Star Wars All-Inclusive "Star Ship" Resort?

[Clowd Nyne]

So the price point feels low to me. If they don't scale back on the list of what is included (the one shared earlier in the thread). I would price the experience higher (especially during the initial demand surge). I feel like there is demand for this at the $1,500-$2,000 per person level.

I feel like this might be more of a PG-13 experience. I would want a PG-13 experience. Anything less and it is just a Jedi Training rehash. Make it for older kids or adults. If they continue to roll out these boutique experiences then there is ample opportunity to cater to young children. Consider if Be Our Guest wasn't a thing but instead they made a hotel experience themed around Beast's castle. Or reimagine PORS to a Princess and the Frog experience.

They have to align stays. so everyone starts and ends together. I feel like if this is the case, then they will have to limit the number of rooms. I can't see 500 people all role playing together simultaneously but maybe I am thinking too small. I also have to believe that guests will be limited in what else they can do while staying at the hotel. You can't have people randomly skipping chapters of the story to go visit AK and come back and demand the actors to catch you up on what is going on. So this really feels like (another) add-on to your vacation. A few days at a different hotel and tickets to the parks and then a 2 day stay (up charge) at the Star Wars hotel.

It said you could observe or contribute to the experience. I like the sound of that. That way the dad who is there to appease his Star Wars fan isn't killing the mood. But I'll be the one living it up to the full.

 

[Disneyhead'71]

While this sort of thing doesn't appeal to me, I too, am thinking the price point is a bit low. $500/night/pp all-inclusive is a really good price if it is anywhere close to "luxury".

 

[Kamikaze]

The pricing isn't out of line with other offerings if you add up the huge amount of amenities. People pay $2000 for a good package at D23 and they sell out in minutes.

Not quite fair. A lot of the Sorcerer's package buyers are only people looking to get the Limited Edition stuff in bulk and resell.

 

[larandtra]

I enjoy Star Wars. Not a huge role play in real life fan. However, I do think this is a brilliant idea that will appeal to a ton of people and I would absolutely do it once just to try it out. And the price tag for it is not really that bad. If anything it is low.

 

[rushtest4echo]

So the price point feels low to me. If they don't scale back on the list of what is included (the one shared earlier in the thread). I would price the experience higher (especially during the initial demand surge). I feel like there is demand for this at the $1,500-$2,000 per person level.

I feel like this might be more of a PG-13 experience. I would want a PG-13 experience. Anything less and it is just a Jedi Training rehash. Make it for older kids or adults. If they continue to roll out these boutique experiences then there is ample opportunity to cater to young children. Consider if Be Our Guest wasn't a thing but instead they made a hotel experience themed around Beast's castle. Or reimagine PORS to a Princess and the Frog experience.

They have to align stays. so everyone starts and ends together. I feel like if this is the case, then they will have to limit the number of rooms. I can't see 500 people all role playing together simultaneously but maybe I am thinking too small. I also have to believe that guests will be limited in what else they can do while staying at the hotel. You can't have people randomly skipping chapters of the story to go visit AK and come back and demand the actors to catch you up on what is going on. So this really feels like (another) add-on to your vacation. A few days at a different hotel and tickets to the parks and then a 2 day stay (up charge) at the Star Wars hotel.

Disney is obviously going to have to stagger the timing in order to keep everyone occupied. I feel like overlapping stories is going to be necessary for that reason alone. If it's 500 rooms, then you've got something like 250 groups of people each day, which translates to 25 groups per hour over 10 hours with each experience. If those groups average 3 people, that means you really only need about 75 people an hour for each experience if it's all timed and staggered. There will of course be communal things like the EMH and meals. Still, I don't see where the issue would be if they really can keep everything scheduled properly enough. I'm sure some of the posters here are going to lose their minds over how "planned" a lot of this is going to need to be- but it's just necessary for this level of storytelling vs. throughput. Maybe they'll keep the next destination/experience a secret and manage it based on "hotspots" much like Agent P and Sorcerers of the Magic Kingdom but on a larger scale that spans the hotel and the land.

