Is Star Wars Galactic Starcruiser Worth the $5,000+ Cost?
Star Wars: Galactic Starcruiser at Walt Disney World is undeniably expensive, with prices starting at ~$5,000 for two people and only increasing from there. We’re here to help you decide whether the new resort is “worth it” for you with comparisons to other theme park and cruise vacations, followed by commentary on whether we felt it offered sufficient value for money to us.
One of the difficulties in assessing the cost of Star Wars: Galactic Starcruiser is that there are no easy comparisons. This is unlike anything Walt Disney World has ever done, an amalgamation of a bunch of different entertainment offerings. Rather than being comparable to a theme park visit, it’s more like a cruise on land, with all-inclusive (mostly) food & drinks, similar staterooms, and comparable programming.
But wait, there’s more. Star Wars: Galactic Starcruiser also 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. 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.
To be frank, it’s difficult to argue that a lot of what Disney offers is “worth it” from an objective perspective. Rack rates for the Grand Floridian or Contemporary Resorts are usually higher than the Four Seasons Orlando, and Disney hotels don’t offer a commensurate caliber of service or quality to their real world counterparts. Disney Cruise Line is often exponentially more expensive than its counterparts for nearly-identical (or sometimes inferior) itineraries. The list goes on and on.
When it comes to all things Disney, there’s always an inarticulable x-factor. An emotional or nostalgic pull that causes many people to overlook objective on-paper comparisons. We justify it on the basis of location, perks, theme, or other perceived advantages. But it boils down to something far more nebulous, intangible, or–dare we say–magical.
This is true not just with Disney super fans, either. A large swath of the public is willing to pay premium pricing for Disney’s product and that’s in large part because there’s the perception that there’s no “substitute good” for what Disney offers. Never has that been more true than with Star Wars: Galactic Starcruiser.
Cruises and luxury resorts, even those with the Disney brand or location attached obviously do have substitute goods. They may not have to compete on price for some consumers because of the aforementioned brand power, but they do have analogous alternatives. There are other (better) opulent hotels in Central Florida or cruise itineraries to the Caribbean or wherever.
There is nothing else like Star Wars: Galactic Starcruiser. Despite there being no reasonable baseline for comparison, people want one even more than normal since it’s so expensive and because they can’t fully comprehend just what the not-really-a-resort is and is not. Before plopping down so much money on such a big unknown, people want to know whether Star Wars: Galactic Starcruiser is worth it.
It should go without saying, but value is in the eye of the beholder. Moreover, not everyone is equally cost-conscious. If you’re some hotshot running a frozen banana stand empire, the price of going to play a star war is chump change for you. Meanwhile, if you’re a middle class family, the cost of doing 2 nights at Star Wars: Galactic Starcruiser might exceed your annual vacation budget.
It’s impossible for us to put ourselves into everyone’s shoes and account for all financial circumstances and perceptions of value. The best we can do is offer our viewpoint and how it compares for us. Hopefully, this is useful for regular readers who are already familiar with how we do and don’t spend money.
For those who are not, we are generally frugal and try to save money wherever possible, while also having a willingness (and ability) to splurge on travel that we feel will be unique and memorable, and for which discounting or cost-cutting is not possible. We almost always avoid paying rack rates at Walt Disney World, but have done extravagant experiences and extensively traveled, usually on a budget or with the help of travel hacking.
Our voyage aboard Star Wars: Galactic Starcruiser cost $6,634.32, but that was for a party of 4. We shared the room with another couple, friends of ours with whom we’ve previously traveled to Europe, Japan, and pretty much everywhere. Sarah and I paid a total of $3,317.16 for Star Wars: Galactic Starcruiser–or $1,658.58 per person. (We could break that down by day, hour, or whatever other unit, but presumably you also have the calculator app on your phone.)
Obviously, sharing a room won’t be possible for everyone–or even most people–reading this. We did it both because of our aforementioned frugality, and also to see how comfortable or uncomfortable the close quarters of the cabin would be. (More on that soon.)
