This will be my first visit to Chicago, and I'm probably not the only one who might have some time to spend outside of Celebration. Gather your best travel advice and guides for Chicago here!
I've only been to Chicago once but the architectural boat tour was fascinating. Highly recommend that.
Never been but we have the architecture boat tour planned as well as a visit to the Navy Pier and Wrigley’s stadium. My husband, who has been to Chicago many times and isn’t going to Celebration, recommended those to my friends and I. There’s also the John Hancock Center tilt 360 thrill ride view if you aren’t scared of heights. I am and I’m not doing it but my friend Jim will. You can check it out on YouTube and apparently the view is amazing. Also there’s the Willis Tower, which used to be called the Sears Tower, which is the tallest building in the US I believe
Going to the skydeck of Willis Tower is neat. The Cubs are in town and Wrigley is a historic stadium. That's a tough ticket though.
Tickets for the games go on sale in February I believe. I’m holding out on getting banquet tickets in case we do go to a cubs game that night
That's usually when single game tickets go on sale. They are good now and they sell out like every game and secondary market prices are ridiculous. I'm a Cincinnati Reds fan and I've had Cubs fans tell me it's cheaper for them to drive down to Cincinnati, stay in a hotel and go to a game here than it is for them to go to a game in Chicago.
I definitely want to visit the Science Museum, only trouble is that the person I'm going to hang out with Tuesday and Wednesday have tickets to the 501st party that's going to be there and might not want to visit it twice.
April is probably an easier time to get a ticket and I assume you're not driving where you'll have to pay for parking, so its probably pretty doable at a reasonable cost. One thing to be aware of is a lot of games in the midwest get cancelled in April due to weather. Unfortunately, if that happens, you won't get a refund. You'll just get an option for the makeup or trading for another date which obviously doesn't help out of towners. Just letting people know there's a little risk there.
Love the Industrial Science Museum! I remember it well during a field trip in high school. At the time I was fourteen but I'll never forget the human body exhibit. If it's still there, you'll be fascinated.
The Adler Planetarium is a really great place to visit and not far from the convention center. I used to go there a lot when I lived in Chicago.
I was there at a conference a couple of years ago, and the waterfront boat cruise was my highlight. The Field Museum is also famous for its extensive palaeontological collection, and one of the best Natural History museums in the US, housing the amazing Sue the T-Rex. Definitely planning another trip there.
I highly encourage visitors to try some of our local cuisine. The fare at Rainforest Cafe can't be beat.
We invite you to our Pre-Celebration tradition! Forcechella 2: Electric Boogaloo Event Page: Will be at: Brando’s Speakeasy 343 S Dearborn St, Chicago, Illinois 60604 https://brandoschicago.com/ 4/10/19 21+ unfortunately PLEASE NOTE: THERE ARE NO TICKETS FOR THIS EVENT, IT IS FIRST COME, FIRST SERVE TIL WE HIT FIRE CODE! 8PM-Close 5-15 Min Uber/Lyft ride from McCormick 300k Karaoke Songs! Full Menu! So eat early here, stay late! Full drink menu INCLUDING Adult Blue Milk Full website INCLUDING pre-order Forcechella Merchandise forthcoming. If you are under 21 or can’t make the event, you can still order and have it delivered to your home! Fire code is around 200. So come early. Stay late! Don't get locked out! Also order your merch now and have it delivered to your home before Forcechella. (There will be no pickups*. Best deal: Get the Exclusive Droopy McCool Pin and #FC2 shirt for $25 and get a poster for free if you wear the shirt to #FC2! Order at www.starwars20.net International Orders, please email your order to sw20@starwars20.net More surprises and information coming sooner than you think!
TFN Main has details of the 501st's Night at Canto Bight: Each time, the folks over at the 501st Legion have taken upon themselves to put the "celebration" in Star Wars Celebration. Their gatherings are one of the highlights of the weekend to be sure and fans from all over flock to these parties. At this year's Celebration Chicago, they are switching things up a bit. Normally, it's just a 501st Legion Event, this year it's all the major clubs combined including the Rebel Legion, Mandalorian Mercs, Droid Builders, Saber Guild, and more! Tickets are now on sale for this all-inclusive event which gets you everything from free parking, access to the museum, food, open bar, music, the works! Here's some of the details... Date: Thursday, April 11th Time: 8 pm opening to 2 am closing. Location: Museum of Science and Industry, 5700 S Lake Shore Dr, Chicago, IL., 60637 Cost: $125.00 per ticket Parking: included in ticket price Food Service: Heavy Hors d’ouvres. Bar Service: Open bar, unlimited drinks for attendees. Ticket payment: Paypal required to purchase tickets, sorry—no other payment options are being taken. *Additional information: The cost of the ticket includes parking, admittance to the entire museum and all its interactive displays. Onsite Childcare may be available, please stay tuned for additional information. Note, the Bash is 18+ only. See the article for a link for further information!.
This one looks like a blast and it's a great venue. I hate that I can't make it. I don't come in until Friday evening and I'll have my 8 yr old son with me. The 501st Bash at Orlando 17 was definitely a highlight of that Celebration!
I got the Bash ticket. Mostly cause I heard good thing about it and regretted not trying to get a ticket when it was in London. $30 for a 2h cruise, in 2015. Though this was a reduced group price through the conference.
As a Chicago-area native, I highly recommend both the Museum of Science and Industry and the Adler Planetarium.
Apparently the Cubs are doing Star Wars Night on that Saturday The first 10,000 fans gets a Cubs/FO blanket
What's disappointing is that it's opening weekend (so tickets will be hard to get/expensive) and they are all day games, I was hoping to stop by the Friendly Confines for a game but don't want to leave the convention to do so.
Wow, a Star Wars Night that actually lines up with an actual SW happening doesn't happen very often. They're usually on random days throughout summer, not ever on like May 4th or right after a release or anything. Well, that counts me out. I'm not leaving Celebration for that.
Yeah it's a bit disappointing....very slight chance the schedule changes but night games at Wrigley in April aren't usually ideal with the cold/weather.