News Star Wars Galactic Starcruiser coming to Walt Disney World 2021

[SplashJacket]

They were actually grousing (a little bit) in a followup video that they were disappointed they couldn't possibly have done everything even if they tried. They felt they should have been able to it all.

Which is very, very true. In another video, two guests were sharing their bridge experience event and found out that they had different scenarios for each group. So, you can't possibly experience it all.

Besides making the Halcyon a 'repeatable' experience, it prevents those who went through the first bridge scene from being able to spoil the plot with the next group.

One online blogger said it was impossible to get up close to Rey. But watching a certain video, we could see that for a certain group of guests following a certain path... that was not their experience!

Honestly. This just sounds awesome. This is the sort of thing you can't do on the Disney Wish and its Star Wars experiences. These are things that can only be done in something like the Star Cruiser. This was never possible at Galaxy's Edge, besides maybe, "I don't think I need to serve you anything, my report here says you already crashed the Falcon," but that's not what we're seeing here. This is a step up, and is very, very cool!

 

[Casper Gutman]

You may have seen this video, but here the actor is calling participants by name. He then, in an in-story sort of stroll down memory lane, mentions a handful of story beats and asked who was present for each of them. I think there’s a production team keeping track of guest interactions and story choices. So it would make sense that a guest receive a datapad message as a follow-up to an assignment by a character (“don’t forget! In our brief discussion by the elevators, I asked you to go to the engineering room and steal the tool other guests are using to flip switches and stuff“).

They’ve had this tech ready to go for years - about a decade, at least. It was meant to be integrated into several projects, including GE, but it always got cut. Basically, Disney didn’t think the gen pop of plebeian guests deserved it, so they locked it away behind a $6000 paywall.

 

[fryoj]

You definitely should look elsewhere. This clearly isn't for you!

What do you mean? This is exactly the type of thing your average rando that likes to complain on the internet looks for in an attraction.

 

[_caleb]

They’ve had this tech ready to go for years - about a decade, at least. It was meant to be integrated into several projects, including GE, but it always got cut. Basically, Disney didn’t think the gen pop of plebeian guests deserved it, so they locked it away behind a $6000 paywall.

Right. And as frustrating/disappointing as that is, I'm hopeful that maybe this will prove to Disney that the tech (and the experience/customer service the tech can provide) works to engage with guests in a way that guests respond well to.

I understand that currently in the Parks, my magic band can show my name on the screen for a CM to reference (if they choose). But I'm not sure how they'd scale the whole "production team whisper's my name in face character's ear so they can call my family by name" thing across the Parks.

I get that Disney can't trace how streetmosphere might translate into revenue, but it does seem like they've built the entirety of Avengers Campus in DCA around the concept. I'm hopeful they will eventually bring it to SW:GE–along with a "A Pirate's Adventures: Treasures of the Seven Seas"-style station-to-station scavenger hunt (app-based or otherwise). Maybe?

 

[_caleb]

What do you mean? This is exactly the type of thing your average rando that likes to complain on the internet looks for in an attraction.

I genuinely wasn't trying to be mean when I said, "this isn't for you." But man, when people complain about this not being something that it never was meant to be...

I'm here to talk about the Galactic Starcruiser with people who are at least curious about it.

 

[_caleb]

While I did (and still do) make fun of the scheduled funtivities, reviews have shown that "missions" start popping up on your schedule once you interact with certain CMs. So yes, bingo exists for little kids without a phone and the wherewithal to dig into the "story," but those older will already be too busy, I don't know, apparently helping Gaya find a pan flute for her acoustic set.View attachment 624445

Yep. This is what @MisterPenguin was referring to. How does the datapad know what side missions I've been assigned? Somehow, when the character gives an assignment/mission, that mission is added to the itinerary of those who were within earshot? It must be connected to the Magic Bands (or whatever Starwarsy name they've been given in-story). This is pretty neat.

Wouldn't it be cool if something like this was implemented for character meet-and-greets in the Parks? Like instead of my kid collecting signatures, they were able to "friend" the characters on some Disney Parks social media network and continue to interact with those characters after the encounter?

Does the Genie app do anything like this?

 

[Casper Gutman]

Right. And as frustrating/disappointing as that is, I'm hopeful that maybe this will prove to Disney that the tech (and the experience/customer service the tech can provide) works to engage with guests in a way that guests respond well to.

I understand that currently in the Parks, my magic band can show my name on the screen for a CM to reference (if they choose). But I'm not sure how they'd scale the whole "production team whisper's my name in face character's ear so they can call my family by name" thing across the Parks.

I get that Disney can't trace how streetmosphere might translate into revenue, but it does seem like they've built the entirety of Avengers Campus in DCA around the concept. I'm hopeful they will eventually bring it to SW:GE–along with a "A Pirate's Adventures: Treasures of the Seven Seas"-style station-to-station scavenger hunt (app-based or otherwise). Maybe?