As such, rather than attempting to give an up or down “worth it” proclamation, we’re going to put Star Wars: Galactic Starcruiser into context relative to other Disney and real-world destinations. Along with each comparison, we’ll offer our personal preference–which we’d rather do again, and would recommend to someone who hasn’t done either.
Note that the math isn’t perfect on any of these. Actual costs of the alternatives range from around $4,400 to $6,200. This shouldn’t be an issue, because Star Wars: Galactic Starcruiser doesn’t charge a flat-rate fee. A lot of reporting has called it a $5,000 experience, which is because that’s (roughly) what Walt Disney World advertises as the starting rate ($4,809) for the off-season. Opening month prices haven’t deviated from that by too much.
Since you can’t price out Star Wars: Galactic Starcruiser without calling and dealing with a multi-hour hold time on the phone, we don’t yet know what peak season rates are around Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Year’s Eve. My guess is that they’ll end up being a lot more than $5,000 for a party of two.
Other unknowns is whether discounts will be offered for Annual Passholders, Disney Vacation Club members, and other select guests during the off-season when bookings might be lower. Alternatively, will prices quickly increase if most voyages sell out at the current price points. We hesitate to make any predictions, as this is incredibly supply-constrained, but also incredibly niche.
With all of that out of the way, here’s how we’d compare various Disney and real-world destinations to a stay at Star Wars: Galactic Starcruiser for those who have not done the respective experiences. It should go without saying, but this is an imperfect exercise. There’s no way to precisely account for discrepancies in seasonality, discounts, or airfare (this is especially true with the international destinations, which can vary wildly).
Star Wars: Galactic Starcruiser v. 8-Night Eastern Caribbean Cruise
For the same price as Star Wars: Galactic Starcruiser, you could choose from a variety of one-week or longer itineraries aboard Disney Cruise Line’s legacy ships (e.g. all but the Disney Wish). Among the more approachable options for many Americans will be the various Caribbean sailings. We’ve done a couple of these, but always of a shorter duration.
With that in mind, I would choose Star Wars: Galactic Starcruiser over even the lengthier Eastern Caribbean cruise. As with so much of the titular question and these comparisons, this is going to vary highly from person to person. The biggest reason for my choice is that Galactic Starcruiser offers a wholly immersive experience, and while good, the entertainment aboard DCL doesn’t even begin to touch this–even 7 nights’ worth as compared to 2. I’m also far less keen on the Caribbean than other destinations.
Conversely, Sarah would choose the cruise–but it would be a close call. She enjoys the standard DCL programming more than I do, and also would like to explore some of the ports of call on this itinerary.
Star Wars: Galactic Starcruiser v. 7-Night Norwegian Fjords Cruise
Both of us would choose the Norwegian Fjords cruise over Galactic Starcruiser. We did Disney Cruise Line’s Norway itinerary a few years ago (albeit at a deep discount due to booking last minute) and it was one of the best trips we’ve ever taken, Disney or otherwise. It also felt surprisingly “Disney” (beyond just the ship), as we visited numerous destinations represented in Epcot’s World Showcase and that were the real world inspiration for Frozen.
For me, neither of these first two comparisons are close calls. I’d choose Star Wars: Galactic Starcruiser without hesitation over the Eastern Caribbean itinerary, and the Norwegian Fjords option would be an easy pick over Galactic Starcruiser. If anything, this should demonstrate that all of these comparisons are highly personal. You may have zero interest in Norway, but a strong desire to see the Caribbean.
Star Wars: Galactic Starcruiser v. 8-Night Tokyo Disneyland & Japan
We’ve spent significant time in Japan, doing month-long Airbnb stays in Kyoto for around $1,200 total. That’s not really a relevant comparison here, as most families considering 2 nights at Galactic Starcruiser aren’t going to consider 30 nights in Japan as a viable alternative.
