News Star Wars: Galactic Starcruiser Permanently Closed Fall 2023

[MrPromey]

Personally if it was *my* story, I’d want to be a dark Jedi who who is disillusioned with both the Republic and the Old Empire and want to destroy both Rey and Ren by suiciding halcyon into the nearest convenient sun as soon as they were both aboard.

Alas…

So you were the main character!

 

[danlb_2000]

I agree. I'd love to know how many Cast Members did a shift at the Starcruiser each day but it was high. I did a cruise that was close to capacity and even then the ratio of guests to cast felt exceptionally high. Wherever you looked there were cast.

This is all without taking into account the cast that were backstage and then the costs of building Starcruiser that had to be recouped over time etc.

... and to make for the really personal experience that cast would have to increase with the number of guests, so increasing the size of the hotel wouldn't have really provided any economy of scale.

 

[Nubs70]

So you were the main character!

So you were the main character!

Aren't you the special ingredient?.......

 

[TrainsOfDisney]

Part of that depends though. Was it priced outrageously because it had to be, or strictly because they thought they could? If on greed, you may be right (though I will forever say I don't think the idea was a good one either). If it had to be that high, then I would say the idea was poor as well.

I mean everything at Disney is priced outrageously these days - character meals are sky high at WDW for example.

I would say it was always designed to be a premium experience- but they went higher than necessary because they thought they could and learned they could not.

Personally - I think the experience had to be a hard sell. I would have considered it, but I wouldn’t want to go alone and my mom wouldn’t like it and I don’t have friends who’d be willing to pay.

So even if it was the same price as port orleans im not sure I would have tried it.

That’s a big part of the failure as much as the price.

 

[Jrb1979]

I mean everything at Disney is priced outrageously these days - character meals are sky high at WDW for example.

I would say it was always designed to be a premium experience- but they went higher than necessary because they thought they could and learned they could not.

Personally - I think the experience had to be a hard sell. I would have considered it, but I wouldn’t want to go alone and my mom wouldn’t like it and I don’t have friends who’d be willing to pay.

So even if it was the same price as port orleans im not sure I would have tried it.

That’s a big part of the failure as much as the price.

I agree with you. The problem I have is Disney as whole is not a luxury vacation destination. It's always meant for the middle class

 

[Purduevian]

I think the only full face character actors on each voyage were:

1. Captain Riyola Keevan
2. Cruise Director Lenka Mok
3. Sammie
4. Gaya
5. Raithe Kole
6. Sandro Alimander
7. Rey
8. First Order Lieutenant Harman Croy
9. First Order Colonel Grav Talis

Then a list of characters that can be done by multiple actors on the same voyage

1. SK-62O
2. Ouannii
3. The Saja
4. Chewbacca
5. Kylo Ren
6. First Order Stormtroopers (x2)

If we assume all the face actors are limited to 12 hours a day, and the non-face characters can go 16 hours a day (2 8 hour shifts). You are looking at a max actor manpower of (9*12+7*16)*2 days= 220 hours of actors per voyage (probably way high). If they are paid $100 per hour (probably way high). The max salary per voyage for all of the actors is ~$22,000.

I think is also quite high as not all the characters are constantly there through both days.

 

[TrainsOfDisney]

If we assume all the face actors are limited to 12 hours a day,

Equity would be limited more than that - would also need swings and an equity stage manager.

But that doesn’t mean it was cost prohibitive of course.

 

[flynnibus]

If we assume all the face actors are limited to 12 hours a day, and the non-face characters can go 16 hours a day (2 8 hour shifts). You are looking at a max actor manpower of (9*12+7*16)*2 days= 220 hours of actors per voyage (probably way high). If they are paid $100 per hour (probably way high). The max salary per voyage for all of the actors is ~$22,000.

I think is also quite high as not all the characters are constantly there through both days.

Plus.. you are basically counting their stage time.. not your labor investment to meet that obligation

 

[Purduevian]

Plus.. you are basically counting their stage time.. not your labor investment to meet that obligation

Equity would be limited more than that - would also need swings and an equity stage manager.

But that doesn’t mean it was cost prohibitive of course.

Yeah I was just trying to count the actual actors and using "worse case" scenario. Outside of the actors, there was a support team (not sure how many people that would be). However, I guess I was just trying to show that I can't see the actual actors costing over ~$11k a day which doesn't seem like the back breaker many people make it out to be.

 

[flynnibus]

Yeah I was just trying to count the actual actors and using "worse case" scenario. Outside of the actors, there was a support team (not sure how many people that would be). However, I guess I was just trying to show that I can't see the actual actors costing over ~$11k a day which doesn't seem like the back breaker many people make it out to be.

Keeping it simple... remember there is more than one person who fills a role. People don't work every shift themselves, etc. People are allowed to take days off, etc. But those people are still on payroll, etc.

 

[natatomic]

I think the only full face character actors on each voyage were:

1. Captain Riyola Keevan
2. Cruise Director Lenka Mok
3. Sammie
4. Gaya
5. Raithe Kole
6. Sandro Alimander
7. Rey
8. First Order Lieutenant Harman Croy
9. First Order Colonel Grav Talis

Then a list of characters that can be done by multiple actors on the same voyage

1. SK-62O
2. Ouannii
3. The Saja
4. Chewbacca
5. Kylo Ren
6. First Order Stormtroopers (x2)

If we assume all the face actors are limited to 12 hours a day, and the non-face characters can go 16 hours a day (2 8 hour shifts). You are looking at a max actor manpower of (9*12+7*16)*2 days= 220 hours of actors per voyage (probably way high). If they are paid $100 per hour (probably way high). The max salary per voyage for all of the actors is ~$22,000.

I think is also quite high as not all the characters are constantly there through both days.

