News Star Wars Galactic Starcruiser coming to Walt Disney World 2021

[WDWTrojan]

Actual cruise ships have every passenger participate in a muster drill to know how to react in case of an emergency before sailing. My only complaint is this video would be fine before arrival, but once at the Starcruiser, Disney should be keeping things 100% in-story. Though they probably would need to be blunt about story moments and real emergencies so people would get it.

I'm sure lawyers got involved. There's no way to make sure everyone sits through a safety video at home.

 

[TP2000]

"Son, just because your mother divorced me over my "Michael Jackson's coat meets Hillary Clinton's hair" phase I'm going through with my appearance... that doesn't mean I am a bad father. I wanted to prove it to you by taking you on the best vacation you could ever dream of; to a place where imagination is endless, and YOU create the story. But Magic Kingdom was sold out this entire week, so we're stuck with this. I tried."

Thank you for calling out his hairpiece. I was wondering about that. Plugs? A rug? Or a Hillary Clinton superfan?

 

[WDWTrojan]

Something that could be explained and differentiated through words and descriptions - WITHOUT SHOWING THE SHOW being stopped.

We can explain to people what a fire drill is like without having to show them a video of it and how it's different from the office party.

Heck, they could have even made it better by making it being part of the opening greeting by the staff by doing it elegantly in the show to explain the differences.

Or simply part of the dialog by the staff as you check-in.

This sledgehammer approach is DUMB. Disney mastered the technique of blending safety briefings INTO THE SHOW in the 80s and 90s.. and now we've forgotten all of that.

Watch the Indiana Jones preshow and then watch this. Heck, even watch the Indiana Jones STUNT show introduction.. then watch this. Both examples of how to get your message across without having to contradict everything you just signed up to believe in.

Lawyers, my friend. Lawyers.

 

[TikibirdLand]

I will admit, I don’t have the highest hopes for this experience. I am however, excited to see what comes out tomorrow. Like everyone has said we probably can’t trust many reviews, but the actual content should be entertaining enough.

That safety video made me more excited to see more about this, I don’t know why it is your standard safety video something about it made me excited though. Side Note: The guy in that video is one of the hosts on Disney Parks Live (when they have the announcers speak before and after events).

As a massive fan, it’s going to be exciting how this turns out. Of course, their are many red flags to indicate this may not go well but we shall see. This is probably the closest I’m going to get to experience this myself at least for the time being. I really want some of the ideas here integrated into Galaxy’s Edge proper but that’s a story for a different thread.

I didn't get a close look. But, I believe that's Mark Daniel. He had been doing announcing duties at Indianna Jones recently. He did the announcements for Happily Ever After. I'm a big fan!

 

[Sir_Cliff]

10000%. When I walk up to DINOSAUR, I see the Dino Institute. The MASSIVE show building behind was carefully and strategically hidden by WDI at great expense. With the argument many are saying here, it would have been A-OK to leave it exposed, as people would think "oh that's great, the big green building houses the supports for my Time Rover!"

I'm so surprised anyone is justifying seeing the plain, concrete Starcruiser building as you drive up to the hotel on the basis that you should just imagine it's something else. That's not how themed design traditionally works! People aren't morons, their first thought will be "oh, that's where we're staying for the next 2 nights."

Didn't Disney just pay a lot of money upgrading the entry experience to all of their theme parks? It seems weird this is the one project where they feel it's not worth it. I'm beginning to feel more and more that @UNCgolf is right and Disney has more or less written off this project before it's even opened and thus cut as many corners as they could get away with to preemptively minimise their losses while still saying they gave it a shot.

 

[donsullivan]

It’s really sad that most here have decided that no matter what anyone has to say when the embargo drops, if it isn’t aggressively negative it will be shouted down into oblivion. It will be impossible to get any factual information at all that isn’t beaten into the ground with negative attacks and if recent history is any indication rife with personal attacks on the messengers.

