News Star Wars Galactic Starcruiser coming to Walt Disney World 2021

[LovePop]

I'm not calling this thing a cruise until I see it move with my own eyes.

 

[Chuuby]

5.5 hours on hold for a guest who wants to spend $$$ for a few nights. Bob himself should have been available for backup

Remember as well , these were 4.5 - 5.5 hour hold times for Club 33 members and Golden Oak owners . You would think it would be in the best interest of the Chapek administration to cater to its highest end customers . Just saying.

 

[SWGalaxys_Edge]

NO OFFENSE to training, but how hard is it to...

1. Answer the phone
2. Ask what date range they want
3. Ask early or late dinner seating
4. Book it.

 

[Bullseye1967]

Remember as well , these were 4.5 - 5.5 hour hold times for Club 33 members and Golden Oak owners . You would think it would be in the best interest of the Chapek administration to cater to its highest end customers . Just saying.

I'm sure the Club 33 and Golden Oak folks just had their butler call.

 

[lewisc]

Remember as well , these were 4.5 - 5.5 hour hold times for Club 33 members and Golden Oak owners . You would think it would be in the best interest of the Chapek administration to cater to its highest end customers . Just saying.

Which is why I said Chapek should have personally backed up the call center

 

[matt9112]

But it’s not a hotel. Saying it is a hotel is wrong.

So your not going to bed in a stationary room in a building...on earth....? Or? Stio trying to justify its ludacris pricing model. The real disney cruises are a better value

 

[peter11435]

So your not going to bed in a stationary room in a building...on earth....?

So is that what it takes to qualify as a hotel?
So my house is a hotel?
A hospital is a hotel?

Obviously just like a real cruise, this has a hotel aspect to it. That doesn’t make it a hotel.

Cruises have hotel directors, that doesn’t make a cruise a hotel

 

[Jobacca]

Its a hotel. Its a hotel in Florida for 2 nights. They can call it a "cruise" or a "spaceship" or whatever other pixie dust they wanna play make believe with but-its a hotel room. And as a lifelong(since 77)Star Wars fan who has spent way more than I'd like to admit on this franchise in the last 40+ years,aint no way on or above Gods green earth this thing is worth what they're charging.

 

[corran horn]

I dread tomorrow for people trying to book. It took 7 hours of holding and an hour on the phone to get this done and it was just a small group trying to book

Jeez. Not sure I even want to subject myself or my wife to that tbh. Aulani is calling...

 

[zapple]

Its a hotel. Its a hotel in Florida for 2 nights. They can call it a "cruise" or a "spaceship" or whatever other pixie dust they wanna play make believe with but-its a hotel room. And as a lifelong(since 77)Star Wars fan who has spent way more than I'd like to admit on this franchise in the last 40+ years,aint no way on or above Gods green earth this thing is worth what they're charging.

I knew it was going to be expensive, but the price they settled on is truly shocking. And I’m someone who is willing to pay more for something special and different, but they’ve jumped the tauntaun with this pricing.

 

[Chuuby]

NO OFFENSE to training, but how hard is it to...

1. Answer the phone
2. Ask what date range they want
3. Ask early or late dinner seating
4. Book it.

So to answer some questions about why the call we made took so long.
Note: if any of this was explained ahead of time on the website it wouldn't have been necessary to be explained to us, but it isn't.

- Give options of dates
- Explain room type and layout in detail as the suites do not have an overhead layout map available.
- Explain insurance- We were familiar with cruise (real cruise) insurance, but wanted to understand why we would want it for a land based trip
- Explain cancellation policy- It's different than a regular Disney trip. Pay in full within 90 days and then it's a 60-half 30- all cancellation policy.
- Price of the suites- There was absolutely no pricing on the suite categories so you were just calling blind and hoping they don't say "20 grand"
- Booking the captains table.. there was a whole spiel. we ended up booking it both nights
-Can you leave the ship for whatever reason and get back on (I know it's silly, but not listed in the FAQ
- Cast member has to explain the Disney play app / the data pad /the data bands. / how a tablet or phone is required even for the children. I was aware of all of this, but they go over it anyway. You also feel like you have to be polite.
- Is there a pool? Lol, but my wife is legitimately angry she can't pay 10 dollars a minute to swim in space.

There are many other questions and long things they have to go over with you even if you are familiar.. Still 4.5 hours on hold. insane. imagine if your cell phone drops the call.

 

[Chuuby]

Maybe the phones were staffed only by CMs that support Club 33 and Golden Oaks? Thus, maybe the demand by those small groups on a small support staff surprised Disney? I mean, do we know that the wait time for all guests calling for anything was that high? Just a thought...

They weren't.. There was a special number to call, but it wasn't the Club 33 number. The person who made the reservation for us was a regular CM (but trained for these bookings) .. We called numerous times For a time line according to us and the cm - We got through right at 7:00 am . The CM said they arrived to work at 8:00 (why not have all the trained CMs for this start at 7:00 when the phone lines open?) The CM said they made three bookings since getting in (all for galactic star cruise) and we got them at 11:30 .. So each booking takes a long time.

 

[Bullseye1967]

They weren't.. There was a special number to call, but it wasn't the Club 33 number. The person who made the reservation for us was a regular CM (but trained for these bookings) .. We called numerous times For a time line according to us and the cm - We got through right at 7:00 am . The CM said they arrived to work at 8:00 (why not have all the trained CMs for this start at 7:00 when the phone lines open?) The CM said they made three bookings since getting in (all for galactic star cruise) and we got them at 11:30 .. So each booking takes a long time.

Has anyone ever called Disney IT to fix a problem? The systems just don't talk to each other. A CM may have to go to 4 screens to confirm and sometimes that is not enough.