This system was designed to be implemented on a theme-park-land level scale, to do EXACTLY what it’s doing for a privileged few for the average guest.

I don’t see any reason at all to imagine that a resort that has spent a decade ELIMINATING perks and entertainment of every sort - streetmosphere in particular - would add this. It’s inclusion in the Starcruiser makes it LESS likely to show up elsewhere, since that would make the absurdly expensive hotel to which execs have pinned their egos less enticing.

To put it more succinctly, the resort that doesn’t feature parking lot trams or regular housekeeping isn’t implementing a complex computerized LARPING system.

 

[_caleb]

They were actually grousing (a little bit) in a followup video that they were disappointed they couldn't possibly have done everything even if they tried. They felt they should have been able to it all.

Which is very, very true. In another video, two guests were sharing their bridge experience event and found out that they had different scenarios for each group. So, you can't possibly experience it all.

Besides making the Halcyon a 'repeatable' experience, it prevents those who went through the first bridge scene from being able to spoil the plot with the next group.

One online blogger said it was impossible to get up close to Rey. But watching a certain video, we could see that for a certain group of guests following a certain path... that was not their experience!

I agree that too much to do is way better than not enough. I think it's hilarious that participants would 1) assumed everyone on their cruise had the same experience/interactions they did and 2) that they could experience every possible story moment during the 2-day cruise.

Also, this level of complexity is a big part of what I think people misunderstand about the Starcruiser. It's like an IRL open world video game, where stuff is happening in realtime all around you. You basically have to decide which story elements/threads you're going to choose throughout the entire experience.

Whoever referred to it as a "Choose Your Own Adventure" earlier was right!

 

[_caleb]

This system was designed to be implemented on a theme-park-land level scale, to do EXACTLY what it’s doing for a privileged few for the average guest.

I don’t see any reason at all to imagine that a resort that has spent a decade ELIMINATING perks and entertainment of every sort - streetmosphere in particular - would add this. It’s inclusion in the Starcruiser makes it LESS likely to show up elsewhere, since that would make the absurdly expensive hotel to which execs have pinned their egos less enticing.

To put it more succinctly, the resort that doesn’t feature parking lot trams or regular housekeeping isn’t implementing a complex computerized LARPING system.

I think the Starcruiser application of the tech actually adds a human production team. I think there are people watching/listening to all the action and then feeding info into the earpieces of the actors. This is not something that would scale easily.

You're probably right about Disney not having incentive to add anything like this across the Parks. Maybe as a paid add-on?

 

[yensidtlaw1969]

The biggest issue I have with the theming is Disney’s decision to cast the Halcyon as having been “restored.” The Star Wars universe aesthetic is consistently a “lived-in“ appearance, even in palaces and government buildings. The costumes/uniforms are part of that.

The Starcruiser looks new in a way that makes it look less Starwarsy.

Somewhere in my brain I thought this was maybe gonna be a "bait and switch" - That they would be touting how the Halcyon has been restored, only for it to become more apparent over the course of the stay that the restoration was either half-baked or still in progress, and there would be spaces and story moments that feel extra rugged and Star Wars-y because of it.

The only thing that seems to really come close to that thought is the Engine Room, which is, fittingly, less sleek. But it would have been fun to see more moments "beyond the designated areas for Travelers" in the lower, unfinished decks of the ship where maybe more mischief could be had.

 

[GimpYancIent]

I think the Starcruiser application of the tech actually adds a human production team. I think there are people watching/listening to all the action and then feeding info into the earpieces of the actors. This is not something that would scale easily.

You're probably right about Disney not having incentive to add anything like this across the Parks. Maybe as a paid add-on?

Now you are talking Bob lingo! "Paid add on" or how about the famous "up charge" or "for a nominal fee".

 

[_caleb]

Somewhere in my brain I thought this was maybe gonna be a "bait and switch" - That they would be touting how the Halcyon has been restored, only for it to become more apparent over the course of the stay that the restoration was either half-baked or still in progress, and there would be spaces and story moments that feel extra rugged and Star Wars-y because of it.

The only thing that seems to really come close to that thought is the Engine Room, which is, fittingly, less sleek. But it would have been fun to see more moments "beyond the designated areas for Travelers" in the lower, unfinished decks of the ship where maybe more mischief could be had.

Right?! And how cool would it be to have explorable areas that don't show up on the map? Rooms/areas that have the aged/lived-in, Starwarsy feel. Like when a cool speakeasy has a secret lounge only accessibly though a bookcase door or something.

 

[_caleb]

Now you are talking Bob lingo! "Paid add on" or how about the famous "up charge" or "for a nominal fee".

