Four Things I Love about Star Wars: Galactic Starcruiser and Two That Worry Me
At the 2019 D-23 Expo, Disney executives unveiled many tantalizing details about the upcoming Star Wars Hotel. Every tidbit set social media ablaze, but a few aspects matter more than others. Here are four things I love about Star Wars: Galactic Starcruiser and two things that worry me.
I Can’t Wait for…
The Theming
The premise of Galactic Starcruiser is brilliant. You board a cruise on the Chandrila Star Line. You’re a space tourist headed to the legendary Halcyon, one of the most impressive vessels in the known universe.
Yes, when you vacation at the Star Wars hotel, you’re really taking a cruise…on land. It’s a bold idea the likes of which people have come to expect from Disney. And I’m confident that Walt Disney would approve.
The Immersion
Praising the theming isn’t enough, though. The level of immersion at this hotel is unprecedented. From the moment you enter the “lobby,” you’re already introduced to the Star Wars universe. You’ll enter a launch pod that will transport you into outer space.
Why does this happen? When does your cruise start? The answer is when you board the cruise ship. However, you must travel to it first. The same is true of an intergalactic adventure.
Disney’s playing up this part by thrusting you into the action. The launch pod will display views of various star systems whizzing by as you travel to the Halcyon. When you reach your destination, you must dock first before you may enter the atrium. Touches like this will take you into the story like nothing in the history of Disney.
A vacation at Star Wars: Galactic Starcruiser is akin to entering a Star Wars movie. You become one of the main characters in the film, and your actions will determine the outcome. Everyone from the cast members to the other hotel guests will have roles to play in your story…as well as their own. I cannot wait for Disney to gamify Star Wars with full-time live-action role-playing like this.
The Fun for Cast Members
I’ve said countless times how much I adore and appreciate Disney cast members, the kindest employees on the planet.
They live to give, accepting less pay to bring happiness into the lives of others. Their generosity is boundless. And I want to savor every moment of their jobs. I’m not sure that’s ever been possible the way that it is at the Star Wars hotel. They should never experience the drudgery of a tiresome day on the job.
Cast members become a part of the story here. They’ll play the characters of an alien crew, somehow simultaneously satisfying all of your customer needs as a hotel guest. You may need to know where the snack machines are, but the cast member gets to show you more about who they are as they interact.
Working on this fictional cruise ship sounds like an exciting way to pass the day at work. I think of these Galactic Starcruiser ships as a combination of Bravo’s Below Deck and an improvisational acting class. Who wouldn’t love a job like that?
The Dojo
Anyone who knows me is all too aware of the fact that I’m not a Star Wars person. I grew up during the glory days of the Holy Trilogy, but the stories never moved me the way that they did for the majority of my generation. In other words, I’m not the target audience for Star Wars: Galactic Starcruiser. Honestly, I’m a hard sell. I’m excited about one aspect of this starcruise, though.
The Dojo is the place where guests may practice honing their Lightsaber skills. In pop culture terms, it sounds like the Danger Room from the X-Men comics. To Star Wars fans, it’s a real-world recreation of Luke Skywalker’s Jedi training. Guests battle a training remote
This premise excites me. I’m a boy. I like swinging sticks and pretending like I’m a Samurai. I’m not saying that it’s just something I loved as a child, either. I still use the cardboard tubes from gift wrap paper to club things. I’m a menace around the holidays for this reason. The Dojo lets me feel like a warrior skilled in The Force, and I’m totally down for that.
But I’m Worried about…
The Demanding Nature of the Premise
Webster’s defines vacation as “a period spent away from home or business in travel or recreation.” To me, the meaningful word there is recreation. When I’m on a Disney trip, I want to go at my pace and maintain full control of my itinerary.
I’m not going to lie here. When I watched the Galactic Starcruiser presentation, I freaked out a little. It seems…exhausting.
Disney expects guests to enter Star Wars mode the moment that they check in and stay that way throughout the vacation. At least, that’s what they’re stating right now. This news troubles me because it sounds like a lot of work.
When I talk to cast members, I don’t want them to be “on” all the time. Sometimes, I just want to know where the laundry machines are, you know? Similarly, having guests all participate in individual Star Wars stories means that I can’t even trust my fellow Disney fans to be honest with them. They could be double agents for The First Order.
I’m not visiting Disney to fight an intergalactic war. I play videogames for that. When I’m at Walt Disney World, I just want to ride the PeopleMover and admire the scenery. I sincerely hope that the hotel’s management team accepts that not all guests want to be all-in on this cruise concept.
The Long-Term Appeal and Pricing
I’ve operated a movie website for more than 20 years now. During that time, I’ve watched the rise and fall of Star Wars in popularity multiple times.
The process is cyclical. First, there was excitement for the prequels followed by disgust for the prequels. Then, the renewed energy of The Force Awakens disappeared as other Star Wars movies came out too quickly.
Right now, The Rise of Skywalker seemingly has more detractors than supporters on social media. Of course, the film will still earn a boatload of money no matter whether it’s good or not. However, the quality of that title will have ripple effects on the demand for Star Wars Land and Galactic Starcruiser.
I should mention Disney has an ace in the hole. The Mandalorian looks spectacular and should anchor Disney+ programming for a while. Simultaneously, it will sustain interest in all things Star Wars. But I can’t help but wonder about the state of the franchise in a few years.
In addition, the pricing for Galactic Starcruiser is alarmingly high. Polygon suggests that a single cabin costs $3,300. That’s for a full family for two nights and may include some options that Disney hasn’t reported yet like meals and possibly even park tickets. It’s still $1,650 per night, though. That’s a lot of money to live our your own Star Wars adventure.