News Star Wars Galactic Starcruiser coming to Walt Disney World 2021

[Vegas Disney Fan]

Of the voyages they canceled, I'd be very interested in the percentage of people who rebooked for a different date. If they did that to us, we probably wouldn't rebook imminently as we plan our travel far in advance, mostly thanks to DVC.

Also think it's fascinating that they have operational/occupancy flexibility that normal hotels/cruises don't have. Hotels/cruises realistically can't shutdown like this.

Unlike a hotel, which has extremely variable check-in/check-outs from its guests, Starcruiser guests are neatly organized on the dates they 'voyage', so they can cleanly shut down for 1-3 days at a time when a hotel couldn't without impacting a larger number of booked nights. And unlike a cruise, Starcruiser probably has nearly zero cost for the days it's shutdown as it's not a high-maintenance ship with port fees, resident crew, etc.

Hypothetically, instead of staying open 100% of dates with an average of a 70% occupancy rate and gutting out the painfully slow days, they have the flexibility to be open 85% of dates with a slightly boosted average occupancy rate (say, 80%) and no painfully slow days.

Of course Disney would prefer to have overwhelming demand, but in the face of reduced demand they have an operational lever that they've never really had before. Yeah, they will have fewer heads in beds total by canceling voyages but also reduced operating costs and maybe it makes some CM scheduling easier by synchronizing days off (e.g., Jiko, Victoria & Albert's).

They're definitely going to get interesting-to-me data from this and I'd definitely geek out over it if it were ever available.

The original post said they were giving a substantial discount to rebook for the voyages that were cancelled, up to 50%, I’d happily rearrange my plans by a few days to save $2500.

 

[_caleb]

That is useless

You’re right, that was completely useless!

The funny thing is that I didn’t actually mean to send a one word response. I was in the middle of typing and accidentally hit the button and then something came up and I had to step away for a bit. When I came back the conversation had moved on so I left it. I figured if anyone could handle it you could!

 

[LSLS]

Pretty sure you’re joking, but just in case…

No, I don’t want the star cruiser to fail. I don’t see why anyone would want it to fail. Its existence takes nothing away from experiencing Disney World. I’d like to do it, just cheaper than it currently stands. FWIW, I would be all for a dedicated normal SW hotel.

So the one person who wants to to fail still stands

I disagree. A lot of what the cruiser does is implement technology and plans originally announced as included in Galaxy's Edge. They decide to scrap that, and instead put it behind a $6,000 paywall. It absolutely took away from the parks.

 

[ehh]

The original post said they were giving a substantial discount to rebook for the voyages that was cancelled, up to 50%, I’d happily rearrange my plans by a few days to save $2500.

I would too if it were straightforward, but I don't know if I could if the surrounding dates were rooms booked with DVC points. It would depend how much warning there is and what DVC availability looked like.

 

[lazyboy97o]

I disagree. A lot of what the cruiser does is implement technology and plans originally announced as included in Galaxy's Edge. They decide to scrap that, and instead put it behind a $6,000 paywall. It absolutely took away from the parks.

I think it was more they realized people wouldn’t pay if they gave it away for free. I’d also guess that they have never really been able to scale up Story Engine (which was in development before even Galaxy’s Edge) to really work as just part of a theme park experience.

 

[Drdcm]

I disagree. A lot of what the cruiser does is implement technology and plans originally announced as included in Galaxy's Edge. They decide to scrap that, and instead put it behind a $6,000 paywall. It absolutely took away from the parks.

That’s a good point

 

[corran horn]

People must be crazy to think that Disney would keep something losing money -- and which has no hope of ever becoming profitable (again) -- running.




Nevermind.

Conspiracy theory powers activated!!

It feeds itself.

"it's failing but they can't lower prices because that'd show it's failing!"

"it's not worth it (not that I ever went) and people who liked it and thought it had value were either paid shills or they're idiots!"

 

[kingdead]

It feeds itself.

