News Star Wars Galactic Starcruiser coming to Walt Disney World 2021

[FigmentFan82]

*Looks at Resistance to reliability attraction, rocket rods, and current castle paint job.*

Sure they do.

Planning for something and the execution of it are two different things. So the snark is unecessary

 

[dmw]

Who said anything about slam dunks (just you using that phrase)
I'm just curious as to the doom and gloom of it all that you seem to be peddling.
And I'm saying, let's wait and see what it's like when it opens

If we ever are privy to the demographics of customers, that would be an interesting read.

Just for another data point, I am very interested in this experience. My bio: I enjoy Star Wars movies, but am not a hard-core fan. I'm not a LARP person, but, I do enjoy the Escape rooms and also Murder Mystery dinners. I'm not an avid gamer, but I love attractions that are games (I could do TSMM all day if I had the strength to do it all day). That all said, I am very interested in this experience. I hope there are some gaming experiences and I think the special interaction with CMs could be very cool (I love how well the CMs play the role in ROTR!).

Like you said, only time will tell if this works for Disney, and if other similar experiences are created or shelved based on how it does.

 

[MrPromey]

Who said anything about slam dunks (just you using that phrase)
I'm just curious as to the doom and gloom of it all that you seem to be peddling.
And I'm saying, let's wait and see what it's like when it opens

Me - I said it and then you responded to that seeming to disagree.

If you scroll back, you'll see I was responding to your line regarding someone else - and I quote:

"Yeah not sure what the previous poster's point was? Just to brag that her husband likes SW but doesn't want to do the SW hotel experience? Great! Have fun not having fun? Lol. More room for people that would enjoy it"

That was to a woman saying her husband was a super big fan and not interested in this.

All I was trying to do is point out there is a valid reason for her bringing that up.

I'm not being doom-and-gloom. I'm being realistic.

It's a very cool thing that Disney is trying this. I hope it works for them and for the fans that this is targeted to.

At the same time, I see this as a very challenging project to get "right", especially with an IP that has some of the most toxic fandom I've ever witnessed - you know, people who like to argue or belittle the opinions of others who are also fans?

Not naming names or holding up mirrors or anything... but @mdcpr might understand what I'm talking about.

All I'm really trying to say is "let's wait and see what it's like when it opens", too, but up until this post, that doesn't seem to be what you've been saying - at least not while we've been talking back-and-forth.

 

[corran horn]

*Looks at Resistance to reliability attraction, rocket rods, and current castle paint job.*

Sure they do.

pre-covid, I'm not sure they were sweating attendance losses based on any of those.

 

[FigmentFan82]

Me - I said it and then you responded to that seeming to disagree.

If you scroll back, you'll see I was responding to your line regarding someone else - and I quote:

"Yeah not sure what the previous poster's point was? Just to brag that her husband likes SW but doesn't want to do the SW hotel experience? Great! Have fun not having fun? Lol. More room for people that would enjoy it"

That was to a woman saying her husband was a super big fan and not interested in this.

All I was trying to do is point out there is a valid reason for her bringing that up.

I'm not being doom-and-gloom. I'm being realistic.

It's a very cool thing that Disney is trying this. I hope it works for them and for the fans that this is targeted to.

At the same time, I see this as a very challenging project to get "right", especially with an IP that has some of the most toxic fandom I've ever witnessed - you know, people who like to argue or belittle the opinions of others who are also fans?

Not naming names or holding up mirrors or anything... but @mdcpr might understand what I'm talking about.

All I'm really trying to say is "let's wait and see what it's like when it opens", too, but up until this post, that doesn't seem to be what you've been saying - at least not while we've been talking back-and-forth.

I have been saying let's wait and see before judging it. That's my stance on all the projects going on.

If you want to look at the negatives of the project that's fine with me. Have a blast

 

[kingdead]

I'm actually surprised they didn't do a larger hotel with less LARPing and a lower price point. If this doesn't work out, they could always scale back the storytelling, put some windows in, and just sell it as a Star Wars-themed hotel where you do "Breakfast with Chewbacca" and such. The proximity to Hollywood Studios might make the place attractive even if you can't park right there, etc.

I also wonder if this hotel is being used as a small scale test lab for certain technologies that they'd like to introduce elsewhere later on? So it doesn't matter if it the hotel itself isn't a huge hit because it's all a big Learning Experience.

 

[TrainsOfDisney]

I'm actually surprised they didn't do a larger hotel with less LARPing and a lower price point. If this doesn't work out, they could always scale back the storytelling, put some windows in, and just sell it as a Star Wars-themed hotel where you do "Breakfast with Chewbacca" and such. The proximity to Hollywood Studios might make the place attractive even if you can't park right there, etc.

