GimpYancIent
Well-Known Member
Yeah, fair to middling so far pretty much covers it.
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News Star Wars Galactic Starcruiser - Guest reports from March 1 2022
- Thread starter wdwmagic
- Start date
mysto
Well-Known Member
I'd like to complain about your complaint that people complain too much.
yensidtlaw1969
Well-Known Member
I get that you're joking, but I'm not sure how you could read my post and get "this guy thinks people complain too much" from it.
mergatroid
Well-Known Member
A purely visual review from a paying guest
GimpYancIent
Well-Known Member
A continuing theme. A fun experience, the CM's work hard to make the experience special, good food and lots of things to keep busy, but to get the most out of it a guest must get their heads into it / get mentally involved. All, at various points during their presentations admit the experience is expensive. From all that has been presented I do not see justification for the Galactic price tag. So bottom line for me is simple while it's interesting to read and watch the reviews in no way does it motivate me to drop that much coin for the experience.
What's his angle, so we can discredit him?
corran horn
Well-Known Member
He's built like he's in the movies already. I need to hear back from some uggos like me!
DisneyDayDreamin
Member
They do not take the pins back. When you are ready to go back to the "ship", they scan your magic band and finger (just like when you enter the park). We had issues with our magic band so we had to show our ID and they confirmed we had an active reservation.
DisneyDayDreamin
Member
We just returned back from the 3/3 "voyage". I am not a travel agent, not a blogger, don't have a Youtube channel.
I am an informal Star Wars fan, I know the main characters I grew up with (original trilogy) and have watched them all but don't know all of the intricacies. DH is lifelong Star Wars fan (not as much of a Disney fan), knows what is canon and what isn't, isn't a fan of the newer movies but was very excited to experience this. I am also an introvert, my worst nightmare is having to make small talk with a character - I was primarily going along for the ride and had some skepticism around how much fun I would have. We did not really have a backstory (at least not an elaborate one) and we didn't lean all in to the character interactions but we did dress the part (nothing elaborate).
I had more fun than I expected! For me, doing missions and communicating via the datapad was actually nice because I didn't have to worry about face to face interactions or aggressively going up to the live characters and interacting. It was great fun both on the ship and Battu (even though we have been to SWGE many, many times).
There are some operational issues I hope they can work out. Namely, as the story unfolds in the public places on the ship, it is really hard to follow along because there are so many people wanting to do the same thing. There were more kids than I was expecting and they always ran (and sometimes pushed and shoved) to get up close to the characters. There needs to be a way for everyone to have a chance to follow along if they like. I got frustrated and just gave up trying to follow chewie because it was just too crowded.
Similarly, when the big story events happen in the atrium with all passengers, some of the actors are on the ground level and there is just no way to see them with all of the people around unless you happen to be in the right place when it starts.
The level of service was amazing and I thought the food was generally really good. It was also exhausting! There really is very little down time. The first day, we checked in at 1 and didn't stop to rest until back in the cabin close to 11. The next day was the same. But it was fun and the cast and crew simply made the whole thing better. Even if you don't interact with them directly, you can see things unfolding and it is really cool.
Some of the events that people were panning the most (bingo, dance lessons...etc) are totally optional and in most cases, we had other missions we were doing and missed those time fillers. I thought light saber training was a bit disappointing. It was too drawn out but I understand they are trying to cater to all age ranges and experience levels. It would be nice to have a few different levels you could pick from. Especially if you have done the Oculus VR, I think this would fall a little flat. Bridge training was more fun than I expected (if not stressful!). It is really amazing how they intertwine all of the plots and missions and bring it together in the end.
For me, I am really glad we did it - to see my husband's joy and excitement was worth it. I would not do it again because it just isn't my cup of tea and my travel bucket list is long! My husband (who isn't big on international travel) is already talking about going back and taking his grown son so not only was it worth it for him, he is eager to go back!
I am an informal Star Wars fan, I know the main characters I grew up with (original trilogy) and have watched them all but don't know all of the intricacies. DH is lifelong Star Wars fan (not as much of a Disney fan), knows what is canon and what isn't, isn't a fan of the newer movies but was very excited to experience this. I am also an introvert, my worst nightmare is having to make small talk with a character - I was primarily going along for the ride and had some skepticism around how much fun I would have. We did not really have a backstory (at least not an elaborate one) and we didn't lean all in to the character interactions but we did dress the part (nothing elaborate).
