Guide to Star Wars Galactic Starcruiser Hotel at Walt Disney World Resort
Star Wars: Galactic Starcruiser is a highly-hyped new hotel offering 2-night experiences at Walt Disney World. The themed resort behind Galaxy’s Edge in Hollywood Studios is now open, and this guide covers everything you need to know–including pricing, 2023 reservation info, what’s included, and more! (Updated October 29, 2022.)
We’ve been “aboard” Star Wars: Galactic Starcruiser twice now. Once for a preview and once for the inaugural voyage aboard the starship Halcyon, jewel of the Chandrila Star Line. We’ll be honest with you–this is not going to be for everyone, or even most visitors to Walt Disney World. As a threshold matter, you should determine whether this is good fit for your party by reading our spoiler-free Star Wars: Galactic Starcruiser Review.
The nature of the experience alone will eliminate many families visiting Walt Disney World. Then there’s the cost, which makes it a total non-starter for many others. We paid $6,634.32 for a party of 4–or $1,658.58 per person. For more thoughts on this expensive pricing, see Is Star Wars: Galactic Starcruiser Worth the High Cost?
As for what it is, that’s difficult to concisely explain. Star Wars: Galactic Starcruiser has an immersive ‘choose-your-own-adventure’ style story layered on top, as well as opportunities for nearly-endless show elements. It’s an unprecedented hospitality and entertainment endeavor, with the end product being awesome or alienating, depending upon your perspective.
Star Wars: Galactic Starcruiser is unlike anything Walt Disney World has ever done, an amalgamation of a bunch of different entertainment offerings. It’s not really comparable to a theme park visit or traditional hotel stay. Instead, think of it more like a cruise on land–as the name suggests–with all-inclusive (mostly) food & drinks and comparable programming. Even the cabins are more similar to cruise staterooms, as you can see in our Star Wars: Galactic Starcruiser Room Review, Photos & Video.
Unlike Disney Cruise Line, the Star Wars: Galactic Starcruiser Resort puts guests in the center of an interactive adventure that they control. Think of this as a hybrid between a live action role playing game and the all-inclusive resort hands-on ‘enrichment through entertainment’ experience.
Disney has tested similar concepts like Star Wars: Galactic Starcruiser before, but this is envelope-pushing in terms of its scope and level of immersion. It’s also unlike a traditional hotel. About the only similarity is that it has guest cabins with beds. Many of the amenities and features you’d expect of a normal Walt Disney World resort are not present at Star Wars: Galactic Starcruiser.
In fact, comparing Star Wars: Galactic Starcruiser side-by-side to a Deluxe Resort reveals that it doesn’t check many of the same boxes. If you want a luxurious experience with a pool, spa, concierge, well-appointed rooms, and more–you’ll be disappointed. Star Wars: Galactic Starcruiser has none of those things. It doesn’t even have windows in the guest rooms–it has simulated portals into outer space. Although it’s on land, it’s pretending to be a spaceship, meaning it doesn’t have anything you wouldn’t find on a spaceship.
None of this is to say that Star Wars: Galactic Starcruiser is lacking–it just is not what you might expect from a typical Walt Disney World resort at this price point. The focus here is much more on the immersive experience, role-playing, and themed environment. Suffice to say, don’t conflate “expensive” with “luxurious” as this is something different entirely.
With that said, let’s dig into all the details, because there is a ton to know about Star Wars: Galactic Starcruiser Resort!
Star Wars Galactic Starcruiser Updates
Voyages aboard Star Wars: Galactic Starcruiser have now been released through September 2023. Above is a look at November through January 2023. Fewer than half of the departures this holiday season are sold out, which is the busiest time of year at Walt Disney World.
Worse yet, there isn’t a single itinerary that’s sold out in 2023. Keep in mind that people generally book vacations–especially expensive ones like this–about 6 months in advance. Most people aren’t taking multi-thousand dollar vacations on a whim. It’s probably concerning to the company that this new experience with incredibly limited capacity already is not filling up.
With that said, availability fluctuates a lot. 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.
You really need to call (407-939-1800) for accurate availability if your dates are within the next 3 months. You might find that there are options for dates that look sold out, or that some voyages that appear available are actually gone.
If you’re already looking ahead to doing Star Wars: Galactic Starcruiser in Fall 2023, it’s likely those won’t go on sale until sometime in early 2023. As you can see from the availability calendar above, there’s really no rush to make reservations even once they are available.
