Resort Thread STAR WARS: GALACTIC STARCRUISER Official Information & Questions Thread

[Narcoossee11]

Reported that "trips' are only 30% full. The Economy caught up with demand and cost.

 

[CarolynFH]

So - this new DVC discount of 30% really surprises me. I thought they would give it at least a year (March 2023) before offering steep discounts like this to avoid the bad PR of the Starcruiser looking like a failure. Maybe they're trying to boost direct DVC signups in Q4, since resale contracts won't have access to this discount? Still I hope this isn't a bad sign, and I hope this doesn't mean they're going to start cutting parts of the experience. I know people have mixed feelings about the Starcruiser, and how it price-gated a lot of the interactivity that was supposed to be included in Galaxy's Edge. But it was a really ambitious project for Disney brass to green light and I want to see it succeed.

I knew I had read a post where someone did the calculations for a DVC discounted booking. Here it is:

You have to pay for at least one person with points. I looked at January 21-23 (I think). With the discount its 234 points plus $95 which on the rental market is worth about $5200. For one person. Yes you could do the rest with cash at a discount but this is still a pretty bad deal unless you have a gluttony of points to use up.

IOW, a DVC owner would be better off renting out their points and paying cash, even with the discount, unless they have a lot of points they won't otherwise use.

 

[sipnride]

I knew I had read a post where someone did the calculations for a DVC discounted booking. Here it is:

IOW, a DVC owner would be better off renting out their points and paying cash, even with the discount, unless they have a lot of points they won't otherwise use.

As I said elsewhere I was unable to find the blog that was referenced and I'm skeptical of their math, though I will concede that there's a scenario where the price is a couple hundred dollars over paying regular prices. However, I do believe that scenario is unlikely, and that the discount after rental point value is likely to be a more modest savings of $500 vs renting and paying cash, even when assuming that one could have rented out their points for $20 each and not paid any taxes on that income.

 

[CarolynFH]

As I said elsewhere I was unable to find the blog that was referenced and I'm skeptical of their math, though I will concede that there's a scenario where the price is a couple hundred dollars over paying regular prices. However, I do believe that scenario is unlikely, and that the discount after rental point value is likely to be a more modest savings of $500 vs renting and paying cash, even when assuming that one could have rented out their points for $20 each and not paid any taxes on that income.

Thanks. I figure it’s like booking a Disney Cruise on points - the exchange rate/value of the points is probably $7-8 per point, much less than the rental value would be.

 

[AZMermaid]

As I said elsewhere I was unable to find the blog that was referenced and I'm skeptical of their math, though I will concede that there's a scenario where the price is a couple hundred dollars over paying regular prices. However, I do believe that scenario is unlikely, and that the discount after rental point value is likely to be a more modest savings of $500 vs renting and paying cash, even when assuming that one could have rented out their points for $20 each and not paid any taxes on that income.

It’s my math. A standard cabin for 1/21 (one of the included dates, a Saturday departure) is 334 points per adult. 30% off that is 233.8, Rounded to 234. $234*22 a point rental (I own Aulani and VGC. I could get 24 for VGC, but I went low)= $5148 plus the $95 exchange fee that they are still charging…. $5243 value for the first adult. Even if you went low on the rental fee for $18/ point, it’s worth $4300. Im not sure how much this costs dollar wise. Is it over $4000 a person after 30% off? For two days? In January? If so…. yikes that’s why it isn’t selling!

Now if so some has a gluttony of points and it’s just easier- go for it! We used points once on a race weekend at the DL hotel. Rack rate was like $600 a night or something so we really only were “out” about $100 so we used points to keep it simpler.

 

[SkyGuy]

It’s my math. A standard cabin for 1/21 (one of the included dates, a Saturday departure) is 334 points per adult. 30% off that is 233.8, Rounded to 234. $234*22 a point rental (I own Aulani and VGC. I could get 24 for VGC, but I went low)= $5148 plus the $95 exchange fee that they are still charging…. $5243 value for the first adult. Even if you went low on the rental fee for $18/ point, it’s worth $4300. Im not sure how much this costs dollar wise. Is it over $4000 a person after 30% off? For two days? In January? If so…. yikes that’s why it isn’t selling!

Now if so some has a gluttony of points and it’s just easier- go for it! We used points once on a race weekend at the DL hotel. Rack rate was like $600 a night or something so we really only were “out” about $100 so we used points to keep it simpler.

I know nothing about how to calculate DVC points, but I saw Scott Gustin post this shortly after the announcement yesterday.

 

[sipnride]

It’s my math. A standard cabin for 1/21 (one of the included dates, a Saturday departure) is 334 points per adult. 30% off that is 233.8, Rounded to 234. $234*22 a point rental (I own Aulani and VGC. I could get 24 for VGC, but I went low)= $5148 plus the $95 exchange fee that they are still charging…. $5243 value for the first adult. Even if you went low on the rental fee for $18/ point, it’s worth $4300. Im not sure how much this costs dollar wise. Is it over $4000 a person after 30% off? For two days? In January? If so…. yikes that’s why it isn’t selling!

Now if so some has a gluttony of points and it’s just easier- go for it! We used points once on a race weekend at the DL hotel. Rack rate was like $600 a night or something so we really only were “out” about $100 so we used points to keep it simpler.

I see. I suppose it's kind of a worst case scenario thing, where all the figures are assuming the highest cost (Saturday) the most valuable points and the ability to move those points on the market without a broker. It's also assuming just 2 occupants, which is definitely definitely a bad proposition for this trip whether paying cash or points.

