News Star Wars: Galactic Starcruiser Permanently Closed Fall 2023

[tissandtully]

Oh boy this could be a very long story. Ive gone three times, with a fourth booked.

Your cabin, with an in room droid (AI) D3-09 who will have story specific messages for you. If you tell her it's your honeymoon, she will do a vow renewal. Each night at "bedtime" she will sing a lullaby or tell a bedtime story (it's about the hero of the rebellion, R2-D2) she will know what uouve been up to on the ship, and she will as for your help. If you go first order, she will be overridden by secret first order messages. You can choose to have her captured. You can help her broker deals. The cabin also has your viewport window which moves in real time. The ship moves in and out of lightspeed, asteroid fields and fights through blockades. Your window is accurate to what is happening on the bridge.

The best guest service on property. Some people have said "it's how Disney used to be." I went to but was a kid during the "good ol days" of Disney customer service going above and beyond (and beyond!) Everyone is engaged and excited to help your journey and be part of your story.

Unlimited food and (non alcoholic) drinks. It's a themed buffet breakfast and lunch, and two table service dinners. But all afternoon and evening you'll find snacks at passenger services, and before the sublight lounge opens at 1, you'll find coffee, fruit, and to go breakfast options. The bar snacks, ranging from crispy veggie bites to smoked cheese plates are also included.

The day 2 Batuu excursion with lightning lane access to the 2 Batuu rides. The pin and magic band will signal to Batuu CMs that you're a Starcruiser passenger. Interactions vary, but are generally more focused on you. You'll get a different greeting from Hondo before entering the cockpit of the Falcon. And a full meal and drink (alcohol or not) that day in the park. Some people treat this as their DHS day, I think they're insane, but they find value in doing that.

Bridge and saber training. They're not just video games and glow sticks. Your Saja will talk to you as you cycle through saber training. Your answers to them matter. Your bridge training will have some sort of interruption. How you react to that will matter.

Additional game elements on the play app. Your messages disappear after the voyage but any badges, titles, cargo, maps etc you earn stay. The game itself i saved for last because it is much more than what's available on Batuu normally.

The game/story is the reason my party keeps going back. Ive discussed this with others but it does genuinely morph from "oh tee hee look we are in 'space' and there are droids to "if I don't get the captain out of the atrium and away from the compass, we will let all of Ryloth down" at breakneck speeds. It's scripted. Raithe Kole will, 100% of the time, steal the stone from the compass. He will get away with it 100% of the time. But when Raithe asks for your help, you want to help him. And you get emotionally invested in doing so. You go get a counterfeit stone made on Batuu, you worry the plan won't work. Some people bring physical props back with them on the transport. And this doesn't just happen to people in costume who enjoy LARPing. This happens to anyone involved in the story.

There are four main paths on the datapad like this. And limitless ways to join one or many and get involved. Each path has its own story, it's own finale. Imagine those 20 minute streetmosphere sketches. But it's two days. And what you say, from your name to whatever you say just in conversation is remembered.

The things you say and do matter in real time. Alliances change, code words that work for some won't work for others, all based on the choices you make. You will be spoken to by many if not all performers. Lt Croy will question you, and he will remember how you answer. And others will hear of how you replied. You can be spied on, you can be a spy.

The value in Starcruiser isn't the cabin or the food or the park ticket. It's the story. The actors, the crew. It sounds crazy to say, but it changes you. In some indescribable but irrefutable way.

Really bummed we never pulled the trigger to do it, my 11yo is so sad. Regretting not going now. Hopefully they will do something else.

 

[Sirwalterraleigh]

I'm going to repost something I posted a while back. I think either this will happen OR it will be utilized to "expand" Galaxy's Edge:
______

Why can't they just make this a separate ticketed, multi-hour experience? You arrive at galactic star cruiser at 9 am, you board and experienced an adventure for the next 3-4 hours. They can run this 2-3 times daily and charge $175-$250 a ticket just like they do the parties and after hours events.
_____

My money is on them doing something like the ticketed event.

