News Report: Former Star Wars Galactic Starcruiser to Become Walt Disney Imagineering Offices

[ManicMillennial]

I’m wondering how much effort are they putting into converting this into an office space? Like are they just taking the main beds out of the sleeping quarters and putting desk in their place or is there actual work being done to the building?

 

[MisterPenguin]

We got a winner. From Jan 11, 2025...

My understanding is the Halcyon is being used as offices for WDI during the upcoming Studios work.

 

[Nobody nobody]

We got a winner. From Jan 11, 2025...

Len has been on fire these past few months

 

[GhostHost1000]

After the imagineers are done with it, maybe it’ll become the Galactic NBA Experience

 

[Moth]

We got a winner. From Jan 11, 2025...

Len reminds us all he's the GOAT and is the LeBron of WDWMagic "sources" rn.

 

[JoeCamel]

Len reminds us all he's the GOAT and is the LeBron of WDWMagic "sources" rn.

Yeah, he works really, really hard at it too

 

[lazyboy97o]

Can anyone provide any examples of imagineer bases being built that predate the one in animal kingdom cause to me this seems like a relatively new phenomenon

The main offices are at Epcot behind Mission: SPACE and Wonders of Life. It’s the complex of building across the street. Along with the already mentioned complexes, there was also one set up at Disney Springs next to Cirque du Soleil.

I’m wondering how much effort are they putting into converting this into an office space? Like are they just taking the main beds out of the sleeping quarters and putting desk in their place or is there actual work being done to the building?

This isn’t really something you can just do without some effort. It’s a change in occupancy which means the building will have to be modified to meet the code requirements for a business use. Changing it to something guest facing again will require another change. Residential (what hotels fall under) to Business isn’t generally going to be an issue, but they’re going to want things like conference rooms that will end up reconfiguring spaces. People joke about private bathrooms but it’s hard to envision them actually having so many private offices.

 

[MerlinTheGoat]

We got a winner. From Jan 11, 2025...

Um, try 2023 from yours truly (yes this was indeed the plan all the way back then)...

News Post in thread 'Star Wars: Galactic Starcruiser Permanently Closed Fall 2023'

Jun 28, 2023

Josh D'Amaro mentioned the future of the Star Wars: Galactic Starcruiser in an interview with The Points Guy.

The "something" is backstage utility and office space, and salvaging stuff that can be used for spare parts at Galaxy's Edge. (Not joking or speculating btw, that to my understanding is/was the plan, unless that plan has changed in just the past couple weeks).

• MerlinTheGoat

• 
• 

 

[MisterPenguin]

Try mid 2023 (and no this was not baseless speculation)...

News Post in thread 'Star Wars: Galactic Starcruiser Permanently Closed Fall 2023'

Jun 28, 2023

Josh D'Amaro mentioned the future of the Star Wars: Galactic Starcruiser in an interview with The Points Guy.

The "something" is backstage utility and office space, and salvaging stuff that can be used for spare parts at Galaxy's Edge. (Not joking or speculating btw, that to my understanding is/was the plan, unless that plan has changed in just the past couple weeks).

• MerlinTheGoat

• 
• 

You posted what we already heard from Josh, which was "something." That was a known.

What it would have been used for, we didn't know.

Until insiders, like Len said 'offices.'

 

[MerlinTheGoat]

You posted what we already heard from Josh, which was "something." That was a known.

What it would have been used for, we didn't know.

Until insiders, like Len said 'offices.'

No, I said exactly what it was going to be in that post as quoted-

"The 'something' is backstage utility and office space."

If you chose not to believe me at the time, then that's fine. But I did say in that post that it was NOT speculation. It came from multiple people in fact. Wasn't much of a secret either to be clear and i'd be surprised if I was the only one who posted it.

Repurposing the facility into backstage office space has been the official plan for the facility ever since they deemed it a failure and decided to close it. YOU may not have known this (I realize that there were people desperately grasping onto the hope that D'Amaro meant the "something" would be repurposing it into some sort of place guests could still visit), but that doesn't mean other people didn't know and didn't confirm it beforehand.

