Taking the Kids: Choosing sides aboard the 'Star Wars' Galactic Starcruiser Halcyon
What’s the plan? “I hope you trust there is always a plan,” Captain Riyolok Keevan assured the roughly 300 travelers, from babies to seniors, on board the Walt Disney World Star Wars: Galactic Starcruiser Halcyon.
Of course, families should always have a travel plan. As we all saw over the holidays, even the best-laid travel plans can go awry through no fault of our own.
Starcruiser Halcyon is one travel experience that allows guests to control their own travel destiny. We decide whether we want to help the good guys or the bad ones who message us on the special Data Pad app suggesting clandestine meetings. (The crew obligingly lend portable chargers, so no one runs out of juice.) “They make it so hard to decide which side to choose,” said 14-year-old Clovis Hawkins here with his family, all big “Star Wars” fans.
(Check out TakingTheKids.com’s Web Story on our Starcruiser Experience)
For the uninitiated, the First Order is a totalitarian state in the Galaxy, successor to the Evil Empire. The Resistance, of course, is a coalition of freedom fighters in the tradition of Luke Skywalker and Han Solo. Fun fact: The Halcyon, celebrating its 275th anniversary, is the ship where Han Solo and Princess Leia honeymooned.
Of course, most aboard — who have paid just over $4,800 a couple for the two-night voyage (about $5,299 for two adults and a child) — are well-versed in everything “Star Wars,” sporting robes and tunics evocative of their favorite characters. This includes Twi’lek “lekku” head tails of the striped montrals of a Togruta. A Loth-cat crew meetup was even scheduled on board.
Pablo and Adriana Rodriguez came from Colombia with their toddler just for the experience. “I have been a huge ‘Star Wars’ fan my whole life,” said Pablo Rodriguez, who explained his wife booked the trip for his 35th birthday.
The Giannettis are here on a babymoon from Seattle; Danieli is a huge fan; his wife Amy not so much, though she was especially enjoying watching him have so much fun. “To each his own,” she laughed.
The Pietros, from Texas, were celebrating their 10th anniversary with their three sons, 9, 8 and 6. “This is a way to be immersed in ‘Star Wars’ in a new way,” said Jake Pietro.
Not the least of which is a VIP experience at Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge at Disney’s Hollywood Studios where the signature rides, Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance and the Millennium Falcon are among the most popular at Walt Disney World necessitating the longest waits.
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