Star Wars: Galactic Starcruiser
Bright Suns Voyagers!
I almost didn't write about this memory. Honestly, I felt like there was no point in sharing an experience that people could no longer have. I also was so deeply impacted by the level of bonding that I had with my kids on this voyage that I almost wanted to keep it bottled up just for myself. But the more I thought about it, the more I realized that I wanted this story to live somewhere so that I could revisit it time and time again. In the interest of not sounding cheesy or dramatic, this experience was life-changing for my family, and I wanted to preserve it.
PREPPING THE KIDS FOR SPACE
So, let me start from the beginning. My kids had never seen Star Wars before we booked our vacation on the Star Wars Galactic Starcruiser. We found out that the Galactic Starcruiser was closing down. They were offering a 30% discount for a DVC members only cruise, which would be similar to what they do on Disney Cruise Line. We decided we didn't want to miss this opportunity so we canceled our Disney Cruise and booked this instead. My husband was a little worried that we were spending a lot of money on a trip that our kids wouldn't fully appreciate since they didn’t watch or understand Star Wars.
I assured him that we had time to prepare and during the summer, I planned for our family to watch one movie a week leading up to the August trip so that our kids would better understand the Star Wars universe.
Unfortunately, we made the mistake of watching the Star Wars movies in chronological order, which meant watching Episode III before IV. This was a mistake because of Anakin Skywalker's betrayal, this devastated the kids. So, note to self: watch the movies in the order they were released to avoid traumatizing the kids. haha!
Also if you want to know what are the best movies and shows to watch for your kids age check out common sense media.
My husband and I have always been Star Wars fans, but we never forced our kids to like them. On June 1st, we decided to start watching the first Star Wars movie, with the idea of watching one movie per week throughout the summer. To our surprise, we watched all the movies in just ten days because our kids were hooked.
I was thrilled to see their excitement, and it made me feel like their experience would be richer now that they understood and appreciated the Star Wars universe. After that, we started exploring all the series related to Star Wars, and now we are a Star Wars family.
Parent Tip: I always believe in preparing my kids for any place we visit, including Walt Disney World. If we plan on spending time in Toy Story Land or want our kids to enjoy the Disney classics, we need to take the time to watch those movies that line up with the characters. Seeing the characters they love on the screen come to life is part of the Disney magic.
WE DIDN’T TAKE THE BABY
We decided not to bring our youngest on the voyage since taking care of a toddler on board would have been challenging. Our toddler still came with us to Orlando and had a blast! My sister flew down with my niece, who is only one year younger than my daughter. My mom also came, and they spent the weekend together enjoying the parks and resorts. Then, at the end of our trip, we spent a day with our baby at the Beach Club before we all headed home.
Additionally, we were fortunate to just barely secure a five-person room. Initially, we were only allowed to register for a four-person room, but we were later upgraded to a five-person room once the cast members had final numbers. We were fortunate to register for the cruise at all since it was done via a virtual queue, and I was third in line, and this cruise sold out the same day. I joked with them, saying we could not split up Luke and Leia!
BACK STORY
While preparing for our voyage, we tried to gain as much knowledge as possible. We absorbed all the advice of those who had been on this adventure before. As a family, we decided to go all-in on this pricey voyage! One of the things that many people talked about was showing up to the Starcruiser in a costume to start in the voyage in character. We didn't have specific costumes in mind. Still, we wanted to look like we were from a planet of nobility like Alderaan, Hynestia Prime, Mandalore, Mon Cala, Naboo, Onderon, Polyneus, Shu-Torun, Toydaria, and Zygerria - something along these lines. We didn't have super intense backstories, but we had a little bit of one. My husband and Twin son wanted to dress up as Jedis, while my daughter wanted to be a princess from Naboo, raised on Kashyyyk with the Wookies for her protection. My older son connected with the rebels and went for a simple, sleek outfit.
ARRIVAL DAY
Upon our arrival, we took a photo with the Galactic Starcruiser sign in the background, all dressed up for the occasion. The arrival process felt a bit tedious, as we had to wait outside for about an hour before being allowed in. However, this is typical of boarding a Disney Cruise Line Ship as well the difference was we were outside. It was August and very hot outside but we were prepared for that, they passed out cold waters and cooling towels as needed. If we were not prepared for the wait, we may have been shocked or annoyed. But because we spoke to people who went before us we knew what to expect. You check in outside, giving them your luggage, they tag it, and deliver it to your room. Once you check into the building you go through a pre-show before entering the transport, I think it would have been nice to have two transports to speed up this process. Only having one is what made the wait so long.
This experience should have been marketed to more people in the cruise community, as the similarities between the Galactic Star Cruiser experience and a Disney Cruise Line resembled each other.