The “new ship smell” has already worn off the Halcyon, so dates selling out quickly is unlikely to be an issue going forward. If anything, you might benefit by waiting. Walt Disney World is likely going to need to offer discounts sooner rather than later on Star Wars: Galactic Starcruiser.
Disney recently has been conducting paid research on guest “perceptions, observations, and attitudes” towards stays on the Star Wars: Galactic Starcruiser” at Walt Disney World. It’s possible this is either routine feedback or there’s a greater sense of urgency and importance if the company needs to make adjustments to increase bookings.
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.
Even if voyages don’t sell out, it wouldn’t surprise us to see Walt Disney World not offer discounts for Star Wars: Galactic Starcruiser until mid-2023.
Releasing special offers within a year of the debut date doesn’t send a good message to investors and company analysts about the success of this costly investment. Disney may also want to maintain the appearance of a premium product–with commensurate pricing–to consumers. Discounting sets a precedent, and one that’s difficult to undo.
When you do call to make your reservation, have all contact information (names, ages, etc.) for everyone in your party ready as well as your Disney account email address (if you somehow don’t have one, make it before calling). Also be prepared for lengthy hold times and being transferred a couple of times. Wait times are sometimes multiple hours; on busy days, the call queue closes completely.
While we’ve found the reps booking Galactic Starcruiser to be knowledgeable and experienced, they’re also very “careful” with information. For example, they won’t simply tell you which dates are cheapest or offer pricing info certain suites–you have to provide specific dates and info, and then they’ll give you a quote for those dates–and only those dates. It can be a bit tedious.
If you don’t want to hassle with it yourself, we highly recommend requesting a free/no obligation quote from an Authorized Disney Vacation Planner and having them deal with the headaches so you don’t have to. That travel agency, and presumably most others, have dedicated planners that are already experienced in booking Star Wars Galactic Starcruiser who will be happy to assist you with the process, help you choose the most economical dates, best add-ons, and so forth.
Just keep in mind that options, especially the Galaxy Class Suite, Grand Captain Suite, and Captain’s Table, are limited and might not match the calendar above. In the last few months, availability has fluctuated wildly. Using an Authorized Disney Vacation Planner is definitely the way to go when booking Star Wars: Galactic Starcruiser–it’s easier and they can monitor for availability and deal with calling in to manage the reservation since nothing can be done online (and there are always wait times on the phone).
We’ve completed our first voyage on Star Wars: Galactic Starcruiser, paying full price for the expensive experience. (Well, we shared the room with 2 other adults, so technically we paid half price–but the point is that there was no discount!) We’ll have comprehensive reviews and coverage of the actual experience for paying guests in the coming weeks, so stay tuned.
With that update out of the way, here’s everything else we know about Star Wars: Galactic Starcruiser Resort…
Star Wars Galactic Starcruiser Experience Details
Prior to their departure, guests preparing for their voyages aboard the Halcyon are encouraged to purchase Star Wars: Galactic Starcruiser costumes sold exclusively on shopDisney.com. Options range from $70 to $150 for adults and $60 to $100 for kids. Each seemingly serves a different purpose, so I guess you’ll “need” to buy multiple wardrobe changes to avoid any intergalactic faux pas or style mistakes.
ShopDisney’s merchandise is available for purchase exclusively by guests with a qualifying Star Wars: Galactic Starcruiser reservation. Eligible guests are eligible to buy these outfits on shopDisney.com up to 60 days prior to their Galactic Starcruiser reservation check-in date and up to 30 days after their check-out date. In order to complete the transaction, the email address used to sign into shopDisney must also be linked to your Star Wars: Galactic Starcruiser reservation.
Following that and all other pre-departure preparations, the actual adventure begins when guests arrive at the Star Wars: Galactic Starcruiser Terminal at Walt Disney World and check in for their two-night experience. Guests then enter a Launch Pod for transport into space. Through windows, they’ll see themselves leave Florida behind, jumping into hyperspace and drawing closer to the Halcyon, which is the starcruiser they’ll call home for the next two nights.
When the Launch Pod docks with the Halcyon and the airlock opens, guests step into the ship’s main deck Atrium to begin their journey through a galaxy far, far away. A visit aboard the Halcyon becomes a multi-day story that interweaves with members of the crew, other passengers, familiar Star Wars characters, and an excursion to Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge at Disney’s Hollywood Studios.
