Celebrating STAR WARS

  How could I not choose a Rogue One  image for this one?! Canary Wharf underground station, where parts of Rogue One  were filmed, is just a few stops away from the ExCeL Center and dead easy to visit whilst you're in town for Celebration. ExCeL London is part of London's docklands, just a short tube ride from the city center. Whilst nothing can beat the freedom of driving yourself, or the door to door service that Uber, Lyft, and even regular old taxis can provide, I imagine that most fans will be relying on public transport, especially the underground, during their visit to London. Parking Parking at ExCeL London costs £20 per day in the Orange car park located underneath the venue. Hotel parking (if your hotel offers it) is likely to be in the £15-20 per day price range for hotels by the convention center. Just something to keep in mind if you are hiring or bringing your own car. Airport Transport London City Airport is the closest airport to the convention center, an...

  Not gonna lie, it's a little strange writing this for people coming here rather than going to the US! It's not the most exciting part of your holiday but unlike Han Solo you can't just blast your way out of a spaceport so this guide is a quick overview of the passport and visa requirements that are essential for international fans travelling to the London for Celebration. Passports Unless you're staying for longer than 6 months, pretty much all you need is a passport. Your passport must be valid for the entire duration of your stay. There are some alternate forms of ID that are also acceptable from some countries ( see here ) but let's not complicate things. Visas Visas are not required if you are coming to the UK from the USA, EU, EEA, Canada, Japan, Australia and New Zealand, and many other countries as long as your stay is less than 6 months. You can check if you need a Visa here. If you do need to get a visa then please be aware that the process could take any...

  Welcome to the Golden State! For the first time since 2015, Star War Celebration is returning to Anaheim and it looks like it might just be the best location for our favorite convention. With plenty of hotels near the convention center and Disneyland just a walk away, almost everything you need is nearby. Whilst nothing can beat the freedom of driving yourself, or the door to door service that Uber, Lyft, and even regular old taxis can provide, I imagine a lot of fans (myself included) will be relying on public transport during their time in Anaheim. Fortunately, Anaheim looks to have great connections for both in resort travel and for travelling to and from the local airports. Hotel Shuttles With this being Disneyland, many local hotels offer shuttles to the parks. If you can get a shuttle to the parks, or if your hotel is near the parks, then it's about a 20-25 minute walk from the park entrances to the convention center. If you want to avoid that walk then you can then use Dis...

It's not the most exciting part of your holiday but unlike Han Solo you can't just blast your way out of a spaceport so this guide is a quick overview of the passports, ESTAs, and visas that are essential for international fans. Passports The simple rule of thumb is that your passport needs to be valid for at least 6 months after your visit to America. There are some countries that are exempt from this rule, where your passport only needs to be valid until your date of departure. The UK is one of these, but even here most travel agents will still advise you to have the six months. Better to be safe and make sure you have it. ESTAs Entry to the USA normally requires a visa but citizens/eligible nationals from 38 countries are eligible for a visa waiver under the ESTA (Electronic System for Travel Authorization) system. If you are eligible to travel under an ESTA then PLEASE USE THE OFFICIAL SITE . It costs $14 per person. There are so many sites ou...

Light speed to Chicago! Whilst the Windy City has an incredible public transport system , as Yoda would say "There is another." ReedPOP have finally revealed the details of the free shuttle service that will be running for Star Wars Celebration when fans descend on Chicago next month. Shuttles will run along every 25-30 minutes, transporting fans to McCormick Place in the morning and back to their hotels in the evening, with 3 different routes covering all of the hotels in the OnPeak hotel block. On Thursday April 11th shuttles to McCormick will run from 10AM-2PM with return shuttles running 5PM-9PM. On Friday, Saturday and Sunday, the morning shuttles will run 6:30AM-10:30AM and return 5PM-9PM. And on Monday shuttles to McCormick will run 6:30AM-10:30AM and return from 3PM-7PM. In previous years fans have been able to take the free shuttles even if they aren't staying at the OnPeak hotels, so just head to your nearest stop and jump on bo...

If you're not driving then Celebration's McCormick Place can look a little isolated. Sure, there's Uber and Lyft, as well as good old fashioned taxis, but over a week that can really add up. Ok, nothing beats the freedom of driving yourself, or the door to door service that Lyft/Uber can provide, especially if the weather feels like you'd be warmer on Hoth, but for those of us on a budget or just looking for an inexpensive way to get around, Chicago's public transport is second to none and offers fans a great way to explore the city. Run by the Chicago Transit Authority , Chicago has America's second largest public transport system with a bus and rail network that serves the city and 40 neighbouring communities! The main way to get around is on the L Train. With 2 stations within walking distance of McCormick Place, it's easy to reach Celebration from wherever you are staying in the city. The Green Line Cermak-McCormick Place is closest, just a 5...

And now we return (finally) to Celebration preparation! Not the most exciting topic to return with but one that's essential for everyone travelling to Celebration from outside of the USA - Passports, ESTAs, and Visas. Passports The simple rule of thumb is that your passport needs to be valid for at least 6 months after your visit to America. There are some countries that are exempt from this rule, where your passport only needs to be valid until your date of departure. The UK is one such country, but even then many travel agents will still advise you to have the 6 months. Better safe than sorry I guess. Check what the rules are for your country and make sure your passport is up to date and valid. ESTAs Entry to the USA normally requires a Visa but citizens/eligible nationals from 38 countries are eligible for an visa waiver under the ESTA (Electronic System for Travel Authorization) system. If you are eligible to travel under an ESTA then PLEASE USE THE OFFICIAL ...