Continuing my
Star Wars Weekends 2012 Saga, for weekend 2 Jason and I wanted to try to get an autograph from Ray Park. We woke up at Dark Thirty O'Clock and hightailed it over to Hollywood Studios. We got in line at 5:30AM.
The Castmembers were awesome and they came around to keep us entertained. The music started playing around 6AM, I just love hearing Star Wars music at Hollywood Studios! They did unfortunately warn us that we were very far back in the line and the chances of us getting a wrist band for Ray Park was minimal. Oh well, I was on a mission and I was going to stay no matter what! They began handing out wrist bands and Jason and I got standby only, oh well. Jason wanted to go home but I wanted to stay. I ended up staying all day by myself and I love spending time in the parks alone. I always meet the best people! This day turned out to be fantastic for me.
I caught the entire opening show on video, enjoy!
For standby celebrity fastpasses, you have to go to the autograph sessions and
hope that you can get in. I had a few hours before Ray Park's first autograph session so I went to Darth's Maul for some shopping. I really wish I had been able to buy more in here!
It would have been cool if I could have done the Carbonite Freeze deal but I actually thought it was a bit overpriced for what you got. Plus, I really didn't want my head on Han Solo's body, it would be better if they did the person's entire body so it was more realistic. I was very interested in doing this until I found out that the bodies were all the same. Um, I would look really weird with my head on a man's body.
Photo opp at Tower of Terror early in the morning!
After that I went character hunting! I stood in line for Princess Leia Minnie but instead I got Jedi Mickey which was absolutely fine with me!!!
After my Jedi training session with Mickey, I hightailed it over to Echo Lake to sit, wait, and hope that they were taking standby passes for Ray Park. I ended up chatting up a nice couple from California and we became fast friends! We talked for hours and it really helped to pass the time because they did not take any standby passes during that autograph session. We were told to come back to the second autograph session which was to be held in Darth's Maul because a storm was coming. Sigh, I had a few more hours to kill!
I got myself a coke slushie in the R2 mug. I'm glad I have it but it is made quite cheaply and the lid fell off numerous times that day. I also saw the same thing happening to others so just beware if you buy one!
I went back to Darth's Maul and just hung around there for a few hours. Here's a little inspiration for future little Benhoffs :)
Oh if I had the money...my house would be full of stuff like this!!
When the time came for Ray Park's second autograph session, I was the first in the standby queue. I stood with all the friends I had made earlier that day and I heard all about their previous Star Wars Weekend adventures and got some really good tips for next time. We had great fun laughing and joking with the Castmembers who were working the event. I did manage a few pictures, I was standing just a few feet away from Ray Park!
We stood there the whole time trying to be optimistic but as time went on it was pretty obvious that we were not going to get to meet Ray Park. When he got ready to leave I got to watch as he hugged every single Castmember that was working. He thanked every one of them as well, it was really nice to see such a big celebrity have so much humility. I had my Star Wars Weekends poster out hoping he might sign as he walked by. He looked right at me and said "I'm sorry love, I've got to go but you can catch me after the show and I will sign it." He was very sincere and I know that he really did want to get to every individual but he just didn't have the time. I completely understood. But, I was way too tired to stay for his show at the Premier Theater. So, I said goodbye to my new friends and went back home.
I may not have gotten the celebrity experience that I wanted, but I did not leave empty handed that day. I made new friends and memories with them that will last a lifetime :)
