News Star Wars Galactic Starcruiser coming to Walt Disney World 2021

[_caleb]

Nothing makes my day like the news of another Disney disaster/failure/set-back.

Literally, nothing? How sad.

 

[Mickey's Pal]

I'm interested to hear what the source of "some voyages are only at 25%."

I don't deny that that may be the case.

And it's clear they aren't filling up like they used to.

BUT... how many voyages are only at 25%? Are ten percent of voyages at 25%? Fifty percent? Ninety percent?

If one doesn't know the answer to that question, then one doesn't know exactly how the Starcruiser is doing financially.

If a cruise is only 25% filled, that's $125,000 for the two nights. Is that enough to make that cruise profitable? And if it isn't, what about all the two-night cruises that are only 50% filled? That's $250,000 per cruise. Is that enough to make that cruise profitable?

I don't know. I doubt anyone here knows.

It was reported on another website with WDW in the title that posts news. I think you can figure out which one from that.

 

[Mickey's Pal]

I don’t understand the utter glee people are expressing over the announced canceled dates. Disney is trying something new/different. Even if you don’t particularly like what they’re trying or how they’re going about it, don’t you want them to keep trying new things?

Because it is a wonderful feeling being right! And I want to revel in the failure of the Disney Galactic Star Cruiser Hotel - a misbegotten, ill-conceived disaster that I knew would fail from the start, and now we see that failure playing out in real time.

Disney loves to put a happy spin on stories like this, but for once there is simply is no way to spin this. It's a disaster for Disney and Lucasfilm and once again proves the point that when you launch a Star Wars attraction- you'd better put some Star Wars into it.

Kennedy's Star Wars, isn't Star Wars and until they make these Star Wars attractions actually resemble George Lucas' Star Wars, they're DOOMED to fail because you can't put lipstick on a pig to make it kissable and REAL Star Wars fans don't want to kiss this pig of a resort.

This decline in bookings for the hotel reflects a larger decline of interest of Star Wars under Kathleen Kennedy. John Favreau and Dave Filoni do what they can but Kennedy is a millstone around Star Wars' neck and it is spiraling down to the bottom. This is proof that the brand is not 'ever green' to use Disney's own words and that the franchise has been tarnished by the relentless failures of Kathleen Kennedy and whenever a company pays for abusing a franchise, an angel gets its wings.

 

[EPCOT-O.G.]

As far as revenue goes…I can tell you that 20 years ago a Moderate down the road would generate around 200,000 in revenue per night. A deluxe would generate that or slightly more a night.

It’s actually math…$100 a night x 2000 rooms equals $200,000.
Yep…I’m talking caribbean ( and Dixie and Coronado at that time)

So much larger overhead…and that revenue didn’t make “profit” anyway…

But 20 years ago.

As far as how booked the thing is now? We don’t know and they won’t tell us.

So the most logical sitch is that they were running between 25 and 75% each block…and closed down the slow ones and shunted whoever booked them into the big block to get it to 90% if they can. That means 0% midweek and maybe 80% on the weekends. Totally occupancy probably 50-60% at most at those times?

My amazing experience knowing inventory control, revenue control, wdw ops and specifically resort ops allows me to get in the ballpark.

But don’t tell LuvGoof or I’ll get lectured for having the audacity of experience

But there’s no definitive number. So 90% every day and they really are closing to paint fingerprints off the walls is a stance one can take

As is it’s 10-25% and flat 6 months out and they’ll have to fake the fire Marshall shutting it down to save face.

We don’t know. Signs aren’t good. And that’s just because I was a CM above frontline 25 years ago talking…which is worthless.

Conceptually Disney considers this a cruise experience on land (in space). Cruise experiences are high fixed cost enterprises, and rely on very high sustained occupancy to remain profitable.

If All Star Music is having trouble filling rooms, they can take an entire bank of rooms offline and scuttle housekeeping for a time. If just a dozen rooms (out of a hundred) are booked, much of the full show and experience must still go on.

If the cruise line is looking ahead and thinks it won’t even get close to profitability for a certain sailing, they’d likely cancel it and shift the customers to other cruises (to stem the losses they’d take on that very undersold sailing).

 

[MisterPenguin]

This reminds me of all the partying and high-fiving and rejoicing over the past seven years. Even with Doomcork on his channel doing a little jig.

All over the news that Kathleen Kennedy was about to be fired.

About to be fired for the past seven years.

Keep the party going!

 

[GimpYancIent]

Let's see when this (not a matter of if) Star Cruiser goes into dry dock, mothballs or scrapyard. Initial indicators are not looking good.

 

[Animaniac93-98]

Conceptually Disney considers this a cruise experience on land (in space). Cruise experiences are high fixed cost enterprises, and rely on very high sustained occupancy to remain profitable.

If All Star Music is having trouble filling rooms, they can take an entire bank of rooms offline and scuttle housekeeping for a time. If just a dozen rooms (out of a hundred) are booked, much of the full show and experience must still go on.