The level of detail on the ship is incredible, and it truly feels like you have stepped into a different realm. Once aboard, we were led to the heart of the ship, where the stunning Atrium greeted us. The interior was breathtaking, with towering ceilings and intricate design elements. We could feel the excitement around us, as we were about to take flight.
Our initial host gave us a tour of all the areas of the ship and escorted us to our room. They went over the details, such as the mandatory muster drill, and introduced us to the droid in our room. It truly felt like we were going on a cruise in the Galactic universe. The host stayed in character the entire time, so we stayed in character and this is how our adventure began. At the time, we did not realize how much of the story we were about to be a part of, we followed the lead of the cast members.
During the check-in process, the host repeatedly instructed us not to enter the engineering room as it was off-limits. However, my kids and I were already excited and keen to explore every inch of the starcruiser. So when the host left, we decided to sneak into the engineering room. We had brought iPads for our kids as we were told we needed devices to participate in the missions. We downloaded the playDisney app before boarding, so we started interacting with the ship's systems through our data pads immediately. It turns out there was a secret mission in the engineering room, and thus, the path of choosing the light or darkness began.
Soon after, we were called for the muster drill in the atrium, where the captain introduced herself and gave a speech. We were divided into four groups and could choose which group to join. The crew members started to act out a story, but we didn't realize that we are literally in the story until this moment. We thought we would just be watching the interaction but not becoming key players in the story.
As the captain continued her speech, we noticed some activity among the crew members, which piqued our curiosity. I even filmed some of it on my phone while the captain welcomed us to the 275th voyage of the Halycon, which is part of the Chandrila Star Line, which is the company that operates luxury cruises in the galaxy.
Just to clarify before we begin, participation in the missions is completely optional. Many individuals on board chose not to take part in the missions. I even spoke with one grandmother who was having a blast watching her grandkids participate without joining in herself. I have seen comments from people speaking negatively about the Halcyon, claiming that passengers were forced to wake up early to participate in missions or that they had to participate. None of this is true. Only those who have actually taken the cruise know what it's really about - seriously do not listen to any clickbait site. Everything is optional, though the more effort you put in, the more you will get out of the experience. By the end of it all, I was running around and exhausted from the kids missions.
THE ADVENTURE BEGINS
As we embarked on our adventure, our first scheduled event was light saber training. I became even more fascinated with technology after listening to Lanny Smoot talk about his inventions when I was covering the Disney Dreamers Academy. He is the one who invented the technology that allowed us to experience the light saber training.
What sets the Halcyon apart is its constant buzz of activity - from training sessions to passenger gatherings and events. The narrative unfolds in a multi-dimensional manner, ensuring there's never a dull moment, unless you choose otherwise. Your data pad is a constant source of updates from various crew members, adding to the immersive experience.
During my first night, the kids started working together as a team on their first mission after dinner, and as you answer questions on the data pad your personalized journey will unfold. Again, what you put into the experience you will get out of it. I was obviously going towards the light and it seems like all my kids were too, so my data pad automatically linked to there missions. My husband on the other hand seemed to be going dark, and going dark pretty fast, so sometimes he would sneak off to go on his own little adventures. I loved watching the kids work together with such enthusiasm. This is when I knew I had made the right decision in on booking a trip on the Halcyon.
CROWN OF CORELLIA DINING ROOM
Just like the Disney Cruise Line, the Star Wars Galactic Starcruiser offered two dining groups, and we chose the earlier option. Dinner was held in the Crown of Corellia Dining room, and there was always live entertainment or a show happening during dinner, all part of the storyline. Gaya and Ouannii were not the only characters we saw during our meals. We experienced some fun surprises, as other characters ran through the room or stopped to talk with guests. The storyline is very interactive and immersive, and it doesn't pause during mealtimes. My daughters eyes lit up when Chewie boarded the ship and ran into our dinner to hide! Then Lt. Cory comes looking for him and we all had to lie to protect him. The kids were so invested in all of it, it brought me so much joy!
THE FOOD
The food was "space" themed, and it was incredibly delicious. They could accommodate everything we needed, even with the picky younglings in our group. There were times when we had grilled chicken nuggets because the younglings didn't want anything else. They also had some cool drinks. The amount we paid included all of our dining expenses.
You have probably heard of the infamous blue shrimp served at dinner since it was the most talked about item in the media preview.
Breakfast and lunch were served buffet-style, and we made sure to attend every meal, even though on day two, we were given a quick service credit to use on Batuu. We wanted to be on the ship as much as possible. An endless supply of blue and green milk is included in the cost of your overall trip.. The Galactic Starcruiser had a different texture. It was smoother, almost like a smoothie consistency, whereas the one in Batuu are more icey. Other drink options include standard sodas and water.
