Star Wars: Galactic Starship (resort experience) News

[siren0119]

I dont think they could close it off that early though. Maybe an after hours like 9pm-11pm?

Possibly - though they could DEFINITELY close it off earlier. They have full control of how many RotR boarding passes are issued, and have already been lowering the number of "guaranteed" boarding passes and increasing the number of standbys. They would only have to restrict access to SWGE too - not the whole park.

Since you're in space I'm assuming no swimming pool (unless there's an indoor pool)?

No pool lol. But from the sound of it PLENTY of other things to keep you busy

If they do a 2 trip excursion to GE then that will mean EVERYDAY HS would have to be open either early or late for the guests of the hotel and the would pretty much end EMH at Hollywood Studios. For this reason a part of me thinks they will let hotel guests in during the entire day with special access to both attractions.

It's HIGHLY unlikely they will include access to all of Hollywood studios. The whole thing is built on the fully immersive experience, which means they need to maintain the illlusion you aren't anywhere near Earth. It isn't expected that park tickets will be included in your stay (given the short duration of the stay, they WANT people booking regular packages at the resorts and buying separate tickets to visit the parks as "regular" guests). The most likely scenario is that the 200-400 guests of the Halcyon will have a period of dedicated access to SWGE ONLY, and to maintain the immersive nature it's likely to be before or after regular park hours. When and how long still remains to be seen.

 

[Spridell]

It's HIGHLY unlikely they will include access to all of Hollywood studios. The whole thing is built on the fully immersive experience, which means they need to maintain the illlusion you aren't anywhere near Earth. It isn't expected that park tickets will be included in your stay (given the short duration of the stay, they WANT people booking regular packages at the resorts and buying separate tickets to visit the parks as "regular" guests). The most likely scenario is that the 200-400 guests of the Halcyon will have a period of dedicated access to SWGE ONLY, and to maintain the immersive nature it's likely to be before or after regular park hours. When and how long still remains to be seen.

I was saying for OTHER guests not staying at the hotel it might end EMH. If they do early morning or late night for hotel guests only and only into SWGE that would mean they would have to exclude GE to the everyday guest when they have EMH at Hollywood Studios. That would be an interesting reaction to say the least. if that makes sense LOL

 

[siren0119]

I was saying for OTHER guests not staying at the hotel it might end EMH. If they do early morning or late night for hotel guests only and only into SWGE that would mean they would have to exclude GE to the everyday guest when they have EMH at Hollywood Studios. That would be an interesting reaction to say the least. if that makes sense LOL

True - that's part of why I'm of the opinion that they'll go for a DAH-time frame rather than an EMM time frame, and possibly change to morning EMH. It seems like they've been pushing the opening hours early more regularly since RotR opened, maybe that's indicative of more than just the ride needs?

 

[tlmadden73]

My guess is that this cruiser probably won't even run every day of the week. They may just do 1 or 2 "excursions" a week. (Which would mean SWGE could be closed early to guests maybe 1-2 days a week.

Again though .. this is pretty ambitious. I am surprised they just don't test the experience by having maybe just a Star Wars Experience "morning" or "night" event .. where you and maybe 50-100 other people have a similar immersive experience but just in SWGE all by yourself -- without a two night hotel stay. Imagine having a role to play in Black Spire outpost for an hour or two and see a full-on battle happen on the stages and actually having droids rolling around (because it wouldn't be crowded) .and then getting exclusive access to both rides, the cantina, etc.

I just feel there may be guests that just want a Star Wars themed hotel .. not a 24x7 LARPing experience. It may be too intense or too intimidating to guests who just wanted a normal relaxing, vacation

I predict if the "experience" thing doesn't sell well, they will probably just get rid of the major immersive (storyline) parts of the experience, open the place up as a normal hotel (with any length of stay) and just turn it into a boutique Deluxe-level Star Wars themed normal hotel with special transport to Galaxy's Edge.

 

[only hope]

If they do a 2 trip excursion to GE then that will mean EVERYDAY HS would have to be open either early or late for the guests of the hotel and the would pretty much end EMH at Hollywood Studios. For this reason a part of me thinks they will let hotel guests in during the entire day with special access to both attractions.