Because Disney Star Wars sucks and they’d have to tap the old stuff or it will flatline in months again!!

And Lord Ego won’t allow it.

Go with the obvious truth

 

[LSLS]

The problem is a mix of three factors:
1. They p!sssed off all the Star Wars fans that threw 45 years of money at it
2. It’s really not Star Wars…it’s Disneys echo chamber facsimile of it
3. It Costs too much

…therefore almost no one bought it

Oh and they cheaped it…that too

I'd add the pool of people who want to go on a 2 day LARP (or whatever people are calling the be a part of the story stuff) is much smaller than they expected. And all the factors result in a Venn diagram with a VERY small pool of customers. Because a lot of these things are deal breakers. If you don't like interactive things, there is no Option B. You are angry at Star Wars, there's no "Well at least this doesn't seem to include the new stuff." If it costs too much, you are out right away cause you can't afford it.

 

[Mireille]

The problem is a mix of three factors:
1. They p!sssed off all the Star Wars fans that threw 45 years of money at it
2. It’s really not Star Wars…it’s Disneys echo chamber facsimile of it
3. It Costs too much

…therefore almost no one bought it

Oh and they cheaped it…that too

1) They p'ed off fans more than the prequels? Than Return of the Jedi and Ewoks? Even ESB p'ed people off back when it was released because it ended on a cliffhanger. P'ing off Star Wars fans is the easiest thing in the world. Want to know how to do it? Do anything. Or do nothing. Either way, they'll be p'ed. The original Star Wars movies still exist. I came to the realization during the prequels that I liked the original movies, the new ones were not for me, and maybe I had just moved beyond my fandom for the Star Wars universe. The sequels were... fine... -ish. It would be nice if people could just realize when something is no longer for them and move on rather than endlessly rage at the latest entity who "ruined their childhood." We just aren't always going to love everything we've ever loved forever, it's why divorce exists. They could get a divorce from Star Wars and not even have to worry about hiring a lawyer or losing half their stuff! And there are very few fans that have thrown money at Star Wars for 45 years. Most either stopped long ago, or started much more recently than 1977.

2) Yeah, it's not Star Wars. But what is "Star Wars?" I don't think George Lucas knows what "Star Wars" is; at least he has a very different understanding of it than I ever did. Ask 5 people who were alive to watch the originals in the theaters, 5 people who first saw the prequels and 5 people who first saw the sequels and you'll get 25 answers. For me, Star Wars is Han, Chewie, Luke, Leia, (Alec Guinness) Obi Wan, Yoda, C-3PO, R2-D2 and Darth Vader. If they added those characters (yeah, Chewie is in it), people would complain they ruined those characters. But in the end, the experience isn't really about Star Wars per se. It's an interactive experience set on a space ship taking place in the same universe as Star Wars, featuring cameos from characters in the Disney Star Wars movies. It's really more for people who can enjoy that type of experience more than the specific IP. And that's something that was not communicated in the advertising, or maybe Disney didn't realize it themselves. Did people think they were going to be fighting with real light sabers? That Harrison Ford from 40 years ago was going to show up?

If Disney screwed up, it was in thinking they were going to be able to please any large percentage of Star Wars "fans" (who, from my experience with the internet, are defined as people who hate anything Star Wars does after they turned like 12.) Star Wars "fans," in general, are terrible because they all think their personal experience with it is the definitive version of it. It's an all-ages science-fantasy adventure story based on 30s and 40s serials! If people could just realize when something that is owned by a huge corporation stops giving them joy they can just walk away. They can find something new, that speaks to them now. And just because they don't enjoy something doesn't mean nobody enjoys it. Maybe they should try some Star Trek?

Honestly, Star Wars has become a politico-cultural cudgel wielded by emotionally stunted, terminally online people to bludgeon others who don't agree with their worldview because they feel everything they always assumed was their due is slipping away and rather than adapt to the world the way it is would rather vainly fight and claw their way back to an imaginary world they misremember or heard about in stories but never actually existed.

Whew, that's not what I planned to write.

3) Yes, it costs too much.