The dining room was one large room with multiple levels. They have booths along the walls and tables and chairs in the middle of the room. They also had a captain's table that was an additional cost and had to be pre-booked.
THE FIRST ORDER
The First Order storyline is a central aspect of the Galactic Starcruiser experience. As I had avoided any spoilers & honestly didn't know what this journey was all about, I was surprised when the First Order suddenly boarded our ship during our muster. This event left the guests feeling uneasy, but it marked the start of our unique Star Wars journey.
During our stay, we met various characters from the Star Wars universe, such as First Order officers, stormtroopers, musicians, rebels and more. These encounters were not just scripted interactions but big moments that responded to ou' actions and choices made each moment.
Whether we sided with the First Order or secretly aided the Resistance, we could shape our narrative within the overarching storyline. This is where the Datapad came in. RF readers were placed on characters (not confirmed, but I suspect that's how they did this!), and when we interacted with the cast, the Datapad was filled with questions and options that aligned us with the First Order or the Rebellion. This is how missions were created.
The presence of the First Order aboard the Halcyon added an element of tension and excitement to the experience. We found ourselves involved in covert missions, facing interrogations by First Order officers, or witnessing dramatic confrontations. Every encounter was designed to blur the lines between fiction and reality, fully immersing guests in the Star Wars universe.
This is where the family bonding and Disney magic collide. We were all part of a magical adventure that felt like something straight out of a Disney story. Well, almost all of us. It seemed like my husband was being drawn to the dark side, but it turned out he was playing both sides. He embarked on different missions from the rest of us, leading him to experience some really cool moments we were not part of. It was difficult not to fully immerse in the adventure; the kids were totally engaged, and our outfits and costumes added another layer to the experience. The cast's acting was incredible, making us feel like we were on a Star Wars journey. We lost ourselves in the story and were fully committed to defending the Galaxy.
CHEWBECCA AND MY DAUGHTER
From the moment my daughter laid eyes on the Chewbacca ornament during a shopping trip for Christmas decorations for her bedroom, she developed an inexplicable love for the Star Wars character. She was only three years old at the time and had no prior knowledge of Chewbacca. She was determined to have him on her pink and white Christmas tree, which started an unbreakable love for Chewie.
As time passed, my daughter's love for Chewbacca only grew stronger. By the time we went on the Starcruiser, she had watched every Star Wars movie and show and met Chewbacca several times in the parks. However, nothing could have prepared me to watch her have the ULTIMATE experience with Chewie on the Starcruiser.
There was even a moment when they were left alone in the engineering room. It was just our family, Chewie, and the cast member handler, and my heart was filled with so joy and excitement. The experience was truly magical and made her a lifelong fan of both Star Wars and Chewbacca. I literally cried because I knew this was a core memory being made for her. But it will forever be imprinted on my brain as well.
My daughter still talks about that moment with Chewbacca as if it happened yesterday. The Starcruiser provided an unforgettable opportunity to interact with her favorite character from a galaxy far, far away.
BRIDGE TRAINING
"The Bridge" on the Halcyon is where the magic happens - the crew manages the ship's navigation and defense systems, and guests can get involved too. You might even be called to battle stations if the First Order attacks.
During our trip, we had the chance to receive some bridge training. It was so much fun! The training lasted about 45 minutes and my family covered two really important stations: the Weapons Station and the Shields Station.
At the Weapons Station, we learned how to use two shooting modes - lasers (blue button) and torpedoes (yellow button). There's even an orange button on the console that lets you mark your targets and see them blink through the viewport. It's like you're really in a space battle!
The Shields Station is where things get really exciting. We learned how to protect the ship from incoming debris using a dial to move a shield in a circular motion around the ship. We all huddled around the Shields Station to block incoming debris from striking the ship. There's even a physical model of the ship on the table that lights up red when debris passes your shield and hits the Halcyon.
The bridge training was a super cool and was basically a giant video game that we were playing with 30 - 40 of our closest friends and having to work together.
THE ROOM
We stayed in a 5th sleeper standard cabin during our trip, and it was absolutely amazing. The room had some incredible, thoughtful, and full of intricate details, which the kids loved. One of the room's best features was the video droid that could wake us up, update us on what was happening, and answer any questions we had. Although other cabins on the ship could accommodate more people, we loved the room. At the end of the trip, the kids did not want to leave.
one queen bed
two berths (bunk beds)
one pull-down bed
a pull-out table
a mini fridge
a hair dryer
an in-cabin safe
a phone with voicemail capability
an interactive television with earth-based programming
H2O Plus® spa, bath, and shower products
The Cabins had windows looking out into space, with simulated views of recognizable ships and expansive vistas of stars and planets. At night we could put the window in night mode so the room would be dark.
DAY TWO
EXCURSION: BATUU
After an exciting Night 1 on the Starcruiser, it's time for the mission to continue.
