News Star Wars Galactic Starcruiser coming to Walt Disney World 2021

[jasminethecat]

I'm quite convinced they're not doing that.

Yeah, I think it will be a well* themed interior with either a video or AA** of the the pilot shuttling you from the Halycon to Batuu

J6-F8

J6-F8 was an RX-Series pilot droid that piloted a transport shuttle operating out of Batuu's Black Spire Outpost. She ferried passengers from the MPO-1400 Purgill-class star cruiser Halcyon down to the outpost and back up to the cruiser, but worked for an entity local to the outpost. This droid...

starwars.fandom.com

*Based on set pieces seen already of the Halycon, may not be "well" as in good, just themed
**LOL, it'll be a video screen

For video: The box trucks should have video screens simulating the trip from space to Batuu. Or it's just poorly lit with no simulated windows, that's probably ok too, but not fitting with the Halcyon or star wars in general where most ships have actual windows which can explode and suck princesses out into space where they can sort-of die but still use the force and pull themselves back near a door without an airlock and somehow people on the other side can get them through without sucking the rest of the air and people in the ship outside. Yes that was a run-on sentence but I felt it was necessary to explain windows on space ships. Heaven forbid you make capital ships with the bridge in the exact middle and use a ring doorbell and a video display to see what's in front of the ship. They do have those in Moff Gideon's ship, but they're apparently only black and white tv models on 8" display panels and the bridge still has giant windows directly facing outside for visibility.

For sounds: "Bang, klank" plays through cabin as the shuttle is starting or stopping. Docking sounds in space go back to the first scenes in A New Hope when Leia's blockade runner is caught by Vader's Star Destroyer. They could actually just sample those sounds from a VHS tape. Imagineers can borrow one of my 3 different box sets. It's not actual rocket science here, these box trucks are probably soundproofed so you don't get any road or outside noises, so they'd need some sounds to play or it would be really freaking lame.

For motion: Assuming the landing platform isn't the exact same height on both ends to within an inch, they may need the air shocks anyway (especially if they're allowing strollers, wheelchairs or scooters). I wasn't implying to make the shuttle/box truck into star tours here, just a nudge on them would give a better moving /stopping sensation and might be needed regardless for leveling. Like when an elevator starts or stops on a floor it's not always perfectly smooth?

Except, we've seen the floorplan layout, and they're in different areas. Plus, how hard is 2 doors to show an air lock? Especially if it's a big one, eve more if they don't close the inner door during transit. Just open the interior blast door and leave it open. Every grocery store has a two door air lock on your way in.


It's probably easier to simulate decent from orbit on screens in a windowless transport than ground transportation being that way. Isn't Black Spire a space port too? Not some village that's off in the distance away from the space port. So, you would tend to land at the space port.

Thought of another way, if FL was Star Wars, everyone would be happy to just visit MCO and wouldn't need to leave at all.

In Star Wars they generally have small shuttles landing where you want to go. Only when we see Anakin and Padme load up to go to Naboo or Mando going to Tatooine do we see airport-like structures with lots of people loading, everything else is a single landing platform or hangar bay. If we actually had VTOL aircraft we wouldn't need airports, we'd land near to city centers.

 

[Incomudro]

Except, we've seen the floorplan layout, and they're in different areas. Plus, how hard is 2 doors to show an air lock? Especially if it's a big one, eve more if they don't close the inner door during transit. Just open the interior blast door and leave it open. Every grocery store has a two door air lock on your way in.


It's probably easier to simulate decent from orbit on screens in a windowless transport than ground transportation being that way. Isn't Black Spire a space port too? Not some village that's off in the distance away from the space port. So, you would tend to land at the space port.

Thought of another way, if FL was Star Wars, everyone would be happy to just visit MCO and wouldn't need to leave at all.

It's hard to seal out the light as you go from the building to the truck, plus they have to theme some sort of air lock system to simulate that at the building.
Problem solved if you use the simulator that's already in the building.
I may be wrong, I certainly may be... But I really struggle with the idea of Disney making a convincing flight simulator built into a box truck.
Masking the motions, and sounds - pulling away, parking etc.
It seems like a crazy investment that they don't need to do, and don't desire to do.

