Star Wars All-Inclusive "Star Ship" Resort?

[ford91exploder]

I think you'll see more folks with that 'tude as the years move on. Same with Marvel fans.

Disney doesn't ever get that less can be more.

Unless its removing attractions and entertainment in the parks in that case Disney feels is less is more (Margin that is)

 

[EOD K9]

So, will the guests be provided robes, imperial uniforms, etc to stay immersed? I want to be immersed but don't really know if I want to pretend to be a part of it if that makes sense. I'm truly interested as SW and I have the same birthday.

 

[OvertheFalls]

So if they don't value engineer the crap out of this we are looking at a star wars meets west world type of experience most likely with a direct second gate connection to SWL maintaining theme along the way. I see everyone complaining that this would be expensive at $500 a night but honestly this would still be a stellar experience at $1000 a night and I'd do it in a heart beat.

The thing is Star wars is a lot like Harry potter but the difference is there are several generations of people who grew up with the franchise and have been dedicated fans for 40+ years in some cases whereas Harry potter is a relatively new phenomenon and is only 15 or so years old. Basically what I'm getting at here is if disney plays their cards right and chooses NOT to value engineer this experience they will have to buy armored trucks to haul all the cash they are going to rake in.

Not debating Harry Potter is as big as Star Wars because it is not. Harry Potter as a whole however did start 20 years ago with the first book, you can't count the start of the success with the first movie.

 

[Maerj]

I usually stay at one of the Value Resorts when I visit, generally Pop Century. I'm pretty frugal and since you're just
sleeping there, I don't stay at the more expensive places. But if they're building a Star Wars starship of some kind with interactive experiences like they're describing, I'm gonna start saving up my money now! I wince at the thought of spending that much but its Star Wars!

 

[MisterPenguin]

$2100 gets me 6d/7n all inclusive for 2 in the Dominican. Flight included.

Yeah, but their IP is Beach Blanket Bingo and you can only play Annette or Frankie.

 

[Uncle Lupe]

I could see the extensive use of the virtual windows to keep you immersed.

I am defiantly not the market for this experience but people already spend big money to cosplay. So why not have a themed place to live out a fantasy. Is there going to be a wedding pavillion?

Keeping this filled with characters or extras would be a challange. How long before those budgets are cut? Looking at the new Fallon ride the live entertainment portion is neat but not needed. With this adventure it will be critical for execution or the place better be built to stand on its own after the dust settles to accommodate average guests.

 

[MisterPenguin]

I don't know how deep the story line will wind up being, but, as a card carrying nerd, I've attended GenCon, the big role-playing convention, and have participated and help run large scale, multiple day role-playing games which have multiple story lines, staged events, and lots of improv and role-playing. I doubt they'll go the route of giving everyone a character with adjudicated interactions (i.e., battles), but they can make it a lot like a murder-mystery party or an escape room. They can set up stations to interact with (like Sorcerers, but only with droids) that tell a story or three.

 

[MisterPenguin]

Keeping this filled with characters or extras would be a challange. How long before those budgets are cut?

The SW Resort is pretty self contained entity. This is in contrast to something like SWL, which is just one small part of a park system where it is pretty darned difficult to determine the value of an attraction or a land compared to all the other attractions, lands, and parks. Because any multi-day ticket or AP can be used at any park, it's hard to figure out the worth of each part of the whole system. And so, if the parks budget needs cutting... everything gets a cut.

But for the SW Resort, WDW will know exactly how much revenue it brings in and how much expense it costs to run.

And if it's not profitable enough, whatever metric that may be, this is an elite experience... they won't cut the budget, they'll raise the price.

 

[Chef Mickey]

I use to like star wars, before disney started milking the life out of it.

Should they buy it and not try to make money? "Milking" it is relative and you can always choose not to buy what they are pushing.

 

[Casper Gutman]

So let's get nerdy - this would have to be set during the prequels, correct? It certainly wouldn't be set during the original trilogy ("You get to role-play as obedient citizens of an oppressive totalitarian regime!" Fun). I suppose it could be after the fall of the Emporer, but the images have a slick, clean look more in line with the PT then what we have seen in the third trilogy.

 

[Chef Mickey]

Do you think the Poly or the CR deserve a $500 rate? They get it because of either theming and/or the monorail. Their rooms aren't unique or special. The half of CBR that is being redeveloped is being removed. You have a new tower with a gondola stop. This could easily command a deluxe resort rate and most likely will with or without a Star Wars overlay.

People that focus on the rooms at resorts like Poly or Contemporary miss the most important thing and the reason they are $500/night....location.