While staying aboard the Star Wars Galactic Starcruiser, guests interact with an eclectic group of characters both familiar and new. This includes the Halcyon’s strong and charismatic captain, a plucky ship’s mechanic, and a galactic superstar who can captivate an entire room with the crook of one jewel-encrusted purple Twi’lek finger.
This singing sensation is a featured performer during one of the dining experiences inside the Crown of Corellia Dining Room. The enticing supper club’s name is an homage to Corellia, the planet known galaxy-wide for its shipyards that gave us not only the Halcyon starcruiser, but also the Millennium Falcon. The dining room is a bright and welcoming hall that serves breakfast and lunch to passengers before transitioning each evening into a lavish multi-course menu of both otherworldly and familiar origins.
During their all-immersive experience aboard the Halcyon, guests are invited to delve deeper into their personal adventures by participating in onboard activities, interacting with characters, crew, other passengers they meet, and becoming part of the action.
Some of these activities include wielding a lightsaber and facing off against a training remote, visiting the starcruiser’s Bridge to learn about ship systems and how to operate them, and operating the starcruiser’s navigation and defense systems–skills that come in handy during a journey through this adventure-filled galaxy.
Guests are able to explore the Halcyon and discover hidden spaces deep in the mechanics of the ship–like the Engineering Room, which is perfect for uncovering secrets or holding secret meetings. Another interesting spot is the Sublight Lounge, where guests of all ages can enjoy libations and games in a stylish setting.
On the outside, the Star Wars: Galactic Starcruiser Resort looks like an industrial bunker, and not an actual starship. When you enter the hotel, you’ll only be seeing the terminal and Launch Pod, not the Halcyon itself. Any representations of the Halcyon from inside the hotel are simulated. The exterior of the hotel and surrounding area is incredibly unimpressive and industrial.
Additionally, there are very few guest rooms in the Star Wars: Galactic Starcruiser Resort–only 100 rooms total. That should make for an intimate (and in-demand) experience as compared to other resorts at Walt Disney World, many of which have well over 1,000 rooms.
The Star Wars: Galactic Starcruiser Resort is physically located backstage behind Disney’s Hollywood Studios near Cast Member parking and the show buildings for Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge. However, every window in the Halcyon, including those in each guest cabin, has a view into outer space, with ever-changing vistas as the ship progresses from place to place.
Star Wars: Galactic Starcruiser Resort is not open for the general public to visit. This is unlike any other hotel at Walt Disney World, and even the DCL comparison doesn’t do it full justice. A docked ship that would have amenities and facilities that overlap with a standard hotel, but this won’t have things like a pool, spa, tennis courts, or literally any outdoor recreation options.
The Galactic Starcruiser is more like a long-form, multi-part attraction or on-board cruise excursion. Think of it along those lines–it’s an immersive experience…that’s so long it offers a place to sleep, too.
To give you an idea of what to expect, here’s a sample itinerary for Star Wars Galactic Starcruiser:
With some basics about the Star Wars: Galactic Starcruiser Resort out of the way, let’s cover other questions about the Star Wars hotel that we’ve been receiving from readers…
What’s Included
Star Wars: Galactic Starcruiser vacation packages include:
- 2-night stay in a cabin or suite
- Ongoing, immersive and interactive entertainment, where choices determine your experience
- Food and beverages on the starcruiser (excluding alcoholic and specialty beverages) and a quick-service meal at Docking Bay 7 Food and Cargo or other select locations at Disney’s Hollywood Studios
- Admission to Disney’s Hollywood Studios for your planetary excursion to Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge
- Valet parking
- Exclusive Star Wars: Galactic Starcruiser MagicBand
Pricing
Walt Disney World has released sample pricing for Star Wars: Galactic Starcruiser Resort. Above is a look at rates for departures on weeknights in the fall off-season.
A few things to note here. First, this is the off-season at Walt Disney World and it’s when rack rates at all hotels are at their lowest levels of the year. For example, Grand Floridian rooms start at $742 per night for those same dates but jump to over $850 per night for many dates in October.
Suffice to say, pricing for weekends or more popular travel dates could end up being considerably more expensive. With that said, we’re honestly surprised by how “low” the prices are for Star Wars: Galactic Starcruiser.
Obviously, this experience is not cheap. To the contrary, it is very, very expensive. Total voyage costs of ~$5,000 to $6,000 for off-season weekdays is a ton of money and suggests peak dates are thousands of dollars more expensive.