 

[Chuuby]

So was that the Captain’s Suite? I had seen a previous reference to over $12k for 4 in that suite. So I had assumed we’d go with 2 rooms rather than the suite (if we actually decide to do this). But if the Captain’s Suite is effectively the same price that might be a better choice.

The Grand Captains suite with 6 guess was just over 12k. With 8 guests it might be between 13 and 14k, so there is an argument to book The Grand Captains suite if you are going to have 8 people because the cost per person would be very close

 

[MisterPenguin]

NO OFFENSE to training, but how hard is it to...

1. Answer the phone
2. Ask what date range they want
3. Ask early or late dinner seating
4. Book it.

This conversation...

I'm sure the sign up for this is going to have a lot of warning screens you have to check thru, if not having to call to reserve and a CM running thru all the caveats.



Thank-you for your interest in staying aboard the Halcyon! Before we schedule a stay, I have some details of the event to go over with you:

The Halcyon is a three-day, two-night role-playing experience that takes place entirely within the hotel building with two trips to Galaxy's Edge in Disney Hollywood Studios. Do you understand that there will be no transportation provided to you or your party from the hotel to any other destination in Walt Disney World or outside of Walt Disney World during your stay?

You mean I can't go to the Magic Kingdom if I wanted?​

The expectation is that you're signing up for two days of Star Wars role-playing and events and you will not leave that experience for any other destination. No one will force you to stay in the hotel, but if you chose to leave, you will have to call a transportation service to leave and return at your own expense.

I thought this was just a Disney hotel?​

It is not. It is a three-day, two-night role-playing experience that takes place entirely within the hotel building with two trips to Galaxy's Edge in Disney Hollywood Studios. Do you understand that there will be no transportation provided to you or your party from the hotel to any other destination in Walt Disney World or outside of Walt Disney World during your stay?

OK, I guess I do now.​

Do you understand the experience includes Cast Members taking on the roles of people who inhabit the Star Wars universe and they will act in character as such for the entirety of your stay, including meals and all the events that will be available to all guests during your stay?

They're going to pretend they're Star Wars characters?​

Yes. This is a three-day, two-night role-playing experience that takes place entirely within the hotel building with two trips to Galaxy's Edge in Disney Hollywood Studios. Do you understand that the experience includes Cast Members taking on the roles of people who inhabit the Star Wars universe and they will act in character as such for the entirety of your stay, including meals and all the events that will be available to all guests during your stay?

OK, I do now.​

Do you understand that the experience greatly encourages all guests to also take on the role as if they were living in the Star Wars universe including dressing-up as such, if you wish, and participating in all group activities as such?

You mean I gotta pretend, too?​

No, you don't, but we're encouraging you to, and hoping you'll find it a fun experience for you and your party. So, do you understand that the experience greatly encourages all guests to also take on the role as if they were living in the Star Wars universe including dressing-up as such, if you wish, and participating in all group activities as such?

OK, I do now. At least if I don't like it, I can spend the entire time by the pool.​

There is no pool.

Ya know... this isn't for me, thank-you for your time.​

Sorry to hear that, is there anything else I can help you with today?

No.​

Have a magical day.

 

[nickys]

NO OFFENSE to training, but how hard is it to...

1. Answer the phone
2. Ask what date range they want
3. Ask early or late dinner seating
4. Book it.

My guess is they have to go through a whole spiel about how this isn’t a regular resort stay.
Then there’s the fact there are no prices published and the pricing will vary according to room type, # of guests, actual date. So potential guests will be trying to think on the spot and going back and forth over more $ for one date or less $ for a less preferred date.
Then there are the other add-ons to book. I can see the booking process taking an hour, the spike 30 minutes.

But the wait fto get connected is the killer. Shouldn’t be shocked but I certainly didn’t expect it to be that bad on the first 2 days.

 

[Patcheslee]

My guess is they have to go through a whole spiel about how this isn’t a regular resort stay.
Then there’s the fact there are no prices published and the pricing will vary according to room type, # of guests, actual date. So potential guests will be trying to think on the spot and going back and forth over more $ for one date or less $ for a less preferred date.
Then there are the other add-ons to book. I can see the booking process taking an hour, the spike 30 minutes.

But the wait fto get connected is the killer. Shouldn’t be shocked but I certainly didn’t expect it to be that bad on the first 2 days.

Everything someone calling is expected to provide info for when they call doesn't help. Booking another resort for before or after the SC stay on the call can't help.

 

[Chuuby]

--and-- all numbers to call have reached capacity 1 minute after AP and DVC members are allowed to book. Even the Club 33 number which is different from the AP/DVC number is not working. It's going to be a long day for people trying to book.

 

[DisneyDayDreamin]

--and-- all numbers to call have reached capacity 1 minute after AP and DVC members are allowed to book. Even the Club 33 number which is different from the AP/DVC number is not working. It's going to be a long day for people trying to book.

How is that possible? I called right at 7 and got that message. Thankfully my TA just text me and she got us booked for March 3 with the Captain's Table. Is this Disney trying to redirect people or are so many on hold and TAs booking that they are full? Do they only allocate a certain number of rooms for each early booking group? So many questions!

 

[Ayla]

My guess is they have to go through a whole spiel about how this isn’t a regular resort stay.
Then there’s the fact there are no prices published and the pricing will vary according to room type, # of guests, actual date. So potential guests will be trying to think on the spot and going back and forth over more $ for one date or less $ for a less preferred date.
Then there are the other add-ons to book. I can see the booking process taking an hour, the spike 30 minutes.

But the wait fto get connected is the killer. Shouldn’t be shocked but I certainly didn’t expect it to be that bad on the first 2 days.

You should be allowed to book online with all information provided and customers have to acknowledge they read each piece of info before they are allowed to move to next screen.

It's too bad Disney IT can't handle it.