News Star Wars Galactic Starcruiser coming to Walt Disney World 2021

[flynnibus]

If they are going for full immersion then why are there Hondas in a parking lot out front? This is where I'm excited to see how far they take the story immersion and how they handle the Earth-meets-Star Wars conundrum.

Lots of possible things they can do.. its only a question of how far Disney goes or not. The arrival experience wasn't hammed up in the pitch, so I'm not expecting much... but the possibilities are endless

Imagine you don't park at the hotel, but instead park near-by... and board a effects enabled bus. The bus goes through a dark tunnel, and while in the tunnel, the windows change to video... and when you emerge from the tunnel, now everything you see is alt-reality. Then you arrive indoors... and your view of the world is controlled from the point you entered that bus

 

[bcoachable]

This would have (or is) been such a great "Blue Sky discussion" group to have been in, don't ya think?!?!

 

[P_Radden]

Can't wait to see what the indoor pool facilities will look like.

Just hope the gravity doesn't flake out like it did on the Avalon..

 

[wedenterprises]

Lots of possible things they can do.. its only a question of how far Disney goes or not. The arrival experience wasn't hammed up in the pitch, so I'm not expecting much... but the possibilities are endless

Imagine you don't park at the hotel, but instead park near-by... and board a effects enabled bus. The bus goes through a dark tunnel, and while in the tunnel, the windows change to video... and when you emerge from the tunnel, now everything you see is alt-reality. Then you arrive indoors... and your view of the world is controlled from the point you entered that bus

I like the idea of a slow-transition, but it still doesn't solve valet, taxis, magical express, and the real world right outside the door.

Now I'm thinking the real-world hotel entrance being just a wooded area with a nondescript shelter. You walk through a transition area that takes you to a small ship parked in the woods. Suddenly you are on another planet (or Batuu?) ready to board your ship up to the hotel in space.

 

[Coaster Lover]

I think they will use the space between the two show buildings as the connector entrance between the hotel and SWGE. I guessed that the gap between the marketplace building and the two show buildings would be an additional pathway for park guests to pass from one end to the other in addition to the path through the marketplace building and pathway on the other side of the marketplace building. But they have completely closed it off on both sides so it is only open to the gap between the show buildings and the marketplace building. I kept thinking why did they close that off. Now it seems like the perfect place for hotel guests to enter SWGE.
View attachment 286884

My biggest doubt about that would be if that corridor is necessary for maintenance and/or emergency access purposes. But if not, would seem a logical location for the entrance. Otherwise, have we seen any differences between the Orlando version and the Anaheim version which could be early signals of them preparing for the entrance in the Orlando version that have been absent from the Anaheim version?

 

[MrPromey]

This all seems very exciting, but I just don't see Disney keeping up with it for years and years. They way they have over time made budget cuts, if this is something you would like to do, do it in the first couple of years.

It really all depends on the demand and the price. If they price this high enough to make it a truly unique experience and reduce demand to reasonable levels by way of that pricing, they'll have the incentive to keep it up-to-date.

Unlike the parks that they can kind of let rot for stretches of time, they can't do that same thing with something like this or word gets out and guests have no reason to fork over the cash to stay at this kind of place vs. one of their other resorts.

If the pricing is cheap enough that "average" guests can afford it and ensure a waiting list of a year or more to book a room, they have no incentive to maintain it at all either in potential profit or in potential lost revenue.

... and really, when you're designing an experience that doesn't have to entertain tens of thousands of people a day, it's a lot easier to maintain something. There is also a lot you can do with affordable tech that's already out there that is pretty amazing when it can be used on a smaller sale.

 

[flynnibus]

I like the idea of a slow-transition, but it still doesn't solve valet, taxis, magical express, and the real world right outside the door.

Sure it does - because none of those things would go directly to the site - they would goto whatever depot where parking is.

This is not a foreign concept... places that don't allow vehicles near the building use this model all over.

 

[wedenterprises]

Sure it does - because none of those things would go directly to the site - they would goto whatever depot where parking is.

This is not a foreign concept... places that don't allow vehicles near the building use this model all over.

I get what you're saying, but surely they'd want quicker guest access to the parking, taxis etc... but maybe not, which would be interesting too.

 

[Indiana Stone]

A futuristic looking "Skyport" (photo an Uber concept) could serve dual purposes for the hotel guests and as a backdrop to the HS land. As others have mentioned upon entering on the bottom floor you would "ride" a hydrolator up to the main ship orbiting above.

