My Star Wars Galactic Starcruiser Experience | Feb 2022 / My Experience of a (Now Permanently Closed) Disney Attraction
UPDATE - THE STAR WARS GALACTIC STAR CRUISER HAS CLOSED PERMANENTLY AS OF 2023 - SO THIS IS A REVIEW OF A NOW DEFUNCT ATTRACTION AT WALT DISNEY WORLD. Preserving the memory of closed attractions is something that most of us theme park history buffs love & treasure, so I lovingly present to you, my experience at Walt Disney World's Galactic Starcruiser in February of 2022:
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My Star Wars Galactic Starcruiser Experience | Feb 2022
Let’s talk about the Star Wars Galactic Starcruiser – aka the “Star Wars hotel”!
Recently, I was able to spend one day aboard the much talked-about Star Wars: Galactic Starcruiser - the Halcyon, and while I did create a full vlog detailing my day, after a day to process my thoughts, I have a more detailed review and breakdown I’d like to share.
Here is a video (vlog) of my full preview experience, this should give you a much better idea of what you can expect:
My One-Day Star Wars Galactic Starcruiser Experience
Some key info about the Star Wars Galactic Starcruiser:
This is a brand new one-of-a-kind experience, there isn’t much out there to compare it to, and I think therein lies some of the confusion and curiosity. Another factor is that at the date of this writing, it has not yet opened to the public (it opens March 1st), so anyone who has been aboard (including myself) has been part of test days, media days, previews, etc.
To board, you enter a building on Earth, and take a “shuttle” up to the Starcruiser in space. It’s the same process to return. It’s somewhat similar to the “space elevator” at the Space 220 Restaurant at EPCOT, if you haven’t seen that, here’s my video on it very soon after it opened: https://youtu.be/aQYqym7C_NQ and here’s a more updated video when lounge seating opened for reservations: https://youtu.be/dKjV6erwAgU).
Nicknamed the Disney Star Wars hotel, the Galactic Starcruiser is a 2 night stay aboard the Halcyon starliner, hurtling through space, having an adventures, with a stop at Batuu.
What is the Star Wars hotel?
It’s a 2 night stay aboard a resort hotel that is meant to be a ship called the Halcyon traveling through space, taking you to the planet Batuu for a shore excursion, except that on the ship, there is a whole theatrical story that guests actively take part in, with the First Order boarding and a resistance in the making.
Throughout the voyage, guests’ choices determine their personal stories as they interact with characters, crew and other passengers, becoming part of the action and the broader Star Wars saga. They may be asked to keep a secret, deliver a covert message, take part in a high-stakes heist, defend the ship, hide an ally … the possibilities are seemingly endless. Decisions guests make affect how these tales unfold, intertwining with those of other passengers and well-known characters such as Chewbacca and Rey as momentum builds on an action-packed adventure that may determine the fate of the galaxy.
– Disney
This is a fantasy, storytelling adventure. Guests are meant to be boarding the Halcyon:
“The Halcyon starcruiser is the jewel of the Chandrila Star Line. Onboard the 100-cabin Corellian MPO-1400 model starcruiser, you’ll voyage to the far reaches of the galaxy in legendary comfort and style. Recently refurbished and reoutfitted, the starcruiser combines modern conveniences with the romance of the age of exploration.“
– Chandrila Star Line
My Experience
I was invited by Walt Disney World to be among a group of guests to board the Halcyon starcruiser for a one day experience. Keep in mind that for guests booking this, it will be a 2-night experience, so we were given a highlight/preview day, where we got to spend a day taking part in various activities that guests would be taking part in over their two day stay. This also means that we were not able to do EVERYTHING, only some things.
I highly recommend you watching my full video of everything we did, some things need to be seen to be fully appreciated. This blog post is meant as more a companion piece to that video.
