'Windowless Bunker': First Reviews Come In for Disney's $5,000 'Star Wars Hotel (sfgate.com) 74
Disney World's "Star Wars: Galactic Starcruiser" hotel will be expensive and immersive, writes SFGate. ("For two adults, the starting price is about $5,000. For three adults and one child, it's nearly $6,000.")
And while the hotel doesn't open to paid guests until Tuesday, free previews have already been given to online influencers: Reviews so far are generally positive — particularly praised are the character actors who carry the experience — with a few caveats. Because the hotel itself, called the Halcyon, is supposed to be a luxury cruise ship in space, the biggest complaint is that rooms are small and cramped...
For some, the lack of windows may add to a sense of claustrophobia. Hotel rooms have a digital display showing outer space and no view of the real outside world. Folks needing some fresh air can, however, visit an outdoor communal space called a "climate simulator." Reporters from the YouTube channel Disney Food Blog, which has nearly 800,000 subscribers, were invited to the media preview. In their review of the hotel, they put it thusly: "Disney went all-in on an experience that seemingly puts only the wealthiest guests inside a windowless bunker for two full days."
But most reviewers agreed that guests will be spending minimal time in their room anyway. The two days are packed with lightsaber training, clandestine rendezvous, elaborate entertainment and exploration of the ship. Guests need to download an app for their smartphone to chat with characters on board, receive their missions and learn their storylines. This was the other major drawback: If you're an introvert, this may be the wrong trip for you.
And while the hotel doesn't open to paid guests until Tuesday, free previews have already been given to online influencers: Reviews so far are generally positive — particularly praised are the character actors who carry the experience — with a few caveats. Because the hotel itself, called the Halcyon, is supposed to be a luxury cruise ship in space, the biggest complaint is that rooms are small and cramped...
For some, the lack of windows may add to a sense of claustrophobia. Hotel rooms have a digital display showing outer space and no view of the real outside world. Folks needing some fresh air can, however, visit an outdoor communal space called a "climate simulator." Reporters from the YouTube channel Disney Food Blog, which has nearly 800,000 subscribers, were invited to the media preview. In their review of the hotel, they put it thusly: "Disney went all-in on an experience that seemingly puts only the wealthiest guests inside a windowless bunker for two full days."
But most reviewers agreed that guests will be spending minimal time in their room anyway. The two days are packed with lightsaber training, clandestine rendezvous, elaborate entertainment and exploration of the ship. Guests need to download an app for their smartphone to chat with characters on board, receive their missions and learn their storylines. This was the other major drawback: If you're an introvert, this may be the wrong trip for you.
The right trip (Score:3)
"If you're an introvert, this may be the wrong trip for you."
Or if you're not a complete prat.
Well if you're a complete prat, here's an alternative [vialarp.org]
(NB: "shot into space in a yugo" is a larp experience like no other!)
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I don't think being introverted or extroverted has anything to do with it. I think this is more for people that like to play on RP servers on world of warcraft. In other words, it's for flamboyant drama queens.
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I don't think being introverted or extroverted has anything to do with it. I think this is more for people that like to play on RP servers on world of warcraft. In other words, it's for flamboyant drama queens.
Actually, as an introvert, I agree that there is no way in hell I'd be interesting in something like this.
Or it could just be because I'm an adult.
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I only made it about 9 minutes in. This part REALLY made me cringe:
https://youtu.be/v13wcYTL7PA?t... [youtu.be]
That's the minute I realized this is like an IRL WOW RP server, only for star wars. I'd probably lose my sanity if I was stuck in that thing for two days.
The de-hype video (Score:2)
The only way this isn't a claustrophobic cringefest is if they don't break the immersion.
So, you wander into engineering like it's some big secret, only about 8 other fat plebs in 21st century clothes are in there looking lost. And these mass, random security breaches are strangely assigned a task a 6 year old could do.
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So, you wander into engineering like it's some big secret, only about 8 other fat plebs in 21st century clothes are in there looking lost.
Yep, that would do it. Maybe Disney will figure out a way to solve what very few MMOs have been able to avoid, but I doubt it.
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If they ban fat people, that's like 50% of their market LOL
But there are zero fat people in Star Wars, unless Jabba counts.
Online MMOs use multiple instances. Can't do it in the physical world.
LOTRO has RP guilds. They could do RP days I guess.
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for 5K it better have open bar and not cash bar! (Score:5, Insightful)
for 5K it better have open bar and not cash bar!
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Ah, nothing like enhancing the gravity-bending feeling of shitfaced with digital windows. Those "spinning screen" hacks in 4K should be downright stomach turning...
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I'd be more interested in the space ganja.
Fun fact: Timothy Leary proposed that the herb activates parts of consciousness that acclimate people to the zero-G environment of space. This being the next step in the evolution of consciousness [wikipedia.org] that will let humans advance to the status of spacefaring civilization.
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Re: for 5K it better have open bar and not cash ba (Score:2)
Synthehol is Star Trek you uncultured Neanderthal...
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It would be hilarious to try to get the employees to break kayfabe by mixing up your fandoms.
“Grog please. Shaken, not stirred. Of course I’m old enough, look at my beard!”
Re: for 5K it better have open bar and not cash b (Score:2)
Touche.
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As well as hookers and cocaine, that's the least I'd expect for a five grand hotel stay!
Re: for 5K it better have open bar and not cash ba (Score:2)
Sadly the whole family friendly aspect but we can still dream of a Star Trek strip bar...