With that said, Tokyo Disneyland plus Japan is a great comparison here because that trip would offer a high-caliber level of service, attention to detail, and immersion. As noted elsewhere, Star Wars: Galactic Starcruiser feels like “old school” Disney…in many of the same ways as Tokyo Disneyland. In addition to superior service, maintenance, entertainment, etc., the Tokyo parks are also less expensive, with cheaper ticket, monorail loop hotel, and food prices. (We joke that all of this is “subsidized” by Duffy merchandise, which is ridiculously expensive.)
For us, there’s absolutely no contest–Tokyo Disneyland and Japan win in a landslide. We’ve been pleading with Walt Disney World fans to visit the Tokyo parks for years. Anyone with the means should prioritize that over Galactic Starcruiser unless they are hardcore Star Wars fans who don’t really care about theme parks.
Star Wars: Galactic Starcruiser v. 9-Night Disneyland Paris & France
While we love Disneyland Paris, it is most certainly not “old school” Disney. It’s the most mismanaged resort complex in the world, and is a great place in spite of itself. Similarly, France is not particularly renowned for its high-caliber of service. It’s a different culture, and you take the good with the bad, just like anywhere. (We have zero issues with French culture or service standards, but you might. Check out “Is Disneyland Paris Right for You?” for more insight.)
We would both choose Disneyland Paris plus France over Star Wars: Galactic Starcruiser. Admittedly, this is less about the Disney side of the ledger than with the Tokyo Disneyland comparison below. Paris is one of our favorite cities in the world and we’d spend the bulk of our time there. With that said, a first-timer could easily do several days at Disneyland Paris. If you’re the type of fan who collects coffee table books about Imagineering or the design and architecture of the parks, Disneyland Paris is an absolute treasure trove.
Star Wars: Galactic Starcruiser v. 4-Night Disneyland (Deluxe Accommodations)
For around the same cost as Star Wars: Galactic Starcruiser, you could stay at Disney’s Grand Californian Hotel & Spa for 4-nights and do Disneyland and Disney California Adventure for 5 days. The flagship Grand Californian has its own entrance into DCA and is like a more luxurious version of Wilderness Lodge. (They’re actually quite different thematically, but the core architecture invites that obvious comparison.)
The similarity between Star Wars: Galactic Starcruiser and Disneyland Resort is that both are similarly lower-stress. We wouldn’t call either “laid back” (to the contrary, both can be exhausting), but neither are on the same level as the core Walt Disney World experience. That alone invites the comparison.
As far bigger fans of theme parks than Star Wars, we’d pick Disneyland in a heartbeat. If you’ve yet to visit Walt Disney’s original magic kingdom, it’s something every Disney fan should do.
Star Wars: Galactic Starcruiser v. 5-Nights at Walt Disney World (Moderate Accommodations)
Whereas the prior examples are aimed at first-timers to those respective destinations, both of these Walt Disney World comparisons apply to repeat visitors. This apples to oranges comparison is for a simple reason: this blog’s primary readership is Walt Disney World fans. In other words, people who have visited the Florida parks but are less likely to have been to Disneyland and beyond.
If you’re planning a first-time Florida vacation, the following does not apply to you. Walt Disney World is a rite-of-passage destination for a reason. For us “old-timers,” it’s easier to compare today’s guest experience to the superior one of two years ago, or take for granted just how envelope-pushing Walt Disney World is–like Star Wars: Galactic Starcruiser, except more mainstream. If you don’t have the burden of knowledge, so to speak, about what’s missing or compromised, you will still almost certainly be blown away by Walt Disney World.
With that out of the way, we used the calculations in How Much Does a Walt Disney World Vacation Cost in 2022? I redid the math in light of recently-released promotions, and found the numbers didn’t differ too much given actual resort availability (which is limited) and price increases in the last few months.
