Are there Mickey waffles in space? What do fireworks look like from a starcruiser? Do I really have to participate in all of the antics with the characters? Why is the blue shrimp BLUE?! You’ve got space questions, we’ve got answers!
Recently, we got the chance to hop aboard the Star Wars Hotel (Star Wars: Galactic Starcruiser) as part of a special media preview event. We then revisited the hotel during its inaugural sailing on March 1st. So basically we’ve become space EXPERTS. Considering the high price tag that comes with the experience, we know you’ve probably got a lot questions that you want the answers to before you decide whether or not to take the leap and pay to stay in space. We’re sharing the answers to those questions right here!
We know you all have a LOT of questions. If you see some that are missing from this list, drop us a comment and we can add it to our list. We’ll also be updating this page with more questions and answers, so be sure to check back for updates.
Star Wars Hotel 101
Before we dive into the questions we do want to give a quick 101 on what the Star Wars Hotel is. While we call it a “hotel,” in reality Star Wars: Galactic Starcruiser is 2-night, fully immersive, cruise-like experience. During your stay, you’ll get the chance to train with lightsabers, defend the ship (or try to sabotage things as others defend the ship), interact with Star Wars characters, and basically “live out” your own unique Star Wars story.
To learn more about our experience on the ship and get an overview of what it entails, check out our video below!
Alright, now onto the questions!
Room Questions
Before we jump into room-specific questions, we do want to point out that we have a FULL room tour post that goes through all kinds of features in the rooms aboard the Star Wars Hotel.
Click here to see our room tour!
1 — How many plugs are there in the rooms?
From what we saw, there are some plugs located near the alcove in the room with a mirror (just outside the bathroom)…
…and there are plugs on either side of the main bed (basically 2 on each side of the main bed).
There are not any plugs up in the bunkbeds area though, so be warned if you’re planning on sleeping there!
2 — Are the beds comfortable?
Well…the real question you should be asking yourself is WHO needs sleep when you could pull an all nighter in space?! We kid, we kid! Although we definitely had some looooong nights during our adventure. Overall, the regular (main/queen-sized) bed was very comfortable! The berths (bunk beds) on the other hand, aren’t exactly the most comfortable things in the world.
They are big enough to fit a full-sized adult (can confirm) but they’re basically just a vinyl-covered mattress. Think of it as a firm futon mattress covered with an orange blanket. There are NO sheets on these beds, so you’ll have to bring your own if you want that. The little rolled up blanket on the bunks is actually more of a sleeping bag. Some of our team found that sleeping bag item to be really comfortable, but the mattress itself wasn’t great. It’s basically camping in space when it comes to those bunks. But if that’s 100% your style, then you’ll love it! If not, bring some sheets to make things a bit more comfy for you!
Food Questions
Before we hop into food questions, we do want to share our links to our FULL reviews of all of the meals onboard:
- Click here to see what to get (or AVOID) at breakfast
- Click here to see EVERYTHING you can eat for lunch at the Star Wars Hotel
- Click here to see everything that is included when you leave the Star Wars Hotel for Hollywood Studios (including the food that is included!)
- Click here to see EVERYTHING on the menu for dinner on the first night
- Yes, dinner on the second night is DIFFERENT. Click here to see our full review of that
- Is the Captain’s Table worth the extra cash?
- Welcome to our FULL review dedicated just to blue shrimp
- Wait. Do those space snacks look familiar or is it just us?
- Some of the best food is HIDING at the Sublight Lounge in the Star Wars Hotel!
- One of our favorite Disney World snacks made an appearance at the Star Wars Hotel
- Are there french fries at the Star Wars Hotel?!
If you want to see our full taste notes on the food we tried and photos of all of the food, be sure to clink those links above!
1 — Can you bring your own alcohol to the Starcruiser and store it in the mini fridge?