"it's failing but they can't lower prices because that'd show it's failing!"

"it's not worth it (not that I ever went) and people who liked it and thought it had value were either paid shills or they're idiots!"

Most of it is sour grapes, but it's deserved. It's an expensive Disney theme park, people want to think that they're going to experience something really unique and wonderful when they go. Knowing that a lot of the experiences--and again, a lot of the Starcruiser experiences are normal parts of theme park admission elsewhere or are at most $100 per person upsells*--are either $6k or completely unavailable? That has to sting.

* For example, if I bring my kid to Universal Studios and they want to do Wizarding World, it's $50 for the wand that "does magic." If I want my kid to have the equivalent theme park experience of "using the Force" at Galaxy's Edge, it's $6k and you have to go to a special room on a storyline? Ok!

 

[MisterPenguin]

Most of it is sour grapes, but it's deserved. It's an expensive Disney theme park, people want to think that they're going to experience something really unique and wonderful when they go. Knowing that a lot of the experiences--and again, a lot of the Starcruiser experiences are normal parts of theme park admission elsewhere or are at most $100 per person upsells*--are either $6k or completely unavailable? That has to sting.

* For example, if I bring my kid to Universal Studios and they want to do Wizarding World, it's $50 for the wand that "does magic." If I want my kid to have the equivalent theme park experience of "using the Force" at Galaxy's Edge, it's $6k and you have to go to a special room on a storyline? Ok!

I have often said it's too expensive.

At least, for me.

 

[Wendy Pleakley]

Most of it is sour grapes, but it's deserved. It's an expensive Disney theme park, people want to think that they're going to experience something really unique and wonderful when they go. Knowing that a lot of the experiences--and again, a lot of the Starcruiser experiences are normal parts of theme park admission elsewhere or are at most $100 per person upsells*--are either $6k or completely unavailable? That has to sting.

* For example, if I bring my kid to Universal Studios and they want to do Wizarding World, it's $50 for the wand that "does magic." If I want my kid to have the equivalent theme park experience of "using the Force" at Galaxy's Edge, it's $6k and you have to go to a special room on a storyline? Ok!

It's definitely disappointing that the story elements planned for Galaxy's Edge got moved behind a large paywall.

On the other hand, it would be hard to have those elements be accessible for a park seeing tens of thousands of guests at a time.

A middle ground would be nice for people who want some of that but not via the StarCruiser.

 

[corran horn]

Most of it is sour grapes, but it's deserved. It's an expensive Disney theme park, people want to think that they're going to experience something really unique and wonderful when they go. Knowing that a lot of the experiences--and again, a lot of the Starcruiser experiences are normal parts of theme park admission elsewhere or are at most $100 per person upsells*--are either $6k or completely unavailable? That has to sting.

* For example, if I bring my kid to Universal Studios and they want to do Wizarding World, it's $50 for the wand that "does magic." If I want my kid to have the equivalent theme park experience of "using the Force" at Galaxy's Edge, it's $6k and you have to go to a special room on a storyline? Ok!

The wand comparison would be similar to a MagicBand+ and the Bounty Hunter game in my opinion. Having done the GS I don't think 'a lot' of the experiences are 'normal parts' of theme park admission elsewhere.

 

[LSLS]

I'm sure I'll get labeled a conspiracy theorist with this, but, I have a hard time believing it was just logistics. They had to have been far enough along that they felt comfortable announcing it in 2017, but in designing it they never considered if it would be logistically possible? Meanwhile, they announce an ultra-hotel that needs one-of-a-kind attractions to justify the exorbitant price tag they want to put on it? I find it just more likely that someone higher up thought they could recoup some of those costs, and that people would come to GE without that stuff anyways.

 

[corran horn]

I'm sure I'll get labeled a conspiracy theorist with this, but, I have a hard time believing it was just logistics. They had to have been far enough along that they felt comfortable announcing it in 2017, but in designing it they never considered if it would be logistically possible? Meanwhile, they announce an ultra-hotel that needs one-of-a-kind attractions to justify the exorbitant price tag they want to put on it? I find it just more likely that someone higher up thought they could recoup some of those costs, and that people would come to GE without that stuff anyways.