Oh, I'm a HUGE fan of paid add-ons. I LOVE being nickel and dimed at every turn. I especially enjoy paying extra for services and amenities that used to be included in the cost but were then cut for no reason other than to make more money for Bob. Bob really gets me.

 

[yensidtlaw1969]

Right?! And how cool would it be to have explorable areas that don't show up on the map? Rooms/areas that have the aged/lived-in, Starwarsy feel. Like when a cool speakeasy has a secret lounge only accessibly though a bookcase door or something.

Could you imagine if there was a "Crew Lounge" "below deck" where they hung out when they're "off the clock"? Maybe Gaya pops down there between sets, the crew of the Halcyon hang out and talk shop, ship, and murmurs are heard of the true nature of the ship and the impending presence of the First Order . . . You either have to find it for yourself or be "invited" by someone in the crew?

A Star Wars Speakeasy on the ship?

 

[GimpYancIent]

Right?! And how cool would it be to have explorable areas that don't show up on the map? Rooms/areas that have the aged/lived-in, Starwarsy feel. Like when a cool speakeasy has a secret lounge only accessibly though a bookcase door or something.

Or have a chute that will jettison the guests that try it into a trash compactor (Faux trash compactor / fully padded w soft cushy Faux trash of course). The kids in particular would get a kick out of it.

 

[_caleb]

Could you imagine if there was a "Crew Lounge" "below deck" where they hung out when they're "off the clock"? Maybe Gaya pops down there between sets, the crew of the Halcyon hang out and talk shop, ship, and murmurs are heard of the true nature of the ship and the impending presence of the First Order . . . You either have to find it for yourself or be "invited" by someone in the crew?

A Star Wars Speakeasy on the ship?

Or have a chute that will jettison the guests that try it into a trash compactor (Faux trash compactor / fully padded w soft cushy Faux trash of course). The kids in particular would get a kick out of it.

Bob Chapek, are you reading this? These ideas are GOLD and we're just GIVING them away!!

 

[MisterPenguin]

One video: A family finds the quest to the engineering room right away and go exploring. The children (about 5 and 7) find the hidden crawlspace that leads to the brig and crawl into it.

Some other person's video: This vlogger is on the tour that they give every 15 minutes before the big events start. They get to the brig and the guide says the brig was installed by the Empire and would sometimes throw insubordinate troopers in there, but now, never gets used and is locked up tight. They look through the glass on the brig's door and see the two children in there waving at them.

Did I mention the girl was wearing a trooper costume?

 

[GimpYancIent]

One video: A family finds the quest to the engineering room right away and go exploring. The children (about 5 and 7) find the hidden crawlspace that leads to the brig and crawl into it.

Some other person's video: This vlogger is on the tour that they give every 15 minutes before the big events start. They get to the brig and the guide says the brig was installed by the Empire and would sometimes throw insubordinate troopers in there, but now, never gets used and is locked up tight. They look through the glass on the brig's door and see the two children in there waving at them.

Did I mention the girl was wearing a trooper costume?

Kids can find and get into anything.

 

[_caleb]

One video: A family finds the quest to the engineering room right away and go exploring. The children (about 5 and 7) find the hidden crawlspace that leads to the brig and crawl into it.

Some other person's video: This vlogger is on the tour that they give every 15 minutes before the big events start. They get to the brig and the guide says the brig was installed by the Empire, but now, never gets used and is locked up tight. The look through the glass on the brig's door and see the two children in there waving at them.

I really like that this happened. I also like that they built it so that something like this was possible.
I just wish this was built into SW:GE and not only done on the way-too-expensive Starcruiser.

 

[waltography]

Random thought I had that I hope I don't jinx: given the close proximity with face characters, what happens when either an actor or guest ends up testing positive for COVID? What protocols would they have in place?

If your ten-year-old child does not have a smart phone, can they get a datapad issued to them like the bloggers did?

I remember reading in a review that all guests would check out a datapad upon arrival that would be returned at the end of the trip; apparently the goal is to eventually have the datapad functionalities in the current datapad on the Play Disney Parks app, but they've been having issues testing it on a variety of devices.

Somewhere in my brain I thought this was maybe gonna be a "bait and switch" - That they would be touting how the Halcyon has been restored, only for it to become more apparent over the course of the stay that the restoration was either half-baked or still in progress, and there would be spaces and story moments that feel extra rugged and Star Wars-y because of it.

The only thing that seems to really come close to that thought is the Engine Room, which is, fittingly, less sleek. But it would have been fun to see more moments "beyond the designated areas for Travelers" in the lower, unfinished decks of the ship where maybe more mischief could be had.

I wish this were at least a B-plot; I want a deeper Titanic-level conspiracy to unravel. What is Chandrila Star Line? Why did the Starcruiser fall into disrepair in the first place, and what's the real reason they've restored it and taken it on this maiden voyage?