Forget the "Star Wars Hotel" moniker. The Star Wars: Galactic Starcruiser, which launched on March 1st at Walt Disney World Resort in Florida, defies simple categorization. It’s not just a hotel, though it offers luxurious accommodations. It’s not a cruise, despite evoking the feeling of traversing the cosmos. And while it incorporates elements of DisneyBounding, immersive theater, and live-action role-playing, it’s ultimately something entirely unique.
Ann Morrow Johnson, Executive Creative Director with Walt Disney Imagineering and the visionary behind Star Wars: Galactic Starcruiser, describes it as "the intersection of all of those things." She elaborates, "It’s a living story ecosystem where guests can play their part in an epic Star Wars story." And truly, from the moment you step aboard, you’re swept into an adventure that feels both grand and intensely personal.
Undeniably, the experience comes at a premium. The cost of a voyage on the Starcruiser begins around $6,000 for two nights, translating to roughly $750 per person per night for a cabin accommodating four guests. This price tag naturally raises the question: is it worth it? The answer, in short, is that the Galactic Starcruiser isn’t designed for everyone. It’s a meticulously crafted, highly exclusive experience that caters to a specific type of traveler.
With only 100 cabins, accommodating approximately 350 guests per voyage, the Starcruiser stands in stark contrast to the vastness of Walt Disney World. Consider the sheer scale of the resort: over 36,000 rooms spread across more than 25 hotels. Furthermore, the Magic Kingdom alone, Disney’s most popular theme park, welcomes an average of 57,000 visitors daily. These experiences are designed for mass appeal. The Galactic Starcruiser, on the other hand, offers an intimate and tailored adventure.
Embarking on a Voyage Aboard the Halcyon
So, who is the ideal candidate for a cruise aboard the Halcyon, the starcruiser at the heart of this experience? According to Johnson, "This is an experience for people who love Star Wars—and the people who love them." This rings true. The level of immersion and engagement is significantly enhanced by a genuine appreciation for the Star Wars universe.
My own experience was shared with my son, a seasoned Star Wars fan who grew up playing with the franchise’s toys, and my brother-in-law, a devoted enthusiast with encyclopedic knowledge of the Star Wars mythology. While I consider myself a casual fan, having enjoyed the films, their passion amplified the experience for all of us. My brother-in-law, in particular, was deeply moved by certain character interactions, visibly experiencing the magic of the story.
Beyond a love for Star Wars, a willingness to embrace the interactive nature of the experience is crucial. While more reserved guests can still enjoy the journey, those who actively engage with the characters, participate in missions, and fully immerse themselves in the narrative will undoubtedly find it more rewarding.
Johnson encourages potential travelers to "give themselves permission to play, to let go a bit, to suspend their disbelief, and live in a galaxy far, far away." This sentiment captures the essence of the Starcruiser experience.
The all-inclusive package encompasses a two-night stay in a cabin, five onboard meals, an excursion to Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge at Disney’s Hollywood Studios (including lunch), and a comprehensive program of entertainment and activities. However, the true value lies in the seamless integration of these elements into a cohesive and evolving storyline.
The premise is simple: guests are embarking on a galactic pleasure cruise aboard the Halcyon, celebrating its 275th anniversary. The journey begins at the Galactic Starcruiser Terminal, a minimalist structure where guests board a launch pod that simulates the journey to the ship. While the pod and the shuttle to Batuu are not as visually compelling as rides like Star Tours, they effectively transport you to another world. Similarly, the sensation of movement aboard the Halcyon itself is subtle, focusing instead on the immersive environment.
Upon arrival, crew members warmly welcome passengers and provide a brief overview of the ship’s central two-story atrium. The Halcyon’s design is sleek and modern, with a retro-futuristic aesthetic. The atrium leads to various locations, including the Sublight Lounge, a stylish bar offering themed cocktails and a holo-sabacc gaming table, and the bridge, which provides a panoramic view of space.
Inside the Cabins and Culinary Delights
The standard cabins, designed to accommodate up to five guests, are compact yet cleverly designed. They feature a comfortable queen bed, two built-in berths, and a Murphy bed. A viewport serves as a window, displaying the ever-changing vistas of space and the ship’s planetary destinations. The viewport is synchronized to the ship’s movements, so you will witness the jump to lightspeed from your cabin. A button-activated blind is available for those who prefer to block out the visuals while sleeping.