 

[CaptainAmerica]

The more I read about this, the more skeptical I become. I'm not sure whether I'm skeptical of the rumor or if I believe the rumor but I'm skeptical of how it's going to work out.

It doesn't seem like this type of thing fits with a Walt Disney World vacation. It seems like this experience would be very intensive for two days, meaning there's not a lot of time to do anything else. What's Disney's plan to capture those guests for the rest of the week so this doesn't become a bunch of people downgrading from a six night trip to a two night trip? I don't think they can bank on people doing this PLUS another four nights at a "normal" resort to complete a week. I get that the margins are better on this "premium" experience, but even if they're getting a much higher per capita room rate, they're losing four days of food and beverage, merch, parking, and theme park tickets.

 

[Kamikaze]

I'm confused on how the pricing would work. So, let's say it's $1,000 per person across the board. Does each person get their own room, even if they came with family? Or is it $1,000 per person regardless of how many people are staying in each room? Because technically, friends can normally all stay in one room to save on a trip under normal circumstances, and families pay the same rate for a room that a couple does. Does this make sense? With this deal, sounds like everyone could get their own room if they wanted - we could take up four rooms instead of one!

Prices are most likely based on double occupancy.

 

[rushtest4echo]

Not quite fair. A lot of the Sorcerer's package buyers are only people looking to get the Limited Edition stuff in bulk and resell.

You're right, but people are spending hundreds a day even at base level if they're not locals (meals, hotel, paying for the event, buying merch, and even visiting the parks). If anything I'd think those people get far less for that price then what's going to be offered here (if it gets built, and if that pricing is accurate).

 

[Kamikaze]

The more I read about this, the more skeptical I become. I'm not sure whether I'm skeptical of the rumor or if I believe the rumor but I'm skeptical of how it's going to work out.

It doesn't seem like this type of thing fits with a Walt Disney World vacation. It seems like this experience would be very intensive for two days, meaning there's not a lot of time to do anything else. What's Disney's plan to capture those guests for the rest of the week so this doesn't become a bunch of people downgrading from a six night trip to a two night trip? I don't think they can bank on people doing this PLUS another four nights at a "normal" resort to complete a week. I get that the margins are better on this "premium" experience, but even if they're getting a much higher per capita room rate, they're losing four days of food and beverage, merch, parking, and theme park tickets.

Yes, that would be exactly the idea. Two nights of this and another stay at another resort. It of course brings up the issue about pricing with hoppers and multi-day passes, but if this is what is according to the survey, it would be something where you do it in addition to your other days at WDW.

 

[CaptainAmerica]

Yes, that would be exactly the idea. Two nights of this and another stay at another resort. It of course brings up the issue about pricing with hoppers and multi-day passes, but if this is what is according to the survey, it would be something where you do it in addition to your other days at WDW.

Hm, I wonder how Disney would do on me. I'm normally an Animal Kingdom Lodge guest. I'd definitely consider this experience but it would result in downgrading the rest of my trip to Pop Century. Based on rough math, this "premium" experience would actually make me a less profitable guest.

 

[Kamikaze]

Hm, I wonder how Disney would do on me. I'm normally an Animal Kingdom Lodge guest. I'd definitely consider this experience but it would result in downgrading the rest of my trip to Pop Century. Based on rough math, this "premium" experience would actually make me a less profitable guest.

They aren't going to try and bring guests down for a two day stay when their marketing for many, many years has been four days or longer. Even at high markups, they would make much more money on someone staying four or five days at a regular resort than two here.

You're looking at it from your end - with a budget of $X and wanting to stay for Y days. And yes, they make more money on a AKL room than Pop. The room is basically the same for them to operate day-to-day after all. But if you're staying at AKL which can get up to $500+/night for a studio anyway, they are making less money already, since that $500 isn't all-inclusive. Which again means that obviously the quoted rates are for double occupancy, meaning the rooms here will actually be $1000 a night, so $2000 for 2 people for 2 nights.

