I'm guessing those that hire the Presidential suite at the Poly are doing so for the view, the luxury and the location near the MK. They're paying for the quality of the room itself. These are very likely rich people who want the best and don't mind paying.
I'm guessing those that go to Starcruiser are Star Wars fans who want an experience rather than a luxury room. Many of them probably wouldn't stay in the Presidential Suite at the Poly but will pay for the Starcruiser because they're hoping to enjoy the role play rather than the 'luxury' of the hotel. Again just a guess but I think it's two different markets being tapped here.
If it's two different markets, then the Star Wars market doesn't exist and never has. That's the real reason there are a bunch of cancellations now that the full payment is coming due. You are talking about people who has to use their kids' college funds for this. How nerve wrecking is that? That makes you want to cancel when you see the least bit of imperfection, knowing how much you are sacrificing. People who stay at presidential suites do so because cost means the same to them as Pop Century means to others -- that's how much money they have.
For example, I read about this one guy, a blogger, who is booked at the Starcruiser in March, so he is paid up and locked in. As a result, when he reviews the California Grill's new menu, he does not bother ordering the new Tomahawk steak to review, which costs roughly $200 each, because he CAN'T AFFORD IT! And he loves steak!
I mean, how often can Disney ask a man to give up his steaks for a year or two to be able to go to the Starcruiser? That's not a real market. People say that the cancellations are happening because the promos are not good enough. Yeah, well, if such people think the promos are bad, wait till they get there and noticed that the bathrooms are ugly, or the bridge has technical problems, or the blue captain is not exciting, or the pillow isn't properly fluffed. They are going to have a financial panic attack.
Growing up, my son wanted to stay at the presidential suite because it looked big and fancy and he wanted to experience it. We could afford it for a couple of nights, but I told him no, we are not that rich, it's not for us. Though I would do it if he makes it into Harvard.
Son is nowhere near Harvard, so my money is safe. In the mean time, we'll buy the steak if we ever catch a reservation at the California Grill.
The Starcruiser is just a hotel simulating a space cruise. No matter how exciting it is, it can never be as as exciting as Epcot or MK, where just one of the rides costs as much to build as the entire Starcruiser. So anybody who doesn't have the money should never stay there because they will almost always be disappointed: their opportunity cost is too high. They have to give up a year's worth of fancy steak when the rich guy is just giving up his pocket change.
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