SWC17 Wristbands and attending big panels at Star Wars Celebration Orlando (a mini guide)

First time Celebration attendee here. Bringing my 8 year old, and we are both beyond excited.

Has anything additional been posted about the overnight parking situation? If I am staying overnight, will I be allowed to park overnight, considering I read/heard somewhere that the OCCC doesn't allow overnight? It seems like since they are encouraging people to spend the night, overnight parking has to be an option, right?

 

I haven't seen it addressed specifically. Wednesday night shouldn't be too complicated but Thursday night seems like it would be.

Again, this is yet another reason why I am using Uber.

 

Yeah, Uber would be a good option, but I think I've got someone to just drop me off instead. They aren't concerned about TLJ panel, so I'll just meet up with them later. I do think, though that OCCC and ReedPop should get on the same page concerning the overnight situation. Why tell people they can stay overnight, but not offer the option to park overnight? Seems counterproductive.

Still, really looking forward to it.

 

Thanks so much for the heads up. I didn't know about this system and would've had a terrible con. I just assumed my 4th celebration would be like the last 3.

I kinda get the point of the bands. You do all your waiting up front and then get to enjoy more of the show. Also, limiting everyone to 2 big events lets more people enjoy at least 1 of the big events.

In Anaheim I showed up at 9am and was like 10 people away from being let into the main hall for friday's Rogue one panel with all the actors and stuff. For the rest of the panels I'd get in line 1 hour early for most, and 2 hours early for TV premieres.

If I can ask one follow up. Say I get a wristband for a 4pm galaxy stage panel. Can I just waltz in at 3:45 and be guaranteed a seat or do I still have to queue up at 3pm to get in?

 

If you have a wristband, you should be good to go. You may just be in the very back if you wait until close to start time to go in.

 

For clarification sake and not to mislead anyone else reading - it's limited to 2 per day. "Big events" generally are going to refer to the 40th, TLJ, Rebels S4... One could make all of the "big ones" without issue.

Simple, the wristbands allow you to see up to 2 of the events on the Celebration and Galaxy Stages (or BTS for overflow of the big ones)

 

I'd consider the Hamill panels as "big" too.

 

My wife and I are skipping the "Big" panels (despite being big Rebels fans) and are picking two of the smaller wristband panels each day just to mix it up. We'll either stream the big ones on the show floor or watch them later.

 

What do you mean? You get one wristband and that allows you to go to two different panels? Or you can only line up for two wristbands per day?

 

Two wristbands per day, each of which correspond to one panel.

 

Okay, that's what I figured he meant. Just wanted to make sure.

 

*raises hand* I have a question. So, if it's me and a friend, and we split up & get in different wristband lines & end up with 4 wristbands (we each get two as allowed, with one panel in common & one only one of us can go to) are you bound to the ones that you yourself stand in line for or could you swap with someone? Or, as another way of looking at it, could you attend 3 panels in one day if someone gives you their wristband, or is this a violation?

I'm a noob regarding Celebration (and fan conventions in general). Been an experience just planning this one; glad the next isn't for 2 more years.

 

The way I read the instructions you need to be there to get a wristband. As in like physically in line at the time.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

The wristbands they use is this kind, and they put them on.
You can try and lift them off, but if they wont accept them afterwards, then you are out of luck.

 

Ah-ha! That helps! Must decide which panels take priority then. Decisions, decisions... Thanks y'all.

 

Yup, as Mr_Mundi says: for that line, it's one wristband per person* and they put it on you such that it's not worth taking it off. You can only receive two wristbands (for two separate panels that day) per day. I helped put wristbands on people at SWCE and it flowed pretty smoothly. They had big monitors that would tell you which line chutes were for which panel, and if wristbands were still available for certain panels.

*Medical badgeholders with attendants have other rules.

 

Hey all!

First, I'd like to send a humongous thank you to TK-421 for all of their help, including the detailed pictures giving people a good idea as to what they should expect. For a first-time Celebration attendant, this is insanely helpful.

Now, a few questions to start: First being overnight parking. I live in Orlando, 30 mins away from OCCC and I know the hotel area over there like the back of my hand but considering the large presence during this convention, I don't doubt they're gonna be extremely strict on parking in their parking lots. This really restricts parking overnight considering what I read earlier in this thread about OCCC not letting you park overnight. What's the best option outside of ubering (because an Uber from my house to OCCC using toll roads is pretty much gonna net me at least $25 one-way) to be able to camp overnight?

Second: From my understanding, the panels on a specific day will only be having wristbands available the morning of yeah? As in, the 40th Anniversary panel and associated Thursday panels will be the only panels giving out wristbands Thursday AM and NOT panels later in the week like TLJ and Battlefront panels. To dumb it down further, nobody camping out to get wristbands Thursday morning will be able to get TLJ panel wristbands yeah?

Third: Is the Battlefront panel considered one of the "Big" panels? Like should I be on those wristbands like white-on-rice as well?