Yes! You can bring your own alcohol on the ship and store it in the mini fridge (though the mini fridge is fairly small — hence the term “mini,” so just keep that in mind). You will have to go through security with the alcohol, but you can bring it. You can also bring any other drinks you might want (like Pepsi) or other food and snacks.
2 — When is early dinner versus the late dinner time?
Early dinner is from 5:30PM-7PM. Late dinner is from around 8PM-9:30PM (or potentially just a bit later).
3 — Are the chefs able to make special requests for picky eaters aboard the Starcruiser?
For the most part, our understanding is yes. While there are no guarantees of what the chefs can and can’t do, when we spoke to the Cast Members, the overwhelming response we got is that the team attempts to solve all problems in a way that can make things work. Our understanding is that the chefs will do everything within their power to meet your needs. There were also some picky eater-friendly items on the menus (particularly the kids menu) including chicken, hamburger steamed buns, pizza, and a giant waffle fry.
Adults should (for the most part) be able to order any of these items off of the kids menu, satisfying the picky eaters in the group. Keep in mind that Disney may not be able to accommodate all requests, but our understanding (and experience) was that adults could generally order off of the kids menu.
If you have special dietary needs or allergies (beyond just being a picky eater) you will want to head to the Crown of Corellia Dining Room for a consultation once you’ve arrived. That can help the team prepare meals for you that will fit your specific needs.
Click here to see more about special diets and the Star Wars Hotel
4 — Is there a plant-based option for dinner on night 2?
For dinner on night 2, there are a number of meat-based items served, especially for the entrees option as well as the shrimp course. If you are a plant-based eater, do not be afraid! The bottom of the menu notes that plant-based menu selections are available upon request.
If you ever have a question about what plant-based items are available, be sure to ask a Cast Member.
5 — Where can you eat when you dock at Batuu in Hollywood Studios?
If you choose to get off at Batuu on Day 2 of your adventure on the Star Wars Hotel, you’ll be able to enjoy a quick service meal as part of your vacation visit. The quick service meal includes 1 entree and either 1 non-alcoholic drink or (if you’re 21+) 1 alcoholic beverage. For kiddos 3-9 the credit includes 1 combo meal from the kids menu.
You can choose to stay “in story” and use that credit at Docking Bay 7 Food and Cargo. But technically, you can use that quick service credit at any quick service restaurant in Disney’s Hollywood Studios.
See what is included when you head to Batuu here!
6 — What are the plant based options?
There were plant-based options at various meals throughout the Starcruiser voyage. You can click the links above to see our FULL reviews of the meals to see what items were plant-based and our thoughts on them. We won’t go through them all here, but we will say that several plant-based options at the Sublight Lounge were quite good! We especially loved the Mustafar Tuber Chips!
We also enjoyed the spiced flora during dinner on night 1 (which is also plant-based). And the base of the Marinated Seared Tofu with saffron rice, peas, sumac, aioli, and flaky flatbread at lunch was DELISH! The Mediterranean flavors were spot on.
7 — Why’s it blue?
We have to assume this question is about the famous (or maybe infamous?) blue shrimp! In terms of why it’s blue from a conceptual idea, we expect that the team at Disney thought blue shrimp would look other worldly and so they wanted to make it unique in that way — and they’d be right on that point. It certainly does look like something that is NOT from this planet!
According to the story, the shrimp is from Felucia. According to StarWars.com, Felucia is “teeming with fungal life-forms and immense primitive plants.” It seems that a lot of the lifeforms on Felucia are “partially or completely translucent” and they “color the sunlight as the beams penetrate their skin.” Other lifeforms there are “opaque.” And then beneath the canopies of some plants there is a “color-drenched expanse.” So we have a feeling that the blue relates to the unique colors of this world.
In terms of a practical reason as to why they are actually blue or how they are made to be blue, Disney makes the shrimp blue by soaking them in a butterfly pea powder solution!
Read MORE about the Blue Shrimp here!
8 — Are there allergy friendly menu items?
