Written by Traci and Joel Elswick
We woke up early this morning to get ready for our excursion to Batu. First thing up after showering and putting on our favorite Star Wars T-shirts. We decided not to cosplay today since it was so hot, so we just opted for Star Wars T-shirts and shorts. We will get back in our Star Wars best when we get back on the Halcyon. We went to Crown of Corellia for breakfast. I was super excited about trying the breakfast. They had Halcyon waffles and uniquely prepared fruits and breakfast pastries. I thought everything was delicious. We highly recommend eating the breakfast and it it’s it was a great way to start the day. Be sure to check your “data pad” (Disney Play app on your cell phone) when traveling on the Halcyon to see what time your pod leaves for Batu. Our time was 9:10 am. We got there promptly at 9:05 am, ready to board. The line was a little long but went quickly. Everyone went in groups to a briefing about what to expect on Batu. We were also given a special pin with a Halcyon logo on it that we were to wear when we were on Batu, so the cast members in Batu would know that we were a part of the Halcyon (cast members would then interact more with us). Once we were on the launch pod to Batu, it went rather quickly. On Batu, we could come back and forth to the Halycon as much as we wanted. They also had a dedicated spot reserved exclusively for Halcyon guest in Batu. We were offered bottled water and cold towels in a shaded area exclusively for Hayclon visitors. The pins let them see we were a part of the group. We wasted no time when we landed on Batu by going around and starting our missions. First up was the Millennium Falcon! When you are a visitor on the Starcruiser you automatically get a lighting lane for a Millennium Falcon and one for Rise of the Resistance, with no return time attached. You get to ride each of those attractions once. You are also given an electronic dining voucher uploaded to your My Disney Experience account. The included drink can be an alcoholic drink, if you’re 21 or over. After we visited the Millennium Falcon and finished one of our important missions, we headed over for another mission at Oga’s Cantina. Lucky for us we also had a reservation as well (you can book this 60-days before your arrival, with your Middle of the Magic Travel Planner). With our Halycon pins on, we got some extra VIP treatment inside Oga’s. I think the workers in Oga’s were really interested in the voyage on the Halcyon and we talked about it to several people. Joel opted for his blue milk I got the best spin fizz, that is my go-to drink at Ogas! We toasted to a good journey and we’re off to finish more missions and of course we ended with our absolute favorite Rise of the Resistance. While in Batu, you can book Savi’s Workshop to build a light saber or the Droid Depot to build a droid. We opted not to do either since we’ve done those several times. Joel’s main goal was to get the exclusive Halcyon legacy light saber on board, and he purchased it on the first night. We skipped lunch in Batu because we were so excited to get back on board the Halcyon. We went back to board, scanned in, and were given cold towels and water. We had a few minutes we spent waiting for our launch pod, but the wait was not too bad. Before we knew it, we were up and away on our launch pod and back on the Halcyon where we wish we would never have to leave. For some reason it felt so much cooler being in Galaxy’s Edge as a visitor on the Halcyon that it was any time that we’ve ever visited. We’ve been to Galaxy’s Edge tons of times, but it had never felt like we felt that day. Truly a visitor from another planet. Our suggestion is do not leave Batu. You want to stay in the Starcruiser themed, immersive, world. This afternoon was packed full of fun. First, we went and had lunch in the Crown of Corellia dining room. We absolutely love the Bantha flatbread. We enjoyed several other items as well. Lots of cold drinks and we also had a blue and green milk challenge. Joel got his wish by being able to dunk cookies into a cup of blue milk. He can now check that now off his bucket list! After lunch we hung out a bit in the Sublight Lounge, did a bit more shopping and then brought our cargo purchased back to our cabin. We took a moment to check in with our stateroom droid and headed back up to the Sublight lounge where we enjoyed a drink and then headed to one of our favorite activities, Bridge Training. This was definitely one of the highlights of our trip. Be sure to check your data pads for your itinerary on when your Bridge Training is scheduled. This is a do not miss! Bridge Training will be different for each time slot depending on what time you have and what day that you have. Key characters will be a part of the Bridge Training, but it just depends on your mission. On the schedule was autographs with Gaya. This was something important to us. Remember Gaya was our backstory and we are her groupies, so this was a magical Galactic moment for us! Unfortunately, Bridge Training overlapped with it, and we thought we missed our opportunity, or did we? I have a friend that happens to work on the Halcyon and we told him that we missed Gaya. Then he spotted her in the Sublight lounge. Joel had sketched a photo of Gaya before we visited and had carried around in his Chewbacca sling bag waiting to show her. This was his moment. He shyly walked up to her and showed her his drawling. She was super impressed that Joel would draw her likeness. She also made his day when she remembered him from the evening before since were front and center for her performance. She waved at him the first night and remembered it. We were told that Gaya would not sign the drawing but boy, we were surprised when she whispered to Joel to meet her at 6:45pm in a certain location and she would bring her insignia and stamp it for him. Truly a dream come true. After our meeting with Gaya we were both on cloud nine! We spent some time in the Sublight lounge trying out an alcoholic drink for me and a nonalcoholic drink for Joel. We also finally got on the Sabbac table and was taught how to play a box by a really nice man who was in charge of running the games. He limited the amount of time people were allowed on the table today, which made it fair for everyone. There was a lot that unfolded in the atrium later as the afternoon went on. There were Driod races for kids and key characters needing assistance in the atrium. Of course, we jumped in and helped with a few missions too. Joel and I headed to get in our Galactic best for dinner because tonight was the Captain’s table!! Here’s a tip that people do not know. You do not have to wait 60 days before travel to book the Captain’s table. You book the Captain’s table when you book your voyage. Captain’s table is limited. So, if you score this it’s like hitting the lottery. Of course, we scored it because we were going with the top-notch space travel agent, wink wink! I found myself back in the gift shop and purchased a necklace that I have been eyeing since yesterday. I noticed a lady in the Sublight lounge wearing it and told Joel we must go and get this necklace now. We went and purchased the necklace and then headed for our secret meet with Gaya.
