 2 first then work your way over to Star Tours.
Joe

[jedijson]

Originally Posted by disneyguy

As far as MGM... I think you can do it. Do all the major rides first thing in the morning and then do the shows and Star Wars stuff in the afternoon.

Unless you want an autograph. From what the Disney people on the phone just told me, you'll have to get in line early in the morning to get a band that allows you to get in the autograph line.

If you're not going to worry about the autograph, then you can do all the other stuff later. It's going to be crazy-busy in the morning, anyway...

8 days and a few hours and counting to my SWW trip.....

[miltimo5]

I was at Disney studios on Sunday May 22, and the place was packed. We stayed away from all the star wars stuff to try to avoid the crowds. we went to the commisary for lunch around 2:30 and stood in line for almost an hour. never saw so many people at one time..

[DougiesMommy]

What Star Wars things are you wanting to actually do? If you are wanting the limited edition items at the store then expect a long slow line. Also the autograph lines are long not only for the "star" but also the characters.

However, I found the rest of the park to be pleasantly unpacked. We walked on ToT at 5pm and only had a 10 minute wait for RnR.

[hiner]

You can definately fit it all in. Make sure you get there in time for the morning parade. They have all the SW characters, along with Jedi Mickey in it. It was really cool to see. The only place it seemed to be crowded was over by the Star Tours area. Alot of people were on line for the autographs and they put on a show right next door.

[DisneyDude85]

I agree with someone said do all the major rides in the morning and then SWW in the afternoon hours. Unforunately I didn't take that advice and missed out on meeting the Star Wars celebrity who was there because I arrived there late in the afternoon.

[jedijson]

I have another SWW question: Do the stars charge for their autographs? I only ask because they do at a Star Wars convention. If they do, how much do they charge?

A couple weeks ago, Jerome Blake was charging $20/autograph at the convention I met him at. If he's going to charge the same amount, not a big deal, but it changes what I'm going to take for him to sign.

Thanks for all your help!

[EmpressJenny]

I think it's DISGUSTING that stars charge for their autograph. Unless you are bringing more than one item to be signed, where it's obvious you're going straight to ebay afterwards, charging for autographs makes me sick.

[lovemysons]

Originally Posted by EmpressJenny

I think it's DISGUSTING that stars charge for their autograph. Unless you are bringing more than one item to be signed, where it's obvious you're going straight to ebay afterwards, charging for autographs makes me sick.

You know Jenny, there are few things that really get me going, but this is one of them. I totally agree. Charging for autographs is disgusting. I just can not think of how this is justifiable.

[jedijson]

I would agree, but when I get more than one autograph, it's always on completely different items. For example, I have probably 25 carded action figures that are all autographed by the actors who played them. At the same time, I have pictures of a lot them, also autographed. And then there's the Vanity Fair cover that I have a lot of autographs on.... I definitely agree with you, though, when it comes to people bringing four, five, or even a CASE (more on that in a minute) of the same thing to get autographed. Those are, 99.9% of the time, the people who are going to sell on eBay. That .1% of the time is different. For example, I have been known to get with several people and each of us take all of one character's things to go get in that line, and get all of them autographed. That way, we don't all have to stand in all the lines. When we're done, we just meet in the middle, and divide up the spoils back to their owners.

The "case" example I used? A couple weeks ago, when I took Jordan to Dallas to meet a ton of SW actors, I stood in line at LEAST a half-hour longer than I needed to, because this jerk two people in front of me brought a CASE (literally) of Darth Maul action figures (all the same one--I wonder how he got so many) for Ray Park to sign. I was a tad put out, and even said something to the money-taker. I asked them why they couldn't just tell him "look, there's sixty people behind you all wanting autographs, get one of those signed, and, after all the others are done, you can get the rest done." I say a tad put-out, but the reality is that I got extremely upset--even though I didn't show it--because, after Ray signed them all, he took a lunch break. While I understand why he needed to do that, I mean, everyone needs to eat lunch, at the same time, I had stood in that line for 45 minutes earlier in the day, got up to the third person away, and he had to take a break to go speak in a seminar room--and he wouldn't be back for another 2 hours. Then, I went back a half hour early, and when he came back, it still took another half hour to get up there, got two away, and he STOPPED TO EAT LUNCH! Jordan, by this time, had completely lost his mind, and was into everything, annoying people like you couldn't believe. He'd kick the guy in front of us--not hard, but definitely intentionally, as he'd sit on the window sill and swing his legs out as far as he could reach, thereby kicking this guy. After spending that much time in the line, there was no way in hades I was going to leave the line, pop him, and then go to the BACK of the line to stand in it even longer. Why would I have to go to the back of the line? There's no line holders allowed. Which is nice, from a certain point of view, but at one point, I had to let Jordan run across the hallway (directly across from me) to run to the bathroom. He came back in a couple minutes, but I was nervous as a long-tailed cat in a room of rocking chairs until he did. Had all these visions of him getting kidnapped or worse... I would have liked to have had a line holder to let me take him, but the rule helps prevent those people from standing in line for, like, fifty of their "closest" friends.

Sorry. Babbling again. You'll have to read the "Hijack this thread" for more on that subject....

[jedijson]

Originally Posted by lovemysons

You know Jenny, there are few things that really get me going, but this is one of them. I totally agree. Charging for autographs is disgusting. I just can not think of how this is justifiable.

I did find out why they charged $20/autograph at the SW convention in Dallas. It's because the convention couldn't pay them to come. Yes, they could pay for their plane ticket (as long as it wasn't first class!) and hotel, but couldn't afford to pay them to come. So, they charged $20/auto, and that's how they made their money.

Pictures were $5 each. Some would give you a $5 discount if you purchased one of their pictures. Others wouldn't.

Not necessarily justifiable, but that is one reason.... And no, I'm not defending them. I don't appreciate spending almost $200 on autographs, no matter how cool.

[lovemysons]

Originally Posted by jedijson

I did find out why they charged $20/autograph at the SW convention in Dallas. It's because the convention couldn't pay them to come. Yes, they could pay for their plane ticket (as long as it wasn't first class!) and hotel, but couldn't afford to pay them to come. So, they charged $20/auto, and that's how they made their money.

Pictures were $5 each. Some would give you a $5 discount if you purchased one of their pictures. Others wouldn't.

Not necessarily justifiable, but that is one reason.... And no, I'm not defending them. I don't appreciate spending almost $200 on autographs, no matter how cool.

Well see, I did not know that part. But did you have to pay to get into the convention? Just wondering who winds up making the money on these events.