The Intriguing Star Wars Galactic Starcruiser Backstory

Plus all the magic onboard the Disney Wish cruise ship

Listen up! More details revealed about where your voyage on the Galactic Starcruiser at Walt Disney World fits into the overall Star Wars timeline (and other juicy tidbits), plus an inside look at the cool new experiences coming on the Disney Wish cruise ship. These stories and more Disney travel news.

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Star Wars: Galactic Starcruiser Tells a New Story Every Star Wars Fan will want to Know

Star Wars: Galactic Starcruiser takes its maiden voyage on March 1 at Walt Disney World and more details have been revealed about how this new immersive experience will interact with other Star Wars experiences in Galaxy’s Edge.

The Starcruiser Halcyon -- now fully restored to its former glory -- will follow its maiden voyage to the first port it ever visited, which was Batuu. In the Star Wars timeline, your voyage on the Galactic Starcruiser takes place between the events of Star Wars Last Jedi and Star Wars Rise of Skywalker. Do you join the First Order? the Resistance? Are you a scoundrel? You get to pick your experience to some degree. Plus, you'll see Rey and Kylo meet up in a period between those two films. There's a Halcyon Legacy comic series if you want to learn more about the ship in this time period.

The Transformation of Mickey’s Toontown at Disneyland Park Begins Soon

Mickey’s Toontown in Disneyland Park will soon begin its transformation into a whole new world of sights, sounds, and sensations including some all-new experiences, more play and interactivity for guests. The focus will remain on families and young children, but it's something that any Disney fan will love. 

Mickey’s Toontown will be closed as of March 9, 2022, and will reopen in early 2023, along with the new attraction, Mickey & Minnie’s Runaway Railway. 

So if you want to experience the current iteration, do it by March 8

When Mickey’s Toontown reopens in 2023, it will still be home to Roger Rabbit’s Car Toon Spin, Mickey’s House and Minnie’s House! And other attractions will be reimagined in new ways, including Gadget’s Go Coaster, Goofy’s House and Donald’s Boat.

Disney Wish: The Full Slate of Entertainment

Setting sail this July, here's an entertainment rundown for Disney Cruise Line's Newest ship.

Inside Out: Joyful Sweets
The shop will offer nearly 40 flavors of gelato and ice cream, with daily handcrafted gelato specials in combinations like peanut butter pretzel and white chocolate raspberry. Whipped cream, fruit compotes and sauces will be freshly made in-house to complement a wide selection of tasty toppings.

Signature treats inspired by the film will include colorful cupcakes that evoke the five emotions — Joy (lemon), Sadness (blueberry), Disgust (pistachio), Anger (red velvet) and Fear (bubble gum) — and chocolate Memory Orbs filled with sweet candy remembrances. Specialty macarons and cake pops will join the assortment of handcrafted truffles, designer cookies, indulgent brownies and vibrant candy offerings. 

Olaf’s Royal Picnic
Here you can join your favorite “Frozen” friends for a summertime picnic in Arendelle during a premium entertainment experience specially designed for families with children ages 3 to 12. At Olaf’s Royal Picnic, guests will interact with Olaf, Anna, Elsa and Kristoff like never before and delight in live musical performances of beloved songs like “Let It Go,” “Fixer Upper” and “In Summer.”

Under the expert direction of Baroness Dagmar Birgir — a lively lady-in-waiting to Queen Anna — castle staff will serve up summer treats and picnic fare for the whole family to enjoy. The hall will be decked out in summer style with a canopy flowers and festive decor. Children will receive an assortment of gifts and keepsakes, including a reversible troll plush, themed picnic blanket and custom Nordic-style mandolin, which they’ll need for a special “Reindeer Are Better Than People” strum-and-sing-along with Kristoff. Plus Disney promises more surprises.

Once you book your Disney Wish cruise be sure to reserve Olaf's Royal Picnic before sailing. There is an added fee. 

Immersive Storytelling and Interactive Shows

Grand Hall
The fairytale castle-inspired Grand Hall will evolve from a gathering space into an enchanting theater through the magic of built-in special effects and the first-ever atrium stage on a Disney ship.

• A royal greeting will await you as you enter the glittering Grand Hall for the first time. Every child will receive their very own wishing wand upon embarkation, which they will use to make the “First Wish” of their vacation during a special boarding celebration.
• During the sailing, you can attend a royal gathering as Disney Princesses descend into the Grand Hall to meet and greet guests.
• The Grand Hall stage will conceal a host of Disney friends during “Who’s Behind the Curtain?”, a playful game show where you'll answer questions to reveal the identity of hidden characters.
• On the final night of every sailing, you'll will return to the Grand Hall to raise wands with Fairy Godmother to ignite a farewell show featuring favorite characters, special effects and lively performances.

Luna
This brand-new entertainment hub — with a two-story LED screen wall, stage and bar — will offer a variety of live shows designed for families to laugh, sing and compete together.

• “Villains Game Night” is a witty game show where you'll attempt to answer Disney trivia questions amid the jeers and sneers of nefarious Disney foes, including Cruella de Vil, Gaston, Hades, Maleficent and more, who will join on screen.
• “Disney Songbook” will put you in the spotlight as you belt out Disney songs and showcase your talent for a live camera crew, who will project each performance onto the big screen.
• During the live grand finale event for Disney Uncharted Adventure, an all-new interactive experience that uses your mobile device to unlock hidden adventures aboard the ship, families will team up with other cruisers to battle an infamous Disney villain. 

Hero Zone
Hero Zone is a futuristic sports arena where physical activity will blend with imagination, offering highly produced show experiences in addition to free-play sports.

• Families will test their strength, speed and stamina during the Incredi-Games, a high-energy game show featuring an elaborate obstacle course of over-the-top physical challenges, each inspired by the dynamic characters of Pixar’s “The Incredibles.”
• The guest-favorite Jack-Jack’s Incredible Diaper Dash will offer little ones the chance to compete for the coveted title of Diaper Dash Champion as they speed-crawl across a 20-foot track amid the cheers (and chuckles) of family, friends and adoring fans.

More Fun Throughout the Disney Wish
In true Disney Cruise fashion, the Disney Wish will offer tons of world-class entertainment bringing to life the characters at the heart of Disney, Pixar, Marvel and Star Wars. Families will

• Embark on an adventure with Mickey Mouse and Minnie Mouse aboard the first Disney attraction at sea; 
• revel in a royal celebration during a theatrical dining experience with “Frozen” friends; 
• team up with the Avengers on a Marvel cinematic dining adventure; 
• travel to a galaxy far, far away in a first-of-its-kind Star Wars experience on board a Disney ship; 
• delight in an original, Broadway-style theatrical production of “The Little Mermaid”; and more.

The Disney Wish will sail its maiden voyage on July 14, followed by a season of three- and four-night cruises to Nassau, Bahamas, and Disney’s private island, Castaway Cay, from Port Canaveral, Florida.

Disney World Mask Update
 
Face coverings will be optional for fully vaccinated Guests in both outdoor and indoor locations. Guests who are not fully vaccinated are expected to continue wearing face coverings in all indoor locations, including indoor attractions and theaters. Face coverings are still required by all Guests (ages 2 and up) on enclosed Disney transportation, including Disney buses, monorails, and Disney Skyliner.
 
Upcoming Construction and Refurbishments at Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort & Spa

As we previously reported, Disney is working on plans to expand and enhance The Villas at Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort & Spa.

Beginning March 1, construction and refurbishment work will be underway at Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort & Spa during the daytime hours. Disney reports that "most" resort amenities will remain available to hotel guests throughout this work.

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Mike Belobradic and Amelia Belobradic