Fourth: Just so I understand correctly, the only night's people are able to camp out inside are Wednesday PM into Thursday AM and Thursday PM into Friday AM yeah? Or is Friday PM into Saturday AM eligible for camping (not that there are many panels to camp for Saturday)?

Fifth: I plan to be camping with my sister for the TLJ panel but we'd also like to make the Carrie Fisher tribute panel as well. So once we get our wristbands for the TLJ panel, we just hustle over to the Carrie Fisher panel chute and cross our fingers we were early enough in line to nab Galaxy Stage wristbands yeah? I understand we can't split up but I find it rather improbable that we'll manage to make two panels in the galaxy stage. Just curious as to what I should expect there.

Sixth: Are screenings considered panels?

Sorry for inundating ya'll with these questions, I literally just bought our Friday tickets last night because we weren't sure we'd be able to go for any days other than Saturday. Thank you to any who can help with any or all of my inquiries. Hope to see some of ya'll in line!

 

^ I'm not 100% sure on the parking, but I've seen people say they are waiving the no overnight parking rule. I'm not parking though, so I have not verified that.

Wristbands are only given out for that day's panels.

The EA panel will require a wristband, but I don't think that will be too hard to get.

Thursday and Friday panels are the only ones with a camp out.

As soon as you get your TLJ wristband, go get in the Hamill/Fisher line. I'd camp early so you get your wristband earlier to improve your odds of getting both. A lot of people will be doing this.

I read the movie screenings aren't wristbanded, but I haven't verified that.

 

The Hamill tribute panel is going to be streamed to the Galaxy stage, so they will have wrist bands to give out for both rooms. If you're camping overnight for TLJ I'd say you'll pretty easily get a wristband for both.

 

The Battlefront panel at Anaheim was in high demand so I would suggest planning on being there early for a wristband. It's on Saturday right? Aside from Rebels, the competition for it is slim so yeah, if you HAVE to be at it, plan on being there super early Saturday for the wristband.

Then again maybe it was in high demand cause we had been waiting 10 years for a Battlefront sequel. Still though, don't underestimate the demand for things you are interested in.

 

1: No problem. I know that the wristband system is going to cause a lot of confusion, especially for Celebration veterans who are used to just getting in long lines. I don't drive in Orlando so I can't answer your parking question.

2: All panel wristbands for the day will be handed out starting at 6AM, with an individual queue for each panel. As stated on the guide on the site: "There will be separate Wristband Queues for each Celebration & Galaxy Stage panel each day.", so you can't get a Friday wristband on Thursday.

3: The Battlefront panel at Celebration Anaheim filled to capacity, so I'd be surprised if this one doesn't as well. As it being a Galaxy stage panel, it requires a wristband.

4: Yes, there are only camp outs Wednesday night and Thursday night. Saturday and Sunday morning, doors open at 5AM and you need to head to a wristband queue.

5: That would be the correct plan. Get in the wristband panel queue for the panel that matters most to you first, then after you've gotten your wristband head to the second panel. Keep an eye on the status sign to see if your second panel is still handing out wristbands.

6: As of now, I'd say they are. When I went to Europe, the A New Hope screening was a wristbanded panel as seen on the status sign. However, the next day they removed the requirement for The Force Awakens (announced via twitter).

 

I'd say the Rogue One and A New Hope screening will probably require a wristband. Anytime there is a premiere screening of a new movie it will be popular, like last year's screening of TFA, and Anaheim's premiere of ROTS. Not to mention also seeing RO and ANH back to back for the first time on the big screen.

The second night screening of ESB, ROTJ, and TFA probably won't require a wristband. At Anaheim there was plenty of space and no issue getting into the films (except for ROTS, but most people left after it). And especially because it's such a long time block, I'm sure people will just trickle in as the day at Celebration comes to an end.

I also noticed the screenings are on the main Galaxy stage that all the other big panels are on this year, so perhaps they won't be hard to get into at all. At Anaheim they were just in a panel room.

 

The Carrie Fisher tribute panel is my priority, so I'll be lining up for that first. Is it worth staying overnight in hopes that there'll still be space in TLJ panel after I get the wristband for the Carrie panel? Or should I not bother staying overnight?

 

I'm pretty confident if you do the overnight for TLJ, you can get the Fisher panel. I don't think it will work the over way around because you'd be at the end of the line for TLJ. Most people there are going to want both and will prioritize TLJ. I just don't think the Fisher line will be that long until TLJ people start going there, but I could be wrong. If you absolutely have to assure the Fisher panel, I'm sure you can show up at 5, get in that line, and have no trouble.

 

Thanks everyone so much for your help and guidance. I'm gonna look around to see where I can get in touch with someone about the parking situation for overnight camping and report back to give a definitive answer.

To JediOtter's question: I'd say, based off of what I'm understanding from this thread, it sounds like if you're only "Meh" about the TLJ panel but really want the Fisher/Hamill panel, just camp out for her tribute panel and get an overflow band for TLJ. Personal preference though would be to camp early for the TLJ panel and then hurry over to the fisher chute like I'll be doing. I feel like you'd be more likely to get galaxy stage bands for both that way.