As stated, I was only aboard for one day, and I did not experience the entire stay or all activities. There are some crucial portions I did not experience, such as using the “datapad” (the itinerary you access on your smartphone via an app), I did not sleep in the rooms, etc. So I cannot give an exhaustive or even full list of pros and cons. I can provide a few pros and cons from what I have seen of my time aboard and some of what I’ve seen others say.
Pros:
- This is something very different, very unique, and very memorable – there isn’t really anything else like this so it’s fair to say it’s incomparable
- You and your family will be able to interact with characters in a way that is impossible in the parks, simply because there are too many people in the parks, and you will have that personal, close encounters with heroes and villains in the story
- You will be part of the story, the adventure, making decisions, solving puzzles, this will challenge you in a very fun way and you will work together with your party/family in a way that will surely build unforgettable bonds
- If you are a fan of the Star Wars era this takes place in, there is simply no way you won’t love this, and even if you love Star Wars but this isn’t your favorite time period, it’s beyond cool to be on the ship, walk around, and see and do so many cool, space things
- The food and drinks that I tried were all wonderful, fun, tasty and memorable, and unique to this experience
- Gaya’s performance was a stand out to me, and this is a character you can’t meet anywhere else and a performance you can’t see anywhere else
- The characters are incredible actors, they seriously are the heart and soul of this experience. You forget they are actors, they are just phenomenal. It’s theatre, it’s art.
- If you love interaction, dancing, playing, being able to fully let yourself play and be immersed in the story in a safe space where it’s fully allowed, encouraged and embraced, you might love this
Cons:
- Obviously the cost is a big hindrance, at approximately $750-1200 per person, per day (approximate and subject to change) for 2 nights, this is a hefty sum for most of us and something not to be taken lightly
- The length of stay is really a full day and a half, plus a quick breakfast on check out day. For the cost, one would hope to have a longer stay, but I have heard from others that their day and a half felt like a lot more than it seems, so I will have to judge this properly once we stay
- Some guests are not fans of the Star Wars period chosen for this – but it coincides with Galaxy’s Edge, it has to as that is the shore excursion, so it wouldn’t make sense to have it out of time with that when you’re about to go ride Rise of the Resistance. Still, many Star Wars fans wish for an experience more aligned with whatever their favorite period is.
- I have heard some say that spending time on their “datapad” was slightly distracting – again, I will have to judge for myself
- One thing I experienced a little of and could see being an issue for some, is the feeling that you aren’t getting as much of an experience as others. Certain guests were singled out, their names remembered and were called out repeatedly by characters, while others were not. At one point, I almost missed out on something I really wanted to do because I went on a side mission. This may not be an issue once we have a full stay, but I can see how the feeling of wanting to be fully involved and part of the story as much as possible would be important to any guest doing this possibly once in a lifetime experience, so feeling like you’re missing out and other guests are getting more and better interaction could lead to some guest dissatisfaction – however, again, this is something I will have to find out for myself once I stay fully
- Some people do not like being involved in the story, dancing, playing, etc… I do so this isn’t a con for me, but would be for those who don’t
— this list is a work in progress, I will continue to add to it – two days later and I am still processing my thoughts on all of this bc it was just so interesting!
The Big Question… is it worth it and what does the cost include?
Now…I know…. the big question on everyone’s mind is – is the Galactic Starcruiser hotel worth it? My honest answer is – it depends, and also, since I did not get the full two day experience, I can only really give a partial response. Also, no one can tell you what is “worth it” to you and your family, on anything, everyone must make up their own mind, and this is a costly experience at approximately $1000 per person, per night (rates vary, it can be more or less than this based on room type, how many ppl in room, etc., but this is the general ballpark) for a 2-night experience. The cost is also “all inclusive,” in that it covers all of your meals for the full stay, including meals in Star Wars Galaxy’s Edge on Batuu, Lightning Lane for Star Wars Rise of the Resistance and Smuggler’s Run, and all the activities. It does not include additional up-charges like merchandise, alchohol beverages, etc.
While I absolutely cannot tell you if the cost is “worth it,” to you and your family as that is a highly personal decision, I can share a few keep points about the “it depends” part….
