News Star Wars: Galactic Starcruiser Permanently Closed Fall 2023

[Monkee Girl]

Just had time to comment, though I am a little late. just had to voice my opinion. I'm glad it's shutting down and am so disappointed in Disney thinking this kind of thing would work. Perhaps it might have, IF it were original trilogy stuff. But to make it new trilogy and then include the exorbitant price was just wrong moves all around. For the price and what you got was laughable. They didn't even include alcoholic beverages, it was not even a full 48 hours of stay and barely time to relax as it was a 'full larping' experience. The whole thing sounded exhausting. Not including the fact people would, most likely, have to spend MORE money staying at another resort and tickets for the other parks outside of the Studios. It was just a logistical headache to me.

It would be more money, but they need to add more rooms, transition the theme over to OT Star Wars (Lando as captain?) and just let it be a normal Deluxe hotel. I would LOVE to stay at a Star Wars Themed hotel like this....if it were Luke and Han there and not Kylo and Rey. and if I get a chance to relax for a few nights and not feel like I have to keep participating or I'm wasting my money.

No, I CAN'T blame them for wanting to try something different...I just have not been a fan of anything they have done with Star Wars since The Force Awakens came out. I get wanting to promote the stuff Disney has created but in the end, you have to appeal to your audience and the ones who are paying the money. I actually miss the old Star Wars Weekends where there was no distinct 'timeline' and it didn't matter what your favorite trilogy was, it was ALL represented. I think Disney needs to go back to that model. It was fun and for everyone and long time fans and new fans didn't feel segregated and pushed aside.

 

[celluloid]

The employees are the second most underrated asset at Disney parks…even the drunkards from vista/Chatham have a certain quality that leads to good things at times. It’s “in there”

The most underrated asset are the dead men and women who built the original parks through the 80s and 90s
Amazing Group and their legacy has really stood the weathers of time.

I was a Vista guy, only in the I chose there because tje rent was cheapest of the choices sense, not the lifestyle. (RIP) My wife a Chatham gal. Ha.

And yes. True points.

 

[Monkee Girl]

They should bave done more in SWGE. MF training. Multiple rides to try to improve. A lot could have been done.

Agree. I am so over these dinky lazy 'lands'. Disney should have taken it's time and just build Star Wars as the 5th park people have been clamoring over for ages. each lands representing a different film or timeline. All the meet and greets and attractions that could have been done. It's just really a shame how bad they treated this franchise. Yea, someone could assume it was 'easy money' but they under estimated the passion of the fans.

I finally got into Galaxy's Edge my last trip, didn't bother even trying to get on a ride. I didn't 'recognize' anything and it just didn't hit me the way it should have. I'm happy for the people that enjoy it but it was too cramped and crowded and boring for me, personally.

 

[Sirwalterraleigh]

I was a Vista guy, only in the I chose there because tje rent was cheapest of the choices sense, not the lifestyle. (RIP) My wife a Chatham gal. Ha.

And yes. True points.

…I hope you both went to the clinic after

 

[Sirwalterraleigh]

Just had time to comment, though I am a little late. just had to voice my opinion. I'm glad it's shutting down and am so disappointed in Disney thinking this kind of thing would work. Perhaps it might have, IF it were original trilogy stuff. But to make it new trilogy and then include the exorbitant price was just wrong moves all around. For the price and what you got was laughable. They didn't even include alcoholic beverages, it was not even a full 48 hours of stay and barely time to relax as it was a 'full larping' experience. The whole thing sounded exhausting. Not including the fact people would, most likely, have to spend MORE money staying at another report and tickets for the other parks outside of the Studios. It was just a logistical headache to me.

It would be more money, but they need to add more rooms, transition the theme over to OT Star Wars (Lando as captain?) and just let it be a normal Deluxe hotel. I would LOVE to stay at a Star Wars Themed hotel like this....if it were Luke and Han there and not Kylo and Rey. and if I get a chance to relax for a few nights and not feel like I have to keep participating or I'm wasting my money.

No, I CAN'T blame them for wanting to try something different...I just have not been a fan of anything they have done with Star Wars since The Force Awakens came out. I get wanting to promote the stuff Disney has created but in the end, you have to appeal to your audience and the ones who are paying the money. I actually miss the old Star Wars Weekends where there was no distinct 'timeline' and it didn't matter what your favorite trilogy was, it was ALL represented. I think Disney needs to go back to that model. It was fun and for everyone and long time fans and new fans didn't feel segregated and pushed aside.

Excellent

And there is NOTHING stopping them from doing weekends again…
…except for one weasel’s ego

Spoiler: Caught the weasel

 

[Lilofan]

I was a Vista guy, only in the I chose there because tje rent was cheapest of the choices sense, not the lifestyle. (RIP) My wife a Chatham gal. Ha.

And yes. True points.

So you must have experienced the " party " bus when taking the ICPs CPs to downtown Orlando clubs roundtrip ? I have to say I'm jealous when DJs Swedish House Mafia held a private concert with fireworks in front of MK castle for the CP cast a few years ago. Love watching that on You Tube.

