News Star Wars: Galactic Starcruiser Permanently Closed Fall 2023

[flynnibus]

Moving it away from WDW and the theme park day would have helped wipe out those who thought of it only as a hotel.

Of course that also means building more of an experience vs leaning on the parks... but that is good too because of driving the need to build something unique and desirable enough.

 

[Dranth]

I think you might want to revisit exactly what happened in the Eisner years…for the first 16 years or so it was full bore ahead on expansion to increase the mass model. We know the ending and how it went south…but the Bob fans often claim there were conditions that simply were not the case.

Bob has “hedged” more than anything…some big tickets…but offset by margin math in most ways

He’s been “timid”…as in “timidity in the parks”…

That phrase might ring a bell?

No need, I know what he did. I was around to see it. Taking off the rose-tinted glasses for a moment...

He built a few half day parks. Built a new park overseas that nearly ruined the company. Had an amazing number of bombs at the box office that were only offset by a ridiculously good run with animation. The same animation studio he tried to shut down more than once and had to be talked out of. He made terrible decisions on senior roles at the company. He jacked ticket prices by a higher percentage over his tenure than Iger. He started selling the parks twice with afterhours parties. The company consistently overshot budgets, and on and on and on.

Obviously he did plenty of great things too and I am not even saying he wasn't better overall (I think he was), and yes, much of his initiatives were mass market, but as I already pointed out before, he had some that weren't. It just seems like people are really putting their blinders on when they try to make it sound like he wasn't doing a lot of the exact same things.

Edited to add: Let's be honest, if someone had brought the idea of the Star Cruiser to Eisner during those years you know full well he would have been all over it. The only thing that may have stopped him would have been the infeasibility of it. They weren't as large of a company then, did not have the cash flow and were not in a place to gamble like they can now.

 

[_caleb]

They weren't as large of a company then, did not have the cash flow and were not in a place to gamble like they can now.

I think this is one thing many fans don’t appreciate as much as they should: Disney takes risks! As fans, should want this!

The safer bets are attraction clones and movie sequels.

Gambles don’t always pay off, but when they do, it can be pretty awesome. And when they don’t, there are hopefully some good lessons learned and used for future successes.

 

[edfhinton]

The solution here is simple: Fewer CM’s, more projections, and more pre-recorded dialogue on screens. Voila!!

Actually, in a few years this might not be that far off. Things like generative AI didn't exist when this was started or in a visible commercial way when it was opened. Use generative AI for automated but engaging conversational automated interactions (D3-09 on steroids), add more roaming and even fixed location droids leveraging it (having more droids on board was one thing they missed and should have had more of than just SK-620), make more use of the absolutely amazing hologram technique used for the Yoda scene when the holocron gets opened, and there is a lot of potential. (That Yoda hologram scene is the best bits of tech magic I have ever scene Disney or anyone else pull off.) I can imagine holographic two way interactions and not just a prerecorded holographic monologue. You can't eliminate live cast entirely and still create the emotional connection that was key to why SWGS was so great, but they likely could scale experiences differently to change the operational cost model through the use of newer tech.

 

[Sirwalterraleigh]

No need, I know what he did. I was around to see it. Taking off the rose-tinted glasses for a moment...

He built a few half day parks. Built a new park overseas that nearly ruined the company. Had an amazing number of bombs at the box office that were only offset by a ridiculously good run with animation. The same animation studio he tried to shut down more than once and had to be talked out of. He made terrible decisions on senior roles at the company. He jacked ticket prices by a higher percentage over his tenure than Iger. He started selling the parks twice with afterhours parties. The company consistently overshot budgets, and on and on and on.

Obviously he did plenty of great things too and I am not even saying he wasn't better overall (I think he was), and yes, much of his initiatives were mass market, but as I already pointed out before, he had some that weren't. It just seems like people are really putting their blinders on when they try to make it sound like he wasn't doing a lot of the exact same things.

Edited to add: Let's be honest, if someone had brought the idea of the Star Cruiser to Eisner during those years you know full well he would have been all over it. The only thing that may have stopped him would have been the infeasibility of it. They weren't as large of a company then, did not have the cash flow and were not in a place to gamble like they can now.

But the point was he tried to still expand and grow the loyal clientele…even with the warts.