I came up with a few alternative scenarios and posted on another thread: https://www.disboards.com/threads/starcruiser-discount-of-30.3902403/#post-64446702

Without knowing with absolute certainty how much needs to be paid in points I laid out a few different scenarios, but all with the assumption that someone who is trying to get some value from this would have 4 occupants and only use points for one person, which is the minimum. Only one of those scenarios exceeded the regular cost of a weekday voyage in September.

 

[sipnride]

I know nothing about how to calculate DVC points, but I saw Scott Gustin post this shortly after the announcement yesterday.

But again it's assuming that they're forcing people to use the "1st Adult" points as the basis for calculating how much needs to be paid in points. That may be true, but I have yet to see that verified.

 

[Flash_Sloth]

IMHO, it is embarrassing how poor of a value it is to use DVC points for this, even with a 30% discount. Yes, it is an option, but you are paying dearly for it. Points charts vary across resorts, but 234 DVC points at Riviera (my home resort) can get you 2 weeks in a standard view studio in some seasons; other seasons will be more. Trading in 2 weeks in a studio for 2 nights in GS for only the first adult?! Yikes!

DW and I had a blast doing GS last month. We enjoyed the Halcyon, the dinners, the characters & cast members, the storyline, etc. It was a lot of fun and I'm very glad that we went. The only big negative was the price tag. We had already planned a trip to WDW for my 50th, and my wife secretly added GS to the beginning of our trip as an extra special birthday present for me. If it weren't for a big special event like that, I'm not sure when we would have cruised GS.

 

[AZMermaid]

But again it's assuming that they're forcing people to use the "1st Adult" points as the basis for calculating how much needs to be paid in points. That may be true, but I have yet to see that verified.

That’s true. For 3rd adult it’s 83 points regardless of date so 58.1 after 30%. If you can pay for just that guest with points… it might be worth looking at. But there is still the $95 exchange fee to add in and the fact that these points are pretty restricted if you need to cancel. And many many resale owners can’t even use points on the Starcruiser.

The big broker gives $18 a point. Unless the points are distressed, $18 should be considered the minimum for most people. So basically if you are able to go that route… you are looking at $1157 value as your cheapest point expenditure. But people also may have a much easier time making poor point decisions with 59 points vs 230.

But… there also shouldn’t be this much work to work out that this might not be a terrible deal. I’m sure they are hoping people don’t run the math. Or maybe they don’t even care. It looks like they are offering DVC owners a deal so they get goodwill regardless of if people use it.

 

[AZMermaid]

IMHO, it is embarrassing how poor of a value it is to use DVC points for this, even with a 30% discount. Yes, it is an option, but you are paying dearly for it. Points charts vary across resorts, but 234 DVC points at Riviera (my home resort) can get you 2 weeks in a standard view studio in some seasons; other seasons will be more. Trading in 2 weeks in a studio for 2 nights in GS for only the first adult?! Yikes!

And Riveria is pretty spendy (but worth it)! You could get 3 weeks in January (same time frame as offer) at Old Key West for exactly 234 points! September is even cheaper!

 

[Spivey378]

If the points can be used on the third guest and cash for the rest I may be in using this deal.

 

[CarolynFH]

If the points can be used on the third guest and cash for the rest I may be in using this deal.

Please report back with the math! I agree, being able to use points for the third guest and cash for the rest, with 30% off both points and cash, could definitely be a better deal than I originally thought.

 

[gypsy_at_heart]

On one of the starcruiser Facebook pages I belong to they only booked the one child amount with points as they were told it was only that they had to pay for one person with points - but it didn’t have to be the main adult traveller. I’ll see if I can find the calculation they posted for what they paid

 

[Flash_Sloth]

On one of the starcruiser Facebook pages I belong to they only booked the one child amount with points as they were told it was only that they had to pay for one person with points - but it didn’t have to be the main adult traveller. I’ll see if I can find the calculation they posted for what they paid

Wow, that is surprising. I had assumed that the first adult had to be booked with points, and then you could do cash for the remaining guests.

Also, to clarify, the way that I read the email & webpage, the 30% discount applies only to DVC points. For any other guest paying with cash, I assume there is no discount. Is that right?

 

[Best Aunt]

This may be really old news, but some of Beth Revis's novel "The Princess and the Scoundrel" (about Hans and Leia) is set on the Halcyon. It might be a Christmas gift idea for the right person. Unfortunately the cover has a big "romance novel" vibe, so I bet that turns off some people.

 

[CarolynFH]

Wow, that is surprising. I had assumed that the first adult had to be booked with points, and then you could do cash for the remaining guests.

Also, to clarify, the way that I read the email & webpage, the 30% discount applies only to DVC points. For any other guest paying with cash, I assume there is no discount. Is that right?

I agree with you, that's how I understood the email and website. But I have read posts here stating that both the points and the cash are discounted 30%, but I haven't seen (and am waiting for) a report from someone who actually booked that way!

 

[gypsy_at_heart]

I agree with you, that's how I understood the email and website. But I have read posts here stating that both the points and the cash are discounted 30%, but I haven't seen (and am waiting for) a report from someone who actually booked that way!

So here’s what was posted in the starcruiser Facebook group I belong to. I blocked out the names as I wasn’t sure if they’d want it posted.

 

[gosalyn_mallard]

So here’s what was posted in the starcruiser Facebook group I belong to. I blocked out the names as I wasn’t sure if they’d want it posted.

Wow, can I apply some Disney math and justify joining DVC with this?

 

[gypsy_at_heart]

Wow, can I apply some Disney math and justify joining DVC with this?

Well of course, I mean, you’re practically losing money if you don’t buy DVC because of this - right?