 

[mmascari]

I’m not sure how I’d feel about no windows at all or exposure to the outside. I guess that would add to the immersion. I may not be the target demo for this type of experience.

I have to assume that if the resort is that close to DHS there will be some attempt to give you a view into the park and/or fireworks viewing. Maybe an upper level observation deck or something.

It all depends on how the structure is actually built. If you've been to Las Vegas, you can experience areas that are all indoors that feel like you're outside. The Grand Canal Shoppes between the Venetian and the Palazzo is always a perfect sunny day with a blue sky. It feels like you're outside despite being completely indoors.

I'm talking about the view from the hotel entrance/parking lot... as you approach the building or "lobby"

They control the locations, paths, sight lines, roads, everything from the time you leave the highway until you're parked and entering the first structure. It's effectively the same as the theme parks. Some trees, some well placed and designed facades, they can make it look like whatever they want.


In the simplest scenario, it's a single huge building. Limited access from only one point of public entry for guests. Controlled and covered access directly to SWGE. Get those 2 things correct, and the rest is beyond view.

To make this concept work, don't think of it as a hotel, but instead as an attraction. All the same techniques that hide and disguise an attraction building, plus all the same limits about not just walking around and exploring the attraction building. Just like an attraction, if there's a fire drill, you'll get to see behind the scenes.

That's all just a guess. But, it's all completely possible.

 

[Indy_UK]

I can't see there being usual amenities in this hotel like a pool, gym etc or am I wrong?

 

[jaxonp]

Maybe this has been said but isn't it quite possible Disney will elect to do a Hogwarts Express style transportation system to move people from the hotel to SWL. It will be all screen based the entire time.. just like the hotel. You leave your Ship "hotel" on a transport, a ship that lands in Batuu... problem solved about not having to complete the back of the buildings.

 

[jaxonp]

I can't see there being usual amenities in this hotel like a pool, gym etc or am I wrong?

Indoor pool.. aren't you in "space"

 

[danlb_2000]

All the talk you guys are doing, about the immersion. Man, this is so not for me. Or anyone I know IRL. Gonna be really interesting to see how this goes over outside the online Disney bubble.

Even though I am a huge Star Wars fan, this doesn't interest me either.

 

[danlb_2000]

I can't see there being usual amenities in this hotel like a pool, gym etc or am I wrong?

Those things are no inconsistent with the Star Wars universe.

 

[marni1971]

How in the world do we spend months, even years, speculating and fantasizing yet we seemed to miss an actual official announcement???!!!!

While this may have already been known to us via insiders (@marni1971 ) I cannot believe no one posted this.

"Today we are happy to share the location of this exciting addition, which is currently under development on the south side of Disney’s Hollywood Studios, just east of World Drive."

I read it earlier.. Excited!!

On why no one posted it? Maybe they don’t want to admit they were wrong.

It got posted in the other SW Hotel thread...

I thought we’d talked about it. It’ll have vehicle access from Osceola after all.

 

[nickys]

I guess it depends on just what the target demographic is.

If they aim this as families, and the concept art clearly includes them, then there will have to be compromises. So I would expect there will indeed be some facilities such as TVs, a pool and so on. There's a guy on his laptop right there in the art, after all!

However, what they could do is to have two different "experiences". One a family friendly one, where really there's much more of a pick and choose "menu" of experiences.

And one which is definitely aimed squarely at the cos-play, comic con goers who want a total immersion experience.

But I think some people will be sorely disappointed either way. Even if they make the more adult orientated experience over 18s only, they won't tolerate a guest berating someone because their mobile phone went off, or are simply taking it all less seriously. Unless they have one a month, for example, which is exclusively for members of xxxxxx organisation who could impose their own rules on participants (I assume there is a suitable Star Wars fan club group to insert name here).

 

[Atomicmickey]

Even though this whole idea is very cool and exciting to me, I am apprehensive
about the "no outside view" bit. A big part of Disney World is the Florida weather,
throwing open the curtains and seeing what it looks like outside for the day.
Not being able to do that wigs me out. (Even tho our family often gets up in the
dark to get places for rope drop/EMH, lol)

Plus, the whole component of "it's hot out, let's go lounge in the sun by the pool".
Perhaps the pool will be under a dome?

I don't know. Might make more sense to transport through space then be on a resort
on Baatu or something.

I suppose we'll see.

 

[TiggerDad]

It’ll have vehicle access from Osceola after all.

We'll be able to pod-race on Osceola?

 

[marni1971]

We'll be able to pod-race on Osceola?

That’s why they’re building the off ramps.

Access to DHS is a by-product.