Sunday, March 31, 2024

Star Wars Day at Sea Sailings

star wars disney cruise

It is one of two themed sailing events put on by DCL every year; the other being the Marvel Disney Cruise. Lastly, The Galactic Starcruiser (and the Halcyon) really does have the finest crew in the galaxy. The Passenger Service crewmembers, who maintain the illusion from the moment you arrive at the terminal, are so impressively hospitable and improvisationally gifted. You can even enter a very long conversation with them and they will not miss a beat in relating to you with their own galactically translated backgrounds. I know, I watched my two friends do a bit for so long with a member that I threw them a “wrap it up” motion.

When Will Star Wars: Galactic Starcruiser Open?

All are invited for a brief celebration and shared toast to an enjoyable voyage. Enjoy light snacks and drinks as you meet the Halcyon Starcruiser’s crew members and mingle with fellow passengers. LIke on a cruise ship, you first need to understand the layout of the Halcyon Starcruiser so you know where everything is.  Join a knowledgeable crew member on a 15-minute exploration around the Halcyon Starcruiser and discover its rich and colorful history.

Model Ship Building

The attraction has received a few updates through the years, but if you love the current version, thank the Phoenicians it's still around. While it might not be a physically thrilling ride, it's quite the thrill to make the "rounds" inside such a legendary structure. Each "train" comprises four trackless ride vehicles, which split apart and shuffle positions during the attraction, with each car providing a slightly different ride experience.

Activities & Itinerary on Star Wars: Galactic Starcruiser

Those shipboard activities, in addition to offering entertainment in their own right, help serve as catalysts for drawing guests further into those story arcs. A bridge training exercise, for example, might end with helping the ship’s captain on a clandestine rescue mission in an asteroid belt. Galactic Starcruiser aims to take things a step further by actively looking to draw in guests. Visitors are encouraged to dress up in full Star Wars cosplay to inhabit the world, at least for a day or two. (Disney, of course, is happy to sell you Star Wars-themed attire if you don’t already have it.) And the key differentiator is the ability to participate in the adventure.

star wars disney cruise

The attraction makes you forget the real world — but not because you're stuck in a dark space staring at a screen. In fact, Disney cast members doubling as Resistance heroes or First Order captors appear at key moments during the attraction, bringing a tangible reality to the experience that deepens the immersion. The cruise with the Star Wars theme offers trips to either the Eastern or the Western Caribbean. Another fun tradition of the Star Wars cruise involves many shipmates wearing Star Wars themed dresses for Formal Night.

Is Star Wars: Galactic Starcruiser Actually a Ship? Or Is It a Star Wars Hotel?

Over the past decade, I've taken eight Disney cruises with my family and friends. When I book, I always make sure Disney's private island in the Bahamas, Castaway Cay, is on the port of call. The magnetically powered tram takes passengers behind the scenes for a different perspective of Buzz Lightyear's Space Ranger Spin and travels right through Space Mountain.

Navi River Journey

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This post offers 2022 dates, info, photos, and our review of Star Wars Day at Sea. It’s also important to remember that Galactic Starcruiser is just the first of the company’s efforts here, one that will, like the parks it’s set in, presumably grow and change over time. And it’s easy to imagine that both Disney (and its competitors) will be thinking about how to bring this kind of first-hand fan experience to more properties in the future. But Westworld’s impossible park promises a place where you can do anything or be anyone in the Wild West. Galactic Starcruiser puts more emphasis on “choice” over “agency.” A character can bring you to help sabotage the engine or rescue Chewbacca, but you won’t be the one making those decisions.

Meet the Captain and Cruise Director, who will welcome you aboard and impart important information to guarantee a successful cruise. Guests sit at the captain’s table in a prime location in the center of the Crown of Corellia Dining Room and are served extra courses that you don’t get with the regular dining experience. On your first evening, enjoy this delectable Halcyon Starcruiser feast, and then delight as the legendary Twi’lek star Gaya showcases her vocal talents in a special, intimate show. Accompanied by her talented Rodian keyboardist Ouanni, this is truly a one-of-a-kind performance.

Our Star Wars Day at Sea ended with the “Summon the Force” stage show that features a litany of characters engaging in the saga’s most iconic moments, and culminates in a fireworks show (the second of the cruise). In some of our Disney Cruise Line reports, I’ve been pretty critical of shows and deck parties like this one. Throughout the day that followed, a range of characters appeared on the top deck and atrium of the Disney Fantasy. On day 2, your scheduled shuttle departure time for Batuu is more of a guideline than a strict rule. It’s a good idea to arrive at the shuttle bay earlier to catch one of the first transports out. This will help you get everything done before the heat of Batuu’s 3 suns reaches its peak, and allow you to spend plenty of time onboard the ship in the afternoon.