If they have everyone check in and out on the same days, then I don’t think exclusive SWGE access would need to occur daily. It could just be on the one full day.

 

[Fangorn]

Remember, this is a 2 day experience, and the days are fixed. All Halcyon guests begin and end the experience at the same time. I fully expect that initially there will be only two bookings per week with the other 3 days used for resetting the stage, refining the script and cast rehearsals. They might eventually get to the point where they can handle 3 shows a week, but I don't think that'll happen anytime soon. If they're only doing this twice a week, then there are only two "shore excursions" to Baatu a week - which they could easily handle with either an early morning "Dawn on Baatu" experience, and/or a nighttime "Black Spire Outpost After Dark" experience. Those 2 events could easily be scheduled so as to not impact the regular WDW guests (aka "riff-raff").

I expect the role-playing story lines to continue while on Baatu, and for there to be some enhanced entertainment and show elements while there (i.e. a full-fledged skirmish between the First Order and the Resistance). I can also envision a time when both RotR and MFSR have additional missions/scenarios that are exclusive to a trip aboard the Halcyon.

And as for the idea that there isn't a sufficiently large market out there willing to plunk down $3-4K for the experience - I think you misjudge both the size of the potential audience and just how severely Disney is limiting the supply. With only around 100 rooms on the Halcyon, and only 2 "sailings" per week, we're looking at only about 10,000 family units per year that can have this experience. For comparison, there are over 30,000 Disney hotel rooms at WDW, so roughly 5 MILLION 2 night family unit stays per year. Disney has no problem maintaining a 90+% occupancy rate for their hotels, year after year. Granted, not the same experiences, but the numbers are telling.

If Disney does this right (and they have both the inclination and the money to do so) they will not run out of potential guests for this experience for a very long time.

That said, it is something of a gamble. Disney is experimenting with a totally new type of fully immersive entertainment experience and it could bomb. If it does, Disney will have learned at lot in the process and it won't have cost them very much (relatively speaking). On the other hand, if it succeeds, Disney will have once again redefined how people think about entertainment.
I'm going to bet on the Mouse on this one.


Steve

 

[Jonfw2]

There is no doubt in my mind that Disney intends to run this resort 7 days a week. Perhaps for the first few months there will be off days, but long-term, that's just leaving money on the table.

5,000 guest cruises dock in port on a Sunday morning, unload everyone, and have a whole new ship full of people ready to leave on the same day. This is that but on a much smaller scale.

 

[Searc]

Remember, this is a 2 day experience, and the days are fixed. All Halcyon guests begin and end the experience at the same time. I fully expect that initially there will be only two bookings per week with the other 3 days used for resetting the stage, refining the script and cast rehearsals. They might eventually get to the point where they can handle 3 shows a week, but I don't think that'll happen anytime soon. If they're only doing this twice a week, then there are only two "shore excursions" to Baatu a week - which they could easily handle with either an early morning "Dawn on Baatu" experience, and/or a nighttime "Black Spire Outpost After Dark" experience. Those 2 events could easily be scheduled so as to not impact the regular WDW guests (aka "riff-raff").

I expect the role-playing story lines to continue while on Baatu, and for there to be some enhanced entertainment and show elements while there (i.e. a full-fledged skirmish between the First Order and the Resistance). I can also envision a time when both RotR and MFSR have additional missions/scenarios that are exclusive to a trip aboard the Halcyon.

And as for the idea that there isn't a sufficiently large market out there willing to plunk down $3-4K for the experience - I think you misjudge both the size of the potential audience and just how severely Disney is limiting the supply. With only around 100 rooms on the Halcyon, and only 2 "sailings" per week, we're looking at only about 10,000 family units per year that can have this experience. For comparison, there are over 30,000 Disney hotel rooms at WDW, so roughly 5 MILLION 2 night family unit stays per year. Disney has no problem maintaining a 90+% occupancy rate for their hotels, year after year. Granted, not the same experiences, but the numbers are telling.