On our excursion to Batuu we desembarked the ship onto a transport to take us to port and it was honestly the coolest thing. Yes, I know it was just a large semi on the outside, but on the inside, it was FAB! We were so giddy that you would have thought we had never been to Batuu. Since it was summer and we knew there were many “visitors” from the planet earth, we decided to wear more comfortable clothes to blend in with the crowd.
We were also instructed to wear our Halcyon pins as it was important for the cast members to know who we were, and honestly, it gave us VIP treatment. I had no clue that Batuu guests were going on missions the whole time; there is even a part of the mission where we go to Oga's and get a secret medallion for our mission. That is how good Disney is, Batuu was part of the storyline of the Halycon, and regular guests would never have known that. It's why characters had to roam; they were also part of this galactic story. My daughter ran to Chewie and was so happy to see him off the ship! Chewie and Rey played right into the storyline, thanking her for getting him off. This is Magic y'all, THIS IS MAGIC.
We had a quick service meal loaded to our My Disney Experience. (At that time, dining plans had not returned.) Then, we also had a Lightning Lane for Rise of the Resistance and Smugglers Run, which gave us an extended scene on the ride. To guarantee there was no disruptions of the story while we were on Batuu Rise of the resistance was running in B mode. For many of us on this cruise, it’s something we all would have noticed since most of us were frequent Disney visitors being DVC members, but it was fine and Walt Disney World seems to run in B mode a lot. But on Smugglers run, we had an extended scene after the ride was complete and that was pretty cool.
Like Bounty Hunting, we had to scan different QR codes throughout Batuu to complete the missions. Meanwhile, on our data pads, we were getting communications from various cast members aboard our ship. We had the option to stay and hang out in Hollywood Studios for the day, but we wanted to spend as much time on the Halycon as possible and eat lunch there as well. So, as soon as we were done with our missions, we headed back aboard the ship. We did end up using our quick service credit the next day at Beach Club so it did not go to waste.
Once we were on board, the kids split off into different activities. One child went and did Droid Racing. All the kids had fallen in love with the Sabacc, and our oldest played in a tournament in The Crown of Corellia Dining Room. The twins went and did Loth-Cat Porg Detection Drill, a hide-and-find game where kids search for stuffed Porgs. Everyone found something, and when we had some downtime, we hung out in the room and spent most of our time in the sublight lounge. It was like any other cruise ship with filler games and activities for you to get involved in.
When I think back about this experience, I almost feel like it was a little bit of an out-of-body experience. I am fully aware that I was the one experiencing it, but between the costumes and the atmosphere, it was definitely "Space Jessica" who was experiencing this trip. I was able to soak it in as someone else truly. I had four outfit changes over the 2.5 days, and I am so glad I did because it was definitely the old glamorous Jessica that I used to be before I had little kids and I loved it.
THE BATTLE BETWEEN DARK AND LIGHT
HALYCON STORYLINE
The story's main narrative follows Sammie, a newly appointed ship mechanic. If you follow Sammie early on Day 1, you will quickly learn that he has more to him than meets the eye. We find out Sammie wants to work for the Resistance. He even goes as far as to help Chewbacca get on the ship while hiding him and other cargo on board after the First Order attacks. The First Order boards the Halcyon, and Lt. Croy and his Stormtroopers start to interrogate passengers and crew members to determine their intentions on the vessel. The First Order's objective is to root out any Resistance members and gain any advantage to secure a victory for Supreme Leader Kylo Ren.
Gaya's story: On the Galactic Starcruiser it is revealed through her 40-minute dinner performance called "An Evening with Gaya" on the first night. She is a Twi'lek diva who shares her story through her original songs, containing hidden messages about her background and motivations. Gaya's story revolves around her struggle to free her enslaved people, her quest to find a mysterious "singing stone" from her planet, and her belief that the true source of power is coaxium.
On Day 1, Sammie appeared to betray the Resistance by handing over Chewie and SK to the First Order. We were all devastated because we were not following Sammie's story and had no idea that he would betray us in such a way. This twist in the plot came after a series of unexpected events. We were in the middle of bridge training when we saw Chewie being arrested and taken away by the First Order. As we were in training, we were unable to leave and had no idea what was going on. However, my daughter was particularly upset as we had spent a lot of time hiding Chewie.
However, Sammie's betrayal of the Resistance was actually a ploy to infiltrate the First Order and uncover their plans for the Hyperdrive tracking technology.