I had more fun than I expected! For me, doing missions and communicating via the datapad was actually nice because I didn't have to worry about face to face interactions or aggressively going up to the live characters and interacting. It was great fun both on the ship and Battu (even though we have been to SWGE many, many times).
There are some operational issues I hope they can work out. Namely, as the story unfolds in the public places on the ship, it is really hard to follow along because there are so many people wanting to do the same thing. There were more kids than I was expecting and they always ran (and sometimes pushed and shoved) to get up close to the characters. There needs to be a way for everyone to have a chance to follow along if they like. I got frustrated and just gave up trying to follow chewie because it was just too crowded.
Similarly, when the big story events happen in the atrium with all passengers, some of the actors are on the ground level and there is just no way to see them with all of the people around unless you happen to be in the right place when it starts.
The level of service was amazing and I thought the food was generally really good. It was also exhausting! There really is very little down time. The first day, we checked in at 1 and didn't stop to rest until back in the cabin close to 11. The next day was the same. But it was fun and the cast and crew simply made the whole thing better. Even if you don't interact with them directly, you can see things unfolding and it is really cool.
Some of the events that people were panning the most (bingo, dance lessons...etc) are totally optional and in most cases, we had other missions we were doing and missed those time fillers. I thought light saber training was a bit disappointing. It was too drawn out but I understand they are trying to cater to all age ranges and experience levels. It would be nice to have a few different levels you could pick from. Especially if you have done the Oculus VR, I think this would fall a little flat. Bridge training was more fun than I expected (if not stressful!). It is really amazing how they intertwine all of the plots and missions and bring it together in the end.
For me, I am really glad we did it - to see my husband's joy and excitement was worth it. I would not do it again because it just isn't my cup of tea and my travel bucket list is long! My husband (who isn't big on international travel) is already talking about going back and taking his grown son so not only was it worth it for him, he is eager to go back!
TikibirdLand
Well-Known Member
Thanks for the interesting -- and spoiler free -- review. Your assessment sums up the discussion at the Tikibird house. Lots of fun. But, $2500/pp fun? Not so sure about that. There's so much more non-Disney value out there to explore. @lentesta 's podcast pointed that very fact out. Visit the US. Visit Europe. Visit the Orient. Then, visit all of the Disney parks overseas. Then, come back and experience the Starcruiser. I think we'll be following that advice!
Star Wars: Galactic Starcruiser Report - DAY ONE (Arrival, Cabin Tour, Lightsaber Training, Bridge Ops, Gaya Dinner Show, and More)
Come along for a detailed look at our first day aboard the Star Wars: Galactic Starcruiser day one experience at Walt Disney World
blogmickey.com
Robbiem
Well-Known Member
For people that have been I like to ask is the level of emersion retained in the park or is it spoiled by ‘regular’ park guests and the need to prove you are a guest for transportation etc?
Does the design feel like star wars when you are there? From pictures it looks more like a star trek set to me with star wars characters
Does the design feel like star wars when you are there? From pictures it looks more like a star trek set to me with star wars characters
HoustonHorn
Premium Member
More fulsome review coming later, but:
1. The cast is amazing, and that extends to the park. They are trained up and play along with those from the ship. As for the guests, we were so busy doing missions that the non-cruise day guests became background. And usually, while we were scanning and hacking and stuff, you saw a bunch of other people from the cruise.
2. Other than the main dining room, which I think is a miss in terms of aesthetics, the rest of the ship does feel like high-class Star Wars. In large part due to the cast and the kinetic energy (that many believe SW:GE lacks) and the visuals that are all familiar.
HoustonHorn
Premium Member
As promised on the original thread and earlier this morning, here is my version of a review as I sit at the airport on the way home. It's lengthy, it's honest, and it's as spoiler-free as I can make it. (I mention experiences that are public knowledge based on sample itineraries, so if that's too much for you, look away.) AMA, as the redditors say, but if it would involve anything spoilery, please send me a private message.