Obviously, this comparison is relevant since both Galactic Starcruiser and Moderate Resorts are located at Walt Disney World. Despite that, the two still differ significantly–an interactive adventure is not the same thing as a theme park with rides, and each will appeal to different people.
With that said, the biggest question from our perspective is whether the standard Walt Disney World trip can deliver something as consistently enjoyable as Star Wars: Galactic Starcruiser. Don’t get us wrong, we love Walt Disney World. But reader feedback in the last few months makes us wince, and not because you all are particularly cringeworthy. It’s because the baseline guest experience can be hit or miss right now.
Star Wars: Galactic Starcruiser does not have that. Again, this is old school Disney. The level of service is impeccable, with guest needs being anticipated and everyone treated as if they’re special. Just like the parks, it can be exhausting and isn’t a “vacation” in the traditional sense of the term, but it’s not stressful like Walt Disney World can be currently.
Honestly, this one is a toss-up. We are well-versed in visiting Walt Disney World, making it relatively stress-free for us since we can beat the crowds with ease. (We’re also able to operate on minimal sleep, which is incredibly advantageous at Walt Disney World.) This is a double-edged sword, as being well-versed in Walt Disney World also means it’s not as novel to us, whereas Star Wars: Galactic Starcruiser is. On balance, all of that makes it impossible for us to answer. It’s an incredibly close call, which alone should speak volumes.
Star Wars: Galactic Starcruiser v. 3-Nights at Walt Disney World (Deluxe Accommodations)
Basically, this is the same comparison as above. There are two key differences here, though. First, it’s two nights shorter and only one longer than the stay at Star Wars: Galactic Starcruiser. Second, it includes a Deluxe Resort stay rather than one at a Moderate.
With this comes the implicit assumption that guests desiring a shorter trip but more well-appointed accommodations are looking for luxury. Although Star Wars: Galactic Starcruiser is absolutely not a luxury resort, it is a luxurious overall experience with greater attention to detail and service. It’s more individualized and less mass market, which presumably gives it greater appeal to that type of guest–even though it is, yet again, absolutely unlike the archetype of a luxury hotel.
In this scenario, it’s an easier call–Star Wars: Galactic Starcruiser. Even on the resort side, Deluxes at Walt Disney World aren’t really luxurious, and those guests will have the same theme park experience (and accompanying headaches) as everyone else. To get the true white glove treatment in the parks, you’re looking at spending up to $850 per hour for a VIP tour on top of everything else. In other words, a day at Walt Disney World might end up costing as much or more as 2-nights in Star Wars: Galactic Starcruiser. Obviously, that’s not an apples to apples comparison, but literally none of this is.
Was Star Wars: Galactic Starcruiser Worth It For Us?
Maybe? Even now, we have mixed feelings about it. We’ll put it this way: we felt incredibly satisfied by our time aboard the Halcyon and are glad we did it. So I guess, yes, Star Wars: Galactic Starcruiser was worth it for us. A total cost of over $3,000 for the two of us (after splitting the the room with another couple) for 2 days of immersive entertainment, quality food, superlative service, incredible attention to detail, and the most envelope-pushing experience we’ve had at Walt Disney World in years.
All of that makes us happy that we did Star Wars: Galactic Starcruiser. Part of that might be that it felt like we were part of something special, witnessing first hand Imagineering swing for the fences with an ambitious but quirky experience.
However, I’m not sure that’s the same as saying Star Wars: Galactic Starcruiser is worth that high cost. It’s fair to say there are splurges we all make that bring us joy in the moment, but maybe we look back on with the “clarity” of hindsight and realize that, objectively, the money could’ve been spent better.
Star Wars: Galactic Starcruiser was more money than what we’ve spent on anything in recent memory. During the moment-to-moment action, we had zero regrets. Immediately after leaving the Halcyon, we were still on cloud nine, feeling a sense of euphoria and energy from what we had just been a part of. If you asked me then whether it was worth it, I would’ve given an emphatic “YES!” in response. It’s only upon ruminating on it for over a week that results in this more measured response.