Think of hotels like real estate. You're paying to basically be inside the Magic Kingdom and there isn't anything wrong with that.

 

[Casper Gutman]

Should they buy it and not try to make money? "Milking" it is relative and you can always choose not to buy what they are pushing.

Hey, I was being sincere. I want more SW lands (that should have been the plan from the start) and a more standard SW hotel. If this LARP thingy is instead of one of those, I shake my fist impotently at it.

And over-milking (that sounds unpleasant) can be a problem if it turns your audience against a property - I think Frozen has hit that point. Managing one of these big franchises isn't easy, and if we exclude the theme parks (where they are oddly incompetent) Disney has been excellent at it with SW and particularly Marvel.

 

[Casper Gutman]

People that focus on the rooms at resorts like Poly or Contemporary miss the most important thing and the reason they are $500/night....location.

Think of hotels like real estate. You're paying to basically be inside the Magic Kingdom and there isn't anything wrong with that.

Nah, the rooms at those hotels are grossly overpriced by almost any metric.

Look at it this way - they were expensive but reasonable for what they were back in the 90s. Now - look how the prices have skyrocketed ahead of inflation and ask whether improvements in the MK (or in the hotels themselves) have warranted those price increases. The modern prices are insulting.

Now, the Universal hotels... nah, back to Star Wars.

What's gonna happen when people want to bring their own costumes? And are they going to get annoyed if I wear my Hufflepuff robes and keep looking for Voldemort? ("Sir, please stop asking that droid when Mr. Spock is going to show up with the One Ring")

 

[alphac2005]

When you read how 60% of Americans have less than $1000 in savings and only 1/3 of employees invest in 401k plans, it's a microcosm of how screwed up things are today. We keep getting people paying for "experiences" and resorts that they simply can't afford at WDW. Anyone justifying any of the potential pricing scheme in the thread are simply kidding themselves.

 

[flynnibus]

And that appeals to a certain segment of the audience, not all, which at those pricing levels is perfectly OK to DIS.

Same can be said of many offerings at the resort. Doesnt have to be universal to be liked enough to be worthwhile

 

[DisneyDaver]

I'll put it this ways. I'm looking at an early June vacation with my wife and two kids. I was looking at 8 night stay in 3 hotels in Costa Rica. From the ocean up into the mountains. With air flight out of Orlando, an SUV for the 8 days and free breakfast at all the hotels, it comes to $3600. Add in other meals and activities I'm looking at probably $1500. Most of the attractions where I want to go are free, hiking etc. Volcanoes, hot springs, jungle, lots of wild life, true tropical environment along with the usefulness of showing the kids what things look like outside of the US. Also I'm sure we'll enjoy ourselves. Maybe I'll get to fight a street monkey? Maybe we'll get attacked by giant jungle bugs? Never know what fun a waits on these tours.

For $5,000 I choose Costa Rica hands down.

When you bring the whole family along you do have to think about bang for the buck.

You and your family will likely have a blast. I spent 8 nights in Costa Rica (4 by the Arenal volcano and 4 at the beach on the Pacific Ocean side) and loved it! That said, if I had my choice of going back to Costa Rica or staying at this possible Star Wars resort, I'm choosing the Star Wars resort.

 

[DisneyDaver]

People that focus on the rooms at resorts like Poly or Contemporary miss the most important thing and the reason they are $500/night....location.

Think of hotels like real estate. You're paying to basically be inside the Magic Kingdom and there isn't anything wrong with that.

Agreed. An hour of transportation time saved has a lot of value to some people. Other don't see it because they don't place the same dollar value on time savings. For work reasons, my WDW vacations these days are never more than 4 or 5 nights so I always stay at a deluxe. Years ago, when I could go to WDW for 8 nights, I was fine staying a value because time savings had less value in an 8 night stay.

 

[I am Timmy]

Hmm. It'd be like a 2-day "Star Trek: The Experience" that used to run at the Las Vegas Hilton. Key words: used to.

Been there. Totally awesome.

 

[I am Timmy]

It is basically attending a special SW only version of Comic Con or the big convention held in O-Town last week. Everything from playing with toys like lightsabers to dressing as characters will be included.

And while some things may well change it was described to me as a 'Star Wars meets DCL on Land' type of experience. ... A bubble within the bubble.

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!

 

[roj2323]

Not debating Harry Potter is as big as Star Wars because it is not. Harry Potter as a whole however did start 20 years ago with the first book, you can't count the start of the success with the first movie.

I don't know that I'd agree with you. How many theme park lands are based solely on a book/s that's never seen the big screen?