TL;DR
I was legitimately sad to leave this morning, which is high praise for me. I'm exhausted, I'm overstimulated, but I'm looking forward to my next trip in a few years, because I will be doing this again. It was special.
Background
Went with a buddy for the 4th sailing that left March 7 and returned March 9. Standard cabin, first dinner seating, no Captain's Table. Total price was about $5700, not including airfare, a 1-night pre-stay at Beach Club with park tickets for Sunday/Monday morning, alcohol, Oga's or the merch we bought (and oh, the merch we bought! Our wives are going to kill us. At least we both have new lightsabers with which to defend ourselves). Here's my Great/Good/Bad/Ugly-style review, with some closing thoughts on "value." These are in no particular order - mostly the order in which I experienced them.
The Great
1. The Cast. Holy cow guys, they really put some amazing people on the Starcruiser. The equity cast was tremendous - great energy, great improv talent, etc. And the hotel cast (the porters, bartenders, wait staff, gift shop, etc.) were all top-notch. Go out of their way to ensure you're being well taken care of. Ask for anything, and they will do as much as they can.
2. The Gameplay. From virtually the minute you step on board, you're playing. There are things to do around every corner. It's the SW:GE datapad on steroids. Hacking things, responding to communications, doing missions. If you are willing to play, it's a ton of fun.
3. The Ship. With a few exceptions noted below, the ship really looks great. There are Star Wars vibes. You can lose yourself in the illusion that you're in space. Rooms are well-appointed. Details everywhere help sell the story. Kinetic energy, great music, just fun.
4. Lightsaber Training. Very similar to Savi's with a great trainer and the mysticism of the Force. I was in there with kids, fully kitted-out adults, a guest in an ECV and a couple of ladies in high heels, and everyone was having fun. Such a great experience.
5. The Guests. There were people who were DECKED OUT with complex backstories (40%). There were some folks who were in their Disney clothes (30%). And the last 40% seemed like me and my buddy - highly themed clothes, but not costumes. A lot of folks claimed earth as home planet - we had some backstories that really helped our character interactions. But folks were having fun. The 9-12 year olds were generally having a blast, and the cast did a good job of engaging them.
6. Shore Excursion. Cast at Batuu are trained to interact, and they do. Pay attention to Hondo's speech as you are about to enter the Falcon's cockpit. Make and Oga's reservation. Listen to the cast members as you enter the queues for MF:SR and RotR. Also, the missions are fun. Do them! We rode the rides, did Oga's, and completed our missions in about 3.5 hours. We had time for shopping and to ride MF:SR in standby (to accomplish more local tasks). Also, if you buy anything on Batuu, you can run it back to the starport and a Halcyon CM will have it sent back to your room. That was really, really nice!
7. Bridge Training. It looks much better and works in person moreso than in pictures or videos. You rotate, so you get to do all stations. The two where you get to use the main viewport are really fun and impressive. The systems station suffers the same thing as gunner/engineer on MF:SR - you're looking down and not getting to see the action. But the rotation does fix that. A lot of fun!
The Good
1. The Room. It's bigger than most cruise ships (damning with faint praise, I know), but it was perfectly fine for 2 guys for 2 nights. Would have been fine for 3 friends or a family of 3-4. Two couples would probably be cramped. But it made good use of space (pun fully intended). The interactive droid (hope she sticks around) was good. The viewport is really nice. I personally didn't feel claustrophobic and didn't hear of anyone who did.
2. The Drinks. Some are pre-mixed, but not as sweet as Oga's. They also have liquor you can order off-menu. The Fiery Mustafarian ($35, but you get a take-home glass), which is their play on a spicy margarita, was my favorite. Pro-tip if you like heat - ask for a second vial of lava.
4. The Food. The food is really good. Interesting, flavorful, presented well. I thought the pastry chef in particular has put out some beautiful, tasty treats. Breakfast was great. I preferred the first night's dinner, but the second one was good, too.
5. Access to Water. 24/7 water taps in the atrium - chilled sparkling, chilled flat, ambient flat on tap. I know it's minor, but it's nice.
