Galactic Starcruiser Closing

[croissant de triomphe]

Just give it to Desantis to create the prison he wanted on property. Maybe then all parties involved will be happy and can move on.

 

[luvnwdwgal]

I always thought it was a stupid idea in the first place.

 

[iheartglaciers]

We were a little skeptical given the price tag and early promo videos, but the experience was amazing. The Imagineers did an incredible job, and while I’m sad the Starcruiser is closing, I’m also sad that this could defund other creative, immersive projects.

I can see why it’s so expensive, there are so many moving parts and equity actors. But the experience was really interactive, the CMs and characters were amazing, and my group felt like we got this time together where we’re weren’t distracted by the outside world. We were too busy doing missions and enjoying the ship.

You do go to Batuu on Day 2 and you’re barely in your room because there’s always so much going on. So we didn’t feel like we were stuck in a box.

I was hoping they’d find a way to make it work, like alternating the 2-night stays with day trips.

 

[PalmettoPath]

No real shock here. We predicted its demise on our podcast months and months ago. There were o many things wrong that we discussed at great length. It was doomed to failure. However, the space does hold potential for many other options though--options that would work on all the levels that this failed.

 

[MamaMermaid]

I am considering booking before it goes but I'm sure it'll fill up instantly.

 

[GAN]

Star Wars did not turn out to be as massive a draw as expected.

Oh I think it was a massive draw -just not at that price point. It was a fantastic concept and maybe too "blue sky" in thinking. I believe this is something they wanted to do -period. They probably went in with the understanding it might meet this type of end, so I'm sure they have a contingency. I don't think this is the last of this type of entertainment -I'm sure they learned a lot and possibly will implement it in smaller forms somewhere down the road. Failure is success in progress.....

 

[dvcgirl67]

I always tried to imagine the Venn diagram for this idea on a white board in a meeting room at Disney HQ. The three subsets needed....wealthy, hardcore Star Wars Fans, and those who enjoy LARPing...for two days straight. How many of those people are floating around out there? Well, Disney found the answer....enough to fill this place up one time, for about a year.

Pete Werner was right from the jump on this one.....it was always the Hotel Ishtar...lol.

 

[Douglas Dubh]

It’s too bad they couldn’t figure out a way to make it less expensive to run so they could reduce the cost to the guest.

My CM friend that knows some people in the know said they tried, but there wasn’t really anywhere else to cut. I was surprised they had so little fat in the budget they couldn’t lower the price point but he said his sources said no.

 

[RoseGold]

Really disappointed in this. I'm surprised they do some half-day LARPing or something to meet in the middle. This sounds like my personal hell, but I thought it was a really cool idea. I love to see big, new stuff executed, which disney hasn't done much of.

I would imagine this will become a corporate/wedding venue and you have to book the whole thing. I still can't believe there are no weddings at Oga's.

 

[RedAngie]

I figured that even for the most devout Star Wars fans with unlimited means it would be a one (or two) and done experience.

The market for such a product at that price is limited and repeat business is minimal.

 

[LuvOrlando]

Seems like a bad way to manage it, where is the imagineering on the strategy? The money is already spent, why not figure out how to pivot rather than scrap it? People are very interested but it is a boatload of money for something that was unveiled as a secret, I want to go but the price is way too high, smaller segments would be more palatable.

Focus on breaking even and growing it.

Segment it and open it to event planning, there are wealthy people who would totally want a Star Wars Wedding and businesses who would find this a great way to roll out a new product.

Break the experience down into 3 much less expensive parts in a day.

Morning and afternoon then overnight & add on a week of theme park passes to diffuse the discount.

Throwing it away seems like the opposite of imagineering.

 

[GreatLakes]

I am a casual Star Wars fan. I like the movies but don't go beyond that. I just don't get the point of the LARP vacation. A Star Wars themed hotel would interest me. By that I mean the bars, restaurants, decor, and activities are themed around Star Wars. Playing a role on a trip is just not something the vast majority of people want to do on vacation so I never thought for a second this would last. It is too niche to keep that thing full.

I can't think of a single "universe" I want to LARP in anywhere at any time for any reason even if it is something I'm a fan of. I sure don't want to do it on vacation for the prices Disney is asking for.

I always tried to imagine the Venn diagram for this idea on a white board in a meeting room at Disney HQ. The three subsets needed....wealthy, hardcore Star Wars Fans, and those who enjoy LARPing...for two days straight. How many of those people are floating around out there? Well, Disney found the answer....enough to fill this place up one time, for about a year.

Pete Werner was right from the jump on this one.....it was always the Hotel Ishtar...lol.

That is a great way to visualize it. The number of people in that intersection is way to small to dedicate an entire building to. It is likely big enough to use the building x weeks a year to do that type of vacation and the rest of the weeks make it a regular hotel however I'm not sure the cost side of the balance sheet would make sense with all the employees only being in the LARP role part of the time.

 

[BlueStarryHat]

I love Star Wars. I love the whole idea of a Star Wars themed resort. But I'm an introvert and a person that would not do well at role playing-I squirm at the very idea. I would spend the entire two days not doing missions and making myself look as small as possible so nobody would interact with me.

I think lots of people, while maybe not introverts, would have liked the experience without all the work you had to do to 'get your money's worth.' I'm on vacation, not starring in a movie. My sister and I both predicted at the beginning that this thing would fail-the expense alone for only two days was a downer. Then you have to act? Or do missions or whatever it was. No thanks.

 

[mmouse37]

I love Star Wars and would love a SW themed hotel but would not like the role playing aspect of it. Why can't they just make it a themed hotel? You wouldn't need actors, just CM's like at any other Disney hotel.

 

[Scootin'By]

I'm also shocked by this news, I thought for sure they'd keep it going for a few years to really make sure it wasn't working. I mean, the economy is great, the pandemic just ended, it's not the best timing. But, whatever.

I hope that they turn it into a space-themed hotel similar to Space 220, the immersive restaurant at EPCOT. That seems like it would be a lot cheaper, you've already got all of the LED screens instead of windows, and character players are minimal. They could even keep the bunk-bed themes because you know astronauts sleep on those ...

 

[BrianL]

I love Star Wars and would love a SW themed hotel but would not like the role playing aspect of it. Why can't they just make it a themed hotel? You wouldn't need actors, just CM's like at any other Disney hotel.

Yeah, that's something that bothered me a little too. I don't need it to be THAT immersive. It's too much work on my part