Alright Star Wars fans, if you’re waiting for the next line of action figures and games, then you may want to mark September 4th on your calender! When the clock strikes 12:01am, almost all Toys“R”Us stores in the U.S. will be opening their doors, giving customers the opportunity to be among the first to purchase hundreds of new Star Wars merchandise, including exclusive items that can’t be found anywhere else. As an added bonus, little Jedi Knights and their families attending midnight opening events will have the chance to receive special giveaways, including a limited edition LEGO® Star Wars Commemorative Brick and an exclusive Star Wars poster (while supplies last). If you’re looking to avoid the crowds, you can also browse and purchase the new products online at Toysrus.com/StarWars.
For those of you who reside in New York, the biggest midnight opening celebration will take place at the company’s international flagship store in Times Square. There, fans of all ages are encouraged to come dressed as their favorite Star Wars character and take part in dozens of one-of-a-kind activities designed especially for Star Wars aficionados.
The Times Square event will start on Thursday, September 3, at 9am and feature the following:
- A book signing and meet and greet with Steve Sansweet, Chief Executive Officer and President of Rancho Obi-Wan, Inc., storied Star Wars author and former Head of Fan Relations and Director of Content Management at Lucasfilm Ltd.
- An art class and meet and greet with fan-favorite Star Wars and science fiction artist, Jeff Carlisle.
- Star Wars product demonstrations and activations throughout the store, including Star Wars-themed 3-D action figure creation with 3D Plus Me, video gaming on Disney Infinity 3.0 Star Wars kiosks and experiencing intergalactic sound on Star Wars-themed headphones powered by SMS Audio.
- A LEGO Star Wars make and take for rebels looking to build their toy empire brick by brick.
- A Light Saber Academy with members of New York Jedi, a community of cosplayers, martial artists and teachers who share practical stage combat techniques oriented toward Light Sabers.
- Photo opportunities with costumed characters, including Furbacca, a character versioned after the Hasbro® toy that makes wookiee sounds like CHEWBACCA, Geoffrey the Giraffe and more.
- Ice cream flavors inspired by the Star Wars Saga from Scoops“R”Us, the flagship store’s in-house ice cream shop located on the Lower Level.
- Star Wars-themed cookie decorating at a “Wookiee” Cookie Party on Level 1.
- Special giveaways for the first fans in line, including a Collector’s Edition LEGO Star Wars Commemorative Brick, an exclusive, limited edition Star Wars poster and a Star Wars Character Flashlight from JAKKS Pacific.
- Star Wars trivia, a costume contest and a galaxy of excitement and prizes, while supplies last, for those fanatics waiting in line.
- A panel discussion with Steve Sansweet and Jeff Carlisle for select lucky fans, which will also be livestreamed via Periscope @Toysrus on Twitter.
- The ultimate unveiling of the official Toys“R”Us Times Square Star Wars feature shop at 12:01am on Force Friday, September 4.
While the list of FORCE AWAKENS toys have yet to be revealed, you can guarantee that action figures and model ships of all shapes and sizes will be present. If you plan on attending in person, it’s probably a good idea to check your local store just to ensure that they’ll be open for the event. While I’m not as much of an avid Star Wars collector as I used to be, I can’t deny the pull of merch for a new Star Wars flick. At the very least, I’d like a tiny Simon Pegg, or rather, whatever side character he’s playing. You know he has a rich backstory!
Click here to check out Toys”R”Us Destination: Star Wars!