We also feel more comfortable with the cost because we were able to reduce the expense by sharing a room. (Doing it with another couple also greatly enhanced the voyage, and relieved us of some “interactivity pressures.”) Not everyone is going to be willing or able to do the same.
Had we paid $5,000 for the two of us, neither of us would’ve felt Galactic Starcruiser was worth it. That’s just us, and that’s how we feel with more careful consideration and reflection, removed from the actual experience. It also comes from the perspective of that $5,000 coming at the opportunity cost of other travel we could do throughout this year. (Hence the above comparisons.)
To that end, we are not in a rush to do Star Wars: Galactic Starcruiser again. Even with more story options that we’d love to explore, we feel satisfied with how our voyage and personal adventures, or whatever you want to call them, played out. I’m incredibly curious about what we did not see, but not “drop another few grand” curious. Maybe I’ll feel differently in 6 months or a year, especially if story elements have been tweaked or off-season discounts are offered. For now, that price-barrier outweighs what would otherwise be a repeatable experience.
This assessment could also vary considerably if our demographics differed. Kids are unquestionably the biggest wild card, and this really goes for “children of all ages.” If your kids are too young to actively participate or your group wouldn’t “buy into” the story elements, the value simply is not here. If viewed as a passive Star Wars cruise on land, Galactic Starcruiser won’t even come close to measuring up for your family–do something different.
Conversely, if your party is full of impressionable and imaginative minds, Star Wars: Galactic Starcruiser could be more memorable and formative of an experience than anything in Walt Disney World’s theme parks. (You know how some kids remember the resort pools more fondly than any rides? This feels like it could be that times one-hundred.)
Obviously, we can’t offer an armchair assessment of your children or you–but if we had kids in the ‘sweet spot’ age range of around 7-14 years old who were forming an interest in Star Wars, many of the above comparisons go out the window. We’d book Galactic Starcruiser even if our personal preferences lied elsewhere.
At the end of the day, that’s the tricky thing with assessing whether Star Wars: Galactic Starcruiser is worth it. Beyond it simply costing a lot, which presents an unfortunate barrier to entry for many middle class families, there are a ton of other considerations that might make it a good or bad option for a lot of other parties. It’s impossible for us to give a simple and concise answer to the titular question (hence all of this rambling).
About the only other thing we can add is that, from our perspective, Star Wars: Galactic Starcruiser comes very close to being the best conceivable version of whatever this hard-to-define thing is. Not everyone will love it, but the target audience will absolutely adore it. Assuming for the sake of argument that something like this could ever be worth $5,000 (a bold assumption), Star Wars: Galactic Starcruiser is the version of that thing.
Planning a Walt Disney World trip? Learn about hotels on our Walt Disney World Hotels Reviews page. For where to eat, read our Walt Disney World Restaurant Reviews. To save money on tickets or determine which type to buy, read our Tips for Saving Money on Walt Disney World Tickets post. Our What to Pack for Disney Trips post takes a unique look at clever items to take. For what to do and when to do it, our Walt Disney World Ride Guides will help. For comprehensive advice, the best place to start is our Walt Disney World Trip Planning Guide for everything you need to know!
YOUR THOUGHTS
If you’ve done Star Wars: Galactic Starcruiser, what’s your perception of the value for money? Was your voyage worth it? Even if you haven’t done it, do you think this would be worth the splurge or is it too much for too little from your perspective? (Please be clear as to whether you’ve been aboard the Halcyon if you’re opining on value.) After reading or seeing firsthand accounts of Star Wars: Galactic Starcruiser Resort, has your perception of it it changed? Do you agree or disagree with our cost comparisons and value 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!