6. The Finale. It hit the emotional beats. It was fun. The cast did a great job. But remember that this is set between Last Jedi and Rise of Skywalker. If you LOVED everything about Last Jedi, you will probably love the finale. If you HATE Last Jedi, you will probably be annoyed at some of the dialogue. I was annoyed at some of the dialogue (again, I'm not here for that fight, so don't @ me on it). I was also annoyed from missing my last meeting (see below). But the guests were into it. And the cast calling out guests who were highly involved was cool (for them).
Mixed-Bag
1. Datapads. They are still providing their own iPhones to use as Datapads. You log into your Play Disney and MDE accounts on their device. That is fine, but it means carrying around 2 phones (or 3 for my buddy, because his MDE is tied to his work phone). And having chargers for 2 different phones if you're not an i-Person. But it worked seamlessly.
The Weird
1. Mask Policy. The only time we had to wear masks was on the transport between the Halcyon and Batuu. Which makes no sense (not political, don't @ me): there were 8 of us with plenty of space (I'm punny, what can I say), as opposed to the other times when we are in close quarters unmasked with the same people. Just strange.
2. Docking Bay 7. I didn't want the meal - was full from breakfast. Just wanted my free beer. But they made me order a meal in order to get the beer for free. Thankfully, they were able to tell the kitchen not to make the meal, because I'm not a fan of food waste. Again, just weird, but I told a CM so they should hopefully work it out.
3. Cast/Guest? We met three ladies at muster the first night. Then saw one of them at dinner eating alone. Then saw one of them tending bar the second day. So not sure if Disney is planting staff amongst the guests or if it was just a one-off thing. Takeaway is to assume every interaction is being watched and monitored (in a good way, even thought it sounds creepy as I type that).
The Bad
1. Crown of Corellia Dining Room (look). It just doesn't look quite right. It was better during dinner with the lights lowered, but when the lights are on, it gives off elementary school cafeteria vibes. The food is very good, but the look ain't great.
2. The Viewport at Night. There is a lit border around it, and it makes it hard to sleep. I wish there was a way to turn off the border and keep the viewscreen.
3. Shin-High Benches in the Atrium. 4 times I ran into them!
The Disappointing
1. It's Overwhelming. You just cannot do it all. I think the amount of time is about right - one more day would just be too much. But we never really got to do Sabaac lessons or tournament or the other optional stuff, because we had other things scheduled. There is very little downtime.
2. Engagement. We did not get the level of personal engagement from the equity cast we would have liked. We had a few CM's that we got friendly with - Emma from engineering, Grace my caf supplier, Brandy our evening waitress, Christopher the lounge bartender - and that was great. But we never got all that close with the "storyline" actors. Folks who did got a much better experience. This is a little jealousy on my part, and there is only so much to go around, but it would have been nice, as we were ready and willing to play.
The Ugly
1. Arrival. I thought the complaints about the ugly exterior were overblown. I was wrong. In a few years, the trees should fill in and grow to hide the building, but as of now, your first glimpse is of an unthemed stark exterior. But the real shame is the backside view of Galaxy's Edge and the exposed innards of the rockwork. Tacky.
2. Check-In Timing. So you can check in between 1-4. But if you don't check in until 4, you've lost 3 hours of gameplay. Which means there is a crush of people right at 1 to check in. It's just like the 7AM crush to get G+/ILL selections. Disney is creating high demand at an exact time and we, the guests, are suffering for it.
3. Overbooking. After all of our missions, we had a meeting the last evening. When we went to the location, we were told the meeting was full. Others were being told the same thing. That was disappointing and frustrating.
So, Is It Worth It?
For me, an avowed Star Wars nerd and Disneyphile who did not have to go into debt to experience this, absolutely. But that's the thing about value - it is inherently subjective. YMMV.
*Edited to fix price.
But I am already working on a few of my buddies to try and do a guys' trip, because I want to do this again. And maybe again every few years. And hopefully someday my daughter sees the light and discovers her internal Star Wars fangirl, and I can do this with her.
TL;DR
I was legitimately sad to leave this morning, which is high praise for me. I'm exhausted, I'm overstimulated, but I'm looking forward to my next trip in a few years, because I will be doing this again. It was special.