While the journey of each guest can greatly vary from what Disney provided below, this sample itinerary should give fans an idea of what types of adventures they will be able to partake in during their stay. It was amusing to guests notice these characters wandering around; you could almost see the wheels turning as people tried to ascertain whether they were other guests in costume or character performers. It always surprises me how many people buy pirates garb for that underwhelming themed night, but those merchandise sales pale in comparison to the Star Wars items flying off the gift shop shelves that evening. It wouldn’t surprise me if Disney Cruise Line more than makes up the cost of the themed day in costume and merchandise sales. Star Wars Day at Sea is Disney Cruise Line’s celebration of adventures & characters from the saga on special 7-night Disney Fantasy sailings, usually during off-season Caribbean sailings.

Screens and projections are combined with physical sets, motion and sound to create impressively realistic effects, like alien creatures hopping from giant leaf to leaf overhead. Recognizing fans' love for the original "Over California" attraction, Disney has begun bringing it back for limited runs. At Walt Disney World, it returned during the Disney100 celebration, and at Disney California Adventure, it's been making an annual return during the park's yearly Food & Wine Festival.

The ride includes one gentle but exciting plunge in the darkness, followed by some of the most iconic scenes, music and Audio-Animatronics on any Disney ride. The bumpy ride is laugh-inducing, sending riders sliding into each other as the train rounds tight turns. A fan favorite since it opened in 1980, the oldie-but-goodie still stands up to Disney's newer coasters in both theming and fun, and at nearly 3 1/2 minutes, it provides a much more satisfying length than many of the newbies.

The only ones that are an extra cost are the Captain’s Table dining experience, and the Model Ship Building (you need to purchase the ship which you then take home). In this post, we are going to show you everything you can do on the Galactic Starcruiser including a list and explanation of all the events, games, activities, and experiences available. There are even things to do when you visit Galaxy’s Edge that will keep you immersed in the story. On the first night of your adventure, the Crown of Corellia Dining Room transforms for dinner into a table-service supper club with a special musical appearance by a galactic superstar. You’ll enjoy a special evening with distinctive dining and entertainment as you socialize with passengers and crew.

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star wars disney cruise

The pre-show features an original Mickey Mouse short called "Perfect Picnic," after which guests find themselves on a train ride driven by Engineer Goofy through Runnamuck Park. The innovative dark ride blends a little bit of everything — trackless ride technology, digital projections, Audio-Animatronics, a catchy original theme song and original animation based on the newest generation of Mickey Mouse shorts. Many people would argue Disneyland's version is better, but Walt Disney World's queue is far more immersive. The tallest "mountain" of any Disney park at 199 feet, this is definitely one of Walt Disney World's more intense rides. There's a sizable drop and some big surprises, but there are no inversions, and it's well paced, giving you time to catch your breath during the scenic ascent and dramatic pauses. Expedition Everest — Legend of the Forbidden Mountain at Disney's Animal Kingdom is a great roller coaster on its own, but like the other top rides on this list, its immersive theming is as strong as its thrills.

What Else Can I Expect to Do/See Aboard Star Wars: Galactic Starcruiser?

(You'll need to sign up for ticketed photo ops, and might not get a chance to meet every character.) Star Wars movies and shows (including recent releases) play on the poolside screen and in the movie theater. These experiences are the most interactive activities on the Galactic Starcruiser and you become an active participant. They are likely to be the most fun things to do during your voyage and the most popular with guests. Besides just looking at your personal itinerary, there are many other features of the Datapad to take advantage of.

List of Star Wars Hotel Activities

Groups leave every 30 minutes from the Halcyon Starcruiser model in the Atrium. In this game you test the strength of your relationship against fellow travelers with a series of questions! Co-pilots can be of any age or relationship in this “getting to know you” game. The Galactic Starcruiser is full of games including trivia, card games, droid racing, and more.

Pricing and sample itinerary revealed for Disney World's Star Wars themed resort experience

You’re basically diving into a giant improv exercise with dozens of strangers. In my short time there, it was hard to shake the feeling that I was just going through the motions for the particular story track my group was assigned. Maybe the smaller groups, added time, additional context, and more gradual pace of storytelling that the full experience has help make the process feel more organic. But that guided nature that slots you into specific roles is at least part of the point. Each trip on Galactic Starcruiser will follow the same broad story arc.

Will you be visiting Star Wars: Galactic Starcruiser?