If the cruise line is looking ahead and thinks it won’t even get close to profitability for a certain sailing, they’d likely cancel it and shift the customers to other cruises (to stem the losses they’d take on that very undersold sailing).

I wouldn't be surprised if the Starcruiser has a tighter operating margin than we think.

There's comparatively few rooms to support the amount of staff and resources this takes to run.

Not surprised they'd want to cancel bookings that are only a 1/4 full. Is that even 50 rooms?

 

[Sirwalterraleigh]

Conceptually Disney considers this a cruise experience on land (in space). Cruise experiences are high fixed cost enterprises, and rely on very high sustained occupancy to remain profitable.

If All Star Music is having trouble filling rooms, they can take an entire bank of rooms offline and scuttle housekeeping for a time. If just a dozen rooms (out of a hundred) are booked, much of the full show and experience must still go on.

If the cruise line is looking ahead and thinks it won’t even get close to profitability for a certain sailing, they’d likely cancel it and shift the customers to other cruises (to stem the losses they’d take on that very undersold sailing).

Correct…

Low occupancy protocols. They did that for 2 years of Covid and at times during travel slows prior

You clear entire lodge units/wings/floors off the rack and reduce your overhead on them.

But it appears like it’s the oppo of what it is. You see people on threads asking “why is there no rooms on 12/6?!? ”
Because they’re not opening some for a slow trickle of people to book them. It’s deemed not worth it. Mostly labor…always understaffed and don’t want to deal with it. It makes sense.

Can’t do that here with the rooms and “performance” staff. They have to be all open or shut.

And since this was badly conceived/designed/priced…here we are.

 

[EPCOT-O.G.]

Correct…

Low occupancy protocols. They did that did 2 years of Covid and at times during travel slows prior

You clear entire lodge units/wings/floors off the rack and reduce your overhead on them.

But it appears like it’s the oppo of what it is. You see people on threads asking “why is there no rooms on 12/6?!? ”
Because they’re not opening some for a slow trickle of people to book them. It’s deemed not worth it. Mostly labor…always understaffed and don’t want to deal with it. It makes sense.

Can’t do that here with the rooms and “performance” staff. They have to be all open or shut.

And since this was badly conceived/designed/priced…here we are.

And since WDI is apparently run by 24 year old Iowa Writer’s Workshop grads who overcomplicate story with no one asking “Is this going to be fun?” this thing is stuffed with interconnected side quests and a main narrative that would be difficult to decouple.

 

[Sirwalterraleigh]

I wouldn't be surprised if the Starcruiser has a tighter operating margin than we think.

There's comparatively few rooms to support the amount of staff and resources this takes to run.

Not surprised they'd want to cancel bookings that are only a 1/4 full. Is that even 50 rooms?

It’s 101% likely there isn’t much profit here…I fully believed they had convinced themselves that the prices would go up and so would the margins.

Because the bobs are clueless about Star Wars mostly…hell…they even can’t hold their crap together on overusing baby yoda.

But back to the intergalactic cell block…
Resort profit is not generated by room fees or a bar that’s open 4 hours a day
…it’s generated by VOLUME of getting people in the parks to go buy merch. Merch is almost all profit. It’s the model and it wasn’t broken.

Remember that “exclusive” merch? $150 shirts and what not…notice they’ve Been trying to dump it on the app since day 1? And I admit I’ve only been in the parks about 15 days since it opened…and spent maybe 1.5 hours in the land…but it was loaded with that junk too.

Oh, Bobs…nobody can resist your oil

I say it 50 times a week - till I’m blue in the face - because it’s the model.

It’s not this stupid “they’re luxury now” bunk that Bob flung and stuperman repeats…actually all our superhero’s/villains around here do

This isn’t raking any cash. Corp wouldn’t have had whatever twit is wdw pres start doing limited shutdowns If it where. With the kind of heat they’re getting and money drying up for travel? Please…let’s not ignore the obvious. If it was in the black…they wouldn’t be doing this.

 

[Sirwalterraleigh]

And since WDI is apparently run by 24 year old Iowa Writer’s Workshop grads who overcomplicate story with no one asking “Is this going to be fun?” this thing is stuffed with interconnected side quests and a main narrative that would be difficult to decouple.

As I’ve stated…I intentionally didn’t go on Al Gores internet and look up the minute by minute synopse

But from what I gathered…it’s interconnect but flat. No way to Detangle. I understand why they did it and why it’s off the rails. It was a gamble. Walt doesn’t gamble much.

It seems to be kinda all over the place like the kids quest they stick in the hallways of the great wolf lodge.

I had an insomnia synopse of why I think it would work for potter above…
Certainly more effort and foresight would work for Star Wars and 46 years of backstory. More flowing/compartmentalized.

But that required a better build…more commitment to overhead…and using what put it on the map…
Not Kathy Kennedy’s political statement t-shirts and line dancing.

