Disney’s Galactic Starcruiser, a Star Wars–themed hotel and immersive experience, will begin taking reservations on Oct. 28, with the first “voyage” taking place on March 1, 2022.
Galactic Starcruiser’s two-day, two-night experience lets Star Wars fans live out an interactive story set in the franchise’s universe, letting them do everything from join a smuggling ring to help to steal a ship from the First Order. Other features include lightsaber training, sabacc tournaments, and droid racing. They’ll even learn to operate the Starcruiser’s bridge.
It’s not going to be a cheap vacation, though. Price tags will range from $4,809 for two guests to just under $6,000 for a family of four. (The trip includes admission tickets to the Hollywood Studios park as well as breakfast, lunch, and dinner for each day on the ship.)
The announcement comes on the eve of Walt Disney World’s 50th anniversary celebration: The theme park opened on Oct. 1, 1971. Starting Friday, it will embark on an 18-month party that will bring new looks and enhancements to iconic parts of both Walt Disney World and the resort’s surrounding parks.
Cinderella Castle has received a new paint job and, at night, lighting effects will make it appear to shimmer with jewels and gold ribbons. Epcot’s Spaceship Earth, Animal Kingdom’s Tree of Life, and the Hollywood Tower Hotel at Disney’s Hollywood Studios will also receive special upgrades, a process Disney is calling “EARidescence.”
The parks are also changing their two most popular nighttime fireworks shows. On Wednesday, Disney previewed Epcot’s new show, called Harmonious.
A preview of the Magic Kingdom’s new show is scheduled for Thursday night at 10:15 p.m. ET.
COVID-19 shut down the parks for about three months last year, but Disney World reopened on July 11, 2020. The parks have had to make some adjustments to entertainment and ride admission in that time.
Crowds are definitely back. Disney World has not given an update on its current operating capacity, but CEO Bob Chapek said in August that 70% of available hotel rooms were open at Walt Disney World resort—and mentioned at a recent Goldman Sachs virtual conference that reservations at U.S. Parks this quarter are higher than the last.
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