News Star Wars Galactic Starcruiser coming to Walt Disney World 2021

[Sirwalterraleigh]

I think they built up so much momentum for the hype train that people thought it would be mobbed and put off their trips. At the same time, they thought somehow that blocking out people with APs would get them to buy day tickets. Now they understand the only way to do that is not to sell them at all over there.

So Star Wars wasn’t enough?

Might it have been bad movies stacking up?

 

[Sirwalterraleigh]

So since you are saying that nobody came, neither did the Star Wars fans.

Not to the level expected…

…now close the circle…

 

[LuvtheGoof]

It was a ghost town and well reported. I was actually there and it was creepy.

They blocked out the core to allow the Star Wars fans…who didn’t show

That eliminates the possibility that tons of Star Wars fans were just waiting for Star Wars to show

I never said they were waiting for Star Wars to show, but there will be a segment that will want to fully immerse themselves in this. You're talking apples and oranges. It is night and day between SW:GE and this.

 

[LuvtheGoof]

Not to the level expected…

…now close the circle…

My belief is that the Star Wars fans were expecting full immersion and SW:GE never delivered on that at all, so they didn't show up. A few stormtroopers wandering around, or a quick view of Chewie here and there is nothing. This is 100% different, so you really need to stop comparing the 2 experiences.

 

[pdude81]

So Star Wars wasn’t enough?

Might it have been bad movies stacking up?

I think the number of Star Wars fans who care enough to go to DL for SWGE and pay cash was a lot lower than they thought, plus the few who might have gone didn't want to spend that money to wait on long lines.

And yes, of course they cut off some of the appeal to lifers by having no OT connection or meet and greets. Stupidity all around. Somehow I don't think they quite grasped how much of an AP problem they really had over there. Poor us, as covid bailed them out of that predicament

 

[Sirwalterraleigh]

I think the number of Star Wars fans who care enough to go to DL for SWGE and pay cash was a lot lower than they thought, plus the few who might have gone didn't want to spend that money to wait on long lines.

And yes, of course they cut off some of the appeal to lifers by having no OT connection or meet and greets. Stupidity all around. Somehow I don't think they quite grasped how much of an AP problem they really had over there. Poor us, as covid bailed them out of that predicament

…why yes…yes it did…

And on the east coast the clientele have the same vertebrae as a jellyfish

 

[pdude81]

…why yes…yes it did…

And on the east coast the clientele have the same vertebrae as a jellyfish

 

[corran horn]

True of course, but that brings up another element I've expressed some concern with.

Disney is marketing this to the general public. Mainstream commercials, comic book tie-ins, etc.

Of course they're going to advertise but this brings up the concern that kids will see this and be crushed when their parents have to say no, and casual fans who aren't into role playing could walk away disappointed.

This has been the case since the first DL & WDW commercials aired. The general public cannot afford to go to the parks at all, depending on your definition of 'general public'. Most people have not gone to Disney.

 

[Rickcat96]

So you obviously haven't been following any of the people that are experiencing this in real time that refute every single point you just made.

My assessment is based on my opinion of what I've seen thus far. Just because it differs from yours or anyone else's, doesn't make it wrong. Its also a mistake to think Disney built this experience only for a select group of folks-they built it to make money and want as many to come as they can.

 

[zombiebbq]

Im sorry, there are plenty of things to do for fun and enjoyment that does not have a pay wall like this. This is over-priced, cheaply executed and a missed opportunity.

The "acting" is really bad, the final battle is really bad, Saber training is really bad, Bridge ops training is really bad.

Not to mention, what kind of success do we want here? A great attraction that we all can enjoy or an obscene moneymaker for Disney? While I don't mind if Disney makes a few bucks, I personally want a great experience. At this price and quality it's already a fail for me.

Exactly. For every dollar Disney charges more than last year for their offerings, the standards I as a consumer hold them to get higher. With a cost like the Starcruiser I want to be wowed, I want a gorgeous ship and spacious rooms with 5 star cuisine and highly detailed costumed characters interacting with my group on a personalized story arch, high tech effects out the wazoo, free alcoholic beverages (honestly ridiculous they won't throw that in), and something neat to bring home as a souvenir.
I've seen very little of that so far, so no I'm not going to clap like a seal over this because all it's doing is showing Disney they can continue in the wrong direction in terms of cost vs. quality.

Sure for those people that have a plan to ever go there. We don't, and I doubt we are in the minority on that.

Tokyo Disney's parks are the best in the world. If I had the ability, I'd only go there the rest of my life and wouldn't miss Florida Disney for a second. You're missing out.

 

[James Alucobond]

they built it to make money and want as many to come as they can.

How truly evil.

 

[Sirwalterraleigh]

I never said they were waiting for Star Wars to show, but there will be a segment that will want to fully immerse themselves in this. You're talking apples and oranges. It is night and day between SW:GE and this.

No you didn’t…I didn’t quote you.

There are still those that the to say that Disney has made no mistakes wlth Star Wars - evidence be damned - so there’s no doubt here either

 

[Wendy Pleakley]

This has been the case since the first DL & WDW commercials aired. The general public cannot afford to go to the parks at all, depending on your definition of 'general public'. Most people have not gone to Disney.

Yeah, but WDW in general is more accessible than this experience. Even if one can't afford to stay at the Grand Californian there are All Stars resorts or staying *gasp* offsite. More people, even on a tight budget, can find a way to visit WDW.