So… what does it depend on?
- Do you LOVE Star Wars? But more specifically, do you love the “newer” films like The Force Awakens, The Last Jedi, The Rise of Skywalker? Because you will be immersed in the timelines of Kylo Ren, Ray, Chewbacca, and you will be introduced to new characters like Gaya (will tell you more about Gaya later, loved her), Ouannii (who was a huge hit with my group), Captain Riyola Keevan, of course Sammie the beloved engineer, and many others!
- Related to the last point and all the characters you will meet – do you LOVE character interaction? Being part of a story? Having characters chat with you, stay in character, stay in the storyline, solving mysteries, choosing allegiances, basically being PART OF THE STORY? I personally LOVE that, but I know that not everyone likes that. Some people are too shy, don’t enjoy interacting with characters, etc. And that’s ok, but if you don’t enjoy those things, this might not be for you.
Now, Disney Imagineers have told us that everything aboard the Halcyon is an invitation – you can choose how involved you get, or if you want to hang back, play Holo Sabacc, relax in your room, etc., you can do that, to some degree, but for the cost of this unique, specialty experience, in my opinion, you should enjoy this kind of thing and get as involved as you can. - Are you already set against it? Have you read harsh criticisms on social media and your mind is already made up? Then you will probably dislike it because you won’t be open to enjoying yourself. If you choose to do this, go in with an open mind and make the most of it.
- Do you like a lot of activity, running around, moving and doing a lot of things? If so, you might love this, if not, you might hate it. It’s not a lounging around, relaxing kind of thing. It’s a lot of sensory experiences, a lot of interacting, doing things. For me, it was so much fun and so exciting, and I was exhausted afterwards in the best possible way! For others, this might not be their thing.
- Is it in your budget? If not, that answers it. For me personally, I am having to save up for my stay. It’s not something that I would normally spend for a 2 day experience, and not something I spend lightly or easily. After seeing it for myself, I have decided that for me and my partner, we will save up and have a full stay. We both love Star Wars, fantasy, sci-fi, theme parks, unique experiences and making memories doing cool, special things. It’s not something we could simply do without some planning and saving, though, and not something we are doing lightly. The fact of the matter is, this is a costly excursion. Similar to staying in a luxury resort at Walt Disney World, it is up to each family to decide if it works for them or not, or is even something they want to do.
Also, a side note about reviews you may or may not have seen online and on social media:
Take all reviews and online opinions with a grain of salt and your own critical thinking; this is something that needs to be seen and experienced to truly grasp, and everyone’s experience will be different. And this part only because I have seen people make these claims online so I want to clarify that my thoughts, opinions, experiences are my own, influenced only by myself, my personality, the things I like, the kind of person I am (someone who loves fun, unique, interactive experiences like this and loves Star Wars, I’m also a naturally playful person), etc. Disney invited a group of us to experience this one-day event, and they invited others to stay for the full experience. I was only part of the one-day event group, so I can only share what I experienced. The team I've worked with at Disney has been nothing but nice, professional, and genuinely cool people. In my experience, they have never told any invited media/press what they can and can't say, except that of course it needs to be disclosed that this is an invited experience, and not to film "backstage." Other than that, we were free to experience this and report honestly about what it was like. I'm grateful to have gotten the chance to do this, and more importantly, to share it with you! (especially now that this experience no longer exists as of 2023!)
No one can make your mind up for you, and no experience is ideal for everyone. This is a very costly resort stay, the cost alone stirs up contention. Without experiencing it personally, it’s difficult to construct a full, realistic opinion of this truly unique experience. Even for me, I can only give you a partial review of what I was able to do, but if I ever have the opportunity to stay for the full 2 nights I will write an updated blog post.
I hope this was helpful for you, as I have more thoughts, I will continue to add to this blog post. It took a while to gather my thoughts and process them, because in the moment it was so much excitement! Please share your questions in the comments here or in the comment section on YouTube. Thanks for reading!