Disney’s most ambitious project to date completely defies description—to the point it’s leaving people sharply divided, particularly in the media. We are, of course, talking about Star Wars: Galactic Starcruiser, Walt Disney World’s highly anticipated Star Wars adventure resort.
It is difficult to put a label on what Star Wars: Galactic Starcruiser is because there truly is nothing like it out there—an all-inclusive, stunningly immersive, two-night / three-day adventure that makes you an active character in a Star Wars story. It’s less a Star Wars-themed resort and more like a video game brought to life, an experience more akin to a multi-day live-action role playing game than anything else available in the theme park world.
Similar to Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge, Galactic Starcruiser has been met with the full range of reactions, from Star Wars fans crying “Take my credits!” to others scorning its staggeringly high price point. From promotional videos that failed to land among fans to mixed media reactions, to cries among bloggers that the resort can’t get enough bookings (a questionable claim), it has been challenging to sift through the noise to get a real pulse on if Star Wars: Galactic Starcruiser delivers.
At the time of this writing, it has been nearly a month since the opening of Star Wars: Galactic Starcruiser, and that has allowed time both for media reviews to go live and for guest reactions to accumulate. We searched across the web and social media to find the common threads and real answers.
Is Star Wars: Galactic Starcruiser a hit or a flop? Here’s what we found…
1. The bantha in the room: The price is high but includes A LOT
At first glance, the price for Star Wars: Galactic Starcruiser looks preposterous. A room for two currently comes in at $1209 per night, with a voyage total of $4809. For two adults and a child, the price adjusts to $883 a night, with a voyage total of $5299. Yikes!
Much of the criticism Disney has faced over the project has been rooted in this important issue—is Star Wars: Galactic Starcruiser just too blasted expensive? The answer isn’t as clear cut as it seems.
There’s no question that the high price is an insurmountable issue for many fans. It’s well out of the range of most middle-class families visiting Walt Disney World with or without kids. It’s also frustrating that some of Disney’s best ideas for Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge (particularly the immersive elements of guest missions) have been locked away only for those who can afford this exclusive experience.
Here’s the thing though… the price includes far more than any other experience at Walt Disney World. In truth, you can’t think of Star Wars: Galactic Starcruiser as a resort. It has far more in common with an all-inclusive cruise.
Unlike a normal Disney visit where guests have to purchase park tickets, dining, and personalized experiences separately, these elements are all included in the cost of a visit to Star Wars: Galactic Starcruiser. Specifically, the price includes your lodging, all food and beverages (excluding alcohol), a meal at Docking Bay 7, admission to Disney’s Hollywood Studios with Lightning Lane access to Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance and Millennium Falcon: Smugglers Run, valet parking, an exclusive MagicBand and commemorative pin, and a bursting itinerary of ongoing interactive entertainment, much of which is specifically personalized to your party.
When you take all of those things into account, the actual lodging cost of Star Wars: Galactic Starcruiser lands closer in range to Disney Deluxe resorts like The Grand Floridian. It’s still a very high number that prices out much of its target audience, but there is at least a lot included for the cost. We are still hopeful to see discounts in the future that may make it more accessible.
2. The Good: The experience is impressively, stunningly real
With only rare exception, the most common reaction we saw from both reviewers and guests was that Star Wars: Galactic Starcruiser is dazzlingly immersive. From the moment you board the Halcyon to the conclusion of your journey, you are convincingly transported to the world of Star Wars.
One of Disney’s original goals with the opening of Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge was to give guests an experience that felt not only deeply immersive but deeply personal. While they succeeded in this on some level, Star Wars: Galactic Starcruiser takes that concept to a whole new level with an interactive theatrical experience that engages guests with intrigues from beginning to end. Many visitors described how quickly they were taken in by the depth of the individual characters and the stories taking place throughout the ship.
We have compared the concepts for Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge to a living version of MMORPG video games before. Star Wars: Galactic Starcruiser takes this idea to the next level, inviting guests into an experience far more rich and intimate than anything that could be achieved in the bustling environment of Disney’s Hollywood Studios. From the rooms to the food, to the activities and entertainment, guests described being absolutely star-struck by the level of immersion and attention to detail in Star Wars: Galactic Starcruiser. It truly is a Star Wars fan’s dream come true.
But how about for casual visitors?
3. The Bad: It is not an ideal experience for casual visitors
One of the biggest questions raised about Star Wars: Galactic Starcruiser has been is the high price point worth it for something so niche? After all, despite praise from Star Wars enthusiasts, some guests chafed at the “immersive” elements of Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge early on, even at simple things like cast members always being in character.
If you are looking for a calm, relaxing Disney vacation with some Star Wars flavor, Star Wars: Galactic Starcruiser will not be your cup of tea. It’s not even ideal for those looking for a standard Disney vacation with a little Star Wars fun on the side.
