Disney has been hard at work on its Star Wars hotel for almost seven years now, preparing what it claims will be the ultimate immersive experience for those who want to actually feel like they’re staying in the galaxy far, far away. As of March 1, the Galactic Starcruiser hotel is officially open to the public. But Republic credits are no good there; if you want the experience of staying at Disney’s new luxury hotel, it’ll come at the jaw dropping price of over $5,000 for two adults, and higher if you want to bring along the kids. The max stay at the Galactic Starcruiser is only two days, which means you’re paying upwards of $2,500 a day for the privilege of wandering the Starcruiser Halcyon’s halls, cantinas, and holodeck style “simulators.”
A short while before the Halcyon officially opened to the public, Disney invited members of the press down to the hotel for an abbreviated four-hour sampling of the hotel’s offerings. The reviews are rolling in, which means that even if you don’t have the wheelbarrow full of cash needed to book your stay, we can finally get an idea of what this top secret luxury experience is actually like.
Disney’s Galactic Starcruiser hotel demands full immersion
The overall word has been generally positive, particularly in regards to the dedicated actors on site and the immersive storytelling style. From the minute you enter the ship, you can meet a wide range of characters, from fan favorites like Chewbacca to new additions like the Twi’lek singer Gaya. Like a Renaissance Faire, many reviews point out that what you get out of your stay depends on the energy you put into it. You can help the Resistance or the First Order, take part in a holo Sabacc tournament (the card game Han Solo played to win the Millenium Falcon), or go on an away mission to “Batuu,” aka the Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge theme park. Guests are encouraged to come wearing their own Star Wars outfits, but if you forget your threads you can always get new ones from Disney…for an additional fee.
As the Disney Food Blog YouTube channel notes, the big thing to know about the Star Wars hotel is that it is, in fact, “not a hotel. It’s a game. A really, really big game. This is a cross between a two day escape room, a choose your own adventure book, and a murder mystery dinner, but you’re doing them all at once and there’s no answer key.”
“The number one thing that will make this experience worth it to you or not is how much you’re going to immerse yourself in the story. You have to suspend reality,” AllEars reporter Molly McCormack says in her video review. “You have to buy into all of these things happening around you for it to be a meaningful and impactful experience.”
Some critics compare the Galactic Starcruiser to a “windowless bunker”
In their review, DFB also says that “Disney went all-in on an experience that seemingly puts only the wealthiest guests inside a windowless bunker for two full days.” That also seems to be a general consensus. While many reviews praise the intricate storylines and immersion of the hotel, it’s also being noted pretty widely that the spaces themselves feel rather claustrophobic.
“The Halcyon’s interior scale just doesn’t match up to the grand ship shown in marketing materials. I expected the atrium to be taller, the banquet hall to be wider,” Polygon’s Charlie Hall wrote. “… Liminal spaces, like hallways and stairwells, feel particularly sterile, like wandering around a suburban junior high school built in the mid-1970s. The staterooms are also entirely too small, falling somewhere in between the narrow cabins of a Disney cruise ship and a basic hotel room in a Disney World resort hotel.”
Maybe the claustrophobia is intentional — it is meant to simulate like in outer space after all, right? Regardless, reports that the rooms seem smaller and the amenities less generous than you’d expect for a hotel that charges upwards of $5,000 for a two-day stay is certainly worth taking into account. Apparently there’s only one outdoor space, a “climate simulator,” which is there in case people need to catch an actual breath of fresh air over the course of the 48 hours.
Adding to the immersion is the fact that guests are told to download a “Data Pad” app for their smartphones, which will allow them to take on missions and communicate with characters aboard the Halycon. While some reviewers seem to have found that an enjoyable addition, others found it distracting. “I come to a theme park or something like this to have fun with friends and not be reading stuff [on my phone],” said Ordinary Adventures vlogger Peter Sciretta.
At the end of the day though, what’s the verdict? Is Disney’s Galactic Starcruiser experience worth the stunningly high price tag? Mileage will vary, but the general consensus seems to be that if you’re willing to go all in on the experience and immerse yourself, it will be a memorable time.
“You have to be willing to play,” CNBC’s Sarah Whitten wrote. “Passengers get back what they put into their time aboard the Halcyon. If you suspend your disbelief, embrace the story and participate without self-consciousness, this will be a trip you and your family will never forget.”
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h/t SFGate