Force Friday II: Find the Force with the help of the Star Wars app

Force Friday is even bigger this year than the last time. Use the Star Wars app to find all the cool stuff near you!

Force Friday is a special merchandising event that signifies the official launch of a new line of official Star Wars themed goodies. The first one took place in August of 2015, leading up to the release of Star Wars: A Force Awakens. This year, Disney is going all out with dozens of sponsored events, incredible licensed merchandise, and even a treasure hunt wherein fans can seek out their favorite characters in augmented reality (AR) at participating retailers. It's called Find the Force and it runs Sept. 1 - 3.

The official Star Wars app is your go-to place for finding everything you need for a day of AR character hunting fun. Sure, there are some amazing toys and swag releasing throughout the weekend, but the real fun is in finding the Force around you.

If you already have the official Star Wars app make sure it is updated to the latest version so you can use the newly added Find the Force augmented reality feature. Once updated, you'll see Find the Force on the Home page. Tap it to find out more about it.

What is Find the Force?

It's a treasure hunt in AR. When you visit a participating retailer and scan the Find the Force QR code, a Star Wars character will appear in the camera's viewfinder. You can have your friend stand next to the AR character for pictures and videos, or just take a snapshot without real-life friends.

When you Find the Force using AR, you'll collect data chips, which are basically achievements for finding the characters. There are 15 Star Wars characters to collect. You don't have to find 15 different QR codes though. Different characters are unlocked every day. So you can visit the same location across all three days to unlock a different one each time. Though, you'll probably have to visit a few different locations across all three days in order to find all 15 characters (at least five locations).

Where can I find Find the Force QR logos?

Some codes can be found at physical locations, while others are available online. Different locations will unlock different characters. That's the fun of a treasure hunt!

Find the Force takes place all over the world at Disney stores, Toys "R" Us, Best Buy, LEGO stores, and many more. Disney has an official list of participating retailers and websites you can check to see which locations in your area have the Find the Force logo. Across the U.S., the most notable stores that are participating in the campaign are Disney Store, Best Buy, Target, Walmart, Toys "R" Us, Staples, Petco, JC Penny, Bed Bath and Beyond, and Gamestop, but there are dozens more that will feature Force Friday events and merchandise.

If you aren't going to be able to make it out of the house for the entire weekend, you can also try to hunt down all 15 characters online. These websites have Find the Force QR logos on their Star Wars pages. Hold your phone up to the logo and scan it to see what new character you've unlocked. Remember to visit every day over the weekend to see new characters.

• Walmart
• ThinkGeek
• The Northwest
• The Exchange
• Tee Turtle
• Staples
• Selk'Bag
• RoomMates Décor
• Regal Robot
• Pottery Barn Kids
• NEX, Navy Exchange
• Marvel Comics
• Mattel/Hot Wheels
• IDW Publishing
• Hot Topic
• Her Universe
• Hasbro
• Gamestop
• FYE
• Fantasy Flight Games
• Fanatics
• Entertainment Earth
• Cufflinks
• Brookstone
• Boxlunch
• Best Buy
• Bed, Bath, and Beyond

How else can the Star Wars app help me Find the Force?

Your treasure hunt isn't over just because you've found all 15 characters. There's actually one more special AR event that you might be able to check out if you live close enough. There are 20 iconic locations around the world that will unveil a unique Star Wars scene when you visit one.

If you are within a mile of one of the geographic landmarks, you can point your phone at the sky to see the scene play out. The special scenes are available until September 3. Time to plan a road trip!

Here's a list of the landmarks and their map coordinates.

• Central Park | USA | 40.781,-73.966

• CN Tower | Canada | 40.781,-73.966

• Coca-Cola London Eye | UK | 51.501,-0.124

• Copacabana Beach | Brazil | -22.973,-43.185

• Eiffel Tower | France | 48.862,2.288

• Gamla Stan | Sweden | 59.325,18.071

• Golden Gate Bridge | USA | 37.807,-122.469

• Gran Via | Spain | 40.420,-3.706

• Grand Canyon | USA | 36.061,-112.109

• Ha'Penney Bridge | Ireland | 53.346,-6.263

• Hollywood Sign | USA | 34.127,-118.326

• Lumpini Park | Thailand | 13.729,100.542

• Memorial de America Latina | Brazil | -23.527,-46.663

• Merlion Park | Singapore | 1.286,103.854

• Niagara Falls | Canada | 43.083,-79.078

• Piazza del Duomo | Italy | 43.773,11.255

• Schloss Charlottenburg | Germany | 52.520, 13.295

• Sydney Harbour Bridge | Australia | -33.861,151.221

• Victoria Harbour | Hong Kong | 22.294,114.169

• Yoyogi Park | Japan | 35.672,139.694

Looking for more Force Friday II info?

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How are you spending Force Friday II?

Are you visiting any Star Wars themed events? Did you stay up late to grab the new toys? Will you travel around your city to collect all the Find the Force characters? Let us know your Force Friday plans.