A common point raised by guests visiting Star Wars: Galactic Starcruiser is that you will be kept busy—there is a lot for guests to do and experience in a very short time, and those who want to experience it all may not have much in the way of downtime. Your personal itinerary will include a full range of scheduled entertainments, choose-your-adventure style story missions, cruise-style activities, an excursion to Batuu, meals… you get the picture.
Some of the biggest negative points we saw from media reviewers surrounded things that casual visitors are likely to look for in a normal Disney resort. You will not find a pool at Star Wars: Galactic Starcruiser. The rooms are on the small side (more on that later). In order to maintain the illusion of a space-cruise, some found the more intimate size of the resort and the use of space-simulation windows a bit on the claustrophobic side.
In short, Star Wars: Galactic Starcruiser is probably not going to be an ideal experience for casual visitors or those looking for a standard Disney vacation.
4. Insider Tip: Engaging with the story is key
Another common thread we noticed among guests who experienced Star Wars: Galactic Starcruiser was a piece of advice: actively engage in the story as much as possible.
This can sound intimidating to those who aren’t extroverts or longtime role-players, but there is plenty of room for a more “take me along on the adventure” approach on Star Wars: Galactic Starcruiser if you choose. The cast and crew go above and beyond to help guests engage. The thing is, you do have to make the choice to engage and participate on some level.
It is entirely possible to fill your visit to Star Wars: Galactic Starcruiser with activities that seem like the type of things you’d do on a Star Wars cruise—playing Sabaac, dance lessons, lightsaber training (which some loved and some thought fell a little flat). However, these experiences are just auxiliary fun meant to fill in gaps in your time and open up opportunities.
The real magic of Star Wars: Galactic Starcruiser happens following story paths. You can do this two important ways. The first is through using your Datapad (currently via a smart device loaned to you by Disney, though eventually you will be able to use your phone). Similar to the Datapad game in Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge, the Datapad provides a source of story information and interactivity for missions throughout your voyage.
Fans emphasized that while you should utilize Datapad, don’t over-rely on it. The best way, hands-down, to get the most out of Star Wars: Galactic Starcruiser’s rich stories is to engage with the cast members from day one.
5. The Good: The cast makes the experience truly magical
Even the sourest reviews we found for Star Wars: Galactic Starcruiser all agreed on one thing—the cast Disney has put together for this singular experience go above and beyond anything you can imagine. They take an experience that could have been nothing more than Star Wars dinner theater and turn it into an ever-changing adventure rich with magic and hospitality.
Every member of the Halcyon cast and crew plays a role in your experience at Star Wars: Galactic Starcruiser, and guests emphasized it is well worth getting to know them throughout your journey. We saw so many accounts of guests who planned to take a very passive approach to their visit but ended up captivated by the depth of the characters aboard the Halcyon. If you engage, it’s very easy to get caught up in the stories taking place all around you.
The cast of Galactic Starcruiser includes a full range of characters who all play some role in the story and all tie to some sort of allegiance. You will have a choice to aid the Resistance, the First Order, or to pursue the path of a smuggler or scoundrel—sticking mostly to one path will provide the most story opportunities. Familiar faces like Rey, Kylo Ren, and Chewbacca all make appearances, and fans particularly raved about incredible performances from the enchanting singer Gaya and the ever-pleased-to-insult-you Lieutenant Croy.
6. The Bad: The rooms are small but include some cool features
This one isn’t so much fully in the “bad” category as more of a “hit or miss”—the rooms for Star Wars: Galactic Starcruiser are definitely on the small side.
On one hand, the small size makes sense if Disney was aiming to replicate the experience of a cruise. The rooms are similar to rooms on a Disney Cruise Ship. However, the price point and the fact they don’t actually have to be that small may be a point of annoyance for some.
The main beds in all cabins are queen sized—some reported finding them comfortable while others felt the mattress was too firm. Standard cabins also include two bunk beds that are large enough to fit an adult under six feet. Reviews on the mattress for the bunks were mixed, but the sleeping bag bedding was described as comfortable (kids will love it). The rooms also include a very basic pull-out bed.
While the rooms do come with some standard amenities including a mini fridge, a pull-out seating area, TV, and hair dryer, some guests lamented the lack of other amenities. These include no HDMI port for the TV, only one USB port in the room, no coffee maker (possibly a moot point since that’s available freely elsewhere), no iron (possibly something you could request?), and low storage space for clothing and personal items. Disney also uses the same procedure they have at other resorts for putting toiletries in hand-pumps instead of offering individually packaged bottles.
Most guests said they didn’t spend a huge amount of time in their rooms due to the nature of Star Wars: Galactic Starcruiser, but it seems there is some room for improvement considering the price.
7. Insider Tip: Have fun dressing up
One of the coolest things about Star Wars: Galactic Starcruiser is the fact that Disney is able to utilize the more intimate environment to let guests go wild with costuming. The cosplay restrictions are very broad compared to those for Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge, and guests aboard the Halcyon are welcome to go all out (even with make-up) as long as they don’t have anything resembling a real weapon, helmets or masks covering the face, or anything not-family friendly or disruptive to other guests (maybe leave the giant shoulder spikes at home?).