You tell any sane adult that they have to “space line dance” like they’re at their nieces wedding and the reaction should be universal…no pun intended.

 

[MisterPenguin]

Let's see when this (not a matter of if) Star Cruiser goes into dry dock, mothballs or scrapyard. Initial indicators are not looking good.

Why do all the people who think it is failing or will fail keep skipping over the possibility that rooms will be discounted before it's shut down?

 

[MisterPenguin]

I wouldn't be surprised if the Starcruiser has a tighter operating margin than we think.

There's comparatively few rooms to support the amount of staff and resources this takes to run.

Not surprised they'd want to cancel bookings that are only a 1/4 full. Is that even 50 rooms?

100 rooms. One quarter would be 25 rooms.

On a cruise with only 25 rooms, they revenue would be $125,000. Do you think they spend as much or more than that over the course of two nights?

 

[MisterPenguin]

And since WDI is apparently run by 24 year old Iowa Writer’s Workshop grads who overcomplicate story with no one asking “Is this going to be fun?” this thing is stuffed with interconnected side quests and a main narrative that would be difficult to decouple.

When this started, we were posting dozens of dozens of videos of people documenting their experience and others evaluating it. They were overwhelmingly positive.

Where is your evidence that guests are left confused and unsatisfied?

You can't gaslight us that it's a terrible experience the face of loads of people saying the loved it and are doing multiple cruises.

 

[Sirwalterraleigh]

Why do all the people who think it is failing or will fail keep skipping over the possibility that rooms will be discounted before it's shut down?

People think it’s failing because it’s being blocked in the middle of the summer a year after it opened.

Not a mystery. Doesn’t mean it will close or they won’t find a more acceptable midway price point.

But this isn’t hard to follow why the conversation is what it is right now.

And I know I’m the only kook that thinks it - but Disneys Star Wars is not popular and has no legs overall. They did it. Until there are any entertainment or business indicators to suggest otherwise…that’s the line. I will gladly stand corrected when they pull the franchise - all of it - above the waterline. It’s possible…get better analysts and management.

This experiment in Orlando is tied to the IP. That’s why they are having issues.

 

[EPCOT-O.G.]

When this started, we were posting dozens of dozens of videos of people documenting their experience and others evaluating it. They were overwhelmingly positive.

Where is your evidence that guests are left confused and unsatisfied?

You can't gaslight us that it's a terrible experience the face of loads of people saying the loved it and are doing multiple cruises.

You’re missing the point of my response. Whether whoever went enjoyed it is immaterial to whether it’s 1) profitable to continue doing this at 25% occupancy and 2) whether rhe complexity of the interconnected narratives can easily adjust/cut down on those experiences to adjust the fixed costs given reduced interest/occupancy.

It could very well be a great experience. If it’s not sustainably profitable it won’t continue to exist

 

[Sirwalterraleigh]

When this started, we were posting dozens of dozens of videos of people documenting their experience and others evaluating it. They were overwhelmingly positive.

Were those the vloggers, the D23 attendees, or the people with 6 dvc contracts with 2,100 points?

…just want to make sure what massive sea of potential customers I’m swimming in before I get my bathing suit on?

 

[EPCOT-O.G.]

Why do all the people who think it is failing or will fail keep skipping over the possibility that rooms will be discounted before it's shut down?

Just so we’re clear on all of this, by what metric(s) would you consider this a failure?

HarmoniUs, Superstar Limo, Rocket Rods are generally considered some of the most significant (and costly) failures in WDW history, and those lasted 1-2 years.

To date, Disney has not shuttered a resort. Ever. Or mothballed a cruise ship.

 

[UNCgolf]

100 rooms. One quarter would be 25 rooms.

On a cruise with only 25 rooms, they revenue would be $125,000. Do you think they spend as much or more than that over the course of two nights?

I'm guessing part of it is the potential for a diminished experience. It's not designed for such a small number of guests (I imagine it would feel pretty lifeless in places), and they don't want people to come away disappointed and spread bad reviews.

There are probably operational issues too, though. Not that I think they'd spend more than $125,000 over two nights, but it could lower the margins enough to not be worth running. Why make $30k on two separate cruises when you could combine those people into one and make $80k? The costs are probably fixed (for the most part) regardless of how many people are actually booked.

 

[EPCOT-O.G.]

I'm guessing part of it is the potential for a diminished experience. It's not designed for such a small number of guests (I imagine it would feel pretty lifeless in places), and they don't want people to come away disappointed and spread bad reviews.

There are probably operational issues too, though. Not that I think they'd spend more than $125,000 over two nights, but it could lower the margins enough to not be worth running. Why make $30k on two separate cruises when you could combine those people into one and make $80k? The costs are probably fixed (for the most part) regardless of how many people are actually booked.

Maybe. I’m not sure how the performance contracts are structured, or their ability to retain that talent / food service folks when their “shows” are cut in half or the tips/gratuities are diminished by a similar amount.