 

[MrPromey]

There are times when a commercial for a film shows something so rehashed/unoriginal/trite, embarrassing, lazy, overtly pandering that anyone with an ounce of forecasting ability should be able to safely say, "ya, that's a pile of dung".

Totally unrelated to what you're saying, I'm just going to drop this upcoming release here...

 

[Incomudro]

For video: The box trucks should have video screens simulating the trip from space to Batuu. Or it's just poorly lit with no simulated windows, that's probably ok too, but not fitting with the Halcyon or star wars in general where most ships have actual windows which can explode and suck princesses out into space where they can sort-of die but still use the force and pull themselves back near a door without an airlock and somehow people on the other side can get them through without sucking the rest of the air and people in the ship outside. Yes that was a run-on sentence but I felt it was necessary to explain windows on space ships. Heaven forbid you make capital ships with the bridge in the exact middle and use a ring doorbell and a video display to see what's in front of the ship. They do have those in Moff Gideon's ship, but they're apparently only black and white tv models on 8" display panels and the bridge still has giant windows directly facing outside for visibility.

For sounds: "Bang, klank" plays through cabin as the shuttle is starting or stopping. Docking sounds in space go back to the first scenes in A New Hope when Leia's blockade runner is caught by Vader's Star Destroyer. They could actually just sample those sounds from a VHS tape. Imagineers can borrow one of my 3 different box sets. It's not actual rocket science here, these box trucks are probably soundproofed so you don't get any road or outside noises, so they'd need some sounds to play or it would be really freaking lame.

For motion: Assuming the landing platform isn't the exact same height on both ends to within an inch, they may need the air shocks anyway (especially if they're allowing strollers, wheelchairs or scooters). I wasn't implying to make the shuttle/box truck into star tours here, just a nudge on them would give a better moving /stopping sensation and might be needed regardless for leveling. Like when an elevator starts or stops on a floor it's not always perfectly smooth?

In Star Wars they generally have small shuttles landing where you want to go. Only when we see Anakin and Padme load up to go to Naboo or Mando going to Tatooine do we see airport-like structures with lots of people loading, everything else is a single landing platform or hangar bay. If we actually had VTOL aircraft we wouldn't need airports, we'd land near to city centers.

You really think they're putting that much work into those trucks?
I don't.
I don't think they're physically modified at all, outside of the set dressing of the interior.
I would love it if they can make a box truck feel like it's flying, and if they are going this route - I hope it is amazing.
Now, if they had heavily modified a box truck, and mounted it on a rail or something.
Used an electric motor, or pulled it by cables to and from Batuu I'd say it could absolutely be convincing.

 

[danlb_2000]

And I agree with that to an extent. It may be the best box truck in the world for all we know. But it's back to optics. The interwebs are having a lot of fun with this. Calling it "The Galactic U-Haul" and what not. Disney is marketing a 6k experience. And they're doing it with bad promotional videos, box trucks, and no effective messaging whatsoever.

If anyone was sitting on the fence about outlaying that type of money on the experience - Disney has probably made the decision a lot easier for them. Aside from armchair imagineering (which is what we are all doing) - I think we can agree that Disney would probably like a do-over from the marketing side.

Let's be clear, Disney is NOT marketing a box truck, these are pictures taken my Disney fan sites.

 

["El Gran Magnifico"]

Let's be clear hear, Disney is NOT marketing a box truck, these are pictures taken my Disney fan sites.

The box truck fits in with perceptions thus far. Whether good or bad, whether real or imagined. But the box truck is out there - for public consumption. Whether Disney actively marketed it or not. It's a part of Galactic Starcruiser now.

People see the price, they see the promotional videos, they hear of cancellations, for some - the perceived underwhelming "luxury" hotel room layouts, for others - the perceived lack of relevant theming, for yet others - a perceived lackluster itinerary. Then they hear about guest pushback, a lack of focus, and now throw in the box trucks - it's all relative to how this entire thing has been handled and is being perceived.

 

[mmascari]

Let's be clear, Disney is NOT marketing a box truck, these are pictures taken my Disney fan sites.

They could though, and it would be in world accurate too.