What they made is an interactive experience that is essentially geared towards theater kids and improv performers with a Star Wars label stuck to it. They thought putting a Star Wars sheen on something that innately appeals to a small percent of the population would make it something everyone would want to do, not realizing, after producing at least 1 or maybe 2 movies (I don't know when planning started and when they hit the "no turning back now" point) that were highly polarizing, that there was no way it was going to work. Or maybe they just thought it was worth the risk. Or maybe they had a CEO that couldn't admit to a mistake.

 

[Sirwalterraleigh]

1) They ed off fans more than the prequels? Than Return of the Jedi and Ewoks? Even ESB ed people off back when it was released because it ended on a cliffhanger. ing off Star Wars fans is the easiest thing in the world. Want to know how to do it? Do anything. Or do nothing. Either way, they'll be ed. The original Star Wars movies still exist. I came to the realization during the prequels that I liked the original movies, the new ones were not for me, and maybe I had just moved beyond my fandom for the Star Wars universe. The sequels were... fine... -ish. It would be nice if people could just realize when something is no longer for them and move on rather than endlessly rage at the latest entity who "ruined their childhood." We just aren't always going to love everything we've ever loved forever, it's why divorce exists. They could get a divorce from Star Wars and not even have to worry about hiring a lawyer or losing half their stuff! And there are very few fans that have thrown money at Star Wars for 45 years. Most either stopped long ago, or started much more recently than 1977.

2) Yeah, it's not Star Wars. But what is "Star Wars?" I don't think George Lucas knows what "Star Wars" is; at least he has a very different understanding of it than I ever did. Ask 5 people who were alive to watch the originals in the theaters, 5 people who first saw the prequels and 5 people who first saw the sequels and you'll get 25 answers. For me, Star Wars is Han, Chewie, Luke, Leia, (Alec Guinness) Obi Wan, Yoda, C-3PO, R2-D2 and Darth Vader. If they added those characters (yeah, Chewie is in it), people would complain they ruined those characters. But in the end, the experience isn't really about Star Wars per se. It's an interactive experience set on a space ship taking place in the same universe as Star Wars, featuring cameos from characters in the Disney Star Wars movies. It's really more for people who can enjoy that type of experience more than the specific IP. And that's something that was not communicated in the advertising, or maybe Disney didn't realize it themselves. Did people think they were going to be fighting with real light sabers? That Harrison Ford from 40 years ago was going to show up?

If Disney screwed up, it was in thinking they were going to be able to please any large percentage of Star Wars "fans" (who, from my experience with the internet, are defined as people who hate anything Star Wars does after they turned like 12.) Star Wars "fans," in general, are terrible because they all think they're personal experience with it is the definitive version of it. It's an all-ages science-fantasy adventure story based on 30s and 40s serials! If people could just realize when something that is owned by a huge corporation stops giving them joy they can just walk away. They can find something new, that speaks to them now. And just because they don't enjoy something doesn't mean nobody enjoys it. Maybe they should try some Star Trek?

Honestly, Star Wars has become a politico-cultural cudgel wielded by emotionally stunted, terminally online people to bludgeon others who don't agree with their worldview because they feel everything they always assumed was their due is slipping away and rather than adapt to the world the way it is would rather vainly fight and claw their way back to an imaginary world they misremember or heard about in stories but never actually existed.

Whew, that's not what I planned to write.

3) Yes, it costs too much.

What they made is an interactive experience that is essentially geared towards theater kids and improv performers with a Star Wars label stuck to it. They thought putting a Star Wars sheen on something that innately appeals to a small percent of the population would make it something everyone would want to do, not realizing, after producing at least 1 or maybe 2 movies (I don't know when planning started and when they hit the "no turning back now" point) that were highly polarizing, that there was no way it was going to work. Or maybe they just thought it was worth the risk. Or maybe they had a CEO that couldn't admit to a mistake.

…I’m gonna stop you right there…but beautiful speech

Yes…mark it down. They damaged it more than the prequels. And that was a train wreck loaded with tnt.