As we mentioned above, if you have allergies or specific dietary needs, what you’ll want to do is visit the Crown of Corellia Dining Room for a consultation once you’ve arrived at the Star Wars Hotel. During that consultation, you’ll meet with someone from the Star Wars Hotel staff that is trained in special diets.
They’ll be able to tell you what items will work within your specific allergy specifications. If you require pureed meals or need a medically restricted diet (like very low-protein diets), or prefer a kosher or halal meal, you will also need to send an email to [email protected] between 7 and 14 days before your trip.
Costume Questions
There are special costume rules when it comes to the Star Wars hotel and some people do go FULL out when it comes to their outer space looks. There’s even a fashion show onboard for guests to participate in!
Before we get into your costume questions, here’s a look at Disney’s costume policy for the Star Wars hotel.
Keep in mind that there are special rules when on Batuu vs. when on the ship.
1 — Are people wearing jeans and t-shirts or is everyone getting fully immersed in the costuming?
We saw a mix. There were some guests with wigs, full costume pieces, and elaborate makeup. Other guests did a sort-of half-way look with Star Wars-inspired items, but not a full-on costume. Others were in jeans and a shirt. It truly depends.
You don’t have to dress up a certain way, so your outfit will entirely depend on your comfort level and desire. But if you do want to fully immerse yourself in the story, we have to admit that a costume and some funky space-looking accessories can help set the mood!
Remember that you can also buy Star Wars-themed costumes and accessories while on the Halcyon.
Click here to see all of the EXCLUSIVE merchandise items you can get at the Star Wars Hotel
2 — Can you bring homemade costumes? Or have to buy the super expensive ones?
So long as the costumes you bring fall into the costume guidelines outlined above, you can definitely bring your own, homemade costumes. You can also mix and match regular clothes to make them look Star Wars-inspired, or just make up your own space look!
Experience Questions
Before we get into more experience-type questions, we do want to point you to some resources that could help.
- Click here to watch our DFB video ALL about the truth of the Star Wars Hotel
- What are the fireworks like on the Star Wars Hotel? Click here to see!
- Click here for the only COMPLETE guide to the Star Wars Hotel you’ll need
- Find out what lightsaber training is REALLY like at the Star Wars Hotel
- How can you tell if there’s an ACTUAL emergency at the Star Wars Hotel?
1 — Do they do anything special for birthday celebrations on the Starcruiser?
From what we’ve seen, there is a special birthday song that they put on in the Sublight Lounge to celebrate a birthday, and you’ll likely find Crew Members clapping along! We’ll be keeping an eye out for any other birthday celebrations.
2 — What if I’m not happy with how my story is going and I want to change something?
The big thing about the Star Wars hotel is that you get to participate in missions and basically live out your own Star Wars story. You can choose to help the Resistance, join the First Order, or even root for #1 (yourself) as a scoundrel. But what if you start your story in a certain way and then are not quite happy with how things are going and you want to make a change? Or you saw something cool online that you definitely want to see, but your story hasn’t led you there yet?
According to some Cast Members we spoke to, you can try to go speak with a Guest Services Cast Member on the Halcyon and see what they can do (look for the Cast Members in the Atrium area with light blue jackets). Though they can’t make any guarantees, they may be able to help you switch some things around and hopefully get your story back on track to where you want it to be.
3 — What is tailored to kids?
Most of the experiences here are family-friendly, but overall it feels more tailored to a slightly older audience (not old in terms of only for adults, but old in terms of older children through adults). Lightsaber training, for example, is limited to those ages 7 and up. That’s not to say that things here aren’t kid-friendly in general. But the crux of the story here is dependent on your own personal interactions with the characters and your use of your Datapad (through the Disney Parks Play App on your phone). Odds are pretty high that your 4-year-old wouldn’t really be able to read all of the stories coming in on the Datapad on their own, so that makes it difficult for them to really grasp the experience.
