Bookings are open: How to get a reservation for the new Star Wars hotel at Disney World

Editor’s note: This is a recurring post, regularly updated with new information.

If you’re a Star Wars fan like we are, you’ve likely been taking in all of the updates about the Star Wars: Galactic Starcruiser hotel for the last few years as feverishly as we have. This is set to be more than a hotel, but rather a two-night immersive experience, unlike anything Disney World has offered before beginning on March 1, 2022.

And now we're back with the news everyone has been waiting for: hopeful Jedis and resistance fighters can start booking reservations now. Just get ready, you'll need cash, patience, flexibility and perhaps a little bit of the Force to snag one of these coveted reservations, currently bookable only over the phone.

Buckle up and hold onto your lightsabers — here’s everything we know about the Star Wars: Galactic Starcruiser hotel.

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How to book Star Wars: Galactic Starcruiser

The Star Wars: Galactic Cruiser will open for guests on March 1, 2022, located just behind Disney's Hollywood Studios.

As of Oct. 28, 2021, bookings are currently open to all potential guests, though some people, including Annual Passholders and Disney Visa cardholders, had early access to reservations so some dates are already sold out.

Based on a booking calendar on Disney’s website, bookings for the experience are currently available from March through September 2022 for predetermined, two-night slots notated by orange lines, as shown below. According to the website, "Availability is for informational purposes, only updated periodically and subject to change when you call."

The only way to book Star Wars: Galactic Cruiser is to call Disney directly at (407) 939-1800, however, we haven't successfully been able to get through today. The other option is to work with a Disney vacation planner, like our no-cost partners at Mouse Counselors, who can wait on the phone and make a booking for you. There is no online booking option available at the moment. You'll need to be ready to put 20% down to make the reservation.

When calling, even if you can get through, expect long hold times, potentially lasting for hours, to get through to the reservation center, which is open from 7 a.m. to 11 p.m. Eastern time.

If you're planning on booking yourself, it's critical to have the following information ready as part of Disney's "Ready-to-book Checklist."

• Voyage date preferences (including alternates, as availability may be limited)
• Number of people in your party
• Names and ages of all people in your party, including any infants
• Address and phone number for all people in your party
• Preference for first or second dinner seating
• Any additional activities you would like to book (some additional activities may not be available yet when you call)
• Any desired dates for Disney Resort hotel reservations before or after your Star Wars: Galactic Starcruiser voyage

Disney recommends having alternate preferred dates, desired dates for other Disney hotels you’d like to book before or after your voyage, and any additional activities you want to add to your journey (such as an appointment at Savi’s Workshop to get your very own lightsaber) ready to go when you book to speed up the process and make it smoother for everyone.

As you can see from the calendar above, plenty of dates — including most of June — are already booked up. It's not clear how quickly this calendar is being updated in real-time, so we can't stress enough how critical it is to be flexible in trying to snag a reservation early on.

Also, keep in mind that a stay at Star Wars: Galactic Starcruiser includes entry into Star Wars: Galaxy's Edge inside Disney's Hollywood Studios for an excursion to the planet of Batuu.

Related: How to experience Disney on three different budgets

How much does the Star Wars hotel cost?

This part is maybe more painful than a fall into a Sarlacc pit. Prices for the experience are all in the thousands of dollars range.

Based on these prices, you’ll be paying at least $749 per person and per night. All in all, a family of four should expect to spend close to $6,000 or more for the two-night voyage — and that’s for a standard cabin on weeknight voyages set months after the reported opening timeframe.

While we don’t have sample pricing for the two suite options, it’s not outside the realm of possibility that you could be paying $10,000 total.

It’s a shockingly steep price for an experience that will only last two nights and rings in even more expensive than most of the three-night Disney Cruise Line sailings. Unless prices change dramatically in the future, it will exclude a large number of families from being able to book — especially if you’re hoping to tack this experience onto a larger Disney trip that includes other parks and resort stays.