We’ve had almost 10 years to look at this…and the time coupled with the filoni repair Work (still going on Mando) has blunted some of the blow of prequels. They just made terrible, cheesy movies. George is an awful director. That’s a case to be made.

But what Disney did is MANDATE that they take the sacred Heroes and shove them to the side.
Dispose of them.

Has there - honestly - ever been a movie more speculated about than the one AFTER Jedi?
Around the world? In the pre and early internet age?

The answer is No. and if the spider senses didn’t go off after a bizarre choice to reboot in 2015…some had faith including me…it was assured in 2017 (I walked out…but I’m usually a step ahead on identifying hubris)

The damage to the franchise has just started…If they don’t commit to reversing it.

Take that to the bank. Watch it play.

Bob put them under the microscope by buying LFL.
You can’t screw it up. But that’s exactly what happened when their first question was “what do we want do with it?”

Nope…it had to be “what do they want us to do with it?”

That’s not true for all IP. Usually it’s a bad idea…but not this one. It’s in its own category based on its time and place. The world it was made in.

George screwed that up in 99. Disney did it times 3x…minimum.

They had an offer to print money and their ego “politely declined”


Edit:
And by the way…since I just reread your points…

I’d like to offer you a book deal…we’ll call it “every complete excuse/Misconception about Star Wars fans to shield Disney incompetence”

I think you hit ‘em all

 

[dreamfinder912]

There was a recent episode of Podcast: The Ride with Andrew Barth Feldman where he talked about his trip to the Galactic Starcruiser that hews pretty closely to your experince and it explained the appeal more than any of Disney's advertising. (It actually sounds a lot like Evermore but more focused on a single experience rather than some sort of continuing story.) It's ideal for theater kids, improv folks and tabletop RPG/LARP enthusiasts. If you aren't prepared to throw yourself into the story, you aren't going to get any value from it. He made it sound fantastic. When the naysayers complain that the rooms look too small or the activities look dumb or the food doesn't look good, it's because those are not the focus of the experience, it's all in service to the story. The cast and the story are what you're paying for. And I think it was probably a first-in-class experience there.

The first problem was that Disney didn't really communicate that, hell, I didn't really understand it until I heard that podcast. The second problem is... how big is the clientele for that kind of experience? You really have to be an active, willing participant to get the most out of it; you have to realize it's not a relaxing getaway, it's like an interactive murder mystery that you act (improv) out over 48 hours. I don't know that even with an IP that kids love like Star Wars that kids are going to understand it or be able to really engage in. You have to be pretty confident and savvy to "yes and" your way into an experience like this, so it's not really suited for families at all. And the third problem is the price. No matter how committed you are to it, $5-6k is a chunk of change for most anyone to throw at a 2-ish day experience. A fourth-ish problem, and maybe this would have been addressed if it had lasted, is that, with a smaller target audience, I would have to imagine it would have had to depend to a decent extent on repeat customers, which would require eventually updating the story. I know you can role play into multiple factions and have different experiences in the same story, but even if you wanted to play each faction that's 3 or 4 visits before you're replaying the same thing at least once? Unless it just turned into an expensive version of midnight showings of Rocky Horror where the guests all throw toast together or whatever they do.

Knowing what I do now, I really wish I could have experienced it. But even knowing what I know now, I don't know that I would have been willing to pay even the 30% discount prices they were offering. I wish they could have found a way to make it profitable, or at least break even and keep it going as a boutique experience that could support itself. Hopefully they can learn from their failure and maybe come up with another way to offer a similar experience. But not like Evermore which appears to rely on free labor.

Disney's marketing was ABYSMAL when it came to Starcruiser. They treated it the same way the treated Pandora and Batuu. Starcruiser is a whole other level. They seemed to dump it at us like a star warsy...thing. I don't blame the people who saw the cabins and the lack of normal amenities and the scheduled activities and said no. I blame Disney. Nobody pays that much to pay space bingo. But you super do when space bingo is a cover for whatever shenanigans you're really up to.

