News Star Wars: Galactic Starcruiser Permanently Closed Fall 2023

[Tha Realest]

I hate that the Starcruiser failed and I want to see Disney invest more in the greater Galaxy's Edge experience.

But Star Wars line dancing just so perfectly encapsulates what the Starcruiser got wrong from an experiential perspective.

I feel bad for those who worked there (it sounds like it was a great experience) and feel bad for those who really enjoyed it.

In terms of contentment with it failing, I am generally happy. There’s a dismaying trend to put this kind of thing behind exorbitant paywalls, and believe the Galaxy’s Edge experience suffered as a result. All of the what people praise SWGS for - it’s immersiveness, liveliness, an out of this world dining experience - is what’s noticeably lacking in SWGE.

If this had succeeded I fear we’d see more attention and focus on delivering these sorts of experiences to families willing to pony up $6K for two days.

 

[Wendy Pleakley]

I hate that the Starcruiser failed and I want to see Disney invest more in the greater Galaxy's Edge experience.

But Star Wars line dancing just so perfectly encapsulates what the Starcruiser got wrong from an experiential perspective.

Was line dancing a key component of your cruise?

Was it really something that had a strong negative impact when you did the Starcruiser?

 

[twilight mitsuk]

what will happen to the box trucks?

 

[Brian]

what will happen to the box trucks?

Tiana purchased them to use for her 1920s salt mine co-op.

 

[No Name]

This thing would’ve made around $100 million in revenue a year if sold out each night. I feel like there’s no reason they shouldn’t be able to charge 1/4 of what they were and still make a profit.

 

[MagicHappens1971]

This hotel would’ve made around $200 million in revenue a year if sold out each night. I feel like there’s no reason they shouldn’t be able to charge 1/4 of what they were and still make a profit.

It wasn’t a hotel……


The operating costs were astronomical. It had the crew of a broadway type show, a much higher crew (CM) to passenger (guest) ratio than most other resorts to preserve the experience, as well as the myriad of other costs involved in operating this very unique experience.

 

[No Name]

It wasn’t a hotel……

Sure, I changed it.

The operating costs were astronomical. It had the crew of a broadway type show, a much higher crew (CM) to passenger (guest) ratio than most other resorts to preserve the experience, as well as the myriad of other costs involved in operating this very unique experience.

That’s fine to try out, even if it’s still nuts, but when it doesn’t work, there has to be an appealing version of this thing that requires far less than 500+ employees.

 

[MagicHappens1971]

Sure, I changed it.


That’s fine to try out, even if it’s still nuts, but when it doesn’t work, there has to be an appealing version of this thing that requires far less than 500+ employees.

I don’t think it had 500+ employees, but probably north of 200.

 

[No Name]

I don’t think it had 500+ employees, but probably north of 200.

200 employees, making a generous average of $100K a year, would be only $20 million in labor costs per year. If they cut the price to $500 per person, instead of $1500-$2500, and sold 90% of the rooms, they would’ve made $40 million in revenue. Either their labor is way higher than that or they have the worst utilities ever.

The math doesn’t math.

 

[JoeCamel]

That’s fine to try out, even if it’s still nuts, but when it doesn’t work, there has to be an appealing version of this thing that requires far less than 500+ employees.

Before anything is "tried out" in the Disneyverse the numbers have to support it. With the staffing costs to present any kind of experience that is worthy of "Star Wars" this place just doesn't add up so no money would be put toward development of your wish to try it out.

 

[JoeCamel]

200 employees, making a generous average of $100K a year, would be only $20 million in labor costs per year. If they cut the price to $500 per person, instead of $1500-$2500, and sold 90% of the rooms, they would’ve made $40 million in revenue. Either their labor is way higher than that or they have the worst utilities ever.

The math doesn’t math.

The math is they sunk a lot more into building this place and 40M a year isn't a RoI that they can stomach

 

[No Name]

The math is they sunk a lot more into building this place and 40M a year isn't a RoI that they can stomach

Making a small profit is better than shuttering the place.

Before anything is "tried out" in the Disneyverse the numbers have to support it.

I’d be curious to see anyone here do the math to show it doesn’t work.

 

[MagicHappens1971]

200 employees, making a generous average of $100K a year, would be only $20 million in labor costs per year. If they cut the price to $500 per person, instead of $1500-$2500, and sold 90% of the rooms, they would’ve made $40 million in revenue. Either their labor is way higher than that or they have the worst utilities ever.

The math doesn’t math.

It’s hard to do the math.

You have

The Passenger Services Crew: Roughly 80 People (95% CP Labor)

Food & Bev FOH Staff: Roughly 50

Food & Bev BOH Staff: North of 50

Entertainment: Roughly 3 performers for each (face character), I’d say there’s probably 15-20 people there, plus “Fur” characters, like Oouani, the Troopers, Chewbacca, etc (they share some of these performers with HS)

Entertainment (Behind the Scenes): North of 50 people, working in props, “Mission Control”, etc.

This does not account for the “leaders”, F&B/Merch has ~5 leaders + a department head, Passenger Services has ~3 leaders + a department head, Housekeeping/Custodial has ~3 leaders + a department head, and then Entertainment has leaders and several show directors, plus a department head.

They were probably spending north of a 800k+/yearly just in leader salary

 

[JoeCamel]

Making a small profit is better than shuttering the place.

Not in the corporate world, a small ROI is poor use of company funds when you can make more elsewhere. This company has a mandated 10% YoY growth, the word comes down from on top and is up to the managers to find that increase or face scrutiny every quarter and maybe changes for someone who can produce that return.

 

[No Name]

It’s hard to do the math.

Yeah it’s hard to do the math and I guess at the end of the day Disney decided that it wasn’t working, even if I don’t see how that adds up to more than $25 million or so in labor costs.

Not in the corporate world, a small ROI is poor use of company funds when you can make more elsewhere.

That’s just not true at all and some international parks wouldn’t exist if that were the case.

 

[JoeCamel]

That’s just not true at all and some international parks wouldn’t exist if that were the case.

WDW is the corporate cash cow, this is how it works in the world

 

[No Name]

WDW is the corporate cash cow, this is how it works in the world

I think you’re purposely not addressing the point.

 

[Nubs70]

That’s just not true at all and some international parks wouldn’t exist if that were the case.

It is absolutely true.

If you have $1 of OPEX to spend on Enterprise A at 3% ROCE or Enterprise B at 20% ROCE, where do you put your money?

 

[LSLS]

I hate that the Starcruiser failed and I want to see Disney invest more in the greater Galaxy's Edge experience.

But Star Wars line dancing just so perfectly encapsulates what the Starcruiser got wrong from an experiential perspective.

I kind of agree, but for probably different reasons. Had this been been built to feel like a cruise, I think it works just fine. I will forever say the issue is they made it a role playing adventure as opposed to a cruise on a cruise ship through space.

 

[larryz]

No.