I don't think that's a conspiracy theory. I think that's what happened. I have an "art of galaxy's edge" book somewhere and there's certainly things that never got made (rides) and amenities that never were incorporated into the 'vanilla' park experience.

 

[Coaster Lover]

It's a shame they can't find a way to utilize some of the "ship's" resources the days they don't have a voyage. For example, I'd imagine they'd have no issues booking the restaurant at a reasonably premium price. Give Galaxy's Edge the restaurant it always needed. Wouldn't completely make up for the fact that the starcruiser doesn't have overnight guests, but it would help...

 

[_caleb]

It's a shame they can't find a way to utilize some of the "ship's" resources the days they don't have a voyage. For example, I'd imagine they'd have no issues booking the restaurant at a reasonably premium price. Give Galaxy's Edge the restaurant it always needed. Wouldn't completely make up for the fact that the starcruiser doesn't have overnight guests, but it would help...

Except that the restaurant (as TP has posted about several times) isn’t exactly the best part of the Starcruiser. In fact, I’m not sure any of it was designed to stand alone as an experience. As a whole, those who have done the Starcruiser say it’s fantastic. But piecemeal, I imagine it would be disappointing.

 

[brideck]

Except that the restaurant (as TP has posted about several times) isn’t exactly the best part of the Starcruiser. In fact, I’m not sure any of it was designed to stand alone as an experience. As a whole, those who have done the Starcruiser say it’s fantastic. But piecemeal, I imagine it would be disappointing.

If you kept the whole Gaia performance (or created some new performance for non-cruise dining) and made it a dinner theater kind of thing, it could work, but you'd have to find enough people willing to give up 2-3 hours of park time and pay whatever the appropriate prix fixe would be to do it. There are story elements in the show, but those could be minimized/rewritten for those performances. Even so, you'd have to walk past some things on the ship to get to the dining area from the transport bay, so it would be a potentially odd experience. The urge to explore would be pretty strong.

 

[Incomudro]

It's definitely disappointing that the story elements planned for Galaxy's Edge got moved behind a large paywall.

On the other hand, it would be hard to have those elements be accessible for a park seeing tens of thousands of guests at a time.

A middle ground would be nice for people who want some of that but not via the StarCruiser.

The personal story elements always sounded undoable given the quantity of guests.
However, they certainly could have - should have given us live characters roaming GE, putting on "shows", etc.
(I know this is done on a small scale, but it should be larger and make GE look like it's actually inhabited rather than like Pandora is after everyone left.)

 

[drizgirl]

The personal story elements always sounded undoable given the quantity of guests.
However, they certainly could have - should have given us live characters roaming GE, putting on "shows", etc.
(I know this is done on a small scale, but it should be larger and make GE look like it's actually inhabited rather than like Pandora is after everyone left.)

Universal manages to put on 4 live shows several times a day in Hogsmeade and Diagon Alley, despite the small size of those lands and the huge number of people who visit. It adds so much life to those areas.

 

[celluloid]

Universal manages to put on 4 live shows several times a day in Hogsmeade and Diagon Alley, despite the small size of those lands and the huge number of people who visit. It adds so much life to those areas.

Exactly.
Also notable, are the other entertainment offerings there that increase the idea and atmosphere that the world is lived in.

 

[_caleb]

Universal manages to put on 4 live shows several times a day in Hogsmeade and Diagon Alley, despite the small size of those lands and the huge number of people who visit. It adds so much life to those areas.

Since they’re committed to the idea of timeline-specific immersion, I would like to see them add “streetmosphere” rather than shows. If they want entertainment, they could maybe add a droid or alien busker or something. Otherwise, I’d like to see people bustling about, interacting with one another, etc.

Similar to some of what we see at Avengers Campus at DCA….