 

[MisterPenguin]

No, I said exactly what it was going to be in that post as quoted-

"The 'something' is backstage utility and office space."

If you chose not to believe me at the time, then that's fine. But I did say in that post that it was NOT speculation. It came from multiple people in fact. Wasn't much of a secret either to be clear and i'd be surprised if I was the only one who posted it.

Repurposing the facility into backstage office space has been the official plan for the facility ever since they deemed it a failure and decided to close it. YOU may not have known this (I realize that there were people desperately grasping onto the hope that D'Amaro meant the "something" would be repurposing it into some sort of place guests could still visit), but that doesn't mean other people didn't know and didn't confirm it beforehand.

My apologies, I skipped over the small italics at the bottom of your post.

 

[jeanericuser001]

An interesting twist on the office space cubicles. Now each person has their own room complete with their own bedroom. There is also a built in cafeteria, bar, and all the other amenities that big corporations like google give those lucky to get in. This is sure to be disappointing for people who like to sneak on to abandoned disney properties as Im sure many were eager to sneak into this place to check it out.

 

[ToTBellHop]

I’ll be curious to see how much of the theming is removed. A lot can stay, which would make for strange office space for anyone other than WDI. How many of the people who worked on Starcruiser are still with the company? Working in the corpse of your failed project would kinda suck.

 

[DisneyFanatic12]

I do think they could have done a 2 shift dinner show to some success here: Group 1 enjoys a modified Gaya dinner, while group 2 rotates through Jedi, bridge, and light saber. Then switch the two groups. At the end they could do a modified finale with Kylo and Rey. 3ish hour experience would probably sell out most nights (maybe only 1 shift during slow seasons). Pair it with a "free" minivan ticket for those staying onsite and free parking for those who are not onsite.

They even could still use all the cabins for offices.

I’m nearly certain that they considered this, but the price that they would likely charge, combined with the length of the meal, would probably lessen demand too much. To us undesirable APs, many of us could afford to “waste” three hours at a meal. Many guests I’d imagine, however, wouldn’t be inclined to spend a good chunk of their day there.

 

[Raineman]

Disney: "How can we take a complete and utter abject failure and make it even more Disney? I got it! We will use it an office space where more projects can be significantly scaled back because the original concept won't allow us to maximize profits and ROI! It's genius!"

 

[Purduevian]

I’m nearly certain that they considered this, but the price that they would likely charge, combined with the length of the meal, would probably lessen demand too much. To us undesirable APs, many of us could afford to “waste” three hours at a meal. Many guests I’d imagine, however, wouldn’t be inclined to spend a good chunk of their day there.

Entirely possible. Hoop dee doo is ~2 hours (so was Spirit of Aloha). If Hopp dee is ~$70, I would assume for the extra hour and experience they could charge well over $100.

 

[monorail81]

It’s still an immersive experience. Only this time it’s serving as a reminder to them of what a failed project looks like.

 

[Glasgow]

Maybe this is the beginning of the conversion back to MGM and making it into a "working" studio ..

 

[Tha Realest]

Maybe this is the beginning of the conversion back to MGM and making it into a "working" studio ..

Backstage Studio Tour - we can wander around and look over the shoulders of working Imagineers and see what’s in store

 

[Bocabear]

I don't believe the Star Cruiser was even impressive enough for an immersive dinner theater experience...The dining room was bland and boring as were most of the spaces I saw... Yeah, windows into space...the rest was rather utilitarian looking and not a fantastic luxury ship that it was supposed to be. It will make great offices for WDI and the amount of rooms conversion to private offices will give them soe space to grow into...and best of all it is not in the way of any expansion like the Animation Courtyard and all of the production and offices in that section of the park... Maybe it would be a good time to build more office space surrounding the Galactic Star Cruiser and move all of those offices to the new location allowing easier expansion of the park...they could "Turbo-Charge" the new office complex....