News Star Wars Galactic Starcruiser coming to Walt Disney World 2021

[flynnibus]

1) Not sure if I was first, but back on July 2nd I pitched the concept of them loading a bus from the hotel interior that would mimic a shuttle ala Hogwarts Express as it took you into the park. The idea was also shot down.

Yeah, I tried to get people to expand their thinking when I suggested concepts like this..

Lots of possible things they can do.. its only a question of how far Disney goes or not. The arrival experience wasn't hammed up in the pitch, so I'm not expecting much... but the possibilities are endless

Imagine you don't park at the hotel, but instead park near-by... and board a effects enabled bus. The bus goes through a dark tunnel, and while in the tunnel, the windows change to video... and when you emerge from the tunnel, now everything you see is alt-reality. Then you arrive indoors... and your view of the world is controlled from the point you entered that bus

But now I guess we can theorize on that the shuttle is only for hotel-park runs... and what kind of 'resort exclusive' location the bus will drop/pick people up from. Now if they could only get rid of all the other tourists while you are there

 

[larryz]

The building's (lack of) scale seems very intentional... I wonder what they are constrained by.

I figure they're planning on the scale of a boutique resort experience.

 

[Tim Lohr]

The water management permit confirms only two floors.

These blueprints show up to 5 elevators, one near the Main Entrance marked Elevator 3, two more near the Main Concourse marked Elevators 1 & 2, which also has a large grand stair case. There's another near The Engineering room marked Elevator 4, and one more elevator near the Transportation Hall marked Elevator 5... which seems like a lot to me for a just a 2 story building. The Poly's Great Ceremonial House is 2 stories and I think only has 2 Elevators (which are usually overwhelmed) where as the Wilderness Lodge is 7 stories at it's highest point and has 3 or 4 elevators just in the lobby and then 2 more out on each of the wings or rooms.

...also that "tube" thing in the Transportation hall reminds me of the monorails at the Orlando International Airport... just sayin'

 

[tonymu]

With a total of 100 keys (rooms) and the drawing showing 34 rooms on the lower floor shown on the drawings I would guess that the building is 3 stories with two more floors of 34 rooms to get to 100 rooms (minus 2 somewhere 34x3=102). That would give them two more floors of programmable space above the check-in and galley for the rest of the ship. Since these drawings are just for plumbing they only show the lower floor and no reason to show any of the upper floors.

 

[sedati]

The "courtyard" room next to the transportation hall could be a holding/briefing area for the group before departure. I would imagine before you go, the ship will be in orbit over Batuu. To sell the idea of a shuttle, I also assume you will see the craft arrive before you are sent over to board.

 

[sedati]

These blueprints show up to 5 elevators, one near the Main Entrance marked Elevator 3, two more near the Main Concourse marked Elevators 1 & 2, which also has a large grand stair case. There's another near The Engineering room marked Elevator 4, and one more elevator near the Transportation Hall marked Elevator 5... which seems like a lot to me for a just a 2 story building. The Poly's Great Ceremonial House is 2 stories and I think only has 2 Elevators (which are usually overwhelmed) where as the Wilderness Lodge is 7 stories at it's highest point and has 3 or 4 elevators just in the lobby and then 2 more out on each of the wings or rooms.

This got me thinking. There are stairs in Star Wars canon. There are elevators. But I don't believe we've ever seen escalators. Oddly enough, there are even Jetson's style people-tubes (see the Coruscant sport's club in "Attack of the Clones." It's a subtle detail, but you can see it just as Anakin and Obi Wan are walking towards the bar.)

This also gets me wondering. Disney doesn't do gambling, but what if you have galactic credits that are used for fun. They could have betting on podraces and fathier races. You could have Sabaac tournaments along with the other games of the galaxy.

And if the passengers run out of things to do, the mock shuttle could just drive off into the Florida swamps so you could meet Yoda on Dagobah.

 

[flynnibus]

The "courtyard" room next to the transportation hall could be a holding/briefing area for the group before departure. I would imagine before you go, the ship will be in orbit over Batuu. To sell the idea of a shuttle, I also assume you will see the craft arrive before you are sent over to board.

I saw the shape and thought it might be a pool and pool deck... but the location doesn't seem right. Could be a waiting area...

 

[MickeyMinnieMom]

II know this has probably already been discussed ad nauseam, but I can see this being sold in two main ways:

1.) First and foremost as an experience only for the die-hard fans of Star Wars. Make it loud and clear right upfront that this is not a typical WDW Vacation, and you'll be "leaving" Earth/WDW and only be experiencing Star Wars on your 2 or 3 day stay. If you want to see the rest of the resort, extend your vacation and stay elsewhere after you "return" back to Earth.
2.) As a vacation add-on/upgrade for the Star Wars enthusiasts of your party. If your whole family is staying for a week or more at another on-property resort, pay $xxxx for the ultimate Star Wars adventure - Dad and little Billy can spend a couple of days away living their best Star Wars lives and Mom and little Suzy can coordinate their DHS day around when they'll be doing the in-park experience.