However, that’s still less money than we anticipated (a prior version of this post predicted costs of around $3,000 per person). Some dates could end up being on the more expensive end of that spectrum, but the starting prices–and costs for families of 4 are a pleasant surprise. Again, it’s still an exorbitant sum of money…just less exorbitant than the outrageous numbers we were bracing ourselves for.
We’re sure many–if not most–of you will disagree with this. Perhaps it’s all about expectations. 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. Others might’ve had different expectations than us. No matter how you slice this, it’s expensive. But it could’ve been worse.
Another thing to consider here is that the Star Wars: Galactic Starcruiser Resort is essentially an all-inclusive boutique hotel plus an interactive live entertainment experience. It’s labor intensive but does not have many rooms, meaning that the price-points here are high.
Scarcity is also a huge factor. Some have derided this as a hotel or experience for the top 1%, but that’s actually not accurate. On any given day, less than .01% of the guests at Walt Disney World will be staying at Star Wars: Galactic Starcruiser Resort. This isn’t to say it’ll only appeal to the wealthy…just that an infinitesimally small number of Walt Disney World’s overall guest population will be staying here.
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.
Reservations & How to Book?
Reservations for Star Wars: Galactic Starcruiser Resort can be booked by calling (407) 939-1800 to confirm availability and book your voyage. Again, reservations cannot be made online. The only way to bypass long wait times on the phone is by contacting an Authorized Disney Vacation Planner and having them reserve your vacation package for you–that’ll save you time and work, as they’ll do your planning.
If the Star Wars: Galactic Starcruiser Resort is something that interests you, we’d highly recommend booking it sooner rather than later. This is for a couple of reasons. First, prices are likely to go up–Disney rarely decreases prices. The ‘sample pricing’ graphic you see below is likely the cheapest Star Wars Galactic Starcruiser will ever be.
Second, this is an ambitious and envelope-pushing idea, and is currently in a state of ‘pure & pristine’ Imagineering. Over time, compromises and changes are likely to be made in service of operational realities, changing demographics, and guest feedback.
Third, if for some reason this concept does not work and Disney is “forced” to decrease prices to attract more guests…more of the aforementioned compromises will be made to preserve the company’s margins on the Galactic Starcruiser. Cuts will be made to entertainment or dining (charging extra for food & beverage is an obvious way to cut the up-front price while increasing overall revenue).
This is all speculation on my part. However, this is a truly unprecedented project for Walt Disney World, and iteration is likely to continue based upon guest feedback and behavior patterns. This will likely begin as a thematically ambitious experience with structured live action roleplaying plus minimal real world intrusions. It’ll likely be aimed at the hardcore Star Wars fans who want something incredibly immersive and all-encompassing. And that’s largely who it’ll attract at first–Star Wars zealots and other hardcore fans who save or splurge on this.
What the Star Wars: Galactic Starcruiser Resort evolves into depends in large part upon both the effectiveness of Disney’s messaging and potential guests actually listening to marketing. Walt Disney World is already stressing that this is not a typical hotel stay, but that doesn’t mean people will hear or comprehend that.
Ultimately, it’s possible that Imagineering will fine-tune the offerings aboard the starship Halcyon, and it’ll age like a fine wine. This could mean new storylines, seasonal events, added characters, and who knows what else. We were surprised to find the experience firing on all cylinders during the inaugural voyage, and were surprised by how well it appealed to guests of all ages and even mainstream audiences. There’s a lot of potential here.
With that said, it’s also possible that the Star Wars: Galactic Starcruiser Resort experience will be diluted after its first year or so (this is what we predicted prior to opening). The primary demographic could shift from hardcore fans making a big splurge to affluent guests wanting their first visit to Walt Disney World to consist of the very best of everything–basically, rich parents with kids who enjoy Star Wars. The latter group is far less interested in thematic and storytelling integrity, and more so in exclusivity and luxurious experiences. Over time, Imagineering will iterate on the concept so it comports with guest feedback and expectations.
Still have unanswered questions about the attraction? Read our Ride Guide & FAQ for Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance, which covers everything you need to know. If you’re planning on visiting the new land, you’ll also want to read our Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge Guide. It’s a good primer for this huge addition. As for planning the rest of your trip, we have a thorough Walt Disney World Planning Guide.
