Tips To Get the Most From ‘Star Wars’ Celebration
Star Wars Celebration returns to London next week with its first-ever four-day event outside of America! From the 40th anniversary of Return of the Jedi to those rumors that the next film will be announced in London, this Celebration promises to be a big one. Whether you’re a first time attendee or a veteran, it can be easy to feel a little overwhelmed at everything there is to see and do, so here is our handy guide to getting the most out of your time at the greatest convention in the galaxy.
Make a Plan but Be Flexible
Star Wars Celebration is massive, and even if you were lucky enough to snag a VIP Jedi Master ticket, you simply can’t do everything. At this point we know the full guest list, and most of the panel schedule has been revealed, so it’s time to start picking your priorities.
My best advice is to pick one or two things that you simply have to do each day. Maybe it’s that Look Back at Obi-Wan Kenobi panel or getting an autograph from Rosario Dawson, or simply meeting up with friends you made last Celebration. Pick those one or two events and plan around them each day.
To help with this, I’ve put together a full schedule that you can download here. This spreadsheet includes all the official panels along with every fan event, group photo, and meetup I can find so you can see how everything lines up. And I promise to update it regularly as new details get released.
Being realistic is also important — the bigger panels and more popular guests will have longer lines. Pick a backup or two in case you can’t achieve your first choice. Being prepared and having a realistic plan gives you the best head start you can get ahead of Celebration.
But be prepared to be flexible and go with the flow as well. There’s always a surprise waiting that can throw your plans off, like when they announced the incredible The Mandalorian Experience in Anaheim! Being flexible is key, so don’t sweat it if your plans do get thrown out when you hit the show floor.
Take Advantage of the Main Panels for Shorter Queues Elsewhere
If you don’t win the lottery, or you’re simply not interested in the big panels each morning, use that to your advantage. Major panels mark the ideal time to hit the Celebration Store, the autograph hall, or just grab a bite to eat whilst the lines are (slightly) shorter. This goes double if they stream the major panel to the show floor as well.
Move Autograph and Photo Op Times to Suit You
Once the times are released for guest autographs and photo-ops, you will be able to move your experience to another time or even day (subject to availability). This is incredibly useful, as it allows you to fit your guest autos/photos around the panels you want to see.
Premieres
Star Wars Celebration has been home to the season premieres for Rebels, Resistance, Tales of the Jedi, and of course, Obi-Wan Kenobi. This year will be no different, with Young Jedi Adventures set to premiere on Saturday, April 8. While most trailers and clips are shared on the live stream, episode premieres are definitely not, so if you want to see them early, you’ll need to be in the room.
Could there be more? Who can say! Celebration is always full of surprises.
Take Advantage of the LIVE! Stage
Star Wars Celebration LIVE! is back this year. From 2015-2019, the big opening panel of each day was streamed live to the show floor and online. Last year, they took the unusual decision to not stream the big opening panel each morning. Hopefully, they will fix that this year, but we won’t know for sure until later.
If they do fix it, I can say that the atmosphere at the LIVE! Stage is nearly as good as being in the room. So if you don’t win the lottery (and they are streaming the panels), then make sure you head to the LIVE! Stage first thing. I watched the Episode IX panel from the show floor in Chicago surrounded by thousands of fans, and the atmosphere was just electric.
Even if they don’t stream the opening panels here, the LIVE! Stage will feature exclusive interviews with all of the major stars and creatives, so this is the place to be if you want to see the special guests up close.
Outside of the big opening panels, the LIVE! Stage and online stream will usually stream several of the major panels from the Celebration, Galaxy, and Twin Suns Stages throughout the weekend. Just keep in mind that some of the footage shown in the room may not be shared on the stream.
Don’t Ignore the Smaller Panels
One thing that I’ve learnt from multiple Celebrations: the smaller panels can have some of the best content, and you won’t get to view them on the live stream later. Whilst the Disney Parks panel is streaming live (already confirmed by Disney Parks), the Animation Game Night panel is taking place. The gaming panel in Chicago was a lot of fun and didn’t stream, so if you’re interested in both, I’d say see Game Night and catch Disney Parks on the stream later.
