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My visit to Star Wars Weekend 2010.

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 (Edited)

 

Not sure if this is in the right place, my apologies if not. Anyways...  

During the weekends of May 21-23, May 28-30, June 4-8 & June 11-13, Star Wars was at Walt Disney World in Florida. 

 I had a holiday booked for the final weekend but have a friend who lives there who is Star Wars crazy like me, so she did all the meet & greets for me for the three previous weekends.

I have a pair of Adidas Star Wars Stormtrooper Superstars, which I'd send in advance, in early May, so they could be taken to all the signings.

For the first couple of weekends, there was no one I really wanted a meet with (although, having just checked, Temuera Morrison was there the first weekend - which I didn't know about until now).

So the third weekend:

First up was Ray Park:

http://sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-ash1/hs311.ash1/27693_402980021606_695381606_4748183_7237133_n.jpg

Then Jeremy Bulloch:

http://sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc3/hs281.snc3/27693_402981151606_695381606_4748196_8366486_n.jpg

Next up Stormtroopers TX-352 & TK-422 (from The 501st).

http://sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc3/hs261.snc3/27693_402981186606_695381606_4748201_4861635_n.jpg

The final signing for the third weekend was Billy Dee Williams:

http://sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc3/hs571.snc3/31143_403368071606_695381606_4760217_3229719_n.jpg

A picture of Billy Dee signing the shoes (taken by an official starwars.com photographer. It actually ended up on the website - see below):

http://sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc4/hs151.snc4/36918_406774926606_695381606_4847665_3190298_n.jpg

hxxp://www.starwars.com/fans/events/starwarsweekends2010/009.jpg

The Fourth weekend, I was there and met:

Peter Mayhew:

http://sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc4/hs151.snc4/36918_406772416606_695381606_4847639_748976_n.jpg

http://sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc4/hs151.snc4/36918_406772421606_695381606_4847640_102735_n.jpg

And then Ray Park:

This is me, asking him if he remembered signing my shoes the previous week:

http://sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc4/hs151.snc4/36918_406772431606_695381606_4847641_3897202_n.jpg

He replied that he did. Then, just as he started signing the print under his hand he said "So Gareth, is your name spelt with one "R" or two?

Not only did he remember signing my Adidas, he actually remembered my name. I was amazed.

He insisted we should take this picture:

http://sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc4/hs131.snc4/36918_406772441606_695381606_4847643_6690287_n.jpg

This is the print he signed:

http://sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-ash2/hs071.ash2/36918_406772461606_695381606_4847645_6922741_n.jpg

Myself and my friend Amy with Ray Park:

http://sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc4/hs131.snc4/36918_406772451606_695381606_4847644_3843976_n.jpg

 

Also, the Dancing With The Star Wars Stars videos that you might have seen on Youtube, well I was there for that. It was brilliant. Nothing much tops Jawas dancing to Walk This Way while dressed as Run DMC or watching Boba Fett dance to Lady Gaga. I also shook hand with an Ewok and two members of the Cantina band.

All in all, it was a fantastic experience and Ray Park is one of the nicest people you could meet.

The Adidas are still in Orlando, waiting patiently for Celebration V. Hopefully, more signatures can be added. Carrie Fisher & Mark Hamill are both there.

 

 

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A Sith wearing a Thundercats t-shirt? What would Lord Sidious say? And Peter Mayhew is starting to look more like Yoda these days. ;)

Seriously though, thanks for sharing these. The shoe thing is a very original idea!

I wonder if Disneyland ever does these sorts of events? Can you bring your own pictures to be signed? I still have photos from the 10th anniversary celebration that need autographing. :)

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Where were you in '77?

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 (Edited)

 

Yeah, Amy was remembered by pretty much everyone during the final weekend; Star Wars staff, Disney staff and members of the 501st because she carried the shoes around the previous weekends.

The photographer who took the picture of Billy Dee & Amy was only taking pictures of the rare & cool stuff and even then it was only one or two pictures. She pulls out the shoes and he snapped away like mad and took loads of shots.

Absolutely anything can be signed, but you're limited to one item per person, per signing.

Which reminds me, while I was in line for the Ray Park signing and nearing the front, I pulled out the shoes and the print and heard gasps and bitching all around me. It was either people saying "Holy fuck, look at his shoes." or people saying "What the fuck is he doing? You're only allowed one thing signed.". I think the staff were confused also, until I explained that it was only the print I wanted signing.

I'm pretty certain that it's an exclusive deal between Disney World and Lucas, so this will only be happening in Orlando.