The first couple of cruises are in the books for the Star Wars: Galactic Starcruiser, and while the vast majority of the experience feels “ready”, there is one aspect that isn’t quite ready for primetime just yet – the Datapad. Upon check-in, Disney is providing guests with an iPhone pre-loaded with the Play Disney Parks app on it. Cast Members that we spoke with said that the Disney-provided iPhones have a newer version of the app installed and that the current version of the app on the various app stores does not have all the functionality that it needs to in order to provide a full experience.
When we did a recent voyage, messaging from Cast was that we could “try” to use our own personal devices, but that we could experience errors throughout the voyage. We took their strong advice and used the provided Datapads, but we did notice that during our cruise, Disney ended up blocking our access to the Play Disney Parks app on our personal devices anyway. When we tried to open the app on the first night of our voyage, a generic “Something went wrong” message was presented and we couldn’t access the Datapad. Later in our cruise, the message was updated to be more specific, letting us know that we were attempting to use the wrong device, and the message reinforced that we should be using the device provided for our cruise.
At first, we didn’t like that we couldn’t use our own device, but it was nice to have a device solely dedicated to the story, while our personal device could be used for everything else (like shooting video). We actually hope that Disney offers a device for future cruises, even when the app store is updated with an appropriate version.
Guests who need assistance with the device can visit Datapad Orientation on the first afternoon of their cruise, or visit Passenger Services crew at any point during their voyage.
As always, keep checking back with us here at BlogMickey.com as we continue to bring you the latest news, photos, and info from around the Disney Parks!
That place is expensive enough! They SHOULD provide the datapad if the app is needed to “play the game”. That is my BIGGEST beef with GENIE is that you HAVE to have a smartphone to participate in Genie+ or the Individual Lightning Lane. You can’t purchase it or reserve the 7am on a laptop in your resort before you leave. I know you can go to the Blue Umbrellas once you arrive in the park during the day without a smart phone, but you miss out on the early one. Disney has effectively said to fully participate in their parks, you have to own an expensive smart phone and pay for a data plan in addition to the daily cost for Genie+.
Apparently Disney is strongly overcorrecting with the “Wrong Device” messaging too. I’ve been in Disneyland this weekend trying to use the data pad and despite not having a Galaxy Starcruiser reservation, not even looking at the Starcruiser, and being on literally the other side of the country, it keeps giving me that error.
Y as honestly it should just say device not supported. That’s what it looks like it’s coming down to
bssiccly when you code apps you have phone versions, plus the software versions in those phones.
It’s easier just to target and work with 1 phone and os version then 10 phones and 20 os versions.
It’s why some apps are only supported on newer os or phone versions or some are not supported at all
Having to carry two devices would really suck. Plus, Apple blows. Hope they fix it asap.
As much as this thing costs I’m going to smash their “datapad” on the last day just to get my money’s worth.
I cannot wait for my cruise, however i think all video and pics should be banned by personal phones . i didnt book this to see everyone with phones out taking pic and videos taking away the experience. By pics and video at the gift shop.