Part of Disney’s magic has to do with the feeling of your outside world fading away as you walk into the parks. Something about them helps you let go of the stress of your daily obligations, allowing you to immerse yourself in a world where things simply flow differently. Walt Disney once said he didn’t want the public to see the world they live in while they’re in the parks, he wanted to feel they were in another world.
With that in mind, it’s safe to say that the new Star Wars: Galactic Starcruiser attraction at Walt Disney World really took his idea to the extreme. This revolutionary, first-of-its-kind attraction is the most immersive Star Wars experience ever created.
It’s a journey on board the CSL Halcyon Starcruiser where you join the Chandrila Star Line crew along their 275th-anniversary voyage across the galaxy. It’s a voyage that becomes a mission, a mission where you have to choose your destiny. The question is: will you help Rey and the Resistance, or will you support Darth Vader and his First Order?
Read on to find out how it turned out for MVP!
Day 1: Bridge Operations Training and Lightsaber Lessons
The experience begins as soon as you drop your car off at the main terminal. A crew member welcomes you and makes sure you have your Disney Play App downloaded on your phone. This aspect is key to getting the most out of the experience since your Datapad is your way to track progress, follow the missions, and interact with characters and fellow travelers.
As you take the Launch Pod from Earth to outer space, you slowly see the outside world fade away through small view holes as you reach hyperspeed into the stars. Once the Launch Pod docks and the airlock opens, you’re welcomed into the ship’s main atrium. This room is truly a jaw-dropping location where every single detail is carefully thought through and designed.
That first day we had two main experiences on our schedule: Bridge Ops Training and Lightsaber Training. The first one included learning how to manage the systems, cargo, and weapons functions on the ship in a videogame-type setup and experience. The technology and the character’s roles in each of these experiences were off the charts.
Lightsaber Training was also another event we had lots of fun participating in. Basically, one of the characters teaches you how to release your inner power and handle a lightsaber the proper way. The lightsaber vibrates as you find yourself stopping flying bullets, making the whole interaction extremely realistic.
The day ended with dinner at the Crown of Cornellia’s dining room, where the galactic superstar Gaya performed a live concert that was “out of this world.”
Day 2: A Trip To Planet Batuu to Complete Our Missions
From the moment you arrive, cast members make sure you’re aware of your excursion to Batuu, the planet of three suns, on the second day of your voyage. On the morning of the second day, we boarded another transportation pod similar to the one from the day before. This pod actually takes you to Galaxy’s Edge at Disney’s Hollywood Studios, where following your Datapad you are able to complete different missions to help the side you chose to represent.
What’s most interesting about this is that depending on the missions you complete and which side you decide to support, you are granted access to different types of events once back on the main ship later that day. We decided to support Rey and the Resistance, and the missions we completed allowed us to closely interact with her as she revealed some highly valuable and ancient Jedi artifacts. We also got to assist Raithe Kole (another character) in a secret delivery across space that involved some of the knowledge we acquired during our Bridge Ops Training the day before.
Every event and every mission are related to one another, which makes the experience extremely fun and fully immersive. We saw little kids sprinting to scan as many objects as they could with their Datapads, as well as adults fully focused on the character’s directives as they were told what to do to help defeat the First Order.
Without any spoilers, the second day ended with what, in our opinion, was the best hour of the entire experience. We will let your imagination run wild and tell us if you agree once you get to experience it!
When Fiction Becomes Reality
Seeing everyone on board wearing their best Star Wars costumes and accessories gives you an idea of what this experience means for the guests. The sensation is that, for two and a half days, you’re flying through space on a luxury galactic cruise, and everyone is free to let out their Star Wars inner spirit and passion without limitations. If you’re a hard-core Star Wars fan, this experience will completely blow your mind.
It is often times that fiction opens the door to real life, teaching us valuable lessons along the way. These were the captain of the ship’s closing remarks:
“Protection makes a leader, trust is gained in truth, and change is always possible with hope. The Galaxy is full of darkness, but these past two days you showed us that so many stars light our way. Never lose hope, and may the force be with you.”
Here’s to the end of an extraordinary journey, and the beginning of a thousand more.