Your voyage price does include meals plus entry to Disney’s Hollywood Studios on the second day of your journey. Each guest will get two breakfasts, two lunches and two dinners onboard the ship (which includes gratuity for dinner). You’ll also get one quick-service meal (one entrée and one drink for adults, or one combo meal for kids 3 to 9) at Hollywood Studios.

And while not confirmed on Disney’s website, the teaser video from Disney’s Imagineers made it seem like there would be specialty pricing at Galaxy’s Edge souvenir shops for guests.

Even still, a minimum of close to $5,000 dollars for a two-night stay, meals and access to one park during one day is quite the entry-level price tag. Whether this experience is worth emptying your “credits” bank will depend on how much you value the immersive experience Star Wars: Galactic Starcruiser promises to deliver during your voyage.

Related: Here's why I would spend $5,000 on the Star Wars hotel

It’s not just a Star Wars hotel — it’s an experience

If what you want is just a Star Wars-themed place to sleep, this is not the hotel for you. I recommend a lunch reservation at Space 220 in Epcot and then calling it a day as far as the space theme goes. This is far more themed cruise ship on land than hotel.

When Disney’s first “Star Wars”-themed hotel opens, your family will be able to board a launch pod near Disney’s Hollywood Studios before making the hyperspace jump and not touching back down on Earth again for two nights — or, at least, that’s what it will look and feel like.

Star Wars: Galactic Starcruiser is set to change the rules when it comes to theme park hotels and immersive experiences.

Related: Best credit cards for a trip to Disney

This is set to be a two-night immersive adventure aboard the Starship Halcyon as you travel to Galaxy’s Edge. It really does make more sense to think of it as a Disney cruise on land where you live out a “Star Wars” story, in that meals, lodging, entertainment and activities are all part of the package.

Upon arrival at the “terminal,” you’ll complete your earthly tasks (with included valet parking) and then enter a launch pod that blasts you off into space toward the Halcyon ship for your boarding with the main starcruiser.

Along the way, the “windows” above will show you the stars as well as the space cruiser in the distance. You’ll no longer see Central Florida at all — the magic of technology will completely immerse you in the scenes of outer space.

You’ll then dock with Halcyon, hearing the “whoosh” of the airlock as your launch pod engages and you’ll emerge into the ship’s atrium. Once onboard, you’ll start two nights and three days of your Star Wars dreams.

Related: TPG guide to Disney World

Inside the cabins and suites onboard

The goal is for the Galactic Starcruiser experience to truly feel like you’re a character in the Star Wars canon universe. Therefore, the ship was designed for a smaller, more intimate group of passengers. There are only 100 total cabins and suites will be available for booking.

For comparison, Disney’s Caribbean Beach has around 2,000 rooms, and even the more intimate deluxe hotels, such as Disney’s Contemporary Resort, still ring in at more than 600 rooms. And, just for clarity, even at those larger sizes the deluxe resorts regularly sell out.

Disney has released renderings of a guest room mock-up, and they’re awesome if you ever wanted to live aboard a starcruiser.

There’s a door, bed, bathroom and a window out into space. But that’s pretty much where the similarities to regular resort rooms end.

The bunk beds are meticulously themed pods that kids are sure to love. Each bunk/pod has its own command center. A slightly less cool queen is available for Resistance members to get sleep before their next mission.

Looking out from the pod, we see plenty of features to be excited about. There’s a video monitor on the wall that appears to be interactive (with the name of the fictional Johnston family displayed). Underneath could be storage or other hidden goodies.

There will also be a pulldown bed available in the rooms that sleep five. Disney has even found a way to fold the HVAC into the theming, with some cool vents on the exterior wall.

Where we would normally find a hotel window, we have a view of the galaxy flying by as Halcyon is on its journey. Every cabin will have at least one window out into the galaxy.

Disney has also released details about the three types of accommodations that will be available for new recruits.

Related: How to use points to buy Disney tickets

Standard cabins

Standard cabins can sleep four to five passengers. According to Disney, the room will come with a queen bed, two berths (aka: bunk beds) that will fit an adult, and a wall pull-down bed that can also sleep an adult if you are sleeping five to a cabin.

