News Star Wars Galactic Starcruiser coming to Walt Disney World 2021

[danlb_2000]

It’s possible they’re getting permits in place so that they can restart if & when they decide to. I wouldn’t take it as a green for go quite yet.

I was just coming to post about this...

Getting permits ready would make sense, but what we call a permit is actually a notice of commencement which is a simple document saying that work is about to being. Don't see any reason to file that ahead of time.

 

[Horizons '83]

I was just coming to post about this...

Getting permits ready would make sense, but what we call a permit is actually a notice of commencement which is a simple document saying that work is about to being. Don't see any reason to file that ahead of time.

So I guess we will see a few projects get going again based of these notice of commencements?

 

[LiterallyNobody]

New permits? Work still going on? Wasn't this "defunded" months ago? Literally Nobody talked about work still happening there.

 

[WDW Pro]

We'll just have to wait and see what happens with the hotel. It's very difficult to see it being successful in a recession, and we've already taken note of the waning popularity for Star Wars (sans Mandalorian). Maybe Chapek has changed course... but this is a high capital burn to complete with significant risk for lack of return.

 

[MisterPenguin]

we've already taken note of the waning popularity for Star Wars (sans Mandalorian).

Star Wars popularity hasn't waned. Once the 'lands' were truly complete, they were packed. The upsale merchandise was going gangbusters. The latest trilogy were still billion dollar box offices. The final season of Clone Wars had social media buzz.

The hotel, if they cycle two nights continuously throughout the year, is only about 13K reservations for a whole year. They'll find the customers to fill it.

 

[LiterallyNobody]

Star Wars popularity hasn't waned. Once the 'lands' were truly complete, they were packed. The upsale merchandise was going gangbusters. The latest trilogy were still billion dollar box offices. The final season of Clone Wars had social media buzz.

The hotel, if they cycle two nights continuously throughout the year, is only about 13K reservations for a whole year. They'll find the customers to fill it.

Which is why, as I said a month or so ago, IT WAS NEVER DEFUNDED AND DEVELOPMENT NEVER STOPPED.

Damn, sorry.. Caps lock was stuck...

 

[Dutch Inn '76]

We'll just have to wait and see what happens with the hotel. It's very difficult to see it being successful in a recession, and we've already taken note of the waning popularity for Star Wars (sans Mandalorian). Maybe Chapek has changed course... but this is a high capital burn to complete with significant risk for lack of return.

They've already made the investment in the Starcruiser; already spent the money. They believed in the project three months ago, so they probably still believe in it now. Frankly, if they don't then someone needs to be fired for letting the project go this far in the first place.

Why do you state rumors and opinions like they are concrete facts? There's no "waning popularity for Star Wars." I myself made the point a few weeks ago that the SW films have underperformed, but they still have made buckets of money for The Mouse. He's already got his investment back. It's all gravy from here.

Here's to years and years of new content from a "Galaxy far away," and in the Starcruiser, the most innovative and exciting idea in theme park destinations since EPCOT.

 

[Animaniac93-98]

We'll just have to wait and see what happens with the hotel. It's very difficult to see it being successful in a recession, and we've already taken note of the waning popularity for Star Wars (sans Mandalorian). Maybe Chapek has changed course... but this is a high capital burn to complete with significant risk for lack of return.

*Easier to justify opening a small boutique hotel than trying to fill a giant resort like Coronado Springs
*bulk of construction done
*Cross selling with Star Wars attractions (right now WDW's biggest selling point)
*Unique accommodation to compete with Orlando's soon to be over stocked market
*Hotel only sells 2-night stays, doesn't need people to commit to a week or more
*Resilience of luxury travel (at times like these, most people with money tend to keep it. Remember Four Seasons didn't discount post 9/11)
*Selling convenience of "exclusive" access to attractions and not sharing transit to get there with the masses
*Disney's Star Wars brand hubris thinking anything with that name will sell, recession or not

 

[nickys]

We'll just have to wait and see what happens with the hotel. It's very difficult to see it being successful in a recession, and we've already taken note of the waning popularity for Star Wars (sans Mandalorian). Maybe Chapek has changed course... but this is a high capital burn to complete with significant risk for lack of return.

The clientele for this boutique experience are the least likely to be affected by a recession.

The fact there is a permit for installation of sets suggests much of the development of the Star Cruiser has already been done, so the money has already been spent. They might as well go ahead and get things that are completed installed and ready to go.

 

[larryz]

Plus I think I read somewhere that they're already "booked" for 3 years out... to not finish it now would be leaving that money on the table.

 

[nickys]

Plus I think I read somewhere that they're already "booked" for 3 years out... to not finish it now would be leaving that money on the table.

They haven’t taken bookings yet. There’s a lot of interest in the online gaming & fan community though.

 

[Seanual757]

Reedy Creek inspectors have been called back to work full time as of 5/18 this could mean that construction is set to resume (we got a call for a pour next week at the Disney project) and it could or could not mean that Disney could use the inspectors to start inspecting the rides to get them ready for operation as well....

 

[Unbanshee]

Which is why, as I said a month or so ago, IT WAS NEVER DEFUNDED AND DEVELOPMENT NEVER STOPPED.

Damn, sorry.. Caps lock was stuck...

I wonder where the $900M of saved CapEx came from if projects weren't defunded? You're saying that the project never had funds removed from it, even for a quarter?

 

[LiterallyNobody]

I wonder where the $900M of saved CapEx came from if projects weren't defunded? You're saying that the project never had funds removed from it, even for a quarter?

I am saying work never stopped on the project. There have always been funds available for that hotel. Even when others were furloughed, there were still people working on that project. External construction was paused, but development and work actually inside the building never stopped. No funds were ever taken away from this project.

 

[Unbanshee]

No funds were ever taken away from this project.

Thank you, that's what I was trying to figure out. Seems unlikely, but you're the insider, not me

 

[monothingie]

Which is why, as I said a month or so ago, IT WAS NEVER DEFUNDED AND DEVELOPMENT NEVER STOPPED.

Damn, sorry.. Caps lock was stuck...

Wow, yet another thing this "pro" insider got wrong....hmmm...

 

[Magenta Panther]

So they're still going to build this stupid thing? Tons of money lavished on yet ANOTHER hotel while the parks go begging (and the yeti stays broken). Damn, Iger's ego is expensive...

 

[marni1971]

Star Wars popularity hasn't waned. Once the 'lands' were truly complete, they were packed..

“Not as popular as expected” would be a better way of wording both lands pull.

 

[flynnibus]

Plus I think I read somewhere that they're already "booked" for 3 years out... to not finish it now would be leaving that money on the table.

This must be their travel agent...

 

[doctornick]

Star Wars popularity hasn't waned. Once the 'lands' were truly complete, they were packed. The upsale merchandise was going gangbusters. The latest trilogy were still billion dollar box offices. The final season of Clone Wars had social media buzz.

I think it is reasonable to conclude that Star Wars' popularity has diminished a bit in recent years, while also acknowledging that it remains extremely popular and still generates a lot of attention and revenue. I mean, when an "unpopular" movie still comfortably makes over a billion dollars worldwide, it is hard to argue that said property isn't very popular even if that is less than it might have potentially made.

Regarding Starcruiser - there is still a huge market for this and I would expect bookings to be numerous when it opens. Though I do think it would make sense to change the premise to an OT setting (even though it would be somewhat incongruous with any excursion to Batuu).