Disney would look at it from a pure number perspective. If they make $Z on the $2000, how many days do they need the person to stay additionally to make more money overall. We don't know the dollar amount per day Disney assigns to a guest, so its just guessing from there.

 

[peter11435]

Prices are most likely based on double occupancy.

I imagine this is correct. Much like a cruise prices. could be higher for guests traveling alone and lower for additional guests in the same room.

 

[CaptainAmerica]

Which again means that obviously the quoted rates are for double occupancy, meaning the rooms here will actually be $1000 a night, so $2000 for 2 people for 2 nights.

Even then.

Animal Kingdom Lodge, 8 nights @ $500 per night = $4,000
Star Wars, 2 nights @ $1,000 per night plus Pop Century, 6 nights @ $175 per night = $3,050 PLUS they have to feed me for two nights

They don't win on this. They're going to cannibalize their own Deluxe Resort guests, and this analysis doesn't even consider the people who skip the rest of the trip entirely due to the high cost of the Star Wars experience. Incremental revenue would need to be made up with people who weren't going to visit at all but are drawn to Orlando specifically for the Star Wars thing, but Disney doesn't have anywhere to put those people. Resorts are at 90%+ occupancy, meaning there's no availability for the Star Wars guests to stay once their Star Wars experience is done.

 

[Kamikaze]

Even then.

Animal Kingdom Lodge, 8 nights @ $500 per night = $4,000
Star Wars, 2 nights @ $1,000 per night plus Pop Century, 6 nights @ $175 per night = $3,050 PLUS they have to feed me for two nights

They don't win on this. They're going to cannibalize their own Deluxe Resort guests, and this analysis doesn't even consider the people who skip the rest of the trip entirely due to the high cost of the Star Wars experience.

Thats only if you're normally a Deluxe guest and would be willing to drop to a value. I'm sure they have information on what percentage of guests do that.

I don't think many people will go down for a two day trip, especially if it means both days are spent in a single park (one day at DHS and another only at the resort).

I don't (often) stay at Deluxes. Mods for me. But I'd stay here.

 

[CaptainAmerica]

Thats only if you're normally a Deluxe guest and would be willing to drop to a value. I'm sure they have information on what percentage of guests do that.

I edited my post to address some of the other types of guests.

I just think this answers the wrong "problem." With current occupancy rates where they are, I think Disney needs volume, i.e. heads-in-beds.

 

[rushtest4echo]

Even then.

Animal Kingdom Lodge, 8 nights @ $500 per night = $4,000
Star Wars, 2 nights @ $1,000 per night plus Pop Century, 6 nights @ $175 per night = $3,050 PLUS they have to feed me for two nights

They don't win on this. They're going to cannibalize their own Deluxe Resort guests, and this analysis doesn't even consider the people who skip the rest of the trip entirely due to the high cost of the Star Wars experience.

You're assuming that everyone's going to have a fixed budget and a fixed visiting schedule. If this experience adds a day to the average visit (seems inevitable), and that extra day results in even higher margins ($500 per guest per day) then that's just a massive win for Disney. If people who have done the Potter stuff at Universal (or even haven't) say "well I have 7 days in Orlando and I was planning on doing two days at Universal with a stay at their hotel, but now with Star Wars I think we'll stay at WDW and skip Universal"- Disney wins all over the place if even a few hundred people a day are making decisions like that.

And frankly, if this experience is only limited to say 500 groups (maybe 1500 guests) per day, there's a built in demand for tens of thousands of Star Wars nerds that just might plan a WDW vacation that they weren't planning on doing just to see the land. An experience like this might be a tipping point for a significant number of people.

