Here’s what we know — and what we hope to find out — about the immersive Star Wars hotel experience coming to the Walt Disney World Resort.
What We’ve Known
We have been waiting for details about the Star Wars “living adventure” hotel since it was first announced by Bob Chapek at the D23 Expo in 2017. “It’s unlike anything that exists today,” Chapek said. “From the second you arrive, you will become a part of a Star Wars story! You’ll immediately become a citizen of the galaxy and experience all that entails, including dressing up in the proper attire. Once you leave Earth, you will discover a starship alive with characters, stories, and adventures that unfold all around you. It is 100% immersive, and the story will touch every single minute of your day, and it will culminate in a unique journey for every person who visits.”
During D23 Expo 2017, Walt Disney Parks & Resorts Chairman Bob Chapek announced plans to create the most experiential concept ever in an immersive Star Wars-themed hotel at Walt Disney World Resort. Dedicated entirely to the galaxy of Star Wars, it will be a one-of-a-kind experience where a luxury resort meets a multi-day adventure in a galaxy far, far away. (Source: Disney Parks Blog)
We then waited two more years for the next D23 Expo, where we learned the name of the starcruiser would be the Halcyon. A model was on display, but it didn’t give us too many details. The Millennium Falcon definitely looks tiny by comparison, though! More detailed images may be found here.
During the 2019 D23 Expo Disney Parks, Experiences, and Products presentation, we learned that the experience would be similar to a two-night cruise. All Guests will check in at a terminal on the same day, enter a Launch Pod, and then travel to dock with the starcruiser. Thanks to some Disney and Lucasfilm magic, all cabins will have space views. Travelers will interact with characters, Halcyon crew members, and other Guests during their voyage. The choices they make will affect the story line of their stay. Much like a traditional cruise, activities and dining will be included in the cost (which has still not been officially announced). Unlike a traditional cruise, Guests will have the opportunity to battle a training remote wielding a lightsaber. They will also be able to visit the bridge and learn how to operate the ship systems. Rebels at heart will be glad to know that hidden spaces for meetings and recruitment are also part of the design. And theme park fans will be glad to know that a “spaceport” day will allow Guests to visit Black Spire Outpost on Batuu at Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge.
The Walt Disney World website has some terrific concept art and a few more details, along with the chance to sign up to receive updates as more information is released.
What We Learned in Early 2021
On January 15, Jeff Vahle (the President of Walt Disney World Resort) and Josh D’Amaro (Chairman of Disney Parks, Experiences, and Products) did a hard hat tour of the construction site. Vahle posted a few images of a cabin to his Instagram feed.
On February 18, details were revealed of three patents filed by the Walt Disney Company:
Image generation using a spinning display and blur screen: This patent shows how a spinning display can recreate the image of a hologram or live person who interacts with guests. “As a result of the image generation performed by spinning of display and blur screen, image may appear to be floating in space.”
Large-scale infinity optics window for use in small facility packaging applications: This would allow for the hotel’s windows — set to show a live view of intergalactic space — to appear as if the view has depth and is never-ending. The tech uses “a display system that provides a window or portal that can be mounted within a wall of a facility (or in a small packaging application with only a small amount of depth available) but yet provide an infinity effect for content displayed to a plurality of viewers in a room including the wall over a wide field of view.”
Themed aerial vehicle entertainment platform for providing dynamically-coordinated show: This technology could be used to simulate flying devices or vehicles that may be part of the resort stay. For example, the resort stay may include a visit to Disney’s Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge land in Disney’s Hollywood Studios theme park in Orlando, and these vehicles could be used to simulate starships in the distance. The patent states “a new system or platform (and related operational method) adapted for providing a dynamically-coordinated show (e.g., coordinated between airborne and ground devices) to entertain guests of a facility such as a theme park, an outdoor sporting stadium, a cruise ship and so on.”
Orlando Business Journal
What We Have Yet to Learn
The million-dollar question (hopefully not literally!) is: How much will this two-night adventure cost? Rumors have been running rampant, but most speculators agree that Guests should expect to spend four figures per person. I expect it will be priced more along the lines of a once-in-a-lifetime experience rather than the typical every-other-year Walt Disney World pilgrimage.
Speaking of pricing, we will learn this whenever we can begin making reservations. At one point, bookings were projected to open in 2020, with the first Guests arriving in 2021. However, 2020 was not the year anyone had imagined it would be. We don’t yet know if the opening date will be in 2021, but if so, I would imagine that we will receive booking information fairly soon. (Author’s note: Disney Parks Blog released some Star Wars announcements on May 4, 2021. The most exciting video focused on a real working lightsaber, but the blog also promised a 2022 debut for Star Wars: Galactic Starcruiser.)
While Disney has said from the beginning that costumes will be a part of the experience, we don’t yet know if Guests must bring their own or if themed apparel will be available for purchase before their stay or upon arrival. I keep thinking that every Disney Cruise Line ship has several gift shops, so the opportunity to purchase exclusive merchandise could be a valuable addition to the experience. But would Guests enter the terminal in traditional mouse ears and t-shirts and then change into something more appropriate for space travel? We will have to wait to find out.
runDisney fans have also asked if there would be an extension of the immersive “bubble” for those whose two-night experience happens to include a Star Wars themed race. The medals would be even more treasured souvenirs when earned in this environment, but since the race expo and the race course extend well beyond the confines of Galaxy’s Edge, I have to say, “I have a bad feeling about this.”
That also begs the question of whether this experience can be bundled into a longer vacation. For those whose travel parties are made up of equal parts Star Wars fanatic and Disney theme park enthusiast, it’s hard to imagine journeying all the way to Lake Buena Vista and never once seeing Cinderella Castle or Spaceship Earth. I would hope a combination package will be available for Guests who want the best of both worlds, or rather galaxies.
All I can say is, stay tuned for more details. Here’s hoping we have more to share in the not-too-distant future.
October 2021 UPDATE: We now have a resort opening date (March 1, 2022) and a booking date (October 28, 2021)! Read more about it here. If you would like to submit your requests ahead of time, kindly complete our web form here.
March 2023 UPDATE: I was fortunate enough to experience the Maiden Voyage of the Halcyon. Read my blog post here!