I have to tell you; this was the absolute highlight of our trip. Joel met with Gaya at 6:45 pm, exactly where she said. She had her insignia and talked to him a little bit and then stamped his drawling. It was truly a magical moment for him. I love the way she took the time to make him feel important and be a part of his Starcruiser story. We then went back to the Sublight lounge and played some more Sabbac while awaiting dinner. Then we hung out in the atrium and had a few snacks. By the way, snacks and bottled water are provided in the atrium throughout the evening. Another tip if you have a fuel rod you can exchange them at guest services located in the atrium. Don’t have a fuel rod? No problem, they will loan you one. Off to dinner at the Crown of Corellia for our Taste Around the Galaxy. We were at the Captain’s table this evening. The Captain’s table is in the middle of the dining room and feels pretty darn special. Each family had assigned seating. The family name is displayed on the table so there is no confusion. At the table is a Halcyon medallion for everyone, champagne for the adults and nonalcoholic specially drinks for children. There are four courses, and each dish is themed to a different planet. The menu is a bit fancier for guests dining at the Captain’s table and we got a few additional courses. Dessert was special for Joel since he was celebrating his graduation. They also brought out additional desserts for the Captain’s table which included Macarons. Things get a little crazy towards the end of the night. How do I explain the finale on the Halycon without giving anything away? Let’s just say some serious battles of the resistance and first order go down this evening. Key players come in to play and it also featured players that have not really been a big part of the voyage. We loved every minute of the finale which takes place about 10:00 pm. You won’t miss it because the ship will be in full panic mode! Any guesses as to where we ended up after the finale? Yes, the Sublight lounge. We had some drinks and got in a Sabbac Tournament. I must say, Joel is by far a better Sabbac player then me. We ordered off the lounge menu. The food in the lounge is amazing, it’s complimentary and includes sodas. We stayed out quite late wanting to soak in every minute of this beautiful voyage. I believe the lounge stayed open until 2:00 am. We retired to our room shortly after midnight chatted with our stateroom Driod about the finale then headed off to sleep. We woke up early the next morning to head back to our family at Disney’s Fort Wilderness Resort and Campgrounds. Be sure to stop by guest relations in the morning and they will direct you to a person that will set you up with free Mears transportation. We tooled around the beautiful ship one more time and said farewell to the beautiful Halcyon. To get back to my Disney terms it’s not goodbye it’s “see ya real soon”! One thing that is a must do when departing is stopping at the pop-up shop out in front of the Halcyon. It’s only open for a short period time in the morning but it’s the only place that you can get certain Starcruiser shirts and merchandise. Joel and I made that a priority so we would be able to get our Star Wars shirts. I also got a patch and Joel purchased a pin set. I’m really glad I saved my Disney rewards points because we were able to spend nearly $800 on merchandise without it coming out of our pocket. Final thoughts on this amazing voyage. Would we do it again? Absolutely! Do we think it’s worth the money? Absolutely. I also truly believe that you need a qualified travel professional to plan your Halcyon voyage. Unless you enjoy long wait times on the phone and digging countless hours to figure everything out, a qualified travel professional is a must!
We go over the top to make sure our Halcyon guest are ready for their voyage! Did you know that we have several Starcruiser experts in our agency that not only plan in your voyage, but also will help you with a backstory, costuming, and help you learn key phrases and the back story of the Halcyon. That way your one step ahead of others when you step aboard the Halcyon to enhance your voyage. Want more info or ready to book your Galactic adventure? Contact us today! Good Journey to you all!
