News Star Wars Galactic Starcruiser coming to Walt Disney World 2021

[Incomudro]

Just in case there was any confusion out there.

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disneyworld.disney.go.com

To be fair, it is borderline reasonable to expect that at $6k, you might be buying a true ticket into space.

"Experience the sensation of voyaging" sounds like the most promising thing I've heard.
Could there be some sense of movement built into some area of this ship?
That'd help enormously.
If not movement, sound.
There has to be an engine sound - which would work even better if it could be tied to movement.
I realize the entire building doesn't move.

 

[wdwmagic]

Could there be some sense of movement built into some area of this ship?

The box truck is about as much movement as you are going to get.

 

[TikibirdLand]

If not movement, sound.

There has to be an engine sound

Ferrari. Definitely needs to sound like a Ferrari.

 

[orion54]

In the realm of could have, should have it would have been a master stroke to utilize the (rather roomy) area where the Star Cruiser sits + to develop / build a detailed Star Wars themed true 5-star resort, say, use the cloud city or the royal palace on Naboo as templates. For immersive the resort restaurant could be full on costumed CM's interactive affair. A lot of possibilities for extravagance, style, with LARPing and Cosplay opportunities and think of it No limit to the amount of time guests can stay. Yeah, could have, should have but Disney management (in all their enlightened wisdom) didn't. This is what happens when one turns to the Dark side.

I think Disney would be printing money if they built a 5th park based on Starr Wars with a Star Wars hotel(s) attached. They could have a Light and Dark side halves of the park with the neutrals in the middle and even a section for the Crime syndicates. Hotels could be Light and Dark side as well. LARP away. Or they could have hubs in the park as different worlds where each has Light and Dark side element. Either way I think this would have be a huge success. Of course when Cheapak and Mister Slim jeans cuts the crap out of the budget it would end up like this hotel. Oh excuse me, "cruise".

 

[orion54]

The box truck is about as much movement as you are going to get.

Like a Banth!

 

[The Mom]

Please remember the rule about being civil and treating each other with respect, as some of you seem to have forgotten it. Thank you.

 

[EPCOT-O.G.]

If the food and lounge are the best part… sorta sounds like they could have built a conventional, Star Wars themed hotel. And put a live show in Battuu - as was intended before cuts.

But I’m sure overcharging and then talking down to fans won’t generate any bad PR. Star Wars fans are famously good natured and understanding, don’t blow things out of proportion, and love to be condescended to. And they’re VERY happy with Disney’s management of the brand and don’t think that their very serious franchise is being infantilized.

It sounds like Disney couldn’t have screwed this up much worse. Let’s watch.

Just curious, do we have a ballpark estimate on the costs to 1) build the Galactic Starcruiser hotel, and 2) the ongoing/recurring maintenance/CM payroll costs? It seems the cost to build is in the tens of millions

I am trying to think of the difference between this path they chose, and if they had just built a third attraction and/or table seating experience within the park, and the relative ROI.

 

[larryz]

 

[_caleb]

The box truck is about as much movement as you are going to get.

Maybe they’re using low-frequency sound to simulate engine vibrations? At least that’d be something.

 

[EPCOT-O.G.]

Maybe they’re using low-frequency sound to simulate engine vibrations? At least that’d be something.

Havana syndrome

 

[sedati]

"Experience the sensation of voyaging" sounds like the most promising thing I've heard.
Could there be some sense of movement built into some area of this ship?
That'd help enormously.
If not movement, sound.
There has to be an engine sound - which would work even better if it could be tied to movement.
I realize the entire building doesn't move.

I think it was IGN a few months ago really emphasised the hum of the ship along with other noises that added authenticity to the experience.

 

[sedati]

That is a very similar account that I have been told by testers.

In short, the latest comments I have heard are, it needs to be about a third of the price, it has a kids camp feel to it, the audience for this is not a serious Star Wars fan.

And I'm sure they were given surveys afterward. Hopefully they both made their concerns known and hopefully such concerns were listened to. This is the point of tests. Honestly, this whole concept may exist is a permanent state of test and adjust and that might not be a bad thing.