I also wonder if this hotel is being used as a small scale test lab for certain technologies that they'd like to introduce elsewhere later on? So it doesn't matter if it the hotel itself isn't a huge hit because it's all a big Learning Experience.

Wasn’t the original plan to have the hotel be physically connected to the land before they moved it to the LMA / backlot? Was the hotel going to be larger then?

 

[doctornick]

Actually someone invested millions in a LARP themepark (Evermore) so one could very easily take a look at what kinds of things they do to bring role playing interactivity to a SW guest experience. Many of the unknowns are unknown to us. They know a lot about what they're building

I was going to bring up Evermore. So, there's at least some experience in this "sort" of thing that can be extrapolated. While this is certainly breaking new ground, I don't think it's as simple to say that it's completely new either.

 

[JoeCamel]

I'm actually surprised they didn't do a larger hotel with less LARPing and a lower price point. If this doesn't work out, they could always scale back the storytelling, put some windows in, and just sell it as a Star Wars-themed hotel where you do "Breakfast with Chewbacca" and such. The proximity to Hollywood Studios might make the place attractive even if you can't park right there, etc.

I also wonder if this hotel is being used as a small scale test lab for certain technologies that they'd like to introduce elsewhere later on? So it doesn't matter if it the hotel itself isn't a huge hit because it's all a big Learning Experience.

I can't wait until every screen in the place pops up one of these. Remember this is the same company running MDE

 

[MrPromey]

I can't wait until every screen in the place pops up one of these. Remember this is the same company running MDE


View attachment 514305

I'm sure they can customize that to make the background black and have the wording say "We are altering your stay. Pray we do not alter it any further."

Come on people - lighten up!

 

[kingdead]

If this works, could they create similar experiences across property or would it be too hard to get parents who aren't sold on being immersed in say, Frozen, willing to pay the same prices that mom or dad will shell out because it's something they want?

That's what fascinates me--there are a lot of adult Disney fans, true, but I would think that adults are MUCH more likely to shell out for experiences that they think will appeal to their children than ones that appeal to themselves--so paying for a "princess tea" or a room in the "princess hotel."

I don't think Star Wars has that same kid appeal right now, but maybe I'm wrong? That and the needs of real live current children who are interested in Star Wars will inevitably clash with the adult fans who are, er, children at heart.

Being curious about this doesn't mean it will fail, it's just interesting!

 

[MrPromey]

I have been saying let's wait and see before judging it. That's my stance on all the projects going on.

If you want to look at the negatives of the project that's fine with me. Have a blast

I'm not judging anything. We don't know what the final experience will really be like. We don't know what the final pricing will be. Heck, we just got our first look at what the rooms will be like and haven't seen anything beyond concept art for the rest of it.

I think this is a very ambitious project for them and I think that nailing the execution will be challenging - not impossible but challenging.

I'm super curious to see how this opens and then what it looks like after a year of operation.

That said, I'm not a huge Star Wars fan so I already know this experience isn't for me, personally.

But the workings and execution of things fascinate me to no end and I've given this whole project more thought than a person who has no emotional investment in the IP probably should.

I know people who I would call borderline-crazy into Star Wars (and I say that lovingly) who's wives would ring their necks if they saw them trying to spend what some of the rumored pricing for this is going to be on top of what they already spend on this "hobby" on an annual basis.

I also know someone who has a SW collection room and the disposable income to do something like this at least as a one-time thing, even if it's $10k a head, who describe the idea of this (the idea of LARPing, in general, too, I think) as "tacky"... but they haven't seen the end result, either.

I'm very curious to see what the final pricing, experience and audience ends up being.

Disney once launched another innovative resort experience at WDW, perhaps more ambitious than this. It was called The Disney Institute. It still technically exists today but it is nothing and I really mean NOTHING like what it was.

Anyway, my interest in this is more from an opperational and business perspective than from that of a fan, in this case.

 

[MrPromey]

That's what fascinates me--there are a lot of adult Disney fans, true, but I would think that adults are MUCH more likely to shell out for experiences that they think will appeal to their children than ones that appeal to themselves--so paying for a "princess tea" or a room in the "princess hotel."

I don't think Star Wars has that same kid appeal right now, but maybe I'm wrong? That and the needs of real live current children who are interested in Star Wars will inevitably clash with the adult fans who are, er, children at heart.

Funny - I deleted that post you responded to and replaced it because I thought (even by my standards) it was too long.

Thank you for reading it

I agree with what you're saying up to a certain (price) point.

As a parent, I'll overpay to some levels for stuff for my son and just go along with it but there is a limit. If this experience chalks in at some of the price points I'm seeing banded about, that's well above my limit for a two day experience for the two of us that I'll have to grin-and-bare the "LARP" aspects of while possibly feeling silly.*

That said, I know an adult without kinds who drops a ton on collectable toys and does all the desert parties and up-charge things at Disney who will probably be one of the first people to experience this resort if she can manage to get herself booked even though she's not THAT big of a Star Wars fan.