Amenities include:

• Mini fridge
• Hair dryer
• Safe (to keep valuable information safe from the Republic)
• Phone with voicemail messaging (for keeping up with anyone left behind on Earth)
• Interactive TV
• H20 Plus spa, bath and shower products

Galaxy class suite

These one-bedroom suites will sleep up to four passengers with one queen bed and two wall pull-down beds that can sleep adults. Additionally, the suite will come with a double vanity bathroom, bar area, two windows (instead of one), a living space and “extra Star Wars surprises.”

Other cabin amenities will be the same as the standard cabin.

Grand Captain suite

For larger groups or families, the Grand Captain suit will fit up to eight passengers with two queen beds, two berths, and two wall pull-down beds.

According to Disney, the suite will “feature a posh living space,” a second bathroom, three windows and “a few extra Star Wars surprises.”

Other amenities will be the same as the other two accommodations.

Related: What really happens on a private Disney VIP tour

Onboard activities

As mentioned, part of your multiday journey on Halcyon, you’ll take a special journey to Black Spire Outpost on Batuu (also known as Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge). You’ll be invited to the bridge of Halcyon to demonstrate navigation and defense skills you’ve learned and maybe even get a chance to pilot the galactic starcruiser.

Kids and adults alike will follow in the footsteps of Luke, training to use the extremely realistic-looking lightsaber (for those aged seven and up). During the voyage, they’ll be allowed to explore the mechanics of the ship and may even find hidden spots where the crew holds meetings. After all that hard work, there’s a place to relax called the Sublight Lounge.

When it comes time for a full meal (after all, being a Jedi is hard work), guests can head to the Crown of Corellia Dining Room. This name is a tribute to Corellia, a planet known for its famous shipyards that were the origin of not only the Halcyon but also the Millennium Falcon. It will serve breakfast, lunch and then a “lavish multicourse menu of both otherworldly and familiar origins” for dinner.

On your last night onboard, there will be an end-of-cruise gala celebration, and Disney invites guests to “save your very finest” for the occasion.

You’ll be able to dress in full costume (subject to Disney’s costume guidelines), and Star Wars galaxy apparel (including robes fit for a Jedi-in-training) will be available in advance from shopDisney or on the ship.

You can check out a sample itinerary on Disney’s website.

Related: Guide to Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge at Disney World

Based on what the Disney Imagineers have to say about the Galactic Starcruiser experience, you’ll have the chance to partake in a truly unique journey that takes place in the canon Star Wars universe.

The storyline for the Galactic Starcruiser was developed alongside the stories for Smuggler’s Run and Rise of the Resistance, and those rides — along with other included experiences throughout Batuu (Galaxy’s Edge at Hollywood Studios) — should connect to the broader story told aboard the Halcyon.

After riding Rise of the Resistance and dining at Space 220, seeing just a hint of the technology that will be on display throughout your journey aboard the Halcyon, we expect for it to truly feel like we’re a new recruit for the Resistance — especially at such a high price tag.

Related: How much does a trip to Disney World cost?

Bottom line

The countdown to make your bookings is over and now we can officially countdown to the opening of the Galactic Starcruiser hotel on March 1, 2022.

The price for this Star Wars experience is undeniably high, but the experience is set to be unforgettable. For those who can find a way to get on board, it looks like a very immersive two-night experience that will keep you active in the world that George Lucas first created from the moment you board the launchpad that takes you to the starcruiser until the moment you “land” back on Earth.

Just make sure to act fast to secure your group’s slot on this intimate journey to a galaxy far, far away.

If a trip to Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge is in your future:

• All about Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge at Walt Disney World
• The Essential Guide To Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge in Disneyland
• Best (and Worst) Food and Drinks at Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge
• TPG Ultimate Guide to Walt Disney World

If you’re new to The Points Guy, check out our beginner’s guide to learn more.

Additional reporting by Madison Blancaflor and Tanner Saunders.

Featured mock-up image courtesy of Disney.