I am pretty excited that tomorrow is the release of information from media week on the Starship Halcyon “cruise”. I am really curious to see what their experiences were, what it was like, and the costumes and back stories they came up with for their trip. I just think all of that is super cool.
I am also looking forward to the non-media reviews after March 1st the general public who are paying for the experience. My husband and I, and for that matter, our daughter and her boyfriend (whose birthday just happens to be on Star Wars day) would all like to go. It would take us some time to save the money for said experience and I would like to see the reviews to know if it is something that we are willing to pay that cost, because yikes!
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| Starcruiser Costs |
There has been backlash to this experience because of the cost (again, yikes!), but also because of the promos being corny and feeling it isn’t very Star Wars. My understanding is that it is geared to the newer Star Wars fans and those who are coming into the fandom through the last trilogy. Which, while not my personal favorite, I also don't feel the need to gatekeep over it, and honestly, I’m not mad about it. Fans are fans. I know that there have been a few issues with the canon in more recent years, but I have more than enough room in my Star Wars love for Halcyon comic books. I personally don’t have any issues with adding to the lore. The Star Wars universe is just that, a whole universe that is always adding to the story.
Lets address the corny. Yes, some of those promos were corny and a little bit on the cringe side. Disney does do corny though. Remember Erin and her crew from the early 2000’s planning videos? (I still have those discs.) The corn and cringe were indeed over the top. Now the planning videos are more, low-key. I’m pretty sure low-key appeals to more people than silly, but I did enjoy Erin and crew. I still hear her in my head with her imitation of Goofy, but I digress.
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| Stacy, Dave, Erin, Luke |
The first promo video had the same feel to me. Corny and bit cringy. I had to look up the guy in the video because I had no idea who he is. His utterance of “oh my gosh!” is also in my head, just Like Erin’s Goofy impression. Maybe it wasn’t the best promo ever, it was odd to watch if I am honest, but that doesn't mean the Starcruiser experience is going to be bad.
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| First Promo video for Galactic Starcruiser |
The second was the welcome video when you book the “cruise”. It did look like a Disney channel tween space show. However, I believe it was supposed to have humor. The video was scrambling from time to time and there was a disclaimer that Chandrila Star Lines is not responsible for piracy, invasion, sabotage, or planetary uprising, nor are they responsible for galactic unrest. It is very clear those events will happen and that is part of the immersion of the experience. Yes, it was also corny and kind of low budget looking. But that is not completely out of character for the Disney corny side.
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| Chandrila Star Lines Welcome Representative |
I also do not agree with the backlash about the iPhone data pad. Clearly you are using your own smart phone as a data pad on the cruise, as well as in the Galaxy’s Edge. That has been on going and shouldn’t have been a big surprise to anyone. It is how you do some of the games and decoding in Galaxy's Edge.
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| Using the "datapad" |
Many complaints have been that it doesn’t look like Star Wars but more like Star Trek. I guess I understand the comparison, but I disagree. Remember, this is a star cruiser for the wealthy (in real life too), not a star destroyer or rebel ship. Aside from that, the hallways DO look like a rebel ship more than a space cruise ship with the stark white hallways.
The ”leaked” photos showing the map of the Halcyon Starcruiser very much remind me of an actual Disney cruise ship. The bridge also gave me Oceaneer club vibes. Many stations and lots of buttons to push. I would be pushing all of the buttons. All of them. They want it to feel different than a typical Disney hotel and since there aren’t any real space cruises, a earthly sea cruise ship seems like as good of a model as any.
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| Gaya |
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| Diva from The Fifth Element |
The experiences are the thing that sounds so amazing to me. You create a back story and costume and you interact with the characters on the ship. You can behave as a rebel or work for the first order. You could get approached by someone who asks for your help to distract the first order so that Chewy can sneak around, which you can then do. OR, you could report him to the first order instead, although you would be a monster. Why would anyone do that to Chewy? Why? Apparently, there are a plethora of little scenarios like this that you and your group can get involved in. That is the immersive part and that sounds so fun and immersive.
I also trust the imaginers. They seem pretty good at how to bring the magic and the wonder. So far the discussion has focused on speculation, not the experience. I am looking forward to seeing people’s experiences! I am looking forward to living vicariously through those who do go on these first voyages.
Safe star cruising to them all!
I am anxiously awaiting for 9 AM
The Fifth Element photo credits go to Sony motion pictures
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