If Disney does this right (and they have both the inclination and the money to do so) they will not run out of potential guests for this experience for a very long time.

That said, it is something of a gamble. Disney is experimenting with a totally new type of fully immersive entertainment experience and it could bomb. If it does, Disney will have learned at lot in the process and it won't have cost them very much (relatively speaking). On the other hand, if it succeeds, Disney will have once again redefined how people think about entertainment.
I'm going to bet on the Mouse on this one.


Steve

I'm curious why you think they'll only have two sets of guests per week.

 

[BrianL]

There is no doubt in my mind that Disney intends to run this resort 7 days a week. Perhaps for the first few months there will be off days, but long-term, that's just leaving money on the table.

5,000 guest cruises dock in port on a Sunday morning, unload everyone, and have a whole new ship full of people ready to leave on the same day. This is that but on a much smaller scale.

I agree. I think at first it could be limited but then ramp up. They may leave one odd day out and do 6 days on though.

 

[Fangorn]

I'm curious why you think they'll only have two sets of guests per week.

Disney has been saying that the experience would be 2 days and 2 nights. I take that to mean closer to 48 hours as opposed to say 36 hours - I could be wrong, of course. But if check-in time is the normal 3pm when would the experience end? 9am? I would think that would feel like it actually ended the night before, but they just let you sleep there one more night, fed you breakfast and ushered you out the door. It seems to me that to fully complete the story, there would need for something to actually happen on that final morning - leading to a later departure. I just don't think they can adequately turn over the entire hotel (all rooms cleaned, all public spaces cleaned and all show elements reset) in just a few hours. My gut says they'd opt to have a day between shows. They could do a two day show, a day off, and repeat, but then the start dates don't follow a set and easily remembered pattern. I think they'd prefer to say sailings are on Mondays and Thursdays, as opposed to something less discrete like "every three days". T hat's just my thinking. No clue how Disney is thinking about it. Having that seventh day available to deal with any technical issues or repairs would be a good thing too.

There's also the matter of cast members, and in this case, the moniker really is valid. There will be a lot of entertainment CMs involved in this experience, and they'll be involved for large portions of those two days - you can't have major or even minor characters being changed out when the shift changes. Suffice it to say that it's possible that work rules will come into play that will make doing the show only twice a week advantageous to Disney. (I have some insight into this as my DS and his wife were both entertainment CMs for many years).

Could any of this be worked around? Sure, but it would be at a fairly high cost, I think. And at this point, I don't believe Disney is doing this primarily as a new revenue stream, but rather as a proof of concept with significant future potential. Better to keep the demand high, the supply low, learn what you can from an operational perspective and give yourself plenty of room to adjust as needed. Figure out the mechanics first. Squeeze every dime out of it later

Again, just my thoughts. I could be completely off base. I'm actually very curious as to exactly how Disney is going to do this. I find it fascinating.

Steve

 

[Searc]

Disney has been saying that the experience would be 2 days and 2 nights. I take that to mean closer to 48 hours as opposed to say 36 hours - I could be wrong, of course. But if check-in time is the normal 3pm when would the experience end? 9am? I would think that would feel like it actually ended the night before, but they just let you sleep there one more night, fed you breakfast and ushered you out the door. It seems to me that to fully complete the story, there would need for something to actually happen on that final morning - leading to a later departure. I just don't think they can adequately turn over the entire hotel (all rooms cleaned, all public spaces cleaned and all show elements reset) in just a few hours. My gut says they'd opt to have a day between shows. They could do a two day show, a day off, and repeat, but then the start dates don't follow a set and easily remembered pattern. I think they'd prefer to say sailings are on Mondays and Thursdays, as opposed to something less discrete like "every three days". T hat's just my thinking. No clue how Disney is thinking about it. Having that seventh day available to deal with any technical issues or repairs would be a good thing too.

There's also the matter of cast members, and in this case, the moniker really is valid. There will be a lot of entertainment CMs involved in this experience, and they'll be involved for large portions of those two days - you can't have major or even minor characters being changed out when the shift changes. Suffice it to say that it's possible that work rules will come into play that will make doing the show only twice a week advantageous to Disney. (I have some insight into this as my DS and his wife were both entertainment CMs for many years).