Activities like the ones that take place during Bridge Training, Lightsaber Training, and even access to the Engineering Room (if you get that!) can be really fun for kids, as they combine levers or lights with movement, sounds, and sometimes special effects.
It’s all still kid-friendly, but we do want to note that your 4-year-old probably won’t get much out of holo sabacc and sharing secret codes with Resistance members to show that they are on the same team. Just keep in mind that your phone and the Datapad function are pretty critical to going on missions and enjoying that part of the experience (which is really what it’s all about).
4 — How frequent are the activities?
There are a LOT of activities going on constantly aboard the Halcyon. You may find a sabacc lesson going on in one space, while another group is scheduled for bridge training, while another group is helping the First Order do some investigating, while characters are chatting with Gaya and friends — it can be a lot to take in!
Your itinerary will also get some additional items added as you complete missions. To see truly how frequent some activities are, take a look at our schedule that presented itself in our Datapad ahead of our paid trip. But keep in mind that schedules are subject to change.
5 — What are the more immersive elements like?
There are characters walking around the ship at various times throughout your trip that you’ll have the chance to speak to. From the Cruise Director to Gaya to the Cast Members that are there to assist you, everyone is truly in character and in story. And you’re surrounded by the story everywhere you go.
Sit down at the Sublight Lounge, and Ouannii might sit down next to you. Or you might find yourself surrounded by Stormtroopers who are keeping an eye on things.
Chat with one character and you might find a special mission loaded onto your Datapad. Tell the First Order Lieutenant that you’re committed to the First Order, and you might find entirely different items on your Datapad, prompting you to respond for next steps. The experience is incredibly immersive and if you throw yourself into the story, you’ll get to experience all kinds of unique things.
6 — How do elements of the ship connect to Batuu?
The overall storyline connects to Batuu is that Batuu is the destination your ship is headed to for a specific excursion. There are other elements of the story and characters on the ship (we won’t give away any spoilers) that also connect to Batuu and the forces that are at battle on Batuu.
Once on Batuu, you’ll be able to participate in some special missions exclusive to guests on the Starcruiser. There are also elements in Batuu that will now connect to the story in Batuu. For example, head over to Oga’s Cantina and look for a post advertising a mechanic position on a now very familiar sounding starship.
7 — How infant friendly is the ship?
The Star Wars Hotel is family friendly in that all family members are welcome to join and many kids will enjoy the activities onboard. However, as we mentioned above, it will be more enjoyable for guests who are slightly older kids to adults due to the nature of the adventure. If you’re planning on going on the Star Wars Hotel with an infant, note that there is no childcare available. Unlike what you’d see on Disney Cruise Line, there’s no spot to drop off children or infants to have them cared for by Disney staff.
And there really aren’t infant-specific activities. In fact some activities, like the Lightsaber Training, cannot be done by infants. So while your infant can come, you’ll find the activities they can enjoy are more limited and you’ll have to take that into account for how you plan to spend your time on the ship.
Other General Questions
1 — What do you have to pay EXTRA for?
While many things are included in your Star Wars Hotel stay, some things do cost extra (like the Captain’s Table experience or a trip to Oga’s Cantina when on Batuu). Click here to see what’s included in your stay, and click here for a specific post on what you’ll have to pay EXTRA to do there.
2 — What is check in like are they in costume?
At least during our experience, check-in took place outside the Halcyon (right at the entrance to the hotel). During check-in, we were provided with a special MagicBand for the experience (included in the cost) and Cast Members were able to take our luggage to then be delivered to our room.
Cast Members are in costume but not as specific Star Wars characters with wigs and things of that nature. Instead, you’ll generally find them in blue outfits with Cast Member name tags. As part of check-in you’ll also get to watch a video about what the difference is between a “fake” (in-story) emergency and what would happen if there were a true emergency on the ship. Then, you’ll head to a transport vehicle to make your way onto the ship!