 

[DCBaker]

On the JP Morgan Q&A today, Josh D'Amaro says the Star Wars: Galactic Starcruiser didn't perform as they thought it would and that Disney expects to accelerate depreciation by about $150 million each in Q3 and Q4.

 

[mysto]

On the JPMorgan Q&A today, Josh D'Amaro says the Star Wars: Galactic Starcruiser didn't perform as they thought it would and that Disney expects to accelerate depreciation by about $150 million each in Q3 and Q4.

Ah, so it will reduce the tax paid to FL. Win win.

 

[TheMaxRebo]

On the JPMorgan Q&A today, Josh D'Amaro says the Star Wars: Galactic Starcruiser didn't perform as they thought it would and that Disney expects to accelerate depreciation by about $150 million each in Q3 and Q4.

gives an idea just how much $ spent on it, but also why they are just closing it vs trying other options for it to limp along for a bit longer

 

[lentesta]

Next week's edition of The Disney Dish Podcast is going to be juicy.

We recorded another 30-minute segment on Friday just for this. Hope it's enjoyable.

 

[lentesta]

On the JPMorgan Q&A today, Josh D'Amaro says the Star Wars: Galactic Starcruiser didn't perform as they thought it would and that Disney expects to accelerate depreciation by about $150 million each in Q3 and Q4.

I think I'd earlier posted that the hotel construction price was ~$250MM and development of the overall concept was closer to $1B.

$300MM in depreciation plus whatever they've already done, seems like it's in the lower-middle end of that range. So that seems like a ballpark-y range.

 

[JohnD]

It's lack of success I think is pretty straightforward. Other than those who have the money, how can you possibly justify a cost of "$5200 for the two-day, two-night experience"? I'm considering a 7 day Disney cruise in October around the western Caribbean for less than that. If you want a better one-for-one, try a 3-day cruise on the Disney Wish from Port Canaveral for as low as $1,800 with an inside room. Personally, I would want, at a minimum, a porthole with a view outside. But at least you have the option on a cruise ship to do that or better and go outside while on the ship. Not so the SW experience.

 

[maui2k7]

Since they are writing it off completely as fully depreciated by the end of September, then I would imagine it will be bulldozed/demolished just like they had to do with the Harmonious barges. Otherwise they would keep depreciating it like many other construction projects over a period of many years/decades even if they were going to repurpose it.

 

[Sirwalterraleigh]

Well…that’s about as “take it on the chin” as anyone on TEAM: Iger is gonna go…I’ll give credit for that at least

 

[Sirwalterraleigh]

Since they are writing it off completely as fully depreciated by the end of September, then I would imagine it will be bulldozed/demolished just like they had to do with the Harmonious barges. Otherwise they would keep depreciating it like many other construction projects over a period of many years/decades even if they were going to repurpose it.

This one will have to be demolished

There have been…and will continue to be fantastical posts about repurposing this…but it has to go.
One big reason

 

["El Gran Magnifico"]

I'm just gonna stay here and call it a day.

https://wanderwisdom.com/news/star-wars-airbnb

 

[GrumpyFan]

Since they are writing it off completely as fully depreciated by the end of September, then I would imagine it will be bulldozed/demolished just like they had to do with the Harmonious barges. Otherwise they would keep depreciating it like many other construction projects over a period of many years/decades even if they were going to repurpose it.

That's a broad assumption.
They have made no public announcements about what they plan to do with it in the long term.

 

[Disstevefan1]

Regular folks think it's a super waste of money to have built this only to close it and tear it down. TWDC does not care, they are happy to tear it down like they did the Harmonious barges.

I have no idea, maybe there are tax reasons it's better for them to tear it down?

 

[TheMaxRebo]

It's lack of success I think is pretty straightforward. Other than those who have the money, how can you possibly justify a cost of "$5200 for the two-day, two-night experience"? I'm considering a 7 day Disney cruise in October around the western Caribbean for less than that. If you want a better one-for-one, try a 3-day cruise on the Disney Wish from Port Canaveral for as low as $1,800 with an inside room. Personally, I would want, at a minimum, a porthole with a view outside. But at least you have the option on a cruise ship to do that or better and go outside while on the ship. Not so the SW experience.

I think it just was set up to cater to a very specific audience that really valued the type of experience provided - which had way more to do with the role playing and immersion and interaction with the crew, the variety of quests and experiences, etc than it even really had to do with Star Wars specifically - but if you were looking for both then you were really into it.

And those experiences and elements are not found on a cruise or anywhere else

I have posted before but I know quite a few people who did the Starcruiser and absolutely loved it and did it multiple times, etc - and it was really about those interactions more than anything.

Just too niche of a pool of people that were looking for what was offered AND had the $ to spend to obtain it

 

[Sirwalterraleigh]

That's a broad assumption.
They have made no public announcements about what they plan to do with it in the long term.

It’s useless…what exactly is hard to track here?

It’s also a symbol of failure along world drive…and what about this 20 year management of obvious falsehood spin makes you believe they can tolerate that?