Re price, it is expensive but it isn't as wild as people say. It's not 6k per person. That's per cabin. There have been some big earners we've talked to onboard but a lot of people are the average Disney guest choosing to starcruise for part of their regular vacation. My AP renewal cost me more than my portion of this last scheduled voyage. I'm not saying it isn't expensive, but it really isn't more than anything else at Disney. If you're in the position to go to Disney every year, you're in the position to starcruise.

For guest base, it's again marketing. Most of my friends, also of the no children/big nerd variety didn't want to do Starcruiser figuring it was some cheesey Disney thing that's mostly for kids. Somewhere in the abyss of wdwmagic on whatever the original thread was I remember saying I was fully prepared to make my own fun. Even then I expected oh we will get to watch but it'll be the kids doing everything. It wasnt like that at all, but how many guests did they miss out on because of it?

Regarding repeats, I am not the most frequent traveled of my circle. I had planned on more than four trips. I haven't and probably won't have the chance to do first order or Sammy (part of resistance) storylines. Those two paths are very popular with children and since I don't have any it feels a bit weird to join. People do, it's just a little too awkward for me. We had been part of a charter for January 2024 for an adults and cosplay only voyage, id planned to do those then. But much like I still enjoy space mountain, I'd enjoy stealing things with Raithe Kole any day.

 

[dreamfinder912]

Really bummed we never pulled the trigger to do it, my 11yo is so sad. Regretting not going now. Hopefully they will do something else.

I hope they make it some sort of day trip option, at least for a while. So people like me can return and reminisce, and so families like yours can get to experience a piece of it.

 

[Sirwalterraleigh]

I'd add the pool of people who want to go on a 2 day LARP (or whatever people are calling the be a part of the story stuff) is much smaller than they expected. And all the factors result in a Venn diagram with a VERY small pool of customers. Because a lot of these things are deal breakers. If you don't like interactive things, there is no Option B. You are angry at Star Wars, there's no "Well at least this doesn't seem to include the new stuff." If it costs too much, you are out right away cause you can't afford it.

They pulled the plug in 12 months. Based on Disney outlook/lead time on bookings…
That means it was DOA. They knew it would fail before it opened…but had to play it out.

 

[kingdead]

It's not even franchise mismanagement, it's that there isn't a market for $6000 2-night experiences unless you're experiencing certain things that Disney World isn't about to provide.

 

[Sirwalterraleigh]

It's not even franchise mismanagement, it's that there isn't a market for $6000 2-night experiences unless you're experiencing certain things that Disney World isn't about to provide.

I can assure you it’s both.

the mismanagement is to not use the icons of the franchise

The second part is it really needed to be run like a cruise ship…so like 24/7 action available if people wanted it.

Didn’t even come close

 

[JoeCamel]

I'm going to repost something I posted a while back. I think either this will happen OR it will be utilized to "expand" Galaxy's Edge:
______

Why can't they just make this a separate ticketed, multi-hour experience? You arrive at galactic star cruiser at 9 am, you board and experienced an adventure for the next 3-4 hours. They can run this 2-3 times daily and charge $175-$250 a ticket just like they do the parties and after hours events.
_____

My money is on them doing something like the ticketed event.

I hope they make it some sort of day trip option, at least for a while. So people like me can return and reminisce, and so families like yours can get to experience a piece of it.

What do they do with the rooms and how do they present something that passes muster with the fans?
This jonah will be backstage offices or be abandoned until another project comes along to provide funds for it's removal

 

[Sirwalterraleigh]

What do they do with the rooms and how do they present something that passes muster with the fans?
This jonah will be backstage offices or be abandoned until another project comes along to provide for it's removal

D’Amaro is just saying stuff because they’re all In trouble. Likely directly from his handler.

 

[JoeCamel]

D’Amaro is just saying stuff because they’re all In trouble. Likely directly from his handler.

He spoke truth - they will do "something" with it.

 

[Lilofan]

He spoke truth - they will do "something" with it.

Who knows, maybe to help save his job, something will be done with Galaxy Edge.