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So space hookers dressed as Togruta and a mix of heroin, coke and bath salts they call the Jar-Jar special?
Re:for 5K it better have open bar and not cash bar (Score:5, Informative)
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The article in the New York Times said it was a cash bar - $13 for a beer
$13 is fair considering the beer was imported from a galaxy far, far away.
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$13 is fair considering the beer was imported from a galaxy far, far away.
Yeah, but it's also stale because it was made long, long ago.
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The beer would have traveled far into the past, as the ship exists a long time ago, in a galaxy far away.
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for 5K it better have open bar and not cash bar!
For 5K I would expect sex to be included.
Re: for 5K it better have open bar and not cash ba (Score:2)
Re: for 5K it better have open bar and not cash b (Score:2)
I dunno...I'd pay extra to not be on a boat full of drunks.
Re: for 5K it better have open bar and not cash (Score:2)
Re: for 5K it better have open bar and not cash (Score:2)
No interest in being stuck on a boat with a bunch of drunks or the types of people that go on cruises.
Re: for 5K it better have open bar and not cash ba (Score:2)
And a Jedi princess to suck your dick great Force.
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I wouldn't count on an "open" bar. But one thing I've noticed about Disney theme parks: There's *always* a place to buy booze nearby. If you're walking around thinking "there's no way I can put up with this place while sober", they have anticipated that thought.
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Its still pretty tame. I've been to Disney 3 times in the last 15 years and about the only park with meaningful alcohol service (in restaurants, and "to go" ala cart) was Epcot, and even there it wasn't that widespread, mostly tied to country pavilions where alcohol is a famous part of their culture -- France and Britain.
Even at the upscale resorts, liquor service was slow and expensive. Fortunately they weren't enforcing any rules (if they existed) about bringing booze to the pools. I found it easier to
If you offer a trip in orbit (Score:2)
make sure the bulk of your target audience doesn't have their own.
Re: If you offer a trip in orbit (Score:1)
Episode XXV: Existential Cringe (Score:2)
Why are most of the people in these photos obese?
The last time Disney got anything about Star Wars right was at MGM in the early 90's.
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And Comic Book Guy left Springfield and was never seen again
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Like it's not even possible to find women that aren't fat any more.
But hey, I'm fat too.
Sometimes they get fat long after you find them.
Re: Episode XXV: Existential Cringe (Score:1)
What food puts 100 pounds onto your wife ?
Wedding cake.
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If you had 24/7 access to a food replicator, let's see how slim you'd be. Oh wait, which fandom are we talking about again?
Sounds fun actually (Score:4, Informative)
It looks like a combination of escape room + choose your own adventure + dinner theater. It's not luxury, it's LARPing.
Re: Sounds fun actually (Score:2)
You know when you say it like that, that it sounds more fun. I want to run around yelling "lightning bolt" there and see how it plays out.
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I suddenly see from your comment that there are many possibilities.
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Because large rooms on spaceships are too expensive to be practical. You get a bunk.
Re: Sounds fun actually (Score:5, Funny)
For a hundred bucks you can come to Glasgow and have two nights in the Holiday Inn Express. The rooms are the same and the breakfast is probably better.
I'll take you out for a few nights of alien dialects, weird food and convincing fights. And for an extra twenty bucks I'm sure we could find some spaced out junkies you can hit with neon broom handles.
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That is more to my liking.
It's certainly the wrong trip for ME (Score:2)
While it's true I am a bit of an introvert, the bigger factor for me is the ridiculousness of paying $2500 a night for a hotel room.
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It's a space cruise, though! Technically, it's true - Earth is in space.
Re: It's certainly the wrong trip for ME (Score:2)
Yawn (Score:2)
Re: Yawn (Score:2)
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So you have to be wealthy AND an extrovert? (Score:1)
Thanks for the confirmation that the grapes are in fact, sour. I’ve never liked shows that expect audience participation.
I’m sure it will be fun for people who have the money and are into this sort of thing. I’m thinking folks who would love to participate in a temporary community like Burning Man if it was completely indoors, pro-capitalism, and had smelly Wookiees instead of smelly hippies.
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No, you have to be wealthy AND a fanboi. Just liking the movies isn't enough to want to spend thousands on a cringey re-enactment, unless you've swallowed the Kool-aid.
Re: So you have to be wealthy AND an extrovert? (Score:2)
So it's really Zarniwhoop's. (Score:3)
You get to go on an intergalactic cruise without leaving your office.
Windowless bunker? (Score:2)
When I read the title, I thought this will be about Putin again.
The real purpose (Score:2)
With this business in operation, nobody will be able look down on Japanese otaku again.
Even if I wanted to spend the money (Score:2)
False headline (Score:2)
Get Lost With Your Phone App (Score:2)
Because the missions come from the app, some didn’t like how much time was spent staring down at their phone. “I come to a theme park or something like this to have fun with friends and not be reading stuff [on my phone],”
I go on vacation to disconnect and if it weren't for navigation or emergencies would prefer to leave my phone at home all together. I'm also not installing your spyware on my tracking device tyvm. If the price, the previews / trailers making it look awful, the claustrophobia and the fact that Star Wars as a franchise has been terrible for the last 40 years weren't enough ... that alone would be enough to un-sell me.
Wut? (Score:3)
"For three adults and one child"
Ummm, how is this useful information?
I think we're all a lot more interested in two adults and two children?
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Pass (Score:1)
We'd rather take an inside cabin cruise for a week at that price.
Public experiment? (Score:2)