Once we get on board March 1, we’ll review every one of the activities you can do and tell you which ones are can’t-miss, and which ones you can just skip. Lastly, we’ll answer all your FAQs about the various experiences onboard. There are a lot of diehard Star Wars and Disney fans with large amounts of disposable income. Look no further than the prices Savi’s Workshop for Handbuilt Lightsabers is able to charge for that experience due to its incredibly limited capacity. This resort is similar to that, but with a more elaborate and involved experience. We expected this to be astronomically priced given what the experience entails, its all-inclusive nature, and how Disney prices both its luxury resorts and cruises.

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Will We Get to See or Use a Lightsaber on Star Wars: Galactic Starcruiser?

star wars disney cruise

As the story goes, on a fateful night in 1939, five hotel quests disappeared when lightning struck the hotel elevator. Today, guests visit the abandoned site — riding in a still-functioning service elevator that enters the fifth dimension, launching riders on a series of dramatic drop sequences. He also commended cast members' "exceptional job of pulling it off," but said, "it didn't perform exactly like we wanted it to perform, so we decided that we are going to sunset this in September." If this experience were more like an actual cruise, I don’t see why there couldn’t be a pool added.

star wars disney cruise

From which ports does the Star Wars Day at Sea Disney Cruise originate?

Over time, compromises and changes are likely to be made in service of operational realities, changing demographics, and guest feedback. With only 100 rooms to fill, it is likely concerning to the company that many peak dates this holiday season–and absolutely nothing in 2023–have not yet sold out. It’ll be interesting to follow the availability situation to see how quickly changes are made, or whether discounts are offered. Keep in mind that one reservation can be the difference between “sold out” and “available,” meaning that all it takes is one cancellation or even a modification to different dates to go from available to not available. Alongside seeing the first meeting of Lando Calrissian and Hondo Ohnaka, we will also learn the story of The High Republic's Burryaga Agaburry and Nibs Assek fending off an attack by the Nihil on one of Halcyon's first voyages. The one-bedroom Galaxy Class Suites feature a living space and integrated seating area.

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Some of these activities must be added 60 days prior to your arrival, while others during the 60-Day window before your arrival. Make sure you figure out which ones you want to do enough ahead of time. If lightsabers aren’t your thing, head down to the Droid Depot and build your own customized droid to bring home with you. You can even use it in the Droid Racing competition onboard the Halcyon.

(And only a single sabacc table!) There are “restricted” spaces that open up for story elements, like the cargo hold, brig, and engineering bay, but there are really only two or three main “public” spaces to spend time in outside of those plot moments. It seemed like the visual language occasionally leaned more toward the gleaming ships of Star Trek than the lived-in style that’s the hallmark of Star Wars. There’s a glossy plastic look that never quite lets you forget you’re in what’s essentially a very large, very long theme park ride. More recently, D'Amaro confirmed that work is "well underway" for this project, with teams already going on research trips to Mexico. A reskin of the Viking-themed Maelstrom boat ride attraction in Epcot's Norway pavilion, Frozen Ever After takes guests on a cruise through Arendelle past scenes inspired by the original "Frozen" film.

The note is from Captain R. Keevan - a Pantoran female who has been the captain of the Halcyon for 20 years. It’s also mentioned that she served aboard the ship during the war between the First Order and the Resistance, which does line up with the timeline Batuu is currently in at Galaxy’s Edge. This meal will include group appetizers, a choice of entree, and a specially plated dessert.

There are plenty of events on the Galactic Starcruiser ranging from meet-and-greets with fellow passengers to grand fireworks shows at night. The Halcyon starcruiser is one of the most legendary and identifiable ships that has ever journeyed across the galaxy. Here’s your chance to assemble and decorate your very own model to take home. Questions in this quick, interactive game relate to planets, inhabitants, and especially, the Halcyon starcruiser.

A Standard Cabin can sleep four to five passengers and features a queen bed, 2 berths (bunk beds), and a wall pull-down bed for one adult. The amenities included for a Standard Cabin are a mini refrigerator, hair dryer, in-cabin safe, phone with voicemail messaging, interactive TV, and H20 Plus spa, bath, and shower products. It was a pretty straightforward montage show with great visuals and a sense of tension–it was fun and reasonably well-presented.

To be blunt, Star Wars Day at Sea played zero role in us booking this cruise. We’re not fans of Pirate Night or Frozen Fun, and expected this to be more of the same. In some ways, it was–with Star Wars Day at Sea following a similar formula as those offerings, particularly Frozen Fun. Note that all of these itineraries are aboard the Disney Fantasy and depart from Port Canaveral, Florida. They’re subject to all current health safety protocol, both pre-departure and on-board the ships. Star Wars Day at Sea will be on Disney Fantasy cruises sailing on January 9 and  January 23, 2016; February 6 and February 20, 2016; March 5 and March 19, 2016; April 2 and April 16, 2016.

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