Star Wars: Galactic Starcruiser Reviewed
I just returned from outer space and I have some thoughts to share with everyone. I'm going to do this in the most spoiler-free way as possible, but there's no way to talk about this topic without going into some detail about it. What will remain completely spoiler-free are the highlights of the overall story that everyone is subject to which includes the finale. If you want to remain completely spoiler-free so you can experience everything for yourself, now is the time to stop reading.
Over the last few days, I had the opportunity to experience the brand new Star Wars: Galactic Starcruiser. I won't call it a hotel because it really is so much more than that. The word "experience" really fits it perfectly. Located at the Walt Disney World Resort in Orlando, FL, Disney has created something very unique. As a guest on the 100-cabin Corellian MPO-1400 starcruiser named the Halcyon, which is operated by Chandrila Star Line, you get to live out your dreams of being a part of Star Wars in a way never available before now.
DAY 1:
I arrived at the Star Wars: Galactic Starcruiser Terminal via a large bus and was greeted by smiling cast members. As I stepped down and made my way over to the Terminal check-in desk, I was given an exclusive MagicBand only available to guests staying aboard the Halcyon, along with an iPhone that they refer to as a DataPad (the iPhone must be returned at check out), both of which would be used to enhance my Star Wars experience. The staff then directs you to head inside the Terminal building where you and your luggage are screened. There's a short video welcoming you and then you are directed to board your Launch Pod into space and onto the Halcyon. 
When the transport doors opened, it almost felt like being on a Disney cruise with the red carpet rolled out for arriving guests, the crew smiling and waving as you enter the majestic Atrium, and of course, someone to escort you to your cabin.
Up on Deck 7, I was very excited to see how the cabins turned out after we saw concept art & one or two quick images posted many months ago and they did not disappoint. The entry slides open sideways as you would expect on a starcruiser. The interior is light and the room had plenty of things to brighten it up even more. The beautiful Chandrila logo adorns the beds, towels, soap, shampoo, body wash & body lotion dispensers, the toiletry kit and even on stickers for the water pitcher & toilet paper. The refresher (bathroom) isn't cramped and was created with a very modern look. The viewport looks out into space and often had other traffic or planets pop up during the voyage. The things happening on the ship affect what you see passing by and you can even draw the shade down for some privacy when sleeping. On the interior wall, there's an interactive Logistics Droid named D3-09 that you can check in with throughout your stay and everything that happens during your discussions with the Droid affects your story. The queen-sized bed was quite comfortable and the two bunk beds will fit an adult, so they aren't kid sized. Honestly, I didn't spend a whole lot of time in the room as there was always something going on elsewhere, but what little time I was in there, I enjoyed it. I also appreciated that the room was very quiet and never once heard anyone making noise next to me or out in the hallway.
After getting everything settled in my room, the first stop was The Chandrila Collection (the Gift Shop) where I spent far too many Republic credits. I was pleased to find out that my Disney Annual Pass worked for the 20% discount. There was a wide range of Star Wars costume style clothes, regular clothes, pins, patches, jewelry, glasses, coasters, an exclusive MagicBand, an exclusive Legacy Lightsaber and a whole lot more. I later found out that there was a wind-up Droid figure and some Sabacc chips that were delayed, so they were not on display yet or available to purchase.
Next up was lunch! I made my way down to Deck 4 to the Crown of Corellia Dining Room to see what was being served and ate way too much considering dinner was only 1.5 hours away.
Available for all meals is both Blue and Green Milk along with Coke products. There were all sorts of different food options to choose from and everything is placed in small dishes that fit perfectly onto your tray so nothing slides off and spills. The dishes included:
After lunch, I took the opportunity to explore the ship getting a better look at the Sublight Lounge, the Brig and the Engineering Room. These are all areas you can explore. Depending on what your story is, you may need to go to these spots for special missions during your voyage.
What do the public refreshers look like on a starcruiser? Here you go!
Dinner was a 3-course meal that consisted of some very nicely prepared food. Everything was served family style and you could ask for more of anything. The lighting in the restaurant was dimmed, so photos of the food were dark as well. I shot some displays of the various food at one of the hotels after my stay that turned out much better.
Another highlight during dinner was the entertainment for the evening from Intergalactic super-star Gaya who graced us with her melodic voice through several songs. She even had everyone up and dancing around the room at one point. It was quite the show and it reminded me of the blue alien singer named Diva Plavalaguna in The Fifth Element. Gaya was fantastic.
After a hearty meal, what better way to relax than with some ultra-intense Lightsaber Training! I was definitely sweating after this exercise. The cast member who was training us was absolutely amazing. The raw emotion that she had was really on another level. She made this feel real by the way she spoke to the class, by the way she carried herself and because of how she reacted to everything going on around her. The room is setup with spots on the floor for each student to stand and each person moves forward towards the front of the room as they take their turn with the lightsaber. Eventually, the instructor gives the row of students behind the students with the lightsaber a shield to block any blaster fire that makes it past the front line. There's a surprise visitor along the way and it will give you chills. When you are on your own voyage, do not miss your time in this room.
I started checking my DataPad more and noticed all sorts of messages coming through from various crew members. I also noticed that I was being given missions to complete based on the answers I was giving. This led to more missions, more interaction and so on. I realized that every single thing I was doing was affecting my story and how it would play out. You are given a choice of helping the good guys, helping the bad guys or just playing it right down the middle. I personally took a traditional approach of helping the Resistance while others did just the opposite, so it made for some really fun conversations as we all experienced something different.