 

[UNCgolf]

Honestly, this whole concept may exist is a permanent state of test and adjust and that might not be a bad thing.

What in the world would make you think there is any chance that Disney would be willing to spend the money necessary to do that? They haven't displayed any willingness to commit to any kind of regular updates like that in decades.

I think they'll have to make some adjustments every once in a while to keep people going, but it seems wildly naive to think they're going to regularly alter the experience in any significant way.

 

[wdwmagic]

And I'm sure they were given surveys afterward. Hopefully they both made their concerns known and hopefully such concerns were listened to. This is the point of tests. Honestly, this whole concept may exist is a permanent state of test and adjust and that might not be a bad thing.

I think at this point it is so close to launch that most things are set in stone now, and it is largely a case of getting everything to an operational point for the paying guests. The major elements were finalized a while ago.

 

[sedati]

What in the world would make you think there is any chance that Disney would be willing to spend the money necessary to do that? They haven't displayed any willingness to commit to any kind of regular updates like that in decades.

I think they'll have to make some adjustments every once in a while to keep people going, but it seems wildly naive to think they're going to regularly alter the experience in any significant way.

Half this experience is performance and storytelling. That can evolve with little expense.

 

[lazyboy97o]

Half this experience is performance and storytelling. That can evolve with little expense.

Not when you’re dealing with a large, distrustful bureaucracy.

 

[UNCgolf]

Half this experience is performance and storytelling. That can evolve with little expense.

I think it would cost more than you're imagining -- they have to write scripts, train actors, etc. for any remotely significant change, and as @lazyboy97o mentioned, all of those things would almost certainly go through multiple levels of review through Disney's management structure.

Those things could be changed pretty easily in some places, but I don't think Disney could quickly make them.

 

[Animaniac93-98]

That last part is chilling to read.

Imagine holding your audience in such contempt that you'd charge $6,000 for a two day "immersive" experience and not feel like the goal should be to create something for the most passionate fans of the property. Imagine being so dense that you'd think people spending that much time and money on this experience wouldn't expect it to deliver some serious wish-fulfillment.

I just double checked the start date of this thread. July 2017.

That was still during the honeymoon phase of Disney's branded Star Wars products. 18 months after The Force Awakens became the highest grossing domestic release of all time [still is] with Rogue One being the only other movie released by then. It was before the backlash and drama surrounding The Last Jedi, before Solo became the first Star Wars movie not to turn a profit with box office receipts alone, before the softer than expected opening of Galaxy's Edge, before The Rise of Skywalker was listed as "rotten" on RT...

In early 2017, it really looked like anything Star Wars related Disney touched would turn to gold...

It's almost like this project continued to develop in a vacuum were that mindset was never tarnished or questioned. Whatever this experience was going to be, it would be a smash and the activities, size and price point of the Starcruiser was built around this optimism.

 

[flynnibus]

I think it would cost more than you're imagining -- they have to write scripts, train actors, etc. for any remotely significant change, and as @lazyboy97o mentioned, all of those things would almost certainly go through multiple levels of review through Disney's management structure.

Those things could be changed pretty easily in some places, but I don't think Disney could quickly make them.

I mean, it's not like Disney has any experience in this kind of stuff in the parks.. like streetmosphere, M&Gs, etc.

Yes I understand the point about bureaucracy but don't make it sound like it will take them huge expense and time to make simple tweaks and updated guidance to performers. It's still largely personal small group performances - not a national TV campaign.

Rework the whole program? Sure.. tune, adjust, tweak, improve. No

 

[UNCgolf]

I mean, it's not like Disney has any experience in this kind of stuff in the parks.. like streetmosphere, M&Gs, etc.

Yes I understand the point about bureaucracy but don't make it sound like it will take them huge expense and time to make simple tweaks and updated guidance to performers. It's still largely personal small group performances - not a national TV campaign.

Rework the whole program? Sure.. tune, adjust, tweak, improve. No

Simple tweaks, sure -- but that's not what he was suggesting, or at least that's not how I read it (which is why I specified remotely significant changes).

It sounded like he was talking about making regular, significant changes. That's what would be required to make it not feel like a "kid's camp" experience (quoting @wdwmagic); simple tweaks aren't going to do that.