YOUR THOUGHTS
What do you think about the addition of a boutique Star Wars: Galactic Starcruiser Resort to Walt Disney World? Will you be booking this? If not, what’s your maximum per person price-point for this experience? Would you prefer a more conventional hotel stay at a Star Wars-themed or decorated hotel? Do you agree or disagree with our advice and assessments? Any questions we can help you answer? Hearing your feedback–even when you disagree with us–is both interesting to us and helpful to other readers, so please share your thoughts below in the comments!
To pay for 4 almost $58 per hour each for 40 hours, 6-8 hours sleeping, 5-6 hours at Galaxy’s Edge 2 hours eating(?). Pretending you’re on a “mission” or for aprox the same $$$ spend 7DAYS on a Disney Cruise with a show every night, free room service 24 hrs. Kids area they don’t want to leave, activities, adult area, pools, ports , private island—duh it’s a no brainer.
I’m with you on this. I predict that even the die hard Star Wars fans will use their rent money to do this once, but will not return for a second visit. Soon, this resort will have cycled through the fans that can and will pony up this kind of money for a single visit and this resort will be “re-imagined” as something else. I give it 2-3 years at best. OR, Disney will have to drastically cut the price. This would probably entail having to cut the experience as well.
I think another reason for the slow bookings is the cancellation policy. My son and I have been saving to go since the hotel was announced but if you cancel within 30 days you lose 100% of the cost. What we may do now is get to WDW first and then book while we are there. They do offer insurance to US residents for a cost but I’m Canadian. Hard to risk thousands of dollars if something occurs where you have to cancel.
Mike, as a Canadian, I feel like the strong rise of the US$ against all other currencies is a big reason to delay for international visitors. The trip costs 20% more now for us! I did not know that insurance is available for US residents (but not us? Boo), but now that I do, it just reminds me of all the financial risks in booking.
Tom, I find it interesting that you noted how people usually book six months in advance, but not that no one had that much time for January 2023 because the dates did not drop until late August.
@StudentMama – That’s an excellent point about dates not dropping until August. At the time, I wondered what the holdup was.
Same goes for the strong dollar–it’s possible there are international visitors who want to do this, but are waiting for a more favorable exchange rate.
Star Wars super fan here. My excitement for this experience dropped significantly once I saw the itinerary.
For this to appeal to me, it would need to cost significantly less and last at least a day longer. This is basically $6k for two days and half of one of those days is at Hollywood Studios!
Posted on the other SW article as well:
We just returned from this experience. Going in, I am a SW fan but not as deeply involved as my husband, adult son and young daughter. I thought I would enjoy it but absolutely labeled this as “once in a lifetime” expense. Within the first few hours, we were already planning a trip back. We LOVED this. I was shocked at how involved in the story I got.
On day 2, my daughter was too tired to continue in Batuu so I brought her back to the “ship” early while our son spent all day completing missions. He was invited to the “special moment” I believe you referenced, but the rest of our family was not. We want to go back as just a group of adults in order to experience the story in more depth than we could with a young child. There are a few things in Batuu that you can now do with the magicband+ that earn you credits that may or may not affect your titles and ratings in the app. It was odd wearing two bands into Batuu but worth it.
I really wish they would offer are “return cruiser” discount for people who would like to experience everything again. I did NOT dress up but did not feel it affected my story, however I would strongly consider dressing the part on our next visit.
Also, we arrived at around 12pm and were inside the building around 12:30 waiting in AC to go through the welcome video and get checked in. There were at least 20 families ahead of us in line when we arrived. We left the “ship” around 9:40 am and were checked out an in a taxi within 15 minutes so that sticking point has been smoothed out for sure.
I really want to do this sometime, but it is currently WAY too expensive. Inflation on the raise makes this completely unrealistic for me. Also, even though it is a unique experience, it is hard to justify paying for a few days on the Galactic Starcruiser when for the same money you can stay at another Disney Resort for longer and enjoy more amenities. They need to find a balance before I can even consider booking.
I love Disney and staying at the top resorts , I don’t mind Genie or even LL that much but this thing is where I draw the line . This is straight robbery lol
It’s just too much money if not everyone in your family is into star wars or larping. It would be completely wasted on two of my kids (one is too young; one is too shy) and my husband (I can’t even get him to wear a costume for halloween), so even though my oldest son and I would love it, we’d have to split up the family (not cost effective or how I want to spend my limited vacation time) or pay for three people who would be completely uninterested.
