Feel like you're in the Star Wars universe: Disney offers space entertainment in Florida

Would you pay $6000 to be an inhabitant of the Star Wars universe for two days? Disney was sure that enough people would answer yes to this question, so they created Star Wars: Galactic Battlestar, an immersive theme park at Disney World in Bay Lake, Florida. But when the first footage of the hotel was posted online late last year, the reaction from fans was so negative that the videos soon disappeared from YouTube. The edition told in more detail Gizmodo.

Photo: Shutterstock

Disney has never confirmed that it removed the video because everyone made fun of them for trying to charge up to $1200 a night to let you walk through what seemed to be on par with the Star Tours queue area.

The company recently brought in dozens of different journalists, fansite operators, travel bloggers and their guests to personally convince them that it was worth it.

“I would never, ever pay what it costs to take my family to this event—two-day fun starts at $4800 for two and goes up to just under $6000 for four,” says Joel Cunningham. “But when I had the opportunity to do it for free, I certainly didn’t refuse.” Because few others will likely be lucky enough to visit the hotel when it opens to the public. I'm here to tell you all about it and help you decide if it's worth the money. Short answer? No. But it's really incredibly cool."

What is Galactic Starcruiser

The concept behind Star Wars: Galactic Starcruiser is that it's a two-day hotel stay combined with a two-day Star Wars trip. You will be a guest aboard the luxurious Starship Halcyon, a passenger ship celebrating its 275th anniversary in space.

On the subject: Life in a fairy tale: Disney will build unique residential complexes in the USA

You're here to relax, take advantage of on-board amenities, enjoy fine dining and be serenaded over dinner by a galactic pop superstar. Unfortunately, your peaceful journey is interrupted by a visit from the First Order, who are investigating rumors of Resistance activity on board.

For two nights, you'll be both an observer and a participant in the narrative, and along the way, you'll be introduced to a vibrant cast of new yet familiar Star Wars character archetypes.

How Star Wars: Galactic Starcruiser works

“Before visiting, I was a little worried that the role-playing experience in a galaxy far, far away would remind me of the time I visited a Renaissance fair with my friend,” Cunningham says. “It’s not that there’s anything wrong with role-playing games.” I'm definitely a big fan, I just don't feel comfortable around other people and it's hard for me to shake the awkwardness of being an adult playing pretend. But reality, such as it is, is much more complex and structured.”

Each person will experience the Galactic Starcruiser in their own way, and to some extent this is true, but all guests still stick to the same basic narrative. This is not a group improvisation. It's closer to an interactive theatre, where your understanding of the story will change depending on who you run into along the way, but the story itself will remain the same.

The basis for the narrative is the application, which is quite problematic for anyone who goes on vacation to get away from a life spent watching screens. When you board the ship, you will be handed your "datapad", which is very similar to the iPhone 12 mini with a stripped-down OS.

This is where most of the story will unfold, and where your own timeline will take shape.

Along the way, you'll receive text chats from various characters aboard the ship who will play their part in the story, from the captain to the "cruise director" to a First Order officer investigating rumors of Resistance activity aboard.

How you respond to these messages - through a series of video game-like conversations - will determine what activities will be included in your schedule. Will you head to the engine room to help an unlucky recruit keep all the systems up and running, or help get the Wookiees out of the brig?

As you head "off the ship" to Disney's Hollywood Studios' Galaxy's Edge section, you can simply ride the rides and buy souvenirs, or scan the QR codes hidden throughout the park to complete even more story-enhancing "missions."

You may be interested in: top New York news, stories of our immigrants and helpful tips about life in the Big Apple - read it all on ForumDaily New York.

How much effort you put into all this is up to you. Your choice matters only to the extent that it allows you to experience the story the way you want. You can choose to side with the good guys, or you can go on vacation and befriend the First Order.

No matter what you do, the story will still include the same "wow" moments if they are presented in a slightly different way - for example, each passenger will participate in a shootout on a bridge, but some will shoot Tie Fighters and others in X-Wings - but the ending will always be the same. Naturally, since this is Star Wars, you won't be surprised to know that the climax includes more than one lightsaber.

Do you need to be an avid Star Wars fan to enjoy the Galactic Starcruiser

“Given that my brain has been marinating in Star Wars nonsense for about 35-plus years, I may not be the best answer to this question. Luckily, I took a control group with me,” Cunningham says. “My kids have never seen Star Wars and my wife is actively indifferent to it, so they were a great example to explore whether you had to spend your childhood swinging a broom and pretending it was a lightsaber in order to enjoy it.” rest. The answer was a resounding no, and for reasons that have less to do with Star Wars and more to do with good old Disney Magic."

The process is smooth enough that you can get through it if you have a vague idea of ​​the basics: you're in space, there's something called the Force, the Jedi use lightsabers, the furry guy is called Chewbacca, and the ones in fascist uniforms are the bad guys.

That's because a trip to Halcyon is more Disney than Star Wars, and if 60 years of theme park operation has taught the company anything, it's how to make guests of all ages and backgrounds feel welcome.

On the subject: Fourteen life hacks from a regular visitor that will help you have an unforgettable time at Disney World

Like the Disney-era Star Wars movies themselves, everything aboard the Battlestar is arguably too bright and shiny to really feel anything close to reality.

Disney "actors" are carefully trained to please guests, and it's hard to imagine the inhabitants of a galaxy far, far away happily saying "have a good trip!" you every time you accidentally look them in the eye.

Even the stormtroopers made fun of a little girl dressed as Yoda who pretended to control their minds with the Force.

This is definitely not a passive event; you don't have to take on the character and create your character's backstory or even interact with any of the actors or your guest friends that much, but you do have to be willing to participate. Every time you leave your room, you are confronted with an unfolding narrative, and if you don't actively work against it, you will find yourself drawn into the story.

It doesn't hurt that the story takes place in a setting carefully designed for total immersion. You can roam virtually the entire ship at will, and everything you encounter will be believably part of the Star Wars universe.

Is Star Wars: Galactic Starcruiser Worth $6000

No. Or maybe yes? It all depends on how big your budget is. You can go on an incredible trip to almost anywhere in the world for $6000 and it will last much longer than two days.

The Galactic Starcruiser is basically an all-inclusive experience that flirts with luxury. Nicely decorated rooms, a bit utilitarian in terms of comfort, but you won't be spending much time in them anyway. However, in terms of face-to-face interaction with Disney employees, the attention you'll receive seems quite intimate, if not incomparable to anything else you'll find in the parks. Also, there are no queues and crowds on board the Galactic Starcruiser.

Read also on ForumDaily:

It's Cheaper for Americans to Visit Disneyland Paris Than California: Striking Numbers

Life in a fairy tale: Disney will build unique residential complexes in the USA

Fourteen life hacks from a regular visitor that will help you have an unforgettable time at Disney World

Minnie Mouse in a pantsuit: the cult cartoon character changed her image for the first time in 93 years

Worth a visit: America’s 25 most impressive mountain towns

Do you want more important and interesting news about life in the USA and immigration to America? — support us donate! Also subscribe to our page Facebook. Select the “Priority in display” option and read us first. Also, don't forget to subscribe to our РєР ° РЅР ° Р »РІ Telegram  and Instagram- there is a lot of interesting things there. And join thousands of readers ForumDaily New York — there you will find a lot of interesting and positive information about life in the metropolis.