Another factor to consider is that all of these travel bloggers are expensing their stay to write articles etc. It changes the dynamic a bit if you are doing it for your job and expensing the costs versus a true vacation where you are paying a hefty premium on top of a hefty Disney premium? It might be something to remember as all these travel influencers are going on the paid versions, it doesn’t cost as much due to a tax deduction. All you would have to assess is the entertainment value of the 2 night experience and that wouldn’t be deductible.
I don’t think they get to write off as much as you think. My wife used to be a travel agent, and the first thing our accountant told us was not to try writing off all the “familiarization” trips that agents are often sent on. That’s a great way to get audited, and fined.
I could afford a trip like this but even as a relative Star Wars fan, can’t imagine any sane moment when I would make such a choice. In addition I have two sons who would love to go, immediately doubling the price. This was your “no spoilers” review but even knowing that, I cant imagine what would EVER be worth a tab like that for two days. You are not telling us enough, just giving price comparisons. Disney greed and overcrowding ( and in recent years its far left politics) left me cold some time ago. I have in the past gone for an 8 to 10 day stay in one of their luxury hotels ( Polynesian, Grand Floridian, Beach/Yacht club, etc) or time shares, and dropped 10 grand on the experience. Many times. But this?? No thanks.Soon they will only be dealing to the Super rich, and that is something that would likely break Walt’s heart. For the 5 grand that this costs, I would rather buy a classic piece of gold jewelry and pass it on to my family.
Thanks for your post, Tom! Quick question – did you find it overwhelmingly crowded? Just wondering how many people are crammed in there? Thanks again
Yes, I am looking for that feedback as well! I know there are 100 rooms, if you average 3 people per room, that seems like a lot of people in that space. but ???
I can answer this question and feel it’s a good and relevant one. When there is an event in which the whole ship is in one place (muster and finale) then it is crowded and uncomfortable. Other than those two times you are never interacting with or seeing more than 20 other people. Many times the groups I was in were far smaller, since events are divided down very cleverly between the two dinners and then between the 5+ different consecutive stories. Its really quite intimate to the point where I never saw some guests on my exact path until the finale.
I took my kids to see Star Wars when it first came out. My youngest son was only 2 weeks old and we saw it at a drive in theatre. My kids have been fans ever since. They are in their 40’s now. But if they wanted to go, I would take them. I have never seen a brinks truck following the Hearst to the cemetery.
Another fan of the banana stand and doing a star war! That amused me a lot.
We’re kind of weird: we’re from the UK and have done Disneyland Ca, Paris, Hong Kong, but not WDW- trip got cancelled due to Covid and scheduled now for Autumn.
I can’t make my mind up if we downgrade hotel from AKL to Port Orleans and splash on the starcruiser perhaps at the start of the stay (we’ve got 2 weeks incl Universal) or save it for a future trip in a few years and hope the world lasts that long…. Hmmm.
Anyway signing off from Mr F…. For British Eyes Only
Tom, if your other website has already addressed this please share a link, but in regards to your comparisons to the overseas Disney parks in France and Japan, a lot has changed in the last 2 years regarding international travel and I’m overwhelmed trying to figure out what is open/closed and what the requirements are to be eligible to travel to different countries. I would find it incredibly helpful if there was an updated guide on what it would take to visit Disneyland Paris or Tokyo Disney in 2022.
Yes, please! This is why we are waiting for international travel at the moment – want to ensure we can get the “full” experience if we are flying across the pond. Would greatly appreciate it, Tom!
Same! We were all set to do Kyoto (thanks to your blog!) in 2020. Didn’t you say you’re planning on going back to Japan in April? Am holding my breath and turning blue for an update!
but didn’t the banana stand catch fire and all the money burn? Spend it before it goes up in flames is what I say!
I’ve been a Star Wars fan since seeing the first movie in a theater in 1976 (I think). However, I could not get into role-playing and pretending that I was really talking with some alien on a real star ship. That lightsaber training looked ridiculous. The food didn’t look particularly appetizing. I usually order from the kids’ menu and even that food looked bad. Needless to say, we have no interest in going. Even if the cost was $50 I’d have no interest in it. That said, it’s hard to declare for anyone but yourselves whether it was “worth it”. I just cannot see this succeeding as it is now for very long. I think it might make a great one-evening experience that would include an after-hours visit to Batuu.