The Halcyon spaceship reaches Batuu and enters orbit, but the First Order becomes suspicious of Resistance activity aboard the ship. They establish a blockade around it. Guests who have visited Galaxy's Edge will recognize the events occurring in the background of Rise of the Resistance. The main storyline of the Galactic Starcruiser voyage seamlessly meshes with that of Galaxy's Edge's most popular attractions. This made me view Rise of the Resistance in a new light. It is not just an amazing attraction, it now takes on a new life as an extension of the Galactic Starcruiser experience. The thoughtfulness Disney showed with the ride blew my mind. I was impressed by the experience of trying both rides. Gaya's need for us to retrieve coaxium makes it necessary to ride Smugglers Ride.
We are happy that we picked the earlier seating for dinner on the Halcyon spaceship. While the finale was scheduled for around 9:30 pm, we got to spend more time experiencing the story by dining earlier. During our meal, Lt. Croy from the First Order unexpectedly interrupted our dinner. Fortunately, by choosing the earlier seating, we were able to witness all the action unfold, complete our missions in the engineering room, and experience more of the storyline before an emergency muster was called, requiring all guests to return to the Atrium.
The Captain of the Halcyon urged passengers to unite and resist the First Order. Despite the danger, the crew refused to surrender and instead rallied together for a final stand against them. As the tension mounted, Kylo Ren decided to destroy the ship and all its passengers in a fateful decision. We watched the epic battle between Rey and Kylo Ren in the Atrium with everyone on the ship. Kylo retreats, making Rey the victor!
Then, to our surprise, Sammie infiltrated the First Order and removed his Stormtrooper helmet, pointing his blaster at Lt. Croy! Sammie was the hero of the story!
Then, in true Disney fashion, our night ended with fireworks in the galaxy. That was the end of the story—we spent almost 36 hours running all over the place, completing missions, meeting friends, bonding with other passengers, and it all came to a spectacular end. It was such a complete feeling. I was relieved because the story was over; I honestly could not have handled one more day. But I felt deep sadness because I knew it was almost over.
We spent the rest of the night hanging out with new friends in the Sublight Lounge. The kids did not have time for us, they wanted to spend as much time with their new friends as possible. It was wild how deeply we bonded with other passengers on this adventure in just two short days. But that is what Disney Magic creates, the ability to give a family an adventure like never before - and this was the experience of a lifetime.
PAID ADD ONS
Captain's Table: The Captain's Table at the Crown of Corellian Dining Room offered a special dinner experience. As a guest, you had a prime location in the center of the dining room with the best view of the entertainment. They were served extra courses exclusively offered at the Captain's Table and got the chance to dine and interact with Captain Keevan. The price is $50 per person for one seating. Although my husband had heard about it, we decided not to go for it due to our little kids, and the fact that it would require five seats. I was the third person to book the Disney Vacation Club cruise, so I could have easily booked it, but since it would be our only experience, we decided against it.
Chandrilla Star Lines Portrait Experience: There was also the option to have a private photo shoot on the ship for half an hour with professional posing and lighting. Specially trained Cast Members would capture your perfect moments. The photographers would work with you to determine the types of photos you wanted taken and would find the best locations around the ship to help you look and feel like a true inhabitant of the Star Wars universe. Price: $399 per session.
We also took part in the CSL portrait experience, which was very worth it because there won't be another time when my family will dress up in Star Wars costumes. I'm so glad I took a friend's advice and did that because it will be a lasting memory for us.
Image Design Makeup Session: Image Designers could come to your cabin onboard the Halcyon to create a custom face paint design to transform you into your chosen alien species for the cruise. They ensure that your face paint design is "Batuu Approved" so you look your best during your excursion to Black Spire Outpost. Price: $134.52 (includes gratuities). My daughter loves getting her face painted. She would have loved the makeup session. However, since she loves Princess Leia and often dressed like her on the Halcyon, we decided not to go for the face paint. It didn't match her costumes. I know she would have enjoyed it, and if we had another experience, we would have definitely chosen the face paint design.
Activities on Batuu: During the visit to Black Spire Outpost on Batuu, there are several activities they would book for you. You could build a lightsaber at Savi's Workshop, design a BB or R2 series droid at the Droid Depot, or reserve a table for drinks and snacks at Oga's Cantina.
When we visited, my oldest son and husband built lightsabers at Savi's Workshop. We decide to wait until our kids were over 10 years old before they experience Savi's Workshop due to its cost, and the Sabers are not toys. My oldest son chose the light side, while my husband chose the dark side.
I offered the younger kids the option to build a lightsaber at Tattoonie Traders, but they preferred to return to the ship. We brought our droids along, as we had built them previously, and they had completed their missions. Therefore, we decided to return to the ship and maximize our time on board.
TOGETHER AS ONE
As I reflect on my experience, I realize it's difficult to put into words how a 48-hour adventure can create such strong bonds that you feel like the people around you are now family. This is what happened on our Starcruiser journey. It's hard to describe how quickly we bonded, but it was all thanks to the cast's efforts.