 

[Patcheslee]

Looks like the lightsaber training involves CMs behind each person

Review: Star Wars: Galactic Starcruiser is an Out of This Galaxy Experience

Imagine this: you’ve just lifted off your home planet and in the distance, you see it, the Halcyon, a glamourous starcruiser operated by Chandrila Star Line. Before you know it your pod links up with the ship and the blast doors open with that distinctive Star Wars door-opening sound; suddenly...

disabilityatdisney.com

 

[Sir_Cliff]

It’s really sad that most here have decided that no matter what anyone has to say when the embargo drops, if it isn’t aggressively negative it will be shouted down into oblivion. It will be impossible to get any factual information at all that isn’t beaten into the ground with negative attacks and if recent history is any indication rife with personal attacks on the messengers.

There will always be a variety of responses, but I don't feel that way. Like others, I have been negatively surprised by some of the details that have announced. I have nothing invested in it being a failure, though, and I'm happy to be pleasantly surprised if reports of those who have experienced it are positive. For example, the report from the person above sounds like they had a great time.

I am fully aware that this could be the greatest execution of this kind of concept and it still wouldn't be for me, so I am not resentful about missing out nor do I particularly care about which elements of the franchise they are emphasising. As a Disney parks fan, though, it is one of the more fascinating projects to watch unfold that I can remember.

I also think it is valid to at least approach reviews that have been sponsored in some ways with a critical eye. For example, if you see a glowing report by a travel writer about a cruise that mentions at the end they were guests of the cruise line, don't you at least take that into account in how you evaluate it? That doesn't mean you're calling anyone a liar or a fraud, it's just using basic critical thinking skills. There is a reason in traditional media these kinds of arrangements are supposed to be revealed to the reader/viewer.

 

[donsullivan]

There will always be a variety of responses, but I don't feel that way. Like others, I have been negatively surprised by some of the details that have announced. I have nothing invested in it being a failure, though, and I'm happy to be pleasantly surprised if reports of those who have experienced it are positive. For example, the report from the person above sounds like they had a great time.

I am fully aware that this could be the greatest execution of this kind of concept and it still wouldn't be for me, so I am not resentful about missing out nor do I particularly care about which elements of the franchise they are emphasising. As a Disney parks fan, though, it is one of the more fascinating projects to watch unfold that I can remember.

I also think it is valid to at least approach reviews that have been sponsored in some ways with a critical eye. For example, if you see a glowing report by a travel writer about a cruise that mentions at the end they were guests of the cruise line, don't you at least take that into account in how you evaluate it? That doesn't mean you're calling anyone a liar or a fraud, it's just using basic critical thinking skills. There is a reason in traditional media these kinds of arrangements are supposed to be revealed to the reader/viewer.

It’s totally fine and appropriate to look at the details of the experience and decide that it’s just not right for you. I’ve got a reservation in June so I’m curious to get factual information of what I should expect to experience but I fear it will be nearly impossible to get factual data not tarnished with a firehouse of negative attacks on the fact that this even exists.

 

[Patcheslee]

Fox51 has a video of the finale up, I can't get link to paste.

 

[LSLS]

The problem with that is . . . no it isn't.

The reality is that this building is the Starcruiser, but that's not what the guests are meant to believe. So you need to provide them with a plausible alternative - like that there is no building there in which the Starcruiser experience could be taking place. Or that if there is, at least you're not seeing any evidence of it.

I bet you zero out of 1,000 people will see the Starcruiser warehouse and go "that must be where they house the supplies for the little Shuttle that takes us to space". No, it's obvious what's really going on there, and it ruins that part of the illusion. Of course most guests know they aren't actually going to space, but the entire point of this sort of enterprise is to remove all evidence to the contrary. A real cruise is one thing, because the lame buildings at a cruise port are 1) necessary, and 2) not the actual site of the event. Your cruise ship is plenty more appealing, and I bet most people focus their attention on that. But the Starcruiser doesn't have an actual, compelling, on-earth focal point for guests to be distracted by on arrival, so you've instead got to whittle down what they see to only things that support the idea they're about to start an intergalactic voyage. Big white boxy building doesn't do that. It's clear what the truth is.