Background
Went with a buddy for the 4th sailing that left March 7 and returned March 9. Standard cabin, first dinner seating, no Captain's Table. Total price was about $5700, not including airfare, a 1-night pre-stay at Beach Club with park tickets for Sunday/Monday morning, alcohol, Oga's or the merch we bought (and oh, the merch we bought! Our wives are going to kill us. At least we both have new lightsabers with which to defend ourselves). Here's my Great/Good/Bad/Ugly-style review, with some closing thoughts on "value." These are in no particular order - mostly the order in which I experienced them.
The Great
1. The Cast. Holy cow guys, they really put some amazing people on the Starcruiser. The equity cast was tremendous - great energy, great improv talent, etc. And the hotel cast (the porters, bartenders, wait staff, gift shop, etc.) were all top-notch. Go out of their way to ensure you're being well taken care of. Ask for anything, and they will do as much as they can.
2. The Gameplay. From virtually the minute you step on board, you're playing. There are things to do around every corner. It's the SW:GE datapad on steroids. Hacking things, responding to communications, doing missions. If you are willing to play, it's a ton of fun.
3. The Ship. With a few exceptions noted below, the ship really looks great. There are Star Wars vibes. You can lose yourself in the illusion that you're in space. Rooms are well-appointed. Details everywhere help sell the story. Kinetic energy, great music, just fun.
4. Lightsaber Training. Very similar to Savi's with a great trainer and the mysticism of the Force. I was in there with kids, fully kitted-out adults, a guest in an ECV and a couple of ladies in high heels, and everyone was having fun. Such a great experience.
5. The Guests. There were people who were DECKED OUT with complex backstories (40%). There were some folks who were in their Disney clothes (30%). And the last 40% seemed like me and my buddy - highly themed clothes, but not costumes. A lot of folks claimed earth as home planet - we had some backstories that really helped our character interactions. But folks were having fun. The 9-12 year olds were generally having a blast, and the cast did a good job of engaging them.
6. Shore Excursion. Cast at Batuu are trained to interact, and they do. Pay attention to Hondo's speech as you are about to enter the Falcon's cockpit. Make and Oga's reservation. Listen to the cast members as you enter the queues for MF:SR and RotR. Also, the missions are fun. Do them! We rode the rides, did Oga's, and completed our missions in about 3.5 hours. We had time for shopping and to ride MF:SR in standby (to accomplish more local tasks). Also, if you buy anything on Batuu, you can run it back to the starport and a Halcyon CM will have it sent back to your room. That was really, really nice!
7. Bridge Training. It looks much better and works in person moreso than in pictures or videos. You rotate, so you get to do all stations. The two where you get to use the main viewport are really fun and impressive. The systems station suffers the same thing as gunner/engineer on MF:SR - you're looking down and not getting to see the action. But the rotation does fix that. A lot of fun!
The Good
1. The Room. It's bigger than most cruise ships (damning with faint praise, I know), but it was perfectly fine for 2 guys for 2 nights. Would have been fine for 3 friends or a family of 3-4. Two couples would probably be cramped. But it made good use of space (pun fully intended). The interactive droid (hope she sticks around) was good. The viewport is really nice. I personally didn't feel claustrophobic and didn't hear of anyone who did.
2. The Drinks. Some are pre-mixed, but not as sweet as Oga's. They also have liquor you can order off-menu. The Fiery Mustafarian ($35, but you get a take-home glass), which is their play on a spicy margarita, was my favorite. Pro-tip if you like heat - ask for a second vial of lava.
4. The Food. The food is really good. Interesting, flavorful, presented well. I thought the pastry chef in particular has put out some beautiful, tasty treats. Breakfast was great. I preferred the first night's dinner, but the second one was good, too.
5. Access to Water. 24/7 water taps in the atrium - chilled sparkling, chilled flat, ambient flat on tap. I know it's minor, but it's nice.