In our household, we aren't saying "jeez, we'll have to cut $2,000 worth of our annual Disney spending to do this new experience". Instead, we're saying "jeez, in addition to all of the cash we already blow on Disney, now it's going to be several thousand dollars more the second that thing opens". Then again, we have to do the same thing whenever Tokyo or even DLR does something big/unique. We don't cut back from our Disney spending, we just spend more. As far as we're concerned, Disney's just finding new ways to shake the loose change from our pockets and we're happy to let them do so if stuff like Pandora and this are being done!

 

[CaptainAmerica]

And frankly, if this experience is only limited to say 500 groups (maybe 1500 guests) per day, there's a built in demand for tens of thousands of Star Wars nerds that just might plan a WDW vacation that they weren't planning on doing just to see the land. An experience like this might be a tipping point for a significant number of people.

Believe me, you don't have to tell me about Star Wars nerds. I'm deep in the Star Wars nerd bubble. Movies, novels, comic books, action figures, LEGO, I'm into all of it. I'll be the first in line for this experience.

In our household, we aren't saying "jeez, we'll have to cut $2,000 worth of our annual Disney spending to do this new experience". Instead, we're saying "jeez, in addition to all of the cash we already blow on Disney, now it's going to be several thousand dollars more the second that thing opens".

Not to get too deep into your family's financial situation or my own, but I don't think most people budget like that. In reality, we know that lots of people don't budget, period, but everyone has a limit. Whether it's an actual fiscally responsible budget or simply running into your credit card limit, something is going to tip the scales. Most people who visit WDW are probably already spending more than they should, and $2,000 for a single experience (plus the kiddos) will be a tough single nut to crack.

 

[Bocabear]

yeah but they are creating a boutique experience...it is not aimed at the average family at all...but those with the income available to do something like this...
The Grand Floridian is not aimed at the average American family, but those with the income available to spend ipwards of $400 for a room...
not everything Disney builds is going to be financially accessable to everyone...

 

[Ripken10]

Believe me, you don't have to tell me about Star Wars nerds. I'm deep in the Star Wars nerd bubble. Movies, novels, comic books, action figures, LEGO, I'm into all of it. I'll be the first in line for this experience.


Not to get too deep into your family's financial situation or my own, but I don't think most people budget like that. In reality, we know that lots of people don't budget, period, but everyone has a limit. Whether it's an actual fiscally responsible budget or simply running into your credit card limit, something is going to tip the scales. Most people who visit WDW are probably already spending more than they should, and $2,000 for a single experience (plus the kiddos) will be a tough single nut to crack.

Have you been reading these posts?!? People from this thread alone look like they could book this hotel just to see it once, and we aren't even getting into the fanbois. I agree with rushtest, there is a huge group of people that will look at a way to ADD this, not SUBSTITUTE, thus spending more at Disney. It is out of my price range, yet I keep thinking about "but I could just try it once" And you know they can also then sell exclusive merchandise to go with it.

 

[CaptainAmerica]

yeah but they are creating a boutique experience...it is not aimed at the average family at all...but those with the income available to do something like this...
The Grand Floridian is not aimed at the average American family, but those with the income available to spend ipwards of $400 for a room...
not everything Disney builds is going to be financially accessable to everyone...

My concern (in terms of whether this makes business sense) isn't that it be affordable to everyone, it's whether the rich people are going to add this on to whatever they're already paying to Disney or if this is going to be a replacement to other sources of revenue that they decide to skip.

Have you been reading these posts?!? People from this thread alone look like they could book this hotel just to see it once, and we aren't even getting into the fanbois. I agree with rushtest, there is a huge group of people that will look at a way to ADD this, not SUBSTITUTE, thus spending more at Disney. It is out of my price range, yet I keep thinking about "but I could just try it once" And you know they can also then sell exclusive merchandise to go with it.

We'll see I guess. As I said, I'm deep in the Star Wars nerd bubble and a lot of the SW fan community is deeply suspicious of Disney and everything they do. I don't know if there are enough hardcore Star Wars + hardcore Disney people to keep this thing full.