Could any of this be worked around? Sure, but it would be at a fairly high cost, I think. And at this point, I don't believe Disney is doing this primarily as a new revenue stream, but rather as a proof of concept with significant future potential. Better to keep the demand high, the supply low, learn what you can from an operational perspective and give yourself plenty of room to adjust as needed. Figure out the mechanics first. Squeeze every dime out of it later

Again, just my thoughts. I could be completely off base. I'm actually very curious as to exactly how Disney is going to do this. I find it fascinating.

Steve

Thank you for your answer.

 

[nkosiek]

Disney has been saying that the experience would be 2 days and 2 nights. I take that to mean closer to 48 hours as opposed to say 36 hours - I could be wrong, of course. But if check-in time is the normal 3pm when would the experience end? 9am? I would think that would feel like it actually ended the night before, but they just let you sleep there one more night, fed you breakfast and ushered you out the door. It seems to me that to fully complete the story, there would need for something to actually happen on that final morning - leading to a later departure. I just don't think they can adequately turn over the entire hotel (all rooms cleaned, all public spaces cleaned and all show elements reset) in just a few hours. My gut says they'd opt to have a day between shows. They could do a two day show, a day off, and repeat, but then the start dates don't follow a set and easily remembered pattern. I think they'd prefer to say sailings are on Mondays and Thursdays, as opposed to something less discrete like "every three days". T hat's just my thinking. No clue how Disney is thinking about it. Having that seventh day available to deal with any technical issues or repairs would be a good thing too.

There's also the matter of cast members, and in this case, the moniker really is valid. There will be a lot of entertainment CMs involved in this experience, and they'll be involved for large portions of those two days - you can't have major or even minor characters being changed out when the shift changes. Suffice it to say that it's possible that work rules will come into play that will make doing the show only twice a week advantageous to Disney. (I have some insight into this as my DS and his wife were both entertainment CMs for many years).

Could any of this be worked around? Sure, but it would be at a fairly high cost, I think. And at this point, I don't believe Disney is doing this primarily as a new revenue stream, but rather as a proof of concept with significant future potential. Better to keep the demand high, the supply low, learn what you can from an operational perspective and give yourself plenty of room to adjust as needed. Figure out the mechanics first. Squeeze every dime out of it later

Again, just my thoughts. I could be completely off base. I'm actually very curious as to exactly how Disney is going to do this. I find it fascinating.

Steve

I like your analysis. I would think based on them hoping this also is part of a longer trip for most guests, they'd think about Tuesday/Friday sailings or Weds/Sat, where people are coming off the ship and going into a long weekend at the rest of the World, or an entire week at the World.

 

[Fangorn]

I like your analysis. I would think based on them hoping this also is part of a longer trip for most guests, they'd think about Tuesday/Friday sailings or Weds/Sat, where people are coming off the ship and going into a long weekend at the rest of the World, or an entire week at the World.

Agree. Disney will definitely be looking to maximize guest holdover - much like they promote adding on a few days at WDW to your Disney cruise. I could even see them letting Halcyon guests make 90 day fastpasses for stays beginning after returning to Earth. That would be a cool incentive, would never apply to enough people at any one time that it would seriously impact normal FP distribution, and (most importantly) it would cost Disney nothing!

Fun "what-if" ideas. Thanks for playing!

Steve

 

[ofcabbagesandkings]

I like your analysis. I would think based on them hoping this also is part of a longer trip for most guests, they'd think about Tuesday/Friday sailings or Weds/Sat, where people are coming off the ship and going into a long weekend at the rest of the World, or an entire week at the World.

Personally I would reverse it and do a regular resort first and then check into the Starcruiser. I'm really wondering how they are going to price this. Even guests with deep pockets will cost compare with other experiences. If 2 nights for a family of 4 on the Starcruiser is the same price as a VIP tour, some might opt for that, especially if they have members of their family that don't care as much about Star Wars.

