There are ALL kinds of changes happening around Disney World, but one in particular caught our eye recently.
Disney World
We’re constantly on the search for new permits that could hint at changes and updates coming to Disney World restaurants, hotels, attractions, and more. These permits have revealed all kinds of clues about what work could be started in the parks soon, and now we found one we simply HAVE to share with you.
Note that the documents we look at are called Notices of Commencement. These can indicate the type of projects that might start soon.
So what’s the interesting one we found recently? Well, one permit recorded on August 17th, 2023 notes that there will be some “general construction” happening soon at an address identified as 201 S Studio Dr. The contractor listed on the job is Colwill Engineering, which we’ve seen on a number of other Disney permits. According to their website, Colwill Engineering has expertise in engineering, mechanical, electrical, and technology work.
Construction Sign (In Animal Kingdom)
Ordinarily, a permit of this kind — for a very general, non-specific type of work — might not stand out, but what makes this unique is the LOCATION being worked on. 201 S Studio Dr. is (according to some mapping software we look at) the address for Star Wars: Galactic Starcruiser!
Again, there’s nothing to indicate whether this permit is for a particularly big update in terms of the work being done. The construction work could be very basic — a small update here or there, or work to fix something totally ordinary. But still, the fact that there is an update happening at the Starcruiser at all is interesting since the hotel has officially closed.
Galactic Starcruiser room
The hotel’s final voyage was September 28th-30th, 2023. Disney executives have discussed what went wrong with the hotel, and it mainly boils down to cost. Not only did the hotel cost THOUSANDS for one family to experience, but it also cost an immense amount to run because of the level of interactivity required.
Star Wars: Galactic Starcruiser Atrium
What will happen with the building now that the hotel has permanently closed? So far, that has remained a mystery. Could we see more permits filed that signal work taking place here in the future? It’s certainly possible and we’ll be watching for any updates.
Click here to see what went WRONG with the Starcruiser
Aside from the Starcruiser-related permit, Disney is working on other things all around its parks and hotels. Here is a quick look at some of the other interesting permits we spotted this week.
First up, a permit has been filed to refresh the volcano at Rainforest Cafe in Disney Springs. We actually saw another permit filed for this back in June, so it looks like work is ongoing there.
Rainforest Cafe
We’ve also seen some things indicating that Walt Disney Imagineering might be working on getting a few new signs up at various places in the parks.
We found that one permit has been filed (with Walt Disney Imagineering listed as the “owner”) to install some signage at an address tied to Tusker House Restaurant in Disney’s Animal Kingdom. Design Communications Ltd. is listed as the contractor. It looks like they’ve worked on a number of signs in various places and they describe themselves as a “world-class fabricator of custom solutions.”
Tusker House Restaurant
Another permit has also been filed (with Walt Disney Imagineering listed as the “owner”) to install signage at an address tied to the Seas pavilion in EPCOT. This one also has Design Communications Ltd. as the contractor.
And yet another permit was filed (with Walt Disney Imagineering listed as the “owner”) to install signage at an address that appears to be tied to the entry gate turnstiles (past the ticket booths) at Disney’s Animal Kingdom Park. This one also has Design Communications Ltd. as the contractor.
Scanning into a Disney World park
Other permits signal that some updates could be made at a few hotels and attractions but these seem like they could be for more ordinary work. We’ll continue to search for new permits to see what other things could come to the parks soon. Stay tuned for the latest updates!
Click here to learn about a controversial hotel change that’s dividing fans
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I would just like to say that the Star Wars Galactic Starcruiser is not a hotel! It’s a multi-day, fully immersive, customizable adventure with multiple possible outcomes that allows adults to dress up and play Star Wars together as if they were younglings. The food is very good and so creative and comes with live performances for dinner on both nights which is included in the cost. Also included are an excursion to Batuu, a park ticket, and two lightning lanes. Every choice you make affects the direction your story takes and the connections you make with the incredibly talented cast and crew determine the missions you will be offered, which is why some repeat passengers have experienced 5+ voyages in the year and a half it’s been open.
You basically only sleep there to continue the immersion. Please stop calling it a hotel and maybe the cost will make more sense. Yes, it’s hard to describe what it is and why the Starcruiser experience can affect you so deeply. It’s a brand new thing. There’s nothing else in the world like this. Even so, calling it a hotel is a disservice to your readers and to everybody who loves the Halcyon Starcruiser, and more importantly, it gives the completely wrong impression.
I can only hope that whatever plans Disney has in mind carry on the heart of this experiment, but I am very sad it’s ending. Yes, the cost was high enough to put it out of reach for many, but many of us were saving up, planning for 2024 or 2205. That’s what led to the booking frenzy now. Many more people had the Starcruiser in their future plans than anybody could have known.
I’m still waiting for all the articles talking about how the Starcruiser sold out every booking within hours when the public was allowed to book again after the closure announcement. Or how even now, three months after that day, dozens of people have organized online to call in shifts to check for cancelations and have managed to get 80 people from their group into new bookings from cancelations since the announcement. Those same people, and others who are connected only through the Starcruiser are having meetups and have started Sabacc tournaments in a dozen cities. You can find them on Facebook with a simple search. Sadly those groups will last longer than the Starcruiser herself and likely the rest will stay unwritten.
What hotel do you know of that has this kind of effect? You, and everybody else who call the Starcruiser a hotel, aren’t technically wrong, but you have completely missed the point to focus on a little detail. I’ve never seen such a wide open, joyful smile on my husband’s face as I did when he was on the bridge of the Halcyon. I looked at my dad at that moment and saw the same kind of smile. And I was able to forget my recent scary medical news for a couple of days and just play. That is priceless.
yikes…
Disney canned the Star Wars hotel due to a lack of guests booking a stay there. If a corporation can’t count on a consistent revenue stream, the prudent course of action is to cut their losses. And that’s what Disney did.
It will be interesting to see what the future holds for Disney and interactive hotels. Could the next attempt be a Tower of Terror themed hotel? Or a Haunted Mansion themed hotel? The possibilities are endless, but nothing is going to happen until Disney gets their finances in order.
When I first learned that Disney was planning a Star Wars Hotel, I thought it would be just that – a hotel with Star Wars theming. I couldn’t wait. I cringed when I found out what it was going to be. WAAY out of reach for us. Wish they had just done the themed hotel. That would have been in reach for everyone.
I wish that Disney would just now convert it to a real Star Wars hotel. We are Star Wars fans but did not want to be locked into the entire experience…even if the cost had been half the price. The rooms and the food looked great, and staying there would be a lot of fun.
Sending you healing wishes, Jane!
The Star Wars Galactic Starcruiser simply did not have enough demand to justify the cost of running the experience. We had considered booking a cruise, but the theming wasn’t even Star Wars to us. I doubt Disney will ever try an experiment such as this again during our lifetime. Disney needs to appeal more to the masses than just a select minority to succeed. It is after all a business. Due to the tax write-off, I am expecting Disney to strip the building and walk away. The building will stand vacant for the foreseeable future.
I agree with you, Randi! If it had just been a themed hotel, it would still be open. Hopefully, that’s what it will end up as. Maybe Disney could make it themed and then hold immersion weekends once or twice a month.