I remember a box truck in Rogue One: A Star Wars Story. Pretty sure there were some in The Bad Batch on Disney+.

I bet people here can think of a bunch of examples of box trucks appearing in the movies.


I mean, yeah, this totally not a box truck. It's a trackless ride vehicle that's unconstrained by a ride enclosing set building.

 

[TP2000]

I don't think any of the concept art shows any screens, does it? What you describe might be part of the reason for that.

I could see them putting in an orientation video or something like that to hold people's attention during the short ride, or maybe they will just rely on audio. Either way, I suspect their options are limited which is probably why they aren't billing this transportation as a key element of the experience.

I just sort of assumed there would be a screen or three on the roof of the shuttle, as "windows".

You'd look up to see yourself leaving the Starcruiser in orbit as you "descend" down to Batuu. And the reverse sequence when you go back to the hotel. Much like the old Mission To Mars rides at WDW and Disneyland.

 

[larryz]

I just sort of assumed there would be a screen or three on the roof of the shuttle, as "windows".

You'd look up to see yourself leaving the Starcruiser in orbit as you "descend" down to Batuu. And the reverse sequence when you go back to the hotel. Much like the old Mission To Mars rides at WDW and Disneyland.

If they can build "jeeps" like those in Indiana Jones and Dinosaur, there's no reason they couldn't put some sort of motion base in the back of a truck to help simulate shuttle movements.

 

[TP2000]

The box truck fits in with perceptions thus far. Whether good or bad, whether real or imagined. But the box truck is out there - for public consumption. Whether Disney actively marketed it or not. It's a part of Galactic Starcruiser now.

People see the price, they see the promotional videos, they hear of cancellations, for some - the perceived underwhelming "luxury" hotel room layouts, for others - the perceived lack of relevant theming, for yet others - a perceived lackluster itinerary. Then they hear about guest pushback, a lack of focus, and now throw in the box trucks - it's all relative to how this entire thing has been handled and is being perceived.

You know, hindsight is 20/20. I have no real problems with the box truck exterior looking like a box truck. Just like I don't have any problems with realizing the exterior of the Haunted Mansion's stretch rooms are full of pulleys and cables and (at Disneyland) massive elevator mechanisms.

But... They probably should have disguised the box truck better. Give it a quickie decal treatment that makes it look inoccuous instead of suspicious.

I'm reminded of that scene in Close Encounters Of The Third Kind when the US government moved all that equipment to Devil's Tower before the aliens got there. They disguised all the secret government trucks as belonging to Baskin-Robbins and Piggly Wiggly and McDonald's, etc. to not panic the locals.

 

[larryz]

You know, hindsight is 20/20. I have no real problems with the box truck exterior looking like a box truck. Just like I don't have any problems with realizing the exterior of the Haunted Mansion's stretch rooms are full of pulleys and cables and (at Disneyland) massive elevator mechanisms.

But... They probably should have disguised the box truck better. Give it a quickie decal treatment that makes it look inoccuous instead of suspicious.

I'm reminded of that scene in Close Encounters Of The Third Kind when the US government moved all that equipment to Devil's Tower before the aliens got there. They disguised all the secret government trucks as belonging to Baskin-Robbins and Piggly Wiggly and McDonald's, etc. to not panic the locals.

Of course, you realize, that's just Hollywood talking, don't you?

 

[TP2000]

If they can build "jeeps" like those in Indiana Jones and Dinosaur, there's no reason they couldn't put some sort of motion base in the back of a truck to help simulate shuttle movements.

Yes, which is why I imagine they chose a box truck. For it's beefier frame and suspension that can handle equipment and onboard stresses like that far better than a passenger bus frame and suspension can.

I'm not expecting the 5 minute shuttle experience to be an E Ticket, but I am expecting C Ticket level stuff. A slightly shaking floor or something, rumbling audio and a timed soundtrack, lighting effects, a few HD screens in the ceiling to give you a view of the Starcruiser in orbit above you, etc.

Then you arrive at the park and you disembark on "Batuu". Don't forget your purse, ma'am!

 

[Incomudro]

If they can build "jeeps" like those in Indiana Jones and Dinosaur, there's no reason they couldn't put some sort of motion base in the back of a truck to help simulate shuttle movements.