For those of us on the resistance side, we quickly adopted the phrase "ignite the spark" - "Light the fire!" motto that united the group against the First Order. Saja had a motto of their own that we would hear often: they would say "Together", and we would all repeat with "As one." When I tell you the cast was incredible it is truly an understatement.
Halcyon Family
This experience could have been in any fandom and still created the same emotional ties because we didn't know the characters beforehand. Disney was brilliant in creating a new adventure in a familiar world, where we, as guests, could create our own story. We were living our own Star Wars story with these new characters and some of our old favorites intertwined. I was amazed at how quickly I was drawn in.
My kids and I were truly devastated on the last day of our trip. No one wanted to leave the ship, and my daughter even cried. We have traveled a lot as a family, and we feel lucky for that. However, we still believe that this experience will forever be one of our top favorites.
Through Instagram, I've been able to keep in touch with some of the people we met on the cruiser. Just this January 2024, I met up with a couple that we met on the Halcyon.
WHY THE STAR CRUISER MAY HAVE FAILED
MARKETING
I personally think that the marketing for the Starcruiser was terrible. Unfortunately, when it was first introduced, many clickbait blogs got hold of it, and all you heard was 'the $6,000 Star Wars hotel.' So, people thought that they had to pay $6,000 for only two days to stay in this hotel. The message was not clear, and even though they did not want to spoil the surprises, there would have been a better way to market this to the audience.
Interestingly, after the Star Cruiser officially closed, many people who had previously criticized it on social media expressed that they now miss it. They realized it was a unique experience they couldn't have at any other time. A lot of these individuals were big Star Wars fans and felt sad that the Star Cruiser was no longer available. One of the main problems with social media nowadays is that harmful content tends to attract more clicks and views, leading to more payment. This means there's more incentive to talk negatively about something rather than positively. In this case, the media harmed itself by focusing on negative content.
This also should have been heavily marketed to the cruise community because this experience is more like a cruise, with all-inclusive eating, disembarkation process, and luggage pick-up. It was 100% a cruise experience, and they failed to market it to that audience.
They also did not clarify that you did not need to be a Star Wars fan to enjoy it. Instead, you needed to be a Disney fan because you were entering the world of storytelling. Whether it was Star Wars, Marvel, or Pixar, it wouldn't have mattered as it was still a transformative Disney experience. Although it was wrapped in a Star Wars blanket, it meant even more to the Star War fans, who saw it as Disney building a “church” for them. But I love Star Wars the same way I love Pixar and Marvel. I don't love it more. The message got lost in the cost, and this was still a Disney experience.
After watching my family, many people told me that we should have been at the media preview because they finally understood what it was after watching us. However, I think the media preview missed the ball. Even as a huge Disney fan, I did not get it until I experienced it myself. I was watching the media preview, and the cast members asked some people where they were from, and they would say 'Philly,' not realizing that the cast members were in character and expecting them to also be participating in the story. The cast member would then ask, 'What planet is that from?' and the media person would look confused instead of getting into the storyline. Many of these preview people just found cool rooms to dance in - which again - a weird choice for an interactive experience. Disney truly missed the building of a story, bonding with friends and family, cool new experiences, and the concierge level expereince in the advertising.
I only fully understood what we were doing once I got there myself. Although I did research beforehand, if I had attended the media preview, I would have focused on the family bonding aspect and the experience without giving away the story. I would have left many cliffhangers to entice families to want to experience it themselves. Afterward, many families told me they would have done this if I had known what it was because it was a Disney experience.
COST
I believe that cost is a significant factor, but honestly, after experiencing it, I'm not entirely sure if they could have reduced the cost any more than the discounted amount I paid for my family. This was absolutely worth the cost for my family of five. And if they could have afforded leaving it at the cost of $4780.00 I think they would have seen so many people book the experience.
Considering the level of service we received, I'm not sure how they could have reduced the cost further. The actors, many of whom are SAG-registered, and the concierge-level cruise service we experienced, all justified the cost for my family of five.
In fact, we canceled a Disney cruise to go on the Star Cruiser at a discounted rate of 30%. If more people knew what it was, they would have gone, and I wish there were a way to make it more affordable. However, at the amount we paid, we got our money's worth.
Yes, it was expensive, but I also paid $5000 for a one-day VIP tour for ten people, and everyone told me it was worth the price. Therefore, an all-inclusive Disney experience with the highest level of storytelling is worth the price. Once again, the marketing could have been better.