We’re not gonna agree here. Those were my days and he needed to go.

But since hasn’t gone like one of those docs big shot Bobby wrote on D+…far from it. Now the curtains are pulled back on the flaws.

 

[celluloid]

No need, I know what he did. I was around to see it. Taking off the rose-tinted glasses for a moment...

He built a few half day parks. Built a new park overseas that nearly ruined the company. Had an amazing number of bombs at the box office that were only offset by a ridiculously good run with animation. The same animation studio he tried to shut down more than once and had to be talked out of. He made terrible decisions on senior roles at the company. He jacked ticket prices by a higher percentage over his tenure than Iger. He started selling the parks twice with afterhours parties. The company consistently overshot budgets, and on and on and on.

Obviously he did plenty of great things too and I am not even saying he wasn't better overall (I think he was), and yes, much of his initiatives were mass market, but as I already pointed out before, he had some that weren't. It just seems like people are really putting their blinders on when they try to make it sound like he wasn't doing a lot of the exact same things.

Edited to add: Let's be honest, if someone had brought the idea of the Star Cruiser to Eisner during those years you know full well he would have been all over it. The only thing that may have stopped him would have been the infeasibility of it. They weren't as large of a company then, did not have the cash flow and were not in a place to gamble like they can now.

His version was The Disney Institute/Disneyquest. Which had more viability potential and did better than this.

If it was not going to work in the Disney Decade, it never was.

The guy was endlessley better for the theme parks, becuase he let the Imagineers at least play the gong show. The quality is astoundingly different and was more frequent with him, even with the Disneyquests and the Disney institutes.

 

[TrainsOfDisney]

It looks like a church basement, when the teen youth group was hosting Sci-Fi Nite. Please see Youth Pastor Jake for tickets.

That’s a little unfair…. To church basements!!!! Haha.

I do think the entire experience as a whole was fun for the people that wanted this kind of experience.

But comparing it to DCL and Concierge level is not a true comparison, the only thing you can really compare it with is the Adventures by Disney tours.

 

[AEfx]

It looks like a church basement, when the teen youth group was hosting Sci-Fi Nite. Please see Youth Pastor Jake for tickets.

But if you think this was "immersive" and worthy of $1,000 per night from an allegedly top-notch entertainment company, then go big on this. And never let it die.

LOL, I've been saying a generic Sci-fi themed high school prom from a Prom Director who didn't know the difference between Star Wars and Star Trek, but that works, too!

Nothing says Star Wars like stackable chairs...

Honestly, this thread has been a riot lately - the amount of apologist behavior and trying to re-frame this as somehow a misunderstood success is something I wouldn't even expect at the site-which-shall-not-be-named these days.

"I went a bunch of times, and I just feel bad I didn't go more to support it!" - I want receipts LOL - and for people who really think that to know, all you need to do is google the address for the Disney corporate headquarters in Burbank and I'm sure Bob Iger would accept any check you wanted to courrier over for him to make up for it. Though, what am I saying - anyone who actually types that on a message board knows exactly where it is, since they likely go there to work every day.

 

[TP2000]

Looks like a Vegas Buffet.

I just had dinner last week at the Bacchanal Buffet at Ceasars Palace. As usual, it was fabulous; service, food, aesthetics.

But that massive buffet is more immersive and decorated than the Starcruiser's dining room...

Even their movable line stanchions at the entrance cashier are custom made at the Bacchanal Buffet. Can you imagine if Disney was at this level of detailing and design to custom make queue stanchions for a buffet?

 

[AEfx]

I just had dinner last week at the Bacchanal Buffet at Ceasars Palace. As usual, it was fabulous; service, food, aesthetics.

But that massive buffet is more immersive and decorated than the Starcruiser's dining room...

Aside from all this, it's pretty amazing how Disney in general used to be the unquestioned king of themed venues, and they just...aren't any more. They just stopped innovating years ago, and so many others have caught up. I mean, there are airport lounges better themed than this, LOL.

 

[orion54]

I just had dinner last week at the Bacchanal Buffet at Ceasars Palace. As usual, it was fabulous; service, food, aesthetics.

But that massive buffet is more immersive and decorated than the Starcruiser's dining room...

Even their movable line stanchions at the entrance cashier are custom made at the Bacchanal Buffet. Can you imagine if Disney was at this level of detailing and design to custom make queue stanchions for a buffet?