Interested in the fan panels? Want to see your favorite podcasters live? This is your chance to do it. There is so much to see and do at Celebration beyond the big panels. It’s amazing to be in that room, it really is, but Celebration is so much more than that. You can have a full schedule and never once set foot in the Celebration Stage.
Lotteries and Overflow
This could be an article by itself, but for this piece I’ll try and keep it simple.
The five main panels on the Celebration Stage each had a lottery for entry. If you won the lottery, then you’re guaranteed entry to the Celebration Stage itself or to streaming in the Galaxy and Twin Suns Stages. If you didn’t win the lottery, there will be an overflow line for the Celebration Stage and the streaming stages each morning. So, if you didn’t win, you’ll want to head straight to the overflow lines once the venue opens each day for the morning panels or at 11am (once the morning panel has gone in) for Obi-Wan.
This is just for the five major panels. All other panels are stand-by lines.
Use the Queues to Connect with Other Fans
The days of camping out overnight and pizza parties may be behind us since Celebration brought in lotteries for the major panels, but you’re still going to spend plenty of time in line. Just remember, everyone here is a Star Wars fan. That’s the beauty of Celebration: you have a connection with everyone around you.
Some of my favorite memories from the last Celebration Europe are from that overnight queue. We all shared stories and memories, and made friendships that will last a lifetime. A friend I made that night picked me up from the airport in Orlando this year and took me to Galaxy’s Edge. For me, those connections are one of the best parts of Celebration.
Arrive a Little Late to Skip the Queue
That being said, unless you have to be first on the show floor to grab an exclusive or get as close to the stage as possible, you don’t really need to line up early. It’s great to hang out with other fans and make new friends, and there’s always a fantastic buzz in the air each morning before show floor opens, but if you’re not bothered about exclusives or front row seats, you should be able to arrive a little after opening and pretty much walk straight in.
Prioritize Your Exclusives
There will be a lot of exclusives. Pretty much every licensee with a booth will have an exclusive to sell, and that’s on top of the Art Show and Celebration Store. Some will be available to pre-order in advance, some will have daily allocations, whilst others may sell out on day one. You can only get in one line when the show floor opens each day, so have a look at what’s on offer and prioritize what you want most each day. Good luck!
Unannounced Surprises
If there’s one thing I’ve learnt in my five Celebrations, it’s that they’re always full of surprises. The last Celebration Europe had a surprise signing by Rogue One director Gareth Edwards in the Art Show area, and Celebration Anaheim had the incredible The Mandalorian Experience last year. Keep an eye on social media whilst you’re at Celebration, as you never know what may pop up!
Bring a Poster Sleeve
It’s become a tradition for posters to be given out after the major panels at Star Wars Celebration, so it’s a good idea to bring a plastic poster sleeve to store them in, as they tend to be pretty sturdy card stock that you wouldn’t want to bend in a poster tube. A poster sleeve is a great way to keep them safe without having to run back to your hotel or car, and is also useful for any art prints, photos, or autographs you get as well. Just make sure you let the ink dry on any autographs first!
Concentrate on the Moment
As Qui-Gon says, be mindful of the here and now. These four days will pass in the blink of an eye. Star Wars Celebration is filled with so many amazing things to see and do that it’s easy to find yourself just racing from place to place as you try and take it all in. Every now and then, just allow yourself a second to step back and enjoy the moment, to take in that feeling of being surrounded by thousands of others who all share your passion for Star Wars. There’s nothing else like it.
Chris is a lifelong fan of Star Wars, Disney, and super heroes who can’t quite believe this golden age of movies and TV we’re living in. Having written blogs dedicated to Disney’s Aladdin musical and Star Wars Celebration, Chris is excited to be part of the SWNN and MNN teams.