Now if they made this more like an actual cruise with something for everyone—a pool my husband and two kids could spend all day swimming in while me and my other kid did missions, or more family friendly activities you could just walk up and do without taking part in a plotline, I’d consider it.
Thanks for the update, Tom. Have you heard anything about the experience being changed for these 2023 dates? A previous GSC guest reported receiving an email that “New dates have now launched — Take a different path and live a new Star Wars story.” It could be just an invitation to come back and switch from helping the Resistance to the First Order; or it could be what you suspected about Disney altering the original experience for whatever of the many reasons it could claim.
We were planning the Halcyon for an anniversary trip. Here are the reasons we are now leaning No:
1) The booking process. I’m already tired after three calls of having to use the phone and wait on hold just for information. I’m sorry, I don’t want games. I want to be able to look online for prices and availability and make my choices based on that info, not trying to type a bunch of info into my own spreadsheet while live on the phone.
2) They also should just publish policies bloggers and Disney omit online that will make people hesitate to book until closer to their dates. For example, that you need to make a 20% deposit (so four digits) at booking, that you must pay in full 90 days out, or that you forfeit some of the cost for cancellations at less than 90 days out. All of that requires an incredible amount of *certainty* before booking that many still don’t have wrt travel. Think how quickly travel changed in Dec 2021 when Omicron showed up.
3) The trip report from the Disney mega fan who moderates the WDW subreddit. She gave a detailed story of how different things went wrong with her trip. No one thing was major, but she was unlucky enough to experience several different problems, including CMs letting uninvited people take up some spots in special secret side quests so that some invited people ran out of stations. The kicker was that her complaints to CMs onboard, phone calls during her cruise, and emails afterward have gone completely unanswered, unaddressed, and unmitigated. Not acceptable for any trip, and deeply disappointing and deflating for her on a trip of this $$$$ magnitude.
4) The Redditor (again, a pro-Disney mod with a long track record of sincere, positive posts about her WDW experiences) also had the misfortune to cruise with fellow passengers who did not dress up. She said it was 80% not in costume on her cruise. Nope! I take costumes as a signal of both level of fandom AND level of commitment to the role-playing component. Her description was way off from others’ experiences, but highlights a major component of what would affect my enjoyment that is wholly outside my and Disney’s control. It made me fear that my 2023 plans would be ruined by fellow passengers who are just rich people looking to try the new-new rather than huge fans who came to play.
For context, I have cosplayed at fan conventions and am considering the London SW Celebration as an alternative to the Halcyon. A week in London plus airfare is the same cost as this cruise!)
I am not wealthy. This trip would require a year of saving up and many, many sacrifices that even my kids are questioning. I cannot have a bad time. Or even a mediocre one. I would want to hear about more people doing costumes, better quality controls and kinks with datapads getting worked out (esp for us non-American visitors with non-American phones). And the booking policies push me to favor booking as late as possible, when absolutely all my ducks are in a row and I am confident we will be able to go. Even if that means I don’t get my first choice of dates. Better that than losing a couple thousand to a cancellation, or even just having a couple thousand dollars tied up in the deposit for months.
A lot of very fair points here. One thing that stands out to me as particularly mind boggling is how difficult this is to book. I understand Disney wanting to clearly explain what Starcruiser is and isn’t, but not everyone has the time to spend hours on the phone getting this sorted out. (This is a general problem that extends far beyond Starcruiser–and will eventually come back to bite Disney.)
As for your points about the Redditor’s trip report, that’s interesting to hear. One of our friends who works for TouringPlans recently went on a cruise and we were comparing notes…they’re different was far different (and worse IMO) than ours. He still liked it and was glad he did it, but it was shocking how much had already changed. He should have a report coming soon on TouringPlans, so stay tuned for that if you’re curious.
Maybe, just maybe, Disney will look at this now and realise how short sighted they have become post pandemic. It is only now and moving forward into the next few years that economically we are going to see the full impact of the pandemic. People who had saved their money by not going anywhere for two years and have now splurged all that on a Disney holiday are going to realise that with rising petrol and food costs, increased mortgage rates and higher cost of living demands that a Disney holiday is no longer achievable. Stack the coffers now Disney because in a couple of years time you are going to see a massive downward trend in visitors, just sayin and one of the first to go will be this insanely expensive experience. Shame they didn’t make it more accessible for us plebs.