As is true of any attraction, you have to make it easier to believe that you're on a great adventure than it is to believe you're ping-ponging around a warehouse. The easiest, and most basic way to do this is . . . to hide the warehouse. Otherwise the guests' immediate impulse will be "that must be were this thing actually takes place". Way to spoil the fun before you even get inside.

The same is basically true of taking guests past the backside of Galaxy's Edge on their approach to the Star Cruiser. You're paying 6 Grand for the most mega-Star Wars adventure on earth, and you're making us see how fake it all is before we even start?? Couldn't you take us the long-way 'round through some trees or something? Goodness.

Have SOME sense of Showmanship about this, Disney.

Did they try painting it the color of the sky? I hear that makes buildings totally invisible.

 

[CinematicFusion]

It’s really sad that most here have decided that no matter what anyone has to say when the embargo drops, if it isn’t aggressively negative it will be shouted down into oblivion. It will be impossible to get any factual information at all that isn’t beaten into the ground with negative attacks and if recent history is any indication rife with personal attacks on the messengers.

That’s not true. I hope it’s an incredible success.
I’ve hit on what’s been released so far and it’s looked very underwhelming.
However… that all changes today with the influencers giving their reviews of their free rides in the Starcruiser.
Soon after we get real world reviews.
In 2 weeks we will get a true sense on what this hotel is and if it’s worth the 6000.00 cost for family of 4.

 

[Indy_UK]

Fox51 has a video of the finale up, I can't get link to paste.

You would think people wouldn't spoil things quite this soon

 

[DCBaker]

Fox51 has a video of the finale up, I can't get link to paste.

Here is a link to that video

Spoiler

https://www.wogx.com/video/1039321

 

[durangojim]

I'm so surprised anyone is justifying seeing the plain, concrete Starcruiser building as you drive up to the hotel on the basis that you should just imagine it's something else. That's not how themed design traditionally works! People aren't morons, their first thought will be "oh, that's where we're staying for the next 2 nights."

Didn't Disney just pay a lot of money upgrading the entry experience to all of their theme parks? It seems weird this is the one project where they feel it's not worth it. I'm beginning to feel more and more that @UNCgolf is right and Disney has more or less written off this project before it's even opened and thus cut as many corners as they could get away with to preemptively minimise their losses while still saying they gave it a shot.

I don’t know why they didn’t just build a mock spaceship on top of the building to pretend that it’s the shuttle. They could have done it exactly like they did for docking bay 7. These imagineers really make me scratch my head.

 

[DLEXP]

My god. That finale. Just…holy crap.
IT’S CRAP. Un-freeking-believable. I’m lying in bed at 4:30 am Pacific time and I can’t sleep because I’m astonished that Disney had the absolute BALLS to present hot garbage…like the HOTTEST of garbage...for which you get to pay $6k to experience.

Those screens are too way too tiny for it to be "immersive". My favorite part was the poor unenthused cast member doing crowd control holding the people back and the mildly entertained guest behind them.

Also...those fireworks?! C'mon.

This can't be real. I'm hoping this is a psyche video to make everybody THINK this is the finale....

 

[durangojim]

I really don't think that's true. If videos come out which show a high quality, entertaining product with amazing new technologies I'm certain many, including myself, would be willing to eat their hats. That being said, nothing Disney has shown us, indicates that will happen.

 

[durangojim]

Here is a link to that video

Spoiler

https://www.wogx.com/video/1039321

Thanks for posting. I think it looks fun and would have made a great show in Galaxy's edge, but not as a standalone $6000 experience.

I wonder though if they will call out non vlogger guests by name during standard "cruises" or if this was part of the "vlogger special" that they had arranged.

 

[Tha Realest]

Here is a link to that video

Spoiler

https://www.wogx.com/video/1039321

There’s Jojo right next to Sciretta and his girlfriend. Perfect. Just perfect.

 

[ChrisFL]

The grand finale video is by far the best thing I've seen of this experience so far and it's....well it's ok