A "vidscreen" displays the ship’s location by default, but it can also be used to watch television channels from Earth via a themed remote. By pressing a button on a smaller "vidscreen" and tapping their MagicBand, guests can summon D3-09, an interactive droid. This AI character engages in conversations, answers questions, and helps advance the storyline.
While droids are a common sight in the Star Wars universe, their presence aboard the Halcyon felt somewhat limited. SK-620, a roaming droid, was frequently seen in a state of captivity.
The Crown of Corellia Dining Room serves as the venue for all meals. The culinary offerings are a highlight of the Starcruiser experience, featuring Earth-based ingredients presented in innovative and otherworldly ways. Some dishes, such as the Tip Yip Chicken, are also available at Galaxy’s Edge, but many others are exclusive to the Halcyon.
Dinner is served family-style, allowing guests to sample a diverse range of dishes. The Bantha Beef Tenderloin stood out for its tenderness and flavor. Another memorable dish was the Iced Felucian Blue Shrimp, a striking appetizer presented during the "Taste Around the Galaxy" dinner. The shrimp’s vibrant blue color, achieved through a butterfly pea tea brine, was particularly eye-catching.
Brian Piasecki, Culinary Director at Walt Disney World, explains that the blue shrimp is their take on a traditional cruise ship shrimp cocktail. The dish, representing the colorful and fog-enshrouded planet of Felucia, was served with pickled mushrooms, seaweed salad, and dramatic smoke.
Breakfast and lunch are served buffet-style, with meals presented in bento box-like containers that fit neatly into trays. The Kale Porridge, a polenta dish made with kale, egg "worms," mushrooms, and plant-based sausage gravy, was a uniquely flavorful breakfast option.
Piasecki emphasizes that the food is designed to tell a story, enhancing the overall immersive experience.
Characters, Choices, and Climax
The first evening features a dinner show starring Gaya, a talented Twi’lek singer. Her performances blend pop, blues, and new-age music, with lyrics that hint at the challenges faced by her people and planet.
Interactions with Gaya, her manager Raithe Kole, and Captain Riyola Keevan reveal that there is more to the Halcyon than meets the eye. As with any Star Wars story, intrigue and rebellion are brewing beneath the surface. The actors are uniformly excellent, fully invested in their roles and adept at engaging with guests.
Guests are presented with choices, such as siding with the First Order Lieutenant Harman Croy, aiding members of the Resistance, or pursuing their own agenda as independent scoundrels. The story unfolds differently depending on the alliances forged and the decisions made.
Passengers receive personalized "comms" from the characters throughout the voyage via the "datapads," iPhones equipped with the Play Disney Parks mobile app. These datapads also provide a map of the ship, hacking tools, and an updated list of events.
Aspiring Jedis can participate in lightsaber training, wielding blue-hued weapons that provide haptic feedback when successfully deflecting beams of light. Bridge training offers the opportunity to learn how to operate the ship’s navigation, defense, and other systems. These skills may prove useful if guests are invited to participate in secret missions.
The excursion to Batuu becomes more meaningful when characters task you with specific missions and objectives. Galactic Starcruisers receive Lightning Lane passes, allowing them to bypass the lines at Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance and Millennium Falcon: Smuggler’s Run. These attractions become even more immersive when integrated into the larger Halcyon narrative.
Regardless of the chosen path, the experience culminates in a grand finale on the second evening. The Halcyon’s characters are joined by Kylo Ren and Rey, resulting in lightsaber battles, impressive displays of the Force, a stirring John Williams score, and all the hallmarks of a classic Star Wars climax.
Spending two days immersed in the world of Star Wars: Galactic Starcruiser, forging connections with the characters and investing in their struggles, is an emotional experience. For a brief but intense period, you truly feel like you’re living in a galaxy far, far away. The Halcyon offers more than just a stay, it offers an adventure. This adventure is worth it for those who are willing to fully immerse themselves in the Star Wars narrative.
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