I've envisioned both of these markets being the target from the first announcement as well. Wrt 2), I would think that families might spend a couple of days of their longer trip on this together -- not just the big fans in the group. If it's a couple of days out of a 10-day trip, and the family can afford it, why not share the experience together?

I also think a smaller group would be those who just book every "premium" experience out there. It's a new, high-end thing to do, that relatively few will have done. That'll attract at least some of the premium travelers.

I still think that within the experience, they'll have to have the option to dial the participation up and down. Maybe the kids go all in, and parents have a slightly "lighter" experience. Maybe it's mom and son going all in, and Dad hangs back some. I can't see them REQUIRING some really high level of participation from ALL.

 

[danlb_2000]

These blueprints show up to 5 elevators, one near the Main Entrance marked Elevator 3, two more near the Main Concourse marked Elevators 1 & 2, which also has a large grand stair case. There's another near The Engineering room marked Elevator 4, and one more elevator near the Transportation Hall marked Elevator 5... which seems like a lot to me for a just a 2 story building. The Poly's Great Ceremonial House is 2 stories and I think only has 2 Elevators (which are usually overwhelmed) where as the Wilderness Lodge is 7 stories at it's highest point and has 3 or 4 elevators just in the lobby and then 2 more out on each of the wings or rooms.

...also that "tube" thing in the Transportation hall reminds me of the monorails at the Orlando International Airport... just sayin'

My guess is that not all of these are real elevators, so are just for effect like the old Hydrolators.

 

[danlb_2000]

With a total of 100 keys (rooms) and the drawing showing 34 rooms on the lower floor shown on the drawings I would guess that the building is 3 stories with two more floors of 34 rooms to get to 100 rooms (minus 2 somewhere 34x3=102). That would give them two more floors of programmable space above the check-in and galley for the rest of the ship. Since these drawings are just for plumbing they only show the lower floor and no reason to show any of the upper floors.

Permit says it's two stories.

 

[danlb_2000]

Still the style of the rooms stands out to me. So many smaller rooms... I've not laid out such a building before, but still seems awful heavy to me compared to simply having some costuming areas, tech areas, dressing rooms, and some admin space. And why have it in a separate building when you're starting from scratch?

The building's (lack of) scale seems very intentional... I wonder what they are constrained by.

It is odd that the building is separate. May there was some sort of fire code advantage to it being separate.

 

[wedenterprises]

The "courtyard" room next to the transportation hall could be a holding/briefing area for the group before departure. I would imagine before you go, the ship will be in orbit over Batuu. To sell the idea of a shuttle, I also assume you will see the craft arrive before you are sent over to board.

I wonder if the shuttle is supposed to be on Batuu. Guests could take a small craft (hydrolator) down to the surface, then load into the shuttle. The physical experience of being on a bus will not sell the idea that you're flying on a spaceship.

 

[Timothy_Q]

I wonder if the shuttle is supposed to be on Batuu. Guests could take a small craft (hydrolator) down to the surface, then load into the shuttle. The physical experience of being on a bus will not sell the idea that you're flying on a spaceship.

That would make sense.

Don't see any reason why they'd need to make the hotel set in a different planet

 

[flynnibus]

I wonder if the shuttle is supposed to be on Batuu. Guests could take a small craft (hydrolator) down to the surface, then load into the shuttle. The physical experience of being on a bus will not sell the idea that you're flying on a spaceship.

We sit in a box in star tours and sell it as a spaceship for nearly 35 years. What makes you think you can't do effects to simulate stuff? Did you ever experience Ride to the Moon/Mars? They had much less

 

[sedati]

That would make sense.

Don't see any reason why they'd need to make the hotel set in a different planet

The hotel is actually a spaceship- unless plans have changed.

 

[danlb_2000]

New permit today, expiration date is 1/29/2022

11/16/2018 - Disney Hollywood Studio - Pcl Construction Services Inc
201 S Studio Dr - Project H - Foundations, slab, structural steel and precast panels

 

[RSoxNo1]

Project Holdo?
Project Holodeck?

 

[danlb_2000]

Project Holdo?
Project Holodeck?

Hubble.

 

[GoofGoof]

I saw the shape and thought it might be a pool and pool deck... but the location doesn't seem right. Could be a waiting area...

Speaking of a pool again...any sign of one on the plans? Maybe on floor 2 not shown if indoor or possibly outside. Would the plans have to show an outdoor pool area or is that not distruptive enough to impact drainage?

 

[flynnibus]

Speaking of a pool again...any sign of one on the plans? Maybe on floor 2 not shown if indoor or possibly outside. Would the plans have to show an outdoor pool area or is that not distruptive enough to impact drainage?

Outdoor for sure... and I'd think it impact the plumbing needs enough to maybe be involved in the water management stuff driving these plans... but dunno honestly. Restrooms and kitchen loads didn't seem emphasized either... even if shown location wise on the plan.