 

[JoeCamel]

Who knows, maybe to help save his job, something will be done with Galaxy Edge.

The remark was "safe"

 

[Communicora]

The second problem is... how big is the clientele for that kind of experience? You really have to be an active, willing participant to get the most out of it; you have to realize it's not a relaxing getaway, it's like an interactive murder mystery that you act (improv) out over 48 hours. I don't know that even with an IP that kids love like Star Wars that kids are going to understand it or be able to really engage in. You have to be pretty confident and savvy to "yes and" your way into an experience like this, so it's not really suited for families at all. And the third problem is the price. No matter how committed you are to it, $5-6k is a chunk of change for most anyone to throw at a 2-ish day experience.

Yup. I think these are the two big issues and it still would have failed no matter the theme or how well executed. I don't believe there is a large enough market of people who want an experience like this who could/would pay for what Disney wanted to get for it.

Now a dinner show, where people can play along as much as they like or not, that would work. Instead of Tony n' Tina's Wedding we could have Lando's Dinner Party (capes optional).

 

[JD80]

Because Disney Star Wars sucks and they’d have to tap the old stuff or it will flatline in months again!!

And Lord Ego won’t allow it.

Go with the obvious truth

Disney Star Wars doesn't suck. The new trilogy sucks. If you can stick the Mando storyline in there it would be a bigger hit.

 

[Sirwalterraleigh]

Disney Star Wars doesn't suck. The new trilogy sucks. If you can stick the Mando storyline in there it would be a bigger hit.

Ok…but on the whole it has “struggled” unnecessarily…

Better?

I actually watched the Mando season 3 behind the scenes doc they just put on the Holy Streamer the other day…

I invite everyone to watch it. Then we can break down the first 10 minutes. Everything they try to highlight as a “strength” brilliantly illustrates why they’ve struggled as badly as they have.

 

[GimpYancIent]

I still believe a one-day escape from an Imperial prison ship experience / adventure is a viable idea. The cabins would make excellent prison cells (ha ha ha by prison cell standards Luxurious). The CM's. I mean Imperial prison staff, can refer to the guests in the all encompassing, all inclusive "Rebel Scum" term. At the end of the day of incarceration at the hands of the Empire a mass escape can occur to Batuu.

I fully expect a formal letter from Disney legal that TWDC does not accept unsolicited concepts.

 

[FettFan]

1) They p'ed off fans more than the prequels? Than Return of the Jedi and Ewoks? Even ESB p'ed people off back when it was released because it ended on a cliffhanger. P'ing off Star Wars fans is the easiest thing in the world. Want to know how to do it? Do anything. Or do nothing. Either way, they'll be p'ed. The original Star Wars movies still exist. I came to the realization during the prequels that I liked the original movies, the new ones were not for me, and maybe I had just moved beyond my fandom for the Star Wars universe. The sequels were... fine... -ish. It would be nice if people could just realize when something is no longer for them and move on rather than endlessly rage at the latest entity who "ruined their childhood." We just aren't always going to love everything we've ever loved forever, it's why divorce exists. They could get a divorce from Star Wars and not even have to worry about hiring a lawyer or losing half their stuff! And there are very few fans that have thrown money at Star Wars for 45 years. Most either stopped long ago, or started much more recently than 1977.

There is one scene that killed the franchise, and it happened in Last Jedi. Forget the nonsensical casino chase, the Mary Poppins Leia, the walrus with human-like mammaries on its crotch, the unceremonious offing of Admiral Ackbar, or the idiotic “running out of gas” plot point….all small potatoes.

What killed Star Wars was The Assassination of Luke Skywalker By The Bubble-Headed Gerber Baby Rian Johnson



Luke Skywalker does not bloomin’ consider murdering a sleeping teenager because he’s scared of the dark side.
Even Mark Hamill criticized this decision (“Jake Skywalker”), and it was so bad that not only did JJ Abrams try to course correct (yet fail miserably) we have Favreau and Filoni doing their best to rehab Luke by shoving scenes of him training Grogu into BoBF.