Bob needs to get a clue and ‘ride’ Starcruiser for a couple of days himself, incognito if possible. It was rushed into service with too many inexperienced personnel and is NOT up to standards for a top-of-the-line Disney experience.
I did the Galactic Star Cruiser a couple of weeks ago. The vast majority of the ‘crew’ are exceptionally young, inexperienced college age personnel who are being forced to perform as ‘face’ actors (think street-mos-phere at Hollywood Studios) when they are not even as seasoned and capable as run-of-the-mill cast members in other Disney parks and resorts. Worse still, I spoke with several (more than 10) seasoned and accomplished (and very good) cast members at other Disney resorts and parks who said they were all turned down and told that the Starcruiser crew work schedule was too many hours for part time and too few hours for full time. This sounded like total BS Disney used as an excuse to use low wage college interns instead of experienced personnel.
The imagineers did a great job of composing and implementing the ‘space’ elements and adventure effects very much as if these were all part of a good ride but quality control and final build quality (blue painter’s tape, exposed wires, light strips falling out of fittings) are not up to normal Disney standards much less the standards of a $1.65/minute special adventure.
Except for the excellent dinner meals the daytime food is only slightly above the quality and ‘happiness’ level of a value resort or quick service meal. And is hit and miss on the quality. Kitchen staff are excellent but are apparently constrained in what they are able to provide. The dining hall style of food pickup is simply cheap and the lack of simple things like hot water for tea is stupid.
The rooms are unnecessarily and restrictively small especially when it is recognized that Disney was not under the same space restrictions as a real ship where cubic inches of space are at an extreme premium. This is foolish when the reality is that as a concrete building (that looks like a law enforcement processing facility from the outside) there is no bonafide need to make the $3,000+ per night rooms small while billing them as suitable for 5 people. Please note, I have served on both Coast Guard cutters and sailed on Disney cruise ships as well as staying at almost all of Disney’s premium resorts. To make matters much worse, there are not enough places (drawers, closet space, etc.) to unpack and very little place to put luggage. Starcruiser crew do not take empty bags away to store them like on some real cruise ships and the under-bed storage is tiny and constrained by height and depth.
Lastly, (not finally, I have much more) the arrival experience is sub standard even compared to arriving at a 1 star hotel. The overhang to unload vehicles is not large enough to accommodate enough vehicles or provide enough shelter from wind, rain or sun. The bell staff were hard working but obviously inexperienced and understaffed and guests has nowhere to go to get out of the heat, etc. there is only 2 concrete benches to sit on (maybe 2 – 3 people each) and that’s it.
The only 2 arrival area restrooms are single occupancy and can only be accessed after getting through security metal detectors. The walkway to the elevators is a claustrophobic, unfinished, unpainted, no decorations, no frills concrete tunnel that feels like Disney is taking you to jail through the ‘utilidors’ rather than a luxury cruise experience. Waiting in line for Star Tours, Mine Train or Space Mountain or checking in at Pop Century is more pleasant and more ‘Disney’ than waiting to start a $6000-$7000 2 day Star Wars experience on the Halcyon.
Chapek bragging that GC is going to book solid, with most fans wondering what’s going to replace it in two years’ time, is like his cheerily bragging that the Titanic has enough lifeboats for EVERYBODY!
If it was just blind stupidity, we could forgive it, but treat the investors like idiots, and you can feel the hostility in the room.
Comments for Bob Chapek Boasts About Disney’s Galactic Starcruiser, Fully Expects It to Sell Out
Victor Nazarian
Bob needs to get a clue and ‘ride’ Starcruiser for a couple of days himself, incognito if possible. It was rushed into service with too many inexperienced personnel and is NOT up to standards for a top-of-the-line Disney experience.
I did the Galactic Star Cruiser a couple of weeks ago. The vast majority of the ‘crew’ are exceptionally young, inexperienced college age personnel who are being forced to perform as ‘face’ actors (think street-mos-phere at Hollywood Studios) when they are not even as seasoned and capable as run-of-the-mill cast members in other Disney parks and resorts. Worse still, I spoke with several (more than 10) seasoned and accomplished (and very good) cast members at other Disney resorts and parks who said they were all turned down and told that the Starcruiser crew work schedule was too many hours for part time and too few hours for full time. This sounded like total BS Disney used as an excuse to use low wage college interns instead of experienced personnel.
The imagineers did a great job of composing and implementing the ‘space’ elements and adventure effects very much as if these were all part of a good ride but quality control and final build quality (blue painter’s tape, exposed wires, light strips falling out of fittings) are not up to normal Disney standards much less the standards of a $1.65/minute special adventure.
Except for the excellent dinner meals the daytime food is only slightly above the quality and ‘happiness’ level of a value resort or quick service meal. And is hit and miss on the quality. Kitchen staff are excellent but are apparently constrained in what they are able to provide. The dining hall style of food pickup is simply cheap and the lack of simple things like hot water for tea is stupid.
The rooms are unnecessarily and restrictively small especially when it is recognized that Disney was not under the same space restrictions as a real ship where cubic inches of space are at an extreme premium. This is foolish when the reality is that as a concrete building (that looks like a law enforcement processing facility from the outside) there is no bonafide need to make the $3,000+ per night rooms small while billing them as suitable for 5 people. Please note, I have served on both Coast Guard cutters and sailed on Disney cruise ships as well as staying at almost all of Disney’s premium resorts. To make matters much worse, there are not enough places (drawers, closet space, etc.) to unpack and very little place to put luggage. Starcruiser crew do not take empty bags away to store them like on some real cruise ships and the under-bed storage is tiny and constrained by height and depth.
Lastly, (not finally, I have much more) the arrival experience is sub standard even compared to arriving at a 1 star hotel. The overhang to unload vehicles is not large enough to accommodate enough vehicles or provide enough shelter from wind, rain or sun. The bell staff were hard working but obviously inexperienced and understaffed and guests has nowhere to go to get out of the heat, etc. there is only 2 concrete benches to sit on (maybe 2 – 3 people each) and that’s it.
The only 2 arrival area restrooms are single occupancy and can only be accessed after getting through security metal detectors. The walkway to the elevators is a claustrophobic, unfinished, unpainted, no decorations, no frills concrete tunnel that feels like Disney is taking you to jail through the ‘utilidors’ rather than a luxury cruise experience. Waiting in line for Star Tours, Mine Train or Space Mountain or checking in at Pop Century is more pleasant and more ‘Disney’ than waiting to start a $6000-$7000 2 day Star Wars experience on the Halcyon.
CalledIt
Again Chapek is happy about DeSantis stupid stunt because it deflects the issues at the parks right now. Good luck with the write up!
Victor Nazarian
Hi troll,
Slow night for you?
Pauly
Maybe you can bring all your groomed children on board and when the rod goes dark you can do what you really want to do with them
EricJ
…You’re arguing about the QUALITY, to people who will never see the inside of it in their lifetime??
EricJ
Chapek bragging that GC is going to book solid, with most fans wondering what’s going to replace it in two years’ time, is like his cheerily bragging that the Titanic has enough lifeboats for EVERYBODY!
If it was just blind stupidity, we could forgive it, but treat the investors like idiots, and you can feel the hostility in the room.
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