But they're doing nothing like that.
Had they purpose built a ride system form the Halcyon to Batuu, then yes absolutley.
But they're using box trucks to save money.
There's no way there's some motion system in these trucks.

 

[Incomudro]

Yes, which is why I imagine they chose a box truck. For it's beefier frame and suspension that can handle equipment and onboard stresses like that far better than a passenger bus frame and suspension can.

I'm not expecting the 5 minute shuttle experience to be an E Ticket, but I am expecting C Ticket level stuff. A slightly shaking floor or something, rumbling audio and a timed soundtrack, lighting effects, a few HD screens in the ceiling to give you a view of the Starcruiser in orbit above you, etc.

Then you arrive at the park and you disembark on "Batuu". Don't forget your purse, ma'am!

They chose trucks because they're less expensive than buses.

 

[lentesta]

A friend who's been working with the Starcruiser menu says there's enough food coloring in the meals (like the blue shrimp) that it turns your digestive system into a rainbow factory. Can't wait for the Instragrams.

 

[prberk]

It appears the door is on the side and not the back, so they can just pull up and then pull through

As long as they are able to pull through. Is the port open on both ends? I thought it was closed on three sides.

 

[Buried20KLeague]

All of you nay-sayers, who have not experienced 1 second of the Halcyon - do you also sit at home watching TV and when you see a commercial for a new movie yell "This movie sucks. I'm not going to see it based on this 30 second commercial'? - yeah you prob. do. - It gets old folks. I like to come to this group to discuss the Halcyon, not endless posts about how crappy it will be based on nothing. Maybe the mods need a separate sub for you - "Galactic Nay-Sayers" and then you can show how much you [don't] know, to each other.

Your judgment is clouded by your...
(1) Hate of Disney
(2) Hate of [insert Disney CEO name here]
(3) Hate of Star Wars (why are you here?)

Good Lord. Disney is trying to give fans a different experience and you constant nay-sayers just choose to **** on anything and everything. Is your life that ****ty that this is what you need to do for entertainment?

You don't have to be rah-rah about this - but for freaking sakes can you attempt to hold judgment until (1) you experience it - which most of you will not (2) Watch someone else's video of the experience. Even watching someone else attend, it won't give you the feelings of being there, but its more than what you have right now - nothing. If you are still hung up on the bad commercials - move on. We get it - crappy commercials. (refer to my movie analogy earlier)

Holy ****, Hallelujah - where's the tylenol...

you make me chuckle.

 

[TP2000]

They chose trucks because they're less expensive than buses.

I'm sure that was part of it. This is a Bob Chapek project, after all. But to create a show vehicle within a bus, you'd need heavy modifications to the bus itself, and then because of that you have to beef up it's frame and suspension.

Just like passenger train cars have much lighter suspensions and have much lighter payload capacities than cargo train cars, a commercial box truck is going to have much higher payload capacities and handle onboard torque and movement stresses far better than an airport shuttle bus.

But, like that tacky photo of Mr. Vahle posing with a bunch of unready CM's in nurse uniforms, the lack of awareness to not realize this box truck shuttle thing would attract attention is troubling. Who's in charge???

 

[larryz]

A friend who's been working with the Starcruiser menu says there's enough food coloring in the meals (like the blue shrimp) that it turns your digestive system into a rainbow factory. Can't wait for the Instragrams.

 

[Vegas Disney Fan]

I'm sure that was part of it. This is a Bob Chapek project, after all. But to create a show vehicle within a bus, you'd need heavy modifications to the bus itself, and then because of that you have to beef up it's frame and suspension.

Just like passenger train cars have much lighter suspensions and have much lighter payload capacities than cargo train cars, a commercial box truck is going to have much higher payload capacities and handle onboard torque and movement stresses far better than an airport shuttle bus.

But, like that tacky photo of Mr. Vahle posing with a bunch of unready CM's in nurse uniforms, the lack of awareness to not realize this box truck shuttle thing would attract attention is troubling. Who's in charge???

The Safari vehicles were built on truck chassis for similar reasons, why completely re-engineer a bus for additional weight when you can just use a truck chassis instead?