This is different. It's pricey and there's no budget option.

 

[LuvtheGoof]

My assessment is based on my opinion of what I've seen thus far. Just because it differs from yours or anyone else's, doesn't make it wrong. Its also a mistake to think Disney built this experience only for a select group of folks-they built it to make money and want as many to come as they can.

Of course they built it for a select group of folks. Why would you think anything else?

 

[durangojim]

Has the price breakdown for the "suites" been listed?

 

[mmascari]

I would run all over the ship like a little kid doing missions.

I would actively participate though, I think that’s probably the most important thing.

I think this it the key to what the thing is. It's an interactive experience/game.

It's not a hotel.
It's not really a cruise. Not in the same sense as most cruises.
It's not a day at an amusement park.
It's not something to passively watch. I mean, people passively watch others play games all the time, but you're paying to play not to watch.

The best comparison I can come up with is those interactive games like the EPCOT World Showcase scavenger hunts, the Sorcerer at Magic Kingdom, an escape room, murder mystery dinner, interactive audience participation theater show. Except it's obviously scaled up from all those to a nearly continuous 40 hour experience. That scaling up makes all of those comparisons wrong then, as none of them clearly fit that scale. Yet, it's still not any of that first list that fits the scale closer but not any of the activity.

Anyone who goes to any of the events in my second list, but then doesn't participate in the activities of that event would be disappointed with them too. Like, getting the pack of Sorcerer cards then never scanning any of them. Clearly, the Sorcerer game would be disappointing played that way. Of course, since it was free and you got the cards perhaps only mildly disappointing. If instead you paid $100 for the cards, it would be very disappointing, and that's without scaling it up at all.


Personally, it does sound fun. I'm not sure it sounds like as much fun as the cost, but that's a different question.

I would have liked an actual Star Wars hotel, disappointed that this isn't it. Again, that's a different question.
An actual Star Wars cruise would be nice, if I liked to cruise more. Again, this isn't that, and don't they have those?
If all I want is a Star Wars amusement park, we have that and it's not this. The amusement park can already be done by itself.
Anyone not looking to do this type of interactive thing and do one of the above isn't going to like this.

We'll see how well they keep up the activity quality over years. But, while the duration is scaled up the throughput isn't. At only 100 rooms, every escape room in the country probably has the same number of groups every week. That should make it easier to keep the quality up vs supporting 1,000 rooms worth of people.

 

[flynnibus]

Somewhat. I think the idea of making this seem like an actual cruise through space would have been a smash. No need for all of the storylines, just make it a cruise with some bars, kids areas, pool, etc.

I disagree - and what you are describing really would boil down to 'star wars decorated spa resort'. And then, why even fake a 'cruise' at that point? All the complaints about "what if I want to goto MK today?" or whatever would amplify 100x as people would focus more on this just being a hotel/resort if you didn't have an encompassing reason/purpose to keep people entertained onsite.

A 'cruise' that was just a passive star wars decorated location would just be a resort. The 'cruise' element has no retention power of its own... especially when parked in the biggest vacation destination in the region. The 'cruise' would be superfluous and not dominate over other draws. Who wants to pay a 100% premium for a SW pool and bar and then not be told that's all you are allowed to do while here.

I understand what it is, my point is I think making it what it is does create an even smaller pool of guests to take from.

Sure, but the same arguments are made when one decides to put up a roller coaster. Or puts up a broadway style stage show. Not all forms of entertainment appeal to all audiences. You make your assessments of draw and viability by understanding your potential audience - not simply run away because not everyone fits it.

I'm sure it does. And I'm probably a bit too conspiracy into what I said there, but it's just interesting how they announced how there would be roaming characters, how you could link up what you do on the rides with how characters interact, etc. was all announced (D23 maybe?) and then it just disappeared, only to essentially reappear in a $6,000 upcharge.

Different topic. The pulling back of GE entertainment is not the genesis of paid immersive attraction experiences.

 

[flynnibus]

If this does seem to be sustainable, I wonder how long until we see a Marvel one in New York or other IP places like this in Chicago and Anaheim.

I'd wager they are still gunshy after DQ.

But in the initial focal testing of the concept... it wasn't even revealed to be a WDW thing until much later in the briefing. Only when they talked about visiting GE as part of the experience was WDW even brought into the discussion. I think it very much is intended to be an open ended concept that could exist outside of WDW. The question is, would you build such satelite sites hoping to be sustainable? I think it's still too 'what if..' for them vs putting their $$ down. Look at how much infrastructure they built for this thing?

I sure could see some of those hotel properties in Anaheim being torn down for this though if things show steady success.

 

[_caleb]

No TRUE GUEST would like it...



This was always Spirit's spiel, too. Current crop of Disney imagineers don't know what they're doing. The Execs don't care about parks. CMs are biased or afraid to speak out. Forum members don't remember the Golden Years. And the regular guests are sheeple who have no taste and know nothing about TRUE THEMING. So, who's left to give the true and correct judgment? Spirit! What a coincidence.

Everyone who doesn't hold my opinion just so happens to be unqualified to have their opposing opinion!

“No true Star Wars fan…”

 

[Imhere]

That's what fascinates me about this--what is it about Disney that lets them charge THAT MUCH for an interactive experience. Because let's face it, nobody's gonna pay $6k for an equivalent experience without the brand--or will they? The whole IP thing is amazing and scary.

Are you talking about a guy on the corner with a beat up van with "Star Wars $6,000", painted on the side?