6. The Finale. It hit the emotional beats. It was fun. The cast did a great job. But remember that this is set between Last Jedi and Rise of Skywalker. If you LOVED everything about Last Jedi, you will probably love the finale. If you HATE Last Jedi, you will probably be annoyed at some of the dialogue. I was annoyed at some of the dialogue (again, I'm not here for that fight, so don't @ me on it). I was also annoyed from missing my last meeting (see below). But the guests were into it. And the cast calling out guests who were highly involved was cool (for them).
Mixed-Bag
1. Datapads. They are still providing their own iPhones to use as Datapads. You log into your Play Disney and MDE accounts on their device. That is fine, but it means carrying around 2 phones (or 3 for my buddy, because his MDE is tied to his work phone). And having chargers for 2 different phones if you're not an i-Person. But it worked seamlessly.
The Weird
1. Mask Policy. The only time we had to wear masks was on the transport between the Halcyon and Batuu. Which makes no sense (not political, don't @ me): there were 8 of us with plenty of space (I'm punny, what can I say), as opposed to the other times when we are in close quarters unmasked with the same people. Just strange.
2. Docking Bay 7. I didn't want the meal - was full from breakfast. Just wanted my free beer. But they made me order a meal in order to get the beer for free. Thankfully, they were able to tell the kitchen not to make the meal, because I'm not a fan of food waste. Again, just weird, but I told a CM so they should hopefully work it out.
3. Cast/Guest? We met three ladies at muster the first night. Then saw one of them at dinner eating alone. Then saw one of them tending bar the second day. So not sure if Disney is planting staff amongst the guests or if it was just a one-off thing. Takeaway is to assume every interaction is being watched and monitored (in a good way, even thought it sounds creepy as I type that).
The Bad
1. Crown of Corellia Dining Room (look). It just doesn't look quite right. It was better during dinner with the lights lowered, but when the lights are on, it gives off elementary school cafeteria vibes. The food is very good, but the look ain't great.
2. The Viewport at Night. There is a lit border around it, and it makes it hard to sleep. I wish there was a way to turn off the border and keep the viewscreen.
3. Shin-High Benches in the Atrium. 4 times I ran into them!
The Disappointing
1. It's Overwhelming. You just cannot do it all. I think the amount of time is about right - one more day would just be too much. But we never really got to do Sabaac lessons or tournament or the other optional stuff, because we had other things scheduled. There is very little downtime.
2. Engagement. We did not get the level of personal engagement from the equity cast we would have liked. We had a few CM's that we got friendly with - Emma from engineering, Grace my caf supplier, Brandy our evening waitress, Christopher the lounge bartender - and that was great. But we never got all that close with the "storyline" actors. Folks who did got a much better experience. This is a little jealousy on my part, and there is only so much to go around, but it would have been nice, as we were ready and willing to play.
The Ugly
1. Arrival. I thought the complaints about the ugly exterior were overblown. I was wrong. In a few years, the trees should fill in and grow to hide the building, but as of now, your first glimpse is of an unthemed stark exterior. But the real shame is the backside view of Galaxy's Edge and the exposed innards of the rockwork. Tacky.
2. Check-In Timing. So you can check in between 1-4. But if you don't check in until 4, you've lost 3 hours of gameplay. Which means there is a crush of people right at 1 to check in. It's just like the 7AM crush to get G+/ILL selections. Disney is creating high demand at an exact time and we, the guests, are suffering for it.
3. Overbooking. After all of our missions, we had a meeting the last evening. When we went to the location, we were told the meeting was full. Others were being told the same thing. That was disappointing and frustrating.
So, Is It Worth It?
For me, an avowed Star Wars nerd and Disneyphile who did not have to go into debt to experience this, absolutely. But that's the thing about value - it is inherently subjective. YMMV.
*Edited to fix price.
But I am already working on a few of my buddies to try and do a guys' trip, because I want to do this again. And maybe again every few years. And hopefully someday my daughter sees the light and discovers her internal Star Wars fangirl, and I can do this with her.
Last edited:
Wendy Pleakley
Well-Known Member
Great summary.
I'm floored they would have you work towards a final meeting as part of the story and not be able to accommodate everyone. Clearly some tweaking to be done.
One of the issues people have raised is a small percentage of guests monopolizing characters. Do you think this is why you didn't get as much interaction as you would have liked and how do you think they should address it?