If you follow me on social media or this site, then you know I spent last weekend at Star Wars Celebration 2019. To say it was amazing was an understatement. Sure, my flight home was cancelled due to Chicago weather and I was “stuck” another day. But I made the best of it with my friend and fellow The Geekly Show host, Amiyrah from 4 Hats and Frugal. These 5 days were filled with laughter, chills, and even tears.

During the Celebration, I hung out with old friends, and made quite a few new ones. I learned all about Star Wars Episode IX: The Rise of Skywalker, Star Wars Galaxy’s Edge, Jedi: Fallen Order, and The Mandalorian. The entire weekend was amazing, and it was honestly hard to narrow down my 10 favorite moments.

Watching A Music Video Being Filmed

Our first day on the floor we saw someone who looks a little like Kylo Ren filming a music video. We stood and watched and thoroughly enjoyed ourselves. Then on one of our last days, we say him again. He was nice enough to stop and take a photo with us. Honestly, this will be one of my favorite memories of Star Wars Celebration 2019 because he was so nice, and this was just so fun to experience together.

Seeing the Ride Seats for Rise of the Resistance

If you don’t know that I am a huge fan of the Disney Parks by now, you don’t know me very well. I have been looking forward to the opening of Galaxy’s Edge now for a really long time. During the Galaxy’s Edge panel, I learned a lot about the world visitors of the parks will experience, as well as the rides. But my favorite thing related to the parks was actually getting to sit in the ride seats for Rise of the Resistance. It just made everything more real to me, and I cannot wait to visit in September!

Pedro Pascal Telling The Story of Becoming The Mandalorian

I am a HUGE Game of Thrones fan, so I was excited when I first heard the news about Pedro Pascal being cast as the lead in The Mandalorian. I loved listening to him tell his version of this story at the panel on Sunday. You could just feel his emotions. He let us know that he would have been fine playing a bug, or a robot, but to be cast as The Mandalorian – he was dead when he heard it.

Cameron Monaghan at the Jedi: Fallen Order Panel

Gotham is one of my favorite comic book TV shows, and the Joker is one of my favorite villains – if not my favorite. So when it was revealed that Cameron Monaghan was not only the voice and motion capture of the main character in Jedi: Fallen Order – but then he CAME OUT ON STAGE. I was so excited! We even saw him in the hotel the night before, but of course he could not take photos because that would have ruined the big surprise.

I have never cried so much in my life as I did with this panel! Love it though. #SistersOfTheForce #StarWarsCelebration pic.twitter.com/duKqoATlk5 — Mama's Geeky – Tessa Smith (@MamasGeeky) April 13, 2019

Crying My Eyes Out At The Sisters of the Force Panel

I should have known this panel would make me cry because when I was on the Disney Fantasy for Star Wars Day at Sea, Amy Ratcliffe totally made me cry when she gave her talk. All these amazing, powerful women up on stage telling their stories – I mean, cue the water works.

You don't want to mess with this group of Rebels. Trust us. #StarWarsCelebration #StarWars pic.twitter.com/UJQZ8TuTuH — Mama's Geeky – Tessa Smith (@MamasGeeky) April 15, 2019

Exploring The Floor With My Friends

There was so much to see on the floor of Star Wars Celebration. From vehicles, to shops, to photo opps! I got to take my photo in the Emperor’s chair and by a Rebel ship. Even a Tie Fighter! I also totally stood in line for over an hour to shop at the Her Universe booth which was WORTH IT. Laughing along with my friends at everything we saw…those are memories that are sure to last.

Seeing Exclusive Footage of The Mandalorian

You guys!!! There was footage of The Mandalorian that we saw, that no one else did. It is AMAZING and I am hyped now more than ever for this show to hit Disney+ in November. It has a Western feel which I am all about. The characters all look incredible and I loved seeing them fight. Pedro is going to kill it as “The Mando”.

The Rise of Skywalker Title Reveal

I died a little bit when we got the title. Just watch my trailer reaction and you will see. Seeing this trailer for the first time, in a room full of Star Wars geeks like me, was electrifying. There is truly no way to describe it. Now it is time to speculate just which Skywalker we are talking about. Anakin? Kylo? Rey? Or someone all together new….

Ian McDiarmid “Roll It Again”

If you know anything about me, you know I am a fan of the villains. And Emperor Palpatine is one of my all time favorites. THAT LAUGH at the end of the Episode IX trailer gave me chills – and then he came out on stage. Yup, that was one of the best moments of the whole weekend. Seeing him tease the reappearance of his iconic character over and over again in the Phantom Menace panel Monday was pretty amazing too.

Kelly Marie Tran Getting A Standing Ovation

If you are unaware, Kelly Marie Tran, who debuted as Rose in Episode VIII, was bullied online. Severely. It was to the point that she quit social media and went to counseling. So seeing her get the recognition she deserved, it brought tears to my eyes. Sure, most of the people who stood up and cheered for her were likely some of the culprits, but I think was their way of saying “sorry”. When she started to cry…it warmed my heart.

Star Wars Celebration will be in Anaheim next year – and I need to start planning now!