NEW Details Emerge About Galactic Starcruiser Experience!

in Star Wars, Walt Disney World

starcruiser header

Credit: Disney

The upcoming Star Wars: Galactic Starcruiser hotel experience at Walt Disney World Resort has been deemed a “priority project” by Disney officials and is expected to open in time for the theme park’s 50th Anniversary Celebration next year.

starcruiser
Credit: Disney

Recently, at the IAAPA Expo, Disney released new photos of the interior of the Halcyon luxury starliner, including a glimpse at the guest rooms passengers can expect to stay in during the completely immersive 2-night, 3-day experience.

Now, at the HT Next 2020 conference hosted by Hospitality Tech, Disney has unveiled even more details about the Star Wars hotel — and about how the company is approaching the future of technology in general.

Disney’s Chief Technology Officer Tilak Mandadi said today:

“We run 53 hotels but we’re not so much hotelier, as storytellers. Our resorts are part of the stage where the magic happens.”

Disney also gave new information about the technology behind the Galactic Starcruiser to conference attendees. Hospitality Tech Magazine noted:

Example of the #disneymetaverse: #starwars #galacticstarcruiser! Live onboard a starship for 2 days/nights w/views of space, immersive activities, excursions to planet Batuu – made possible by new Disney innovations.

Disney Parks News also shared information about today’s HT Next talk, noting:

Today at #HTNext2020: our Chief Technology Officer Tilak Mandadi shared how our teams are blending the digital and physical worlds to create new magic – including innovations at Disney’s Riviera Resort and the upcoming Star Wars: Galactic Starcruiser

The Disney Tweet was accompanied by a quote from Mandadi, which reads:

We are using technology, digital and data to tell our stories better, and tell better stories. 

Although we do not currently know exactly what story arc the Galactic Starcruiser experience will follow, we do have certain details about what Guests can expect onboard. From concept art, it appears that certain characters from the Star Wars universe — including, perhaps, Chewbacca — will be present.

There have also been numerous rumors that the stormtroopers featured in this rendering [below] will attempt to take over the Halcyon at some point, ultimately resulting in Guests’ “port excursion” to Batuu.

This would certainly make sense, especially if an automatic spot on Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance was part of the storyline — Guests could literally escape from the stormtroopers via the popular Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge ride.

starcruiser atrium
Credit: Disney

Another one of the innovations Mandadi mentioned today is likely to be the menu cards in the all-ages Silver C Lounge. From Disney’s concept art, it appears that Guests onboard the intergalactic ship may be able to select their food and drink orders from holographic “cards” that appear on the table.

silver c lounge
Credit: Disney

The “views of space” that were mentioned are going to be truly amazing for any Star Wars fan — in this photo [below] of an actual room on the Halcyon, you can see how Disney Imagineers covered the real window (required by law, presumably) in the hotel with a screen that allows Guests to see directly into a galaxy far, far away.

galactic starcruiser
Credit: Disney

Who knows? Guests may even get to see the Millennium Falcon fly by at some point during the carefully curated Star Wars journey.

Learn more about the Galactic Starcruiser on Disney’s official website for the upcoming Star Wars resort.

Stay tuned to Inside the Magic for more on this developing story as the HT Next 2020 conference continues!

 

in Star Wars, Walt Disney World

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