Looks nice for Vegas but not for WDW. By that I mean it also looks like the same "theming" going into WDW resort updates. Might even be the same designers updating the Grand Floridian to "Modern" Victorian, whatever that means.

 

[Splash4eva]

I just had dinner last week at the Bacchanal Buffet at Ceasars Palace. As usual, it was fabulous; service, food, aesthetics.

But that massive buffet is more immersive and decorated than the Starcruiser's dining room...

Even their movable line stanchions at the entrance cashier are custom made at the Bacchanal Buffet. Can you imagine if Disney was at this level of detailing and design to custom make queue stanchions for a buffet?

One of the best out there…

 

[celluloid]

I just had dinner last week at the Bacchanal Buffet at Ceasars Palace. As usual, it was fabulous; service, food, aesthetics.

But that massive buffet is more immersive and decorated than the Starcruiser's dining room...

Even their movable line stanchions at the entrance cashier are custom made at the Bacchanal Buffet. Can you imagine if Disney was at this level of detailing and design to custom make queue stanchions for a buffet?

I could not afford it when I went on my only Vegas trip, but I plan on eating there during a Horror Unleashed(the official name) attraction from Universal.opeminf near The Strip at Area 15 in next couple of years.

 

[Tha Realest]

His version was The Disney Institute/Disneyquest. Which had more viability potential and did better than this.

If it was not going to work in the Disney Decade, it never was.

The guy was endlessley better for the theme parks, becuase he let the Imagineers at least play the gong show. The quality is astoundingly different and was more frequent with him, even with the Disneyquests and the Disney institutes.

DQ Chicago lasted almost 2x as long as Galactic Starcruiser.

DQ Disney Springs lasted almost two decades.

Disney Institute was at least repurposed to Saratoga Springs.

 

[Ayla]

The armchair business analysis on this thread would never have greenlit the Startcruiser project in the first place. I'm glad Disney was willing to lead creative innovation like this, though. They obviously need to work some things out, but I think the future of themed entertainment is going to be more of this sort of immersive, interactive, and personalized experiences.

Good lord, I hope not.

 

[UNCgolf]

Honestly, this thread has been a riot lately - the amount of apologist behavior and trying to re-frame this as somehow a misunderstood success is something I wouldn't even expect at the site-which-shall-not-be-named these days.

This is a great example of exactly what I pointed out above.

 

[LittleBuford]

Nothing says Star Wars like stackable chairs...

 

[Sirwalterraleigh]

This is a great example of exactly what I pointed out above.

…unfortunately…it’s in the target range

 

[fgmnt]

I think you might want to revisit exactly what happened in the Eisner years…for the first 16 years or so it was full bore ahead on expansion to increase the mass model. We know the ending and how it went south…but the Bob fans often claim there were conditions that simply were not the case.

Bob has “hedged” more than anything…some big tickets…but offset by margin math in most ways

He’s been “timid”…as in “timidity in the parks”…

That phrase might ring a bell?

Tangentially, I would love a discussion surrounding the creative pursuit with the highest composite critical and financial success the company executed under Iger, and how they compare to successful creative pursuits under predecessors. What is the one thing, any investment in any division of the company, really jumps off the page as a critical and commercial success? Frozen? Pandora?

I also can't think of any locked-in successful novel business line creation under Iger. Disney+ might very well be that, but I can't think of anything he has done like Disney on Broadway, Disney Cruise Line. Closest I can think of is Shanghai Disney?

 

[UNCgolf]

Tangentially, I would love a discussion surrounding the creative pursuit with the highest composite critical and financial success the company executed under Iger, and how they compare to successful creative pursuits under predecessors. What is the one thing, any investment in any division of the company, really jumps off the page as a critical and commercial success? Frozen? Pandora?

I also can't think of any locked-in successful novel business line creation under Iger. Disney+ might very well be that, but I can't think of anything he has done like Disney on Broadway, Disney Cruise Line. Closest I can think of is Shanghai Disney?

Probably the MCU. Not every individual MCU film was a huge critical and financial success, but it's been a massive success overall.

The first two films of the sequel SW trilogy were very successful both critically and financially too, even though I wasn't a fan. The third, not so much.