3 — Is it a one and done or something you would enjoy more than once?
There are a lot of different ways your Star Wars story can go. You could help the Resistance while on the ship, go support the First Order, become a scoundrel, or do some other things. There are certain missions you can’t go on or areas you can’t access unless you unlock specific other things. And then there are missions on Batuu, drinks to try, food to eat, and all kinds of activities going on throughout the day (from sabacc tournaments to droid racing). In other words, it is (basically) impossible to do everything there is to do on the Star Wars Hotel in just one day.
You could come back time and time again to try different storylines, align yourself with different sides, speak with different characters, etc. and never have the exact same experience twice (though we expect several core story moments would remain the same).
4 — Is it worth the money?
This is a question we got quite frequently. The truth is whether or not it is worth the money will depend on your families needs, wants, vacation desires, willingness to participate in the hotel antics, etc. While we can’t say whether or not it will be worth it for you, we can say that if you’re a fan of escape rooms, immersive theater, or things of that nature, you’re likely the perfect candidate for this experience.
You can read a more detailed breakdown on our thoughts on the “is it worth it” question here.
5 — Are masks required?
Under Disney World’s current rules, face masks are not required for the majority of the Star Wars Hotel for guests who are fully vaccinated. Inside the hotel (as it is an “indoor location”) masks are optional for guests who are fully vaccinated. Note, however, that Disney’s masks rules do note that they “expect Guests who are not fully vaccinated to continue wearing face coverings in all indoor locations.”
Masks are required for all guests (including those who are fully vaccinated) when on the transport shuttle from the Star Wars Hotel to Batuu for the Galaxy’s Edge excursion.
That’s it for our questions for now. But we’ll be back with more questions and answers soon, so be sure to check back with us for updates! And check out our video below with answers to more of your questions.
Star Wars Hotel — Galactic Starcruiser News and Information
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Check Out Our COMPLETE GUIDE to the Star Wars Hotel
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We’re Breaking the MYTHS from Inside the Star Wars Hotel Rooms
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What to Get (or AVOID) at Breakfast on the Star Wars Hotel
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We Ate EVERYTHING for Lunch at the Star Wars Hotel
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See Our FULL Review of the Entire Dinner on Night 1 of the Star Wars Hotel
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Yes, Dinner on Night 2 at the Star Wars Hotel is Different. See Our Full Review
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Is the Captain’s Table Worth the Extra Cost?
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See How the Fireworks at the Star Wars Hotel Will (and Won’t) Surprise You
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Get Our Full Thoughts on the BLUE SHRIMP
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See What Snacks Look Like in Space
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Some of the Best Food in the Star Wars Hotel is Hiding!
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Get a Look at the Exclusive Star Wars Hotel Merchandise
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Learn About What’s Included When You Leave the Star Wars Hotel for Hollywood Studios
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Take a Look at the Pricing for the Star Wars Hotel
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Watch Our DFB Video About Our Experience at the Star Wars Hotel
Click HERE to See More About Star Wars: Galactic Starcruiser
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What other questions do you have about the Star Wars Hotel? Tell us in the comments!
Disclosure: In nearly all circumstances, Disney Food Blog writers and photographers pay full price for their own travel, hotel, food, beverage, and event tickets. We do this because it’s important to us as journalists to ensure not only that we give you unbiased opinions, but also that you can trust us to do so since we’re paying our own way. On rare occasions, when we are invited by a company to attend a preview as media, and when we choose to accept that invitation, we will always make you, our readers, aware of that situation. Recently, we were invited by Disney World to attend their media preview of Star Wars: Galactic Starcruiser. Note that when we attend events as media we are 1) Not required to review that event/food on any of our channels, and 2) Not required to review that event/food favorably. You can always count on DFB to give you a 100% unbiased and honest review of any event that we attend, food that we eat, or beverage that we drink. You can see more in our Disclosure Policy. Thank you for reading. — AJ
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