Months after its closing, Disney’s Star Wars Hotel is STILL a hot topic of conversation.
Bunk Bed in a Galactic Starcruiser cabin
The Star Wars Galactic Starcruiser is going to go down as one of the most fascinating projects undertaken by the Walt Disney Company. Some would argue it was an ahead of its time, unforgettable interactive experience that immersed users in the Star Wars universe. Others may refer to it as an overpriced boondoggle that underdelivered on its premise. What can’t be denied is that it “failed” in the sense that it closed forever just 19 months after opening. So, is there anything Disney could have done differently? Well, maybe.
Before we get into some thoughts on what Disney could have changed, here’s a quick reminder what a voyage on the Starcruiser was like.
Star Wars: Galactic Starcruiser
A stay at the hotel was structured like a stay on a luxury cruise liner. In-universe, the hotel was themed to be the Halcyon, a large space-faring ship that traversed the Star Wars galaxy. The two-night experience — which cost a whopping $4,800 minimum for two people (the price did include all activitis and dining, in addition to your room) — would begin with boarding the ship at 1:00PM on the first day of your “voyage.”
Crowds in the Galactic Starcruiser’s Atrium
Over the next two days, you’d encounter characters (both physically and on the Datapad app that provided the narrative backbone of the experience) launching you into various branching storylines linked to the Star Wars saga across different areas of the “ship” including a visit to the ship’s bridge, cargo bay, engine room, Lightsaber training, and your meals in the Crown of Corellia Dining Room and the Sublight Lounge.
On the second day of your stay, you’d take an early morning “space journey” to Batuu (AKA Galaxy’s Edge at Hollywood Studios). This wasn’t just any typical visit to the park however, as you’d be transported to the park in an enclosed bus that was designed on the interior to look like apace vessel. You’d arrive in the land through a special entrance, slightly before the park was open for the day, and experience Galaxy’s Edge in a way that would be almost impossible as a day guest, all the while continuing on “missions” assigned through your Datapad that furthered the on-going narrative. After returning to the ship, the story would climax with a final encounter with the First Order that tied together many of the story threads that had been building throughout the trip. Departure was at 10:00AM the following morning.
Characters on the Starcruiser
Now, there were MANY who loved their experience on the Starcruiser, and lament its loss to this day. However, there are many more who never even considered booking a Galactic Starcruiser stay. So what could Disney have done? Now, there are small changes that could have been made to the voyage and experience, from which characters appeared to how story elements were introduced and etc. However, we believe that more would have been necessary.
There have been many debates about whether the Galactic Starcruiser was “worth” the price. However, even if it was by the numbers, we believe that the sticker shock of spending “$2,800 for two nights at a hotel” was something many potential guests could never get past (even if the Galactic Starcruiser was much more than a hotel). Now, lowering the price substantially was likely a non-starter, so our thought is that Disney could have beefed up the overall package.
Magic Kingdom
Things may have turned out very differently for the Galactic Starcruiser had Disney attached two nights at a Walt Disney World value resort (with the option of upgrading to moderate or deluxe resorts for an additional fee) plus two days of theme park tickets to the package. It would have turned the two-day Star Wars hotel experience into a 4-day Walt Disney World vacation that simply featured the Starcruiser stay, we believe eliminating much of the overall sticker shock factor. Plus financially, Disney would likely make up any extra costs simply by having guests on property — and in their parks — for two extra days.
The Starcruiser Bridge
There were arguably many “mistakes” made that led to the “failure” of the Galactic Starcruiser, however we believe that fleshing out the package into a “full” Disney World vacation may have helped the hotel survive and thrive. Stay tuned to DFB for more Disney history.
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Had the Galactic Starcruiser package included two extra days at Disney, making the experience into a fuller Disney World Vacation, would you have been more likely to try it out? Let us know in the comments below.
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Exactly, you are right on the money with your observation. Disney failed at answering the value question in the guest mind. It became a two day rip off for some and a disappointment for others who expected more. They did answer several points with Disney style, creativity and out of the box thinking, but the value question still outweighed the price. 2 days in the parks would have made a huge difference by creating more value for the guest. Even if you priced 2 days w/tickets for $99 would have been a no brainer for attrndees. Don’t know what Disney was thinking, but the marketing missed by a long show with an easy fix within reach.