I couldn’t help notice that you and Sarah should have swapped sneakers. What were you thinking? When I saw your first comparison was the Caribbean I immediately thought of the Baltics (Germany, Russia, Norway, Sweden, Finland etc) and of course Alaska. Waaaay better than the Caribbean. Glad you added the fjords because even without having done SW I know nothing compares with those real life adventures. The fjords are breathtaking and truly worthy of the word awesome. Listening to whales hunting fish together on a whale watch or watching glaciers calving, kayaking alongside otters, seals or whales etc , exploring towns that are over a thousand years old (America is only a few hundred) just beats the heck out of anything I see offered here. I mean it looks like fun, dressing up and being a day player in a structured improv. I think it’s a dream come true for a huge star wars fan so I’m glad it exists to offer those folks the opportunity to live out a fantasy. All in all, in my humble opinion, there are real life experiences that far outweigh this 2 day cosplay that should be experienced first. Then again young children will be thrilled by lightsaber practice and aiding rebel scum while bored by fjords.
My daughter and I are booked for June. She’s a Star Wars fan in that age range sweet spot. I’m the mom with Star Wars tattoos, and I’ve done Dragon*Con, so it’s no surprise to any of my friends we are going. I do wish we had more money in the banana stand, but alas, seems the insurance check washed out to sea when the stand went up in flames.
Thanks for the insight. This is helpful. I tried to see if my daughter would rather swim with dolphins (did that cost comparison, and boy would that be cheaper), but she assured me the dolphins would be there another year but this was a once in a lifetime experience.
I feel like your last paragraph hits the nail right on the head: For those looking to escape into another world for two days, this experience is the only option. But, on top of that…it’s also about the best possible version of this option that it can be.
It’s actually amazing to me that this exists though, because even though I am the perfect target audience for this, it is literally the only time I have ever been a target audience for anything. The parts of the Halcyon that I treasured the most – the interactions – are the exact parts that would exclude many introverted fans. I hope there are enough people out there who can get the fullness of this experience in order to keep it going, because it’s just so unique and really a once-in a lifetime experience. (One that I will be doing twice.)
I have said it elsewhere, but I want to point out that I’m not rich – my job does not break a six figure annual salary – and still found this experience to be worth the money. This did not feel like Disney trying to scrape every last dime out of me, but felt a lot more like it was appropriately priced for the exclusivity, the technology, and the above-and-beyond cast members. This is much more difficult to articulate, but when you’re in the environment and can see all the attention to detail it’s a lot easier to see where the money is going. I am always willing to save to get a memory that will last, and the memories I made on the Starcruiser are priceless. Their value is worth more than the sum of the cost.
That is for ME, though. I do wonder how some of the people on the ship who were sitting in the background just watching felt about it after they’d left, as I can’t imagine each experience on board was equivalent. But if you know what you want out of this adventure and you throw yourself into it…then the rewards are great, and will last a lot longer (for me) than the cash would have.
4 adults slept in that room pictured – the one with the bunk beds? I see you 4 are all young adults. But 2 of you slept comfortably in the bunk beds? Did you have to sleep in the fetal position? Did you switch nights at least?
No way an older adult will fit comfortably in those bunk beds – I am 275lb 6ft 2 in person. Not fitting in that bunk bed – couldn’t pay me.
Mike, my husband is 6 ft 5 in, same weight and fit fine, no fetal position needed. And, he chose to sleep in the bunk our 2nd night and we were the only 2 in the room.