One of the best things we’ve seen perusing photos from Star Wars: Galactic Starcruiser is the way guests are truly making each adventure their own. Sure, you have a few people each voyage who dress like Han Solo or Princess Leia, but many visitors coming to Star Wars: Galactic Starcruiser are actually making up their own characters. The detail on some costumes we’ve seen is impressive, and some guests who really enjoy cosplay even choose to bring multiple outfits (such as an extra formal-wear outfit for the evening dinner show with Gaya).
You of course do not have dress up for Star Wars: Galactic Starcruiser, but it really seems to play a role in adding to the immersion for many visitors. Guests reported an uptick of visitors in the gift shop on day one of their voyages, mostly people looking to buy costume items when they realized they underdressed.
You don’t have to become a cosplay expert to cook up a character for Star Wars: Galactic Starcruiser. Many of the same tricks people use for “Batuu-bounding” at Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge are fair game, such as putting together outfits of natural fibers with muted colors, layers, vests, and belts. Going Star Wars-casual is fine, but for those guests who want to go all out in ways that aren’t possible in the parks, go to town! While you’re at it, come up with a basic backstory for your character and consider what path you will want to follow.
Two final tips for costuming that guests brought up: bring more than one outfit (you may want the ability to change), and make sure to interact with cast members in an outfit they’ll be able to recognize you in. This will make story opportunities easier to come by.
8. The Good: The food is pretty incredible!
Another positive point we saw across both reviewer and guest experiences: the food aboard Star Wars: Galactic Starcruiser is amazing!
Disney truly went all out with culinary creativity for guests visiting Star Wars: Galactic Starcruiser—you will definitely want to come hungry as the food is “eat-all-you-want”. All of the food has been cleverly tweaked to give it an otherworldly feel while still providing select items for picky eaters. Breakfast and lunch are offered as a buffet of creative small plates, while dinner is served family style.
One particularly clever highlight from the lunch menu is the Fire Melted Cheese Takeaway with red fruit soup dipper—basically a grilled cheese packed into bubble-waffle form with a side of tomato soup. Guests also raved about the Bantha Beef Tenderloin, the bento experience, the Seared Kashyyyk Whitefish, the sunflower butter and jelly pods, and the dazzling array of desserts. Snacks are also available throughout your visit for free.
Oh, and there’s blue and green milk on tap. ON TAP.
Guests also praised the Sublight Lounge, both for its immersive atmosphere (this is the place to play Sabaac apparently), and for its offerings. You will need to pay extra for specialty drinks here (both alcoholic and non-alcoholic), but many guests described the experience as well worth it. They also offer a good range of small plates.
9. The Bad: Check-in and check-out can be awful
Similar to the madness surrounding a Disney Cruise Line visit, checking in (and out) for Star Wars: Galactic Starcruiser may end up feeling like the least magical portion of your trip.
It’s the classic problem faced by any cruise ship—a vacation that requires everyone to show up and leave at the same time will inevitably lead to bottlenecks. Some guests avoid the mess by arriving early, but most reported long lines of cars and some bustling about to get checked in for their voyage. Check out was also fairly chaotic, apparently.
It’s possible Disney may work out the kinks in this process in the future by staggering arrivals, but busy check-in and check-out may remain an inevitability for visitors to Star Wars: Galactic Starcruiser for the foreseeable future.
10. Insider Tip: If you have issues (particularly with tech), notify the crew immediately
One final insider tip: don’t stay silent if you have issues during your Galactic Starcruiser journey, particularly with technology.
A number of guests reported having issues with the Datapad app integrated into Star Wars: Galactic Starcruiser (something that isn’t surprising being the app also often has issues in Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge). Guests who ignored the tech issues and just tried to forge ahead without the Datapad reported feeling like they missed out on part of the experience.
Once again, people had nothing but positive things to say about the cast for Star Wars: Galactic Starcruiser, and guests who reached out to the crew for some technical support were usually able to get the issues resolved and carry on with their voyage without interruption. It seems safe to say that if you book a voyage with Star Wars: Galactic Starcruiser and run into any issues at all, let a cast member know. This crew is really going above and beyond carrying the torch for Disney guest service.
In conclusion, while Star Wars: Galactic Starcruiser remains at a price point a bit too high for most Walt Disney World visitors, individual guest experiences so far have been overwhelmingly positive. There are a few hiccups for potential voyagers to be aware of, but for those who have the desire to live out a Star Wars adventure and the means to do so, Star Wars: Galactic Starcruiser will certainly prove a rich and memorable experience you will never forget.
If you had the opportunity, would you stay at Disney’s Star Wars: Galactic Starcruiser? What are your thoughts on this ambitious resort? Let us know in the comments or on Facebook! Thanks for reading!