Price Breakdown:
Disney Collection 30% Discount for DVC Member Cruise
Galactic Starcruiser – Member Voyage
Category: Standard Cabin
Start Date: Saturday, August 19, 2023
End Date: Monday, August 21, 2023
Number of Guests: 5
Total U.S. Dollars for Package: $4780.00
Guest Details:
Adult 1 $1801.00 U.S. Dollars
Adult 2 $1801.00 U.S. Dollars
Adult 3 (child 11) $494.00 U.S. Dollars
Child $342.00 U.S. Dollars
Child $342.00 U.S. Dollars
What is included in this cost:
Valet Parking
Custom Magic Bands
2 Nights Stay in a Deluxe Level Cabin
All Inclusive Food and Beverage - including QS Credit for Batuu
1 Day Admission to Disney's Hollywood Studios
ILL for Rise of the Resistance
LL for Smugglers Run
Custom Halycon Pin
Complete Immersive Experience
Free Gifts for the DVC Cruise:
Custom Galactic Starcruiser Bags
Corkcicle Water Bottle
Sign Copies of Star Wars every day from Ashely Eckstein
Orange Suitcase full of snacks and treats
FAQS
Did you miss daylight?
No, they had a “simulator” room that we could go in if we needed fresh air and we did have the excurision to Batuu. You were so busy you really didn’t even think about it or notice it.
Would you have enjoyed it if you were not Star Wars Fans?
If you are a Disney fan, you would have loved it. You didn't need to participate in the missions to enjoy the experience. You could have just enjoyed the ship, spent time in the sublight lounge, and watched the action unfolding around you. It would have still been a fantastic time. This is the Disney Experience, which happens to take place in the world of Star Wars. However, for Star Wars fans, this is an apex experience. This will be the closest they will ever come to living their own Star Wars stories.
What will become of it?
No one knows!
Could they have added more to this experience?
There is always room for improvement. I don't want to speak for Disney. Many times, I think they get excited and give us all these different ideas of what an experience can be, which may be something that they have to reevaluate in the new atmosphere of content creators, vlogging and Disney Influencers. Because the second they say something its like they have promised it, and people will continue to bring it up if they do not deliver on it.
One thing I would have added is that the Disney Wish cruise ship features interactive Star Wars experiences for kids that I think could have been brought onto the Star Wars: Galactic Starcruiser. My daughter enjoyed the "porg hunt" activity on the Starcruiser, but I was hoping for more immersion, similar to what is offered on the cruise ship with the animals in their kennels in the Oceanear club.
Another thing I wished for is an extra day in the experience. This would have provided an opportunity to relax and enjoy the ship without feeling rushed. The schedule was quite packed with activities, and I felt exhausted. An extra day to just unwind on the ship and maybe enjoy one evening show would have been perfect. We really needed a day in "space," kind of like a day at sea on the cruise line. But then again, some would have complained that they were ready to get off the ship and there wouldnt have been enough to do since there was no pool or extra amenities that are offered at deluxe resorts.
What about the infamous Jenny Nicholson “the spectacular failure of the galactic starcrusier” video?
At the end of the day, everyone who has a blog, YouTube channel, or any source of content that's going to get high-value views is typically making money from what they're producing. So, you always have to look at things with a bit of bias, even here on my blog. I love Disney and allow my imagination to jump into experiences while you may not. That gives me a better experience already because of the bias I innately have. Everyone experiences things differently, and I acknowledge and accept that, but I considered that while watching her video and looking at the types of videos she produces.
So, I took the time to watch her four-hour video. It took me almost three weeks to watch it, but I wanted to see everything she covered. She is an excellent storyteller with lots of evidence and deep dives. The way she puts the videos together, she has the underlying theme throughout the video without saying what she feels until the end. She also had her motives for why she felt the need to make this four-hour YouTube video on the "Star Wars Hotel." She has a pattern of this in her other videos, and she produces one super hit video a year recently, and that has been her thing for the last couple of years. The last time I checked, this video had over 8 million views - my sister works in Ads for YouTube - that's a lot of cash. One day, I may make a YouTube video about how fantastic the experience was for me and why I feel that it was not a failure.
First, I paid significantly less than she did. We paid $4780.00 for the experience, while she kept talking about spending $6066.00 for two people the entire time. This difference in cost changes the experience for both of us. The value of the experience was significantly higher because I felt like I got my money's worth for five people. On the other hand, she constantly brought up the cost and felt she needed to get her money's worth for her experience at $3000 per person. Its misleading because that is not how much everyone pays as the room goes down significantly in cost when you add more people.
Once we paid the money, I never thought about it again. It was a sunk cost, similar to when we paid for a VIP tour. We spent seven hours with our VIP guide, getting on all the rides. Yes, the VIP tour was for 10 people, but we paid the same amount for this two-day experience as I did for the VIP tour. Constantly thinking about the cost of an experience changes the experience itself, and you never feel like you're getting your money's worth because you always tell yourself it should be more for what you are paying. I am not saying that you should accept it if what was promised was not delivered, but my expectations were met with the Star Cruise and the VIP experiences. Both were amazing.