Wow – never would’ve thought I would fit
Lovely post and really appreciated the varied comparisons. ) For our family with three STAR WARS loving boys in the prime ages you stated this is a no-brainer for us. Our eldest two remember building their lightsabers at DL and interacting with Chewie in galaxy’s edge more than anything else in the parks! We are booked in December. I actually did my own cost comparison to our Dec 2018 WDW stay at the Poly, and Dec 2021 at DL Grand Californian and managed to make the per night cost lower by using pts for an offsite post Starcruiser Stay to relax and recharge (and reminisce?).
I love your statement about opportunity cost. For us, this provides the most unique experience *we* are comfortable with due to the current state of travel. We will get to Japan absolutely (were booked in 2020, we all know what happened there), but for our family that is not something we are entertaining at this point in time.
Again, many thanks for all your hard work and witty commentary. 🙂
Great article as usual. Wife and I are going for her BDAY. We have done LARPing in a theme park before and feel that getting an opportunity to do this before they more than likely raise prices or dilute it is worth it for us. I blame you for making me switch from hard no to yes LOL it is your opinion which I trust for the past 10 years of following your blog that helped. I really hate the sequel trilogy but I feel that doesn’t get in the way of this experience which is great. If I can make my own path as a RPGer video gamer and LARPing minded person who loves Star Wars this sounds like I should do it and I am really looking forward to experiencing it later this summer. Again thanks for your blog and insights and writing style are always well received by me.
wait, weren’t you going to tell us whether the room was miserably small?
I guess it’s just me, but I can’t conceivably envision any scenario where a two-night stay at a hotel would be worth $5000+. Perhaps if I were Elon Musk.
Everyone’s complaining about Disney’s constant price increases, and this new resort is a great example as to why Disney keeps raising prices well above normal inflation rates – because they can. “If you build it, they will come” must be etched on someone’s wall at Disney. As long as Disney can keep conning people, people will keep over-paying.
But it’s not a hotel. It’s, essentially, a small theme park. You can decide whether the price is still too high for you, but you can’t compare it to just staying the night somewhere.
I actually did the math and since it is equivalent to Deluxe accomodations, and includes 3 sit down meals, 1 park ticket, 1 quick service meal and exclusive entertainment, it’s actually comparable to those items booked separately (plus a little star wars upcharge). It’s actually not that off though. Hotel prices vary though. I have been working on a Maui trip for clients and with 5 guests they need 2 rooms at most hotels, so it’s going to be $14k in just hotel room for 7 nights. And that does not include meals or entertainment like Starcruiser.
Though I admit the banana stand reference went over my head, thank you for the well-thought-out review/discussion.
The line “We’ve been pleading with Walt Disney World fans to visit the Tokyo parks for years.” hurts a little as we first started thinking about/planning a trip in spring 2020…
Are you given wardrobe? I mean if you are going to be “immersed” I would think you would need clothing to fit along the lines of what you are doing. I don’t think I have anything that would be appropriate for a Starcruiser.
Good topic.
I’m assuming the early adopters, those “cruising” in these early time spots, are more hard core SW fans than maybe later on.
Does that translate into a higher % of people wearing SW wardrobe?
You aren’t given wardrobe, though I do think that would have been a nice freebee at the price point. On the voyage I attended, many people took standard cruise outfits and “Star Wars’d” them – at dinner there were nice regular dresses and suits, for instance, with fun headpieces. For day guests, a light colored shirt and a vest was an easy way to get a casual look without needing to go any more expensive than Goodwill. With the right combinations, you can take what’s already in your closet and accessorize it without too much effort.
Nobody does it like you, Tom. Thank you for this.
I forgot when considering the hefty price tag that there is always money in the banana stand- good call.
Out of this entire post, I’m most “proud” of that sentence–but feared it would be utter nonsense to 99.9% of readers. I’m pleased that the very first comment acknowledged it. Thanks, you made my day. (My day is easily made.)
The most comments I ever got in the park is people yelling “There’s always money in the banana stand” when I would wear a Bluths Bananas Mr Manager t shirt.