My last scheduled entry for the first day was Bridge Training. Once on the bridge, you are given the opportunity to work the controls, shoot the blasters, use the shields & use the loaders. With each round, everyone moves down to a different console allowing each passenger a chance to do all of the tasks available. The view from the Bridge offers a massive look at space and whatever planet, ship or dogfight may be out in front of it. There was a really nice surprise from a familiar duo during this time.
DAY 2:
It was an early rise for the Excursion Breakfast before we were transported down to the planet of Batuu for a day filled with adventure. The offerings included:
Compressed Fruit Plate, Pastry Board, Palmfruit Yogurt - Acai Sweet Creamfreeze (Quinoa Granola and Yuzu Jelly), Green Pearberry Toast (Whole-grain toast), Whipped Eggs with Spiced Batuu White Sauce, Crispy Tuber Waffle (Chedd-Cheese Egg Bite, Applefruit, Bacon, Herbed Egg-butter sauce), Kale Porridge with Sausage Gravy & "Egg" Worms & a Chandrilla Waffle with Rolled Omelet Roasted Sausage.
I made my way over to the transport that would be taking passengers to Batuu. Before boarding, everyone is given a special pin to wear while on planet so cast members can easily identify you as part of the excursion party.
The transport seats 12-15 people with half on one side and the other half on the opposite side facing them. It's a very smooth 10-12 minute ride to get from the Halcyon to Batuu.
Once on planet, you make your way through a back entrance into the city streets that comes out over by the First Order shop and the TIE Echelon. A cast member gives you some instructions, a few tips and then sends you on your way. For the next several hours, you're free to roam Disney's Star Wars: Galaxy's Edge using your DataPad to continue your story all while taking in Millennium Falcon: Smugglers Run & Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance, which both play a part in your story, along with all of the other things there is to do like scanning crates, taking on jobs, hacking doors and locks, tuning in to frequencies and more. You must be back on the transport by 4:00pm and I used almost all of my time up exploring the planet that afternoon which is the longest I've ever spent in that area of the park at one time.
We had a more relaxed dinner on the second day until it was interrupted by a certain character on board. Gaya was doing an acoustic concert in the Atrium that evening, so everyone made their way up to Deck 6 to listen. Later, I happened to be walking by the Bridge and was lured in by the fact that the door was open and no one else was present. Little did I know that what was to follow would see the overall story change drastically in just a matter of minutes.
There was a dessert party on Deck 4 much later that evening which featured some wonderful treats that were all different than anything that had been offered previously.
DAY 3:
It was another early morning grabbing breakfast before check out. Several offerings were the same as the morning before, but there were a few new dishes to try:
My departure was scheduled between 8:00am - 8:30am, so I grabbed my things, made it down to Deck 6 and got back into the Launch Pod to blast back down to earth. Honestly, it was hard to leave. You just want to keep living your story out to see what happens next.
Much to my delight, as I walked out into the Terminal, I noticed a whole wall of new merchandise that was Star Wars: Galactic Starcruiser themed and completely different than the Halcyon by Chandrila Star Lines merchandise on board the ship. As you can imagine, it was more Republic credits spent!
I spoke to Disney Photo-Pass afterwards and found out that there is a special photo package that can be purchased with the booking that is a 30-minute tour of the ship and even going back down to Batuu briefly for some really, really cool photo opportunities. If you choose to be in costume, that could be even more special for you as they photograph you without anyone else in the picture.
Simply put, this was one of the most amazing experiences I've ever had. As a Star Wars fan, it feeds your desire to play a part, to experience something new and different, to be challenged and then rewarded for succeeding. It's not just for ultra fans though. I met people on board that had no idea what was going on and yet they were still having the time of their life taking everything in. I met a gentleman that rode the transport down to Batuu, but never got off. Other than that one quick ride, he just stayed on the Halcyon for his entire voyage. I asked him if there was much to do on the ship during the day when everyone else was planet side and he mentioned several things that kept him busy. Things like taking Sabacc lessons, participating in the Sabbac tournament, watching or participating in the Build-A-Droid races, exploring the ship and so much more.
At a cost of $4,809.00 for 2 guests, $5,299.00 for 3 guests or $5,999.00 for 4 guests, this is not a cheap 2-night vacation by any means, though with these prices, you do get an awful lot for your credits between the entertainment, food, environment and the experience. If you go to a dinner theater, the show lasts for 2 hours, you go home, the performers go home and that's the end of it. This is a 2.5 day performance that never stops. These cast members are on every second of the trip and they didn't skip a beat. They are what makes this experience so believable and life-like. If you let your imagination run wild, this could be your most amazing adventure yet. The Halcyon looks to be booked up pretty good through April, but after that, there are some open cabins. If you've seen the movies, watched the shows, collected the merchandise and you've been desiring something more, this is exactly what you've been looking for. If you need an escape from the day to day and want to do something that will completely refocus your thoughts for a few days, look no further.
A very special thanks to both Disney & Lucasfilm Ltd. for allowing us this opportunity to experience the Star Wars: Galactic Starcruiser and to share it with you today.
If you would like to live your own unique Star Wars experience, click here to book passage now.
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