News Star Wars Galactic Starcruiser coming to Walt Disney World 2021

[Incomudro]

Just like the other examples.. when you take control over all of a person's senses, you can be quite convincing. Being on a truck really doesn't matter that much.. insulation fixes the noise issues and movement can be disguised with other sensory input. Alas what we see here is probably limited to light, sound, and rumble effects. Choreography is the key to convincing people of things.. the question is 'how far did Disney go?'

Based on the bits we have seen now, I'm not convinced very far

Yeah, I'm not betting they've put much of that into this either.
It looks like they've built interiors, and there will likely be an audio.
Perhaps - and I hope - there will be some kind of narration video.

 

[THE 1HAPPY HAUNT]

I think you're on to something there. But instead of it just being above you, how about the exterior is all around you. Like a floating glass box in space. It'd be a challenge and small (pools on cruise ships tend to be tiny besides) but it'd be something different. I'm sure an older Disney would have achieved it rather than the current management's half arsed approach to everything.

Yassssss!!

 

[Rickcat96]

For 6k, less than 48 hours, I would expect to be transported to SWGE sitting on top of a Bantha. The constant go big, deliver far less, but charge according to the big is what turns me off. Not Star Wars.

 

[correcaminos]

I don't think that is the target at all really. Just like they don't expect people to come to WDW just for a race.. they expect people to do a race AND a Disney stay.

I think the target is like the Sea and Land cruise bookings. You book this as a bumper experience along with a Disney stay.

That may not be their target, but I can tell you friends who are interested are not doing Disney at all. Just this.

 

[Cesar R M]

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.

If I was Disney, I would have made a play by making a StarWars version of "U Haul" commercial, with all the luxyury (A well done commercial, not the cringe worthy sitcom style of D'Amaro or that dude with the singer)
"We Deliver you.. to another world"

 

[Morkey Moose]

And in all likelihood, the inside of the truck probably is excellently themed. - so post a picture and nip it in the bud. It's not like they don't have a whole team dedicated to brand perception on social media to pick up on the outcry. Universal certainly did.

 

[Incomudro]

And in all likelihood, the inside of the truck probably is excellently themed. - so post a picture and nip it in the bud. It's not like they don't have a whole team dedicated to brand perception on social media to pick up on the outcry. Universal certainly did.

Excellently themed, sure.
But many people thought there would be built in "windows" simulating an outside view for their trip.
Or even a whole system of visuals and audios simulating takeoff, flight, and landing.
It seriously doesn't look like they've put that sort of effort into this transport.
You're in a truck, with a Starwarsy interior.

 

[mmascari]

For 6k, less than 48 hours, I would expect to be transported to SWGE sitting on top of a Bantha. The constant go big, deliver far less, but charge according to the big is what turns me off. Not Star Wars.

A space Bantha? I don't remember them having orbital capability in the movies.

Same goes for many suggestions we've seen here. That walkway, or moving walkway one. Not a lot of doing that from orbit. For the "just have the ship land instead", they tend not to have the big ships land in the movies. Plus, if you're going to land in the middle of the cruise, why take a shuttle up to start. Not to mention "landing" is a pretty big story element and doesn't work well with people all going at different times, something different shuttles all do well.

A tunnel or elevated track, or surface level track would all just be platforms for some other thing at least. Instead, they used a surface level path with a trackless ride vehicle controlled by a dedicated operator. At least we assume there's an operator, maybe it's self guided. For that matter, has anyone been close enough to tell if it's got a gas engine? Maybe it's an electric drive.


Then again, maybe they just roll up temporary steps or tell you to mind the gap while you look down the side of the vehicle. I'm sure they just neglected to think of this while building dedicated terminals at both ends of the ride.

 

[jasminethecat]

I don't think that is the target at all really. Just like they don't expect people to come to WDW just for a race.. they expect people to do a race AND a Disney stay.

I think the target is like the Sea and Land cruise bookings. You book this as a bumper experience along with a Disney stay.

For 6k, less than 48 hours, I would expect to be transported to SWGE sitting on top of a Bantha. The constant go big, deliver far less, but charge according to the big is what turns me off. Not Star Wars.

So why is Disney even offering excursions to SWGE when it's only a 48-hour trip through the galaxy, and most customers would be going to DHS during their trip separately? You cannot complain about any other lightning lane prices if that's a big selling point of the Starcruiser - "it comes with a no-wait ride on RoTR!". (I didn't mean you guys were complaining about LL prices, i mean people in general shouldn't complain about $15 extra for a ride when a $5000 hotel stay gets you in the ride queue.)

 

[mmascari]

But many people thought there would be built in "windows" simulating an outside view for their trip.
Or even a whole system of visuals and audios simulating takeoff, flight, and landing.

From what we've seen, how do we know there isn't?

There might be, there might not be. But, based on what's been posted in this thread, I don't think there's a way to say which it is.

 

[Disstevefan1]

It's easy to make fun of the box truck. I loved the post Universal made, its very funny and timely.

When I see the box truck, I can totally understand the logic; a big open space that can be totally on the inside only since the passengers will never see the outside.

On the other hand, we all know how they dressed the animatronics with period correct underwear knowing no one would ever see it.

Fact is, EVERYONE has seen the box truck now; just as if someone pulled the pants down of an animatronic.

