A long time ago, in a galaxy far, far away…
Star Wars has been very good for the Walt Disney Company since it purchased Lucasfilms for $4 billion in 2012. They’ve profited greatly from the movies and merchandise it’s made off the brand, to say nothing of the Galaxy’s Edge lands they built at Disneyland in California and WDW’s Disney’s Hollywood Studios in Florida in mid-late 2019.
While the lands were still being built, Disney announced an immersive hotel that would eventually be built alongside the Florida version of Galaxy’s Edge, but there were only scant details.
Well, they’ve just announced a few things about it…
Star Wars: Galactic Starcruiser at Walt Disney World Resort
A 2-Night, All-Immersive Adventure
From Disney’s official Disney Parks Blog:
Star Wars: Galactic Starcruiser will begin transporting you from Walt Disney World Resort in Florida to a galaxy far, far away beginning in 2021, Walt Disney Imagineering announced tonight. This is a new type of immersive vacation that only Disney could create – a two-night, cruise-style itinerary where you’ll become the hero of your own adventure in an experience that surrounds you 24/7 in Star Wars storytelling.
In a new artist concept rendering just released (above), you get a first look at what you’ll see when you arrive for your Star Wars: Galactic Starcruiser vacation. The Galactic Starcruiser Terminal is where you’ll begin your Star Wars experience!
Whether you show up via personal vehicle, Disney transportation or by landspeeder, curb-side check-in prepares you to leave Earth behind, jump to lightspeed and begin your Star Wars story. From the Starcruiser Terminal, you will enter an exclusive launch pod for travel up to the Halcyon, your starcruiser in a galaxy far, far away. Through the pod’s viewports, it looks as though you are traveling through space to approach the massive ship that is much too large to land on any planet.
A “spaceport of call” to Black Spire Outpost is included in your itinerary, where special passenger transports take you to the planet Batuu (also known as the destination for Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge at Disney’s Hollywood Studios).
To get from Star Wars: Galactic Starcruiser to Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge and back, you’ll remain fully in-story as you step aboard the transport ships designed specifically for this new immersive experience, which you can see in the artist concept rendering above, released today. It will connect you directly to a spaceport at Black Spire Outpost on Batuu, where the story you began in the starcruiser will continue and evolve while exploring the 14-acre land at Disney’s Hollywood Studios.
Another page of Disney’s website says, “come live your very own epic Star Wars story,” and gives hints and what you might experience at Star Wars: Galactic Starcruiser:
- Launch Pods – the area where you arrive and are launched into space to reach your starcruiser, the Halcyon
- The Halcyon – the starcruiser where you’ll spend part of your time
- The Atrium – described at the heart of the Halcyon and “a welcoming place where crew and passengers gather
- The Bridge – where you can operate the ship’s navigation and defense systems (the ship’s crew will help you)
Activities onboard the Halcyon will include amenities and experiences such as:
- wielding a lightsaber and putting your skills to the test
- the Silver C Lounge, a relaxing retreat for passengers of all ages
- the crew-only Engineering Room to learn the inner workings of the ship’s systems
- passenger cabins with their own windows into space, complete with views of, “spectacular ships and galactic sights”
Of course, a planet excursion to Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge, and all it has to offer, is also part of your itinerary.
They’re not taking reservations for the experience yet, and no prices are currently offered. But figure you’re going to be in a 24/7 all-immersive experience for 2 nights, on an adventure that they’re comparing to cruise itinerary, and, well, start saving your galactic credits now because I suspect this will be at least a few thousand dollars – and no opportunities to use points or miles. 😉
Joe is a Star Wars geek (here’s his first impression of Galaxy’s Edge) and I’m not (here’s mine). Our thoughts on how cool we think this experience will be are on the same page, but different. He thinks it would be a fun opportunity and he would enjoy it. I think I wouldn’t necessarily like it, but I would definitely appreciate it.
What do you think of it?
Click here for more info, artist’s concept photos, etc.
*** Feature photo – Artist concept only via Disney/Lucasfilm
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This post first appeared on Your Mileage May Vary
1 comment
Sounds great but eye wateringly expensive. Sadly, I fear that only rich people will be doing this.