She's simply got the money, is a big Disney fan and enough of a Star Wars fan that she'll want to be one of the first to do it.

Anyway, I think this just goes to show how unique and experimental this is on Disney's part. I'm sure they've done surveys and looked at consumer data and other experiences out there but since certain elements of this are very unique and new, I think it's definitely Disney taking a chance - something we don't see a lot from them these days.

*again, not saying adults should feel silly for doing something that harms nobody and makes them happy. I know nobody's called me out on this so far but I just want to be clear I'm not judging anyone negatively who wants to do this even though it's not for me. For those that are looking forward to doing this, I hope it meets every expectation you have - seriously!

Being curious about this doesn't mean it will fail, it's just interesting!

Ditto

 

[danlb_2000]

I'm actually surprised they didn't do a larger hotel with less LARPing and a lower price point. If this doesn't work out, they could always scale back the storytelling, put some windows in, and just sell it as a Star Wars-themed hotel where you do "Breakfast with Chewbacca" and such. The proximity to Hollywood Studios might make the place attractive even if you can't park right there, etc.

I also wonder if this hotel is being used as a small scale test lab for certain technologies that they'd like to introduce elsewhere later on? So it doesn't matter if it the hotel itself isn't a huge hit because it's all a big Learning Experience.

I am not surprised at all that they took this route. I think they have realized that it this point it better to try to get more money out of existing guests, then to try to get more guests to visit. If this works out, I think you will see more of this sort of "boutique" upcharge experiences. I think of it more as a test case for the whole concept then specific technologies.

 

[SWGalaxys_Edge]

Hey there! New to the group - Starcruiser Question. I circled this area by where the transport will take guests to/from Batuu.
Does this look (circled) like it might be a motion base for the transport to park on? Maybe there'll be simulated rocking as the shuttle departs the Starcruiser, before heading to Batuu? (photo: WDWMagic)

 

[SWGalaxys_Edge]

Yeah, my initial reaction to the reveal of the actual rooms is that it looks a lot more hotel-like than I had imagined/hoped. Obviously, the rooms are small (maybe more like cruise ship cabins, which would be appropriate), but the layout of the rooms is classic hotel. But it's going to be even more challenging to convince the people who keep expecting a pool that this isn't a hotel when the rooms look so hotellish.

Also, the "window" out to space seems small (I know, giant screens are expensive!), and there's a lot less in the way of "control panels" and Star Wars technology in the rooms than I had expected.

Anyone know what the camera-projector-looking thing on the ceiling above the space window is? Functional? Decorative? I could see it as a tracking camera to try to produce a parallax shift of the video view, or maybe it's part of the show?
View attachment 513959
It doesn't seem to be present in the concept art:
View attachment 513961

Still, I'm excited about this thing and interested to see how it develops.

looks like a drop down movie projector

 

[danlb_2000]

Hey there! New to the group - Starcruiser Question. I circled this area by where the transport will take guests to/from Batuu.
Does this look (circled) like it might be a motion base for the transport to park on? Maybe there'll be simulated rocking as the shuttle departs the Starcruiser, before heading to Batuu? (photo: WDWMagic)

View attachment 514335

Interesting thought, but probably not, doesn't look deep enough for that.

 

[SWGalaxys_Edge]

Disney can do what it wants. It built the ride, they’re free to tear it down and put up whatever. And they can charge $1 or $1,000 for the experience of visiting for a day. I don’t care. What I do care is they try and have it both ways, on the one hand signaling that they’re open to making “everyone” feel welcome when general admission is out of reach for most and certain experiences unattainable for the great majority.

And while in hindsight a song from seven decades or so ago doesn’t hold up, their *current* business dealings with despotic regimes is shameful.

So yes, everyone’s welcome at Disney. Unless you’re Uighur.

or you can be like my wife and I who are disabled, on a fixed income and will never go - just accept it and move on.

 

[SWGalaxys_Edge]

Interesting thought, but probably not, doesn't look deep enough for that.

it just seems strange - instead of pouring a concrete pad for the transport to park at, they are doing it differently -

 

[JoeCamel]

Hey there! New to the group - Starcruiser Question. I circled this area by where the transport will take guests to/from Batuu.
Does this look (circled) like it might be a motion base for the transport to park on? Maybe there'll be simulated rocking as the shuttle departs the Starcruiser, before heading to Batuu? (photo: WDWMagic)

View attachment 514335

Interesting thought, but probably not, doesn't look deep enough for that.

Looks like forms for a slab pour to me.