It would be cool if they themed the outside of the box van to look like a shuttle craft of some kind.

I know, I know, for TWDC, the times of "period correct underwear level of detail" is gone forever..

 

[jinx8402]

I wonder if the "door" extends some sort of canopy or cover so even if the driver misses the mark. They can still "extend" the connection bridge to prevent the users from viewing the unthemed cast member only section.
Similar on how planes have this canopy that roll and cover the plane side.

From my understanding, yes, there is something similar to a jetway that extends and connects to the frame. Then the door slides open. If you look, the terminal is raised up so there would need to be something that extends out for wheelchair access.

 

[Incomudro]

From what we've seen, how do we know there isn't?

There might be, there might not be. But, based on what's been posted in this thread, I don't think there's a way to say which it is.

I can only base my belief from what we've seen.
From what we've been shown, Disney hasn't gone as all out on this as they've originally suggested - and as we've hoped.
I highly doubt they're investing some crazy tech/simulation effects in those vehicles.
It just doesn't look like an area they're investing money in.
I'm betting you're in a truck with a fabricated interior (well done for sure) and there is some sort of transport engine audio, and hopefully a video of maybe a droid driver on the wall facing the cab.
I'd love to be wrong, I really would, and I'll be very happy to admit it if I am.
I want this to be amazing.
But indications just don't point to an all out approach.

 

[Rickcat96]

I can only base my belief from what we've seen.
From what we've been shown, Disney hasn't gone as all out on this as they've originally suggested - and as we've hoped.
I highly doubt they're investing some crazy tech/simulation effects in those vehicles.
It just doesn't look like an area they're investing money in.
I'm betting you're in a truck with a fabricated interior (well done for sure) and there is some sort of transport engine audio, and hopefully a video of maybe a droid driver on the wall facing the cab.
I'd love to be wrong, I really would, and I'll be very happy to admit it if I am.
I want this to be amazing.
But indications just don't point to an all out approach.

I hope it is also, would love to take my grandkids. I'll chicken out and wait for reviews first, I no longer "blindly" follow Disney anymore.

 

[MisterPenguin]

You can't judge a truck by its cladding.

-Walt Disney​

 

[Morkey Moose]

Excellently themed, sure.
But many people thought there would be built in "windows" simulating an outside view for their trip.
Or even a whole system of visuals and audios simulating takeoff, flight, and landing.
It seriously doesn't look like they've put that sort of effort into this transport.
You're in a truck, with a Starwarsy interior.

I'm actually far more concerned about all of the "windows" at the hotel, since I found the ones at Space 220 underwhelming. I considered that place to be a sort of proof of concept and, well, yeesh. It graphically already looks dated.

 

[jasminethecat]

I can only base my belief from what we've seen.
From what we've been shown, Disney hasn't gone as all out on this as they've originally suggested - and as we've hoped.
I highly doubt they're investing some crazy tech/simulation effects in those vehicles.
It just doesn't look like an area they're investing money in.
I'm betting you're in a truck with a fabricated interior (well done for sure) and there is some sort of transport engine audio, and hopefully a video of maybe a droid driver on the wall facing the cab.
I'd love to be wrong, I really would, and I'll be very happy to admit it if I am.
I want this to be amazing.
But indications just don't point to an all out approach.

It doesn't need crazy tech, many box trucks have air shocks which raise and lower the box to match a loading dock (so you can drive a forklift onto them). Combining a simple lowering/raising effect with interior video screens and loud interior metallic banging sounds when you detach and attach from the loading zones would give a good-enough feeling of motion without being crazy expensive.

 

[Hawg G]

Just like the other examples.. when you take control over all of a person's senses, you can be quite convincing. Being on a truck really doesn't matter that much.. insulation fixes the noise issues and movement can be disguised with other sensory input. Alas what we see here is probably limited to light, sound, and rumble effects. Choreography is the key to convincing people of things.. the question is 'how far did Disney go?'

Based on the bits we have seen now, I'm not convinced very far

The Hogwarts Express doesn’t stop and take 90 degree turns.

It sure seems to me a simple tunnel covered rail transport would have been not that expensive, could have been almost straight, and easier to theme with screens.

Then, when it fails, as HE has this past week, you use some box trucks.

 

[flynnibus]

So why is Disney even offering excursions to SWGE when it's only a 48-hour trip through the galaxy, and most customers would be going to DHS during their trip separately? You cannot complain about any other lightning lane prices if that's a big selling point of the Starcruiser - "it comes with a no-wait ride on RoTR!". (I didn't mean you guys were complaining about LL prices, i mean people in general shouldn't complain about $15 extra for a ride when a $5000 hotel stay gets you in the ride queue.)

The sales pitch was this was an extension of your stay... including interactivity events that would be tied to your activity on the ship (think Disney App on phone). Who knows how elaborate that really is, or if it even made it to the final product.

I think the answer to your question is more the inverse... 'how could you stay at this star wars experience and NOT experience Disney's biggest star wars project to date'.

 

[SWGalaxys_Edge]

From my understanding, yes, there is something similar to a jetway that extends and connects to the frame. Then the door slides open. If you look, the terminal is raised up so there would need to be something that extends out for wheelchair access.