News Star Wars: Galactic Starcruiser Permanently Closed Fall 2023

[durangojim]

I had a feeling it was going to fail when I, who was absolutely willing to drop 10K, on it when it was first announced years ago, lost interest after seeing the reviews and media. I continue to be an avid SW fan but hope they do take these experiences and put them in the park where they belonged in the first place.

 

[brb1006]

 

[vikescaper]

The Starcruiser was outside my budget so I am not saddened by its closure. Would I have liked to check it out? Absolutely but not at those prices. Maybe we can finally see Galaxy’s Edge rethemed to Aladdin like some people were saying.

 

[durangojim]

I feel very bad for the CMs who seemed like they gave it their all to provide a great guest experience on this thing. Keep your eyes open for the shopDisney galactic cruiser firesale! Also will the closing, I mean decommissioning of the ship now become cannon in the SW universe? Did the Chandrillan starcruiser company or whatever go bankrupt, lol

 

[mattpeto]

Why would they want to? A hotel isn’t built in a way that makes it well suited to serving as attraction space.

I guess they can let it rot.

Expanding DHS and Batuu (or another planet) and retrofitting Starcrusier isn’t impossible.

 

[asianway]

What they can do for Star Was Galactic Starcruiser after it closes:

• Open it up as a highly themed immersive hotel.
• For Lunch have the Taste Around the Galaxy as a lunch option thats reservable for all.
• For Dinner, run the Gaya dinner show again reservable for all.
• Open the sublight lounge up to the public that they can access even if it’s reservation system.

They can remove the interactive elements but they can repurpose them:

• Bridge Training can be an upcharge feature open to everyone on a reservation system like the Lightsaber building.
• Lightsaber training can also be like the lightsaber building as a reservation system and be an upcharge feature open to everyone.
• Lightsaber training can also be included an a extra paid feature that’s for the lightsaber building in the park where once you build it, you can “learn” how to use it.

For these options, do have it where you can be transported from Batuu to the ship, but to limit it to if you have a reservation to help deter those going over if they were ultimately to use a reservation system.

Will this be before or after they open the Adventurer’s Club dinner show?

 

[WaltsTreasureChest]

I'm kind of surprised they didn't at least try to do a year-long run with original trilogy characters at slightly more than Deluxe Resort prices. I think it could have survived with Luke Skywalker and Han Solo at $1,000 a night.

That would mean that Disney shining a light on original trilogy characters. Which is a no-no!

A money maker? Yes! But the Disney company is turning their brain off when it comes to utilizing Star Wars

 

[MagicHappens1971]

I feel very bad for the CMs who seemed like they gave it their all to provide a great guest experience on this thing. Keep your eyes open for the shopDisney galactic cruiser firesale! Also will the closing, I mean decommissioning of the ship now become cannon in the SW universe? Did the Chandrillan starcruiser company or whatever go bankrupt, lol

Technically in the canon, the Halcyon actually does get destroyed at some point shortly after the 275th voyage (the storyline of the Starcruiser).

 

[brb1006]

also the fact that you could really only visit SW:GE and none of the other parks is a horrible choice

This sounds very familiar. But I can't put my finger on it.

Oh right!

 

[brb1006]

What an absolute joke.

But excited for Defunctland to cover!

Funny you mentioned that since Kevin Prejurer made this Twitter a few hours ago.

 

[Hawkeye_2018]

That would mean that Disney shining a light on original trilogy characters. Which is a no-no!

A money maker? Yes! But the Disney company is turning their brain off when it comes to utilizing Star Wars

You really think bad cosplay was the answer?

Yeah I had no interest in the Starcruiser until I found out they had a guy running around dressed up as Luke Skywalker. He kinda looks like him from a distance if you squint!

 

[TalkingHead]

Surely at the design cost cited earlier, the geniuses at WDI built in a contingency plan in case this enterprise went belly-up. The thought must’ve crossed their mind that this might happen. They are the world-class “nobody can touch us” planners, right?

 

[lazyboy97o]

I guess they can let it rot.

Expanding DHS and Batuu (or another planet) and retrofitting Starcrusier isn’t impossible.

It’s not impossible, but it would not be money well spent.

 

[erasure fan1]

I’m surprised it was ever allowed to open. Who is going over these ideas and thought someone was going to pay that much ?

The guy who thought he could just send out an email that says "galaxys edge is open" and people would be lined up to the border to get in.

In all seriousness, it really does show Disneys mindset with star wars. It's always been, as long as we slap star wars on it, people will buy it no matter the cost or quality. The name is enough.

 

[Figments Friend]

Maybe just turn it into a regular hotel with a Star Wars theme?

Guests already pay $300 a night for a “Moderate” Resort. $500 or more for a Deluxe.

You’d think there would be some way to salvage this.

This.

Why is it so difficult for them to think of an idea like this?

Families and visiting Guests would absolutely flock to a ‘Value Resort’ styled Star Wars themed Resort…especially one so close to one of the Theme Parks.

Easy money just waiting to be collected.
What are you waiting for, Bob.

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[Heppenheimer]

Weren't posters here making suggestions on what to do with this space once the concept inevitably burned out?

Employee break area sounded like the most likely choice to me.

 

[Piebald]

I'm both not shocked yet shocked if that makes sense. I knew the reviews were mainly "yeah it's cool but definitely not worth the money" and I wasn't sure how much repeat value it had. 100 rooms seems small in relation to Disney hotels so I'm not sure what price point would be profitable for them and "fair" for the consumer.

I didn't read through the pages of comments so maybe it's been mentioned but the dumbest thing about this closing is that it's evident a lot of what would have made GE awesome was likely cut due to the starcruiser.

 

[Figments Friend]

It was an experiment in a high priced experience that did not work beyond the initial superfans and bloggers. It was doomed as soon as the pricing was revealed at $5000+. A huge number of potential guests at that point just switched off to the project.

It seemed obvious then, and even more so now, but what should have been built was an actual Star Wars hotel, at a price point consistent with other deluxe accommodations at WDW.

Also, THIS.

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[Ayla]

Weren't posters here making suggestions on what to do with this space once the concept inevitably burned out?

Employee break area sounded like the most likely choice to me.

They could turn it into CP housing.

 

[mightynine]

It wasn't making enough money because it rarely filled to capacity. Scarcity of rooms was never the issue. Quite the opposite.

I guess that’s the point I’m trying to make - how would it make money if all the rooms are filled but only because you’re charging less?

I would think there might be a possibility for the Hoop Dee Doo dinner and a show route, but my guess is the infrastructure of the Starcruiser just wasn’t built to accommodate the potential interest from a regular day of park goers.

TL;DR: The Starcruiser infrastructure was built to support one thing and was not flexible enough unless you threw more money at it, which right now isn’t an option. (Which sounds like some lackluster planning to me, but when dollar signs are in your eyes….)

I mean, you need some of those bucks to pay for Pat McAfee on ESPN, don’t ya?