 

[squirk]

I found yesterday’s announcement disappointing - at least for nerds like us. It was essentially a rehash of information we already knew and concept art we have already seen. Telling us that they will start accepting reservations within the next 11 months is hardly worth getting excited about. I mean, we kinda knew that already, right?

I expect they are deliberately staying vague on pricing so they can monitor the social media chatter (on forums just like this one) and see what the herd mentality deems to be “flat-out too expensive” vs. “expensive but acceptable”.

They probably don’t want to announce pricing, find they grossly miscalibrated, and then have to substantially adjust one way or the other.

 

[jimim]

Rumors are that pricing for a single adult will be around $3300 for the two night stay.

Price for a family of four - $7200!

No way I would ever pay that for 2 nights. No matter what was included.

 

[jimim]

After watching that even though it’s a rehash it did sound really really cool but not almost 10 grand cool. They have to make it affordable for people. Disney cruises are expensive but with having so many different classes on the ship that does help make it more accessible to people.

 

[skeeter31]

Disney has been saying that the experience would be 2 days and 2 nights. I take that to mean closer to 48 hours as opposed to say 36 hours - I could be wrong, of course. But if check-in time is the normal 3pm when would the experience end? 9am? I would think that would feel like it actually ended the night before, but they just let you sleep there one more night, fed you breakfast and ushered you out the door. It seems to me that to fully complete the story, there would need for something to actually happen on that final morning - leading to a later departure. I just don't think they can adequately turn over the entire hotel (all rooms cleaned, all public spaces cleaned and all show elements reset) in just a few hours. My gut says they'd opt to have a day between shows. They could do a two day show, a day off, and repeat, but then the start dates don't follow a set and easily remembered pattern. I think they'd prefer to say sailings are on Mondays and Thursdays, as opposed to something less discrete like "every three days". T hat's just my thinking. No clue how Disney is thinking about it. Having that seventh day available to deal with any technical issues or repairs would be a good thing too.

There's also the matter of cast members, and in this case, the moniker really is valid. There will be a lot of entertainment CMs involved in this experience, and they'll be involved for large portions of those two days - you can't have major or even minor characters being changed out when the shift changes. Suffice it to say that it's possible that work rules will come into play that will make doing the show only twice a week advantageous to Disney. (I have some insight into this as my DS and his wife were both entertainment CMs for many years).

Could any of this be worked around? Sure, but it would be at a fairly high cost, I think. And at this point, I don't believe Disney is doing this primarily as a new revenue stream, but rather as a proof of concept with significant future potential. Better to keep the demand high, the supply low, learn what you can from an operational perspective and give yourself plenty of room to adjust as needed. Figure out the mechanics first. Squeeze every dime out of it later

Again, just my thoughts. I could be completely off base. I'm actually very curious as to exactly how Disney is going to do this. I find it fascinating.

Steve

See now I expect them to handle this like the Disney Dream. Leaves Port Canaveral at 4pm on Friday with a 3 night cruise, gets the people off Monday morning as early as possible, flips the rooms, and loads the next batch on for the 4 nighter that leaves at 4pm that same day.

The SW hotel will most likely load people in at “check in time” of 4pm on say a Friday, and kick them out by 9-10am Sunday morning in order to clean and prep for the check in that afternoon at 4. They’ll keep it revolving like that every 2 days. That also allows them to have the “cruise” departing different days of the week each week, instead of always being a Friday-Sunday thing. Appeals to more travelers that way.

 

[squirk]

They have to make it affordable for people.

They don’t need to make this affordable for the masses; they can fill occupancy (for what appears to be a relatively small number of rooms) by appealing to the 1% that they’ve already been wooing for years.

Not saying I agree with that approach, but it is what it is.

 

[nkosiek]

They don’t need to make this affordable for the masses; they can fill occupancy (for what appears to be a relatively small number of rooms) by appealing to the 1% that they’ve already been wooing for years.

Not saying I agree with that approach, but it is what it is.

Except that they're going to need more than that 1%, because I'm not sure this will appeal to them. This needs to appeal to the FANatics because they'll be the ones that help sustain it.