Jenny went on a very early cruise, and I was on the Disney Vacation Club member's Cruise, which is always a little bit more special than other experiences. Our Cruise was made special by having Ashley Eckstein on board with her crew. The gifts they give you, which are part of the DVC experience, also make it a little richer, making you feel unique from the beginning. This was especially great because my kids were 100% into Ahsoka from The Clone Wars, and Ashley is the voice actor of Ahsoka Tano.
She had a lot of tech issues, which we did not experience. I'm not certain whether it was because we already understood how to use The PlayDisney App from previous experiences or if it was just an early glitch that was fixed by the time we used it. Additionally, we went on different journeys, so the interactions and datapad greatly impacted our experiences. My husband actually played through both the dark and light sides and had very different experiences compared to myself and my child, as we only went to the light side. And of course, the AI in the Data Pad is going to feed generic questions to you to figure out where you're going to align with those questions are only been to you by in-person interactions that you're having with different cast members so if you choose not to interact with the cats the entire time you're not going to be fed questions to build your journey.
We took the time to research and ensure that we had downloaded everything correctly on everyone's iPad since we needed the data pad for this significant part of the experience. As she mentions in her video, we could have gone to other places and had a fun time with our kids doing an adventure. We have, Great Wolf Lodge, Bear Creek Mountain, Kalahari, American Dream and so many more but there isn't anywhere else on earth where we could've had a Star Wars experience like this. Nothing compares to what we did here.
My experience was enhanced because my kids and I all dressed up and fully embraced the experience, which I know she did too, but we decided to live in the world of fantasy and have fun. The kids also made friends with other children while we connected with other adults. We still keep in touch with them through social media and even exchange numbers. Since everyone is a DVC member, we are all committed to 50-year contracts, and we know we will meet these people again during our future trips to Disney.
When paying a lot for an experience, it's best to wait until it's fully developed, especially if you feel like this is a stretch of the budget. As I mentioned, we canceled a Disney Cruise to go on this experience, so we decided that this would be our big expense for the year. It was also towards the end of the run, so they had worked out all the kinks by then. Any issues with things being sold out, shipping, or data were all taken care of for us. When we weren't sure we could make out the CSL shoot, they had no problem issuing us a refund, but we decided to keep the session, thankfully! We didn't have any expectations of PhotoPass photographers or anything like that.
By the time we went, many of the issues Jenny spoke about in her video had been corrected, fixed, or changed. Watching her experience, I couldn't help but think about how different ours was. Unfortunately for her, it rained the day she was in Batuu, and she had a tech issue, which would have definitely changed my seamless experience.
It's unfortunate for those who were part of the first rounds of cruises, but it's a risk you take when you participate early on. When spending this much money, it's not ideal to be part of the first year of an experience like that. We were fortunate that the timing of the sale worked out for us. I wouldn't call my family part of the fandom; we are just Star Wars fans. We love it, but our kids had only seen their first movie in June before we went on the Starcruiser in August. I myself hadn't watched a Star Wars movie in 15 years. Now, they love it more and are constantly watching it, but the love deepened because of the Star Cruiser experience.
Some of her points about why it may have failed are valid. There is some truth to what she was saying. However, the Starcruiser was not a failure in any way. In fact, it was the opposite. Disney achieved a level of storytelling they haven't reached in their parks, resorts, or elsewhere. My family will truly miss this experience, and we hope that next time Disney introduces something similar, people will give it a chance to work. This experience is a core memory for my family and has been truly transformative in our Disney experiences as a Disney family.
MY FINAL THOUGHTS ON TRANSFORMATIVE STORYTELLING
It's difficult to describe the feeling of being on the Halcyon and the exceptional service provided.
The Walt Disney Company takes you on a journey through movies, television, and books that transport you to a different place. It drops you into a world of make-believe and imagination at the Disney Parks, you get to see, touch, feel the places you've visited in the books, television and film. You get to see the Millennium Falcon, run around Andy's backyard, meet Doc McStuffins - an experience that truly brings the stories to life.
The Galactic Starcruiser offers the highest level of storytelling as it transports you into the story. You become the characters in the story to the extent that you start to believe it. Your purpose on this journey becomes deeply ingrained in who you are, and you feel transformed and transported to a different world. Along with your family and friends, you form quick, deep connections with other families that last beyond the Starcruiser experience. Disney has mastered the art of storytelling with the Galactic Starcruiser. Even if you choose not to engage, it's impossible not to get wrapped up in the story being built around you.
The cast was exceptional and my family had a transformative experience. My heart breaks for those who will never experience such storytelling.
But the one thing we know about Disney is that it's continuously evolving, and we hope that one day we will see something like this again.
May The Stars Light Your Way✨