I think “hours” are calculated really weird with equity actors. My husband is in that union, and while he is not scheduled 8 hours (it’s closer to 6, and even then, most of that time is breaks), he gets paid 8 hours. The Nemo Show is something crazy - like, they do something like 3 shows and get paid 8 hours. I might be off on that one, I can’t remember exactly what it is, but it’s something like that.

I couldn’t even begin to imagine how something like the Cruiser cast was calculated.

ETA: I think it’s called “show value.” Each show had a specific show value of X number of hours. Someone can correct me if I’m wrong. I’ll ask my husband when he gets home if I remember.

 

[Purduevian]

Keeping it simple... remember there is more than one person who fills a role. People don't work every shift themselves, etc. People are allowed to take days off, etc. But those people are still on payroll, etc.

Right... but if Sammy 1 is working Cruise A, C, and E. and Sammy 2 is working Cruise B, D, and F... There is still only 1 Sammy per day working/Cruise. I don't think they ever had multiple actors playing the same face character on the same cruise but I could be wrong.

 

[flynnibus]

Right... but if Sammy 1 is working Cruise A, C, and E. and Sammy 2 is working Cruise B, D, and F... There is still only 1 Sammy per day working/Cruise. I don't think they ever had multiple actors playing the same face character on the same cruise but I could be wrong.

Sammy 2 and Sammy 1 are both on contract and on staff even if they aren't working that day That's my point. That employee is costing you overhead even when off shift because you need him trained and committed to you. You have multiple people on staff for the role.

 

[Purduevian]

Sammy 2 and Sammy 1 are both on contract and on staff even if they aren't working that day That's my point. That employee is costing you overhead even when off shift because you need him trained and committed to you. You have multiple people on staff for the role.

Understood. I guess it's not as easy as saying Sammy makes $100 an hour for a 12 hour shift 7 days a week ($8400 a week). However, it might more be like both Sammys make $4500 a week whether it's there 4 day week or their 3 day week ($9000 for both Sammys)

 

[asianway]

Right... but if Sammy 1 is working Cruise A, C, and E. and Sammy 2 is working Cruise B, D, and F... There is still only 1 Sammy per day working/Cruise. I don't think they ever had multiple actors playing the same face character on the same cruise but I could be wrong.

Only if an illness necessitated a swap

 

[danlb_2000]

I think the only full face character actors on each voyage were:

1. Captain Riyola Keevan
2. Cruise Director Lenka Mok
3. Sammie
4. Gaya
5. Raithe Kole
6. Sandro Alimander
7. Rey
8. First Order Lieutenant Harman Croy
9. First Order Colonel Grav Talis

Then a list of characters that can be done by multiple actors on the same voyage

1. SK-62O
2. Ouannii
3. The Saja
4. Chewbacca
5. Kylo Ren
6. First Order Stormtroopers (x2)

If we assume all the face actors are limited to 12 hours a day, and the non-face characters can go 16 hours a day (2 8 hour shifts). You are looking at a max actor manpower of (9*12+7*16)*2 days= 220 hours of actors per voyage (probably way high). If they are paid $100 per hour (probably way high). The max salary per voyage for all of the actors is ~$22,000.

I think is also quite high as not all the characters are constantly there through both days.

These are just the actors, how many other CMs are needed on stage during a voyage? $100 may not be unreasonable because you have to count salary and benefits.

 

[cjkeating]

I think the only full face character actors on each voyage were:

1. Captain Riyola Keevan
2. Cruise Director Lenka Mok
3. Sammie
4. Gaya
5. Raithe Kole
6. Sandro Alimander
7. Rey
8. First Order Lieutenant Harman Croy
9. First Order Colonel Grav Talis

Then a list of characters that can be done by multiple actors on the same voyage

1. SK-62O
2. Ouannii
3. The Saja
4. Chewbacca
5. Kylo Ren
6. First Order Stormtroopers (x2)

Just to help correct this slightly, may still not be 100% accurate. Updates in bold.

I think the only full face character actors on each voyage were:

1. Captain Riyola Keevan
2. Cruise Director Lenka Mok
3. Sammie
4. Gaya
5. Raithe Kole
6. Sandro Alimander
7. Rey - day 2 only
8. First Order Lieutenant Harman Croy
9. First Order Colonel Grav Talis - on screen only

Then a list of characters that can be done by multiple actors on the same voyage

1. SK-62O
2. Ouannii - believed to have been played by 2 actors per day due to the prosthetics
3. The Saja - their numbers varied cruise by cruise and potentially day by day, 4 per day would be a good average
4. Chewbacca - sporadically throughout both days
5. Kylo Ren - grand finale only
6. First Order Stormtroopers (x2) - 2 on day 1, 4 on day 2

Also I would say that all characters were 'at work' for 12 hours a day. Their start times on stage were staggered and some would be on stage more or less based on their makeup/prosthetics requirement.

I did some rough maths using your $100 figure and came to the following figures...

Group 1 Actors - $18,000
Group 2 Actors - $24,000

So $40,000 is probbaly a good figure.

I'd love for someone to share how many on stage 'blue shirts' were on the ship each day as it felt heavily staffed but then many of them were multi-skilled. Then add in off stage staff like the chefs, technicians, transport drivers, security etc it increases further.

When calculating the 'total cost' to Disney to employ the staff including all training, benefits, tax etc and looking at all backstage, admin, managerial support roles etc I could see the daily Starcruiser staff cost being in the $100,000 range.

 

[JoeCamel]

And trying to get back on topic.......

 

[Disstevefan1]

And trying to get back on topic.......

Is this real or a meme?

 

[danlb_2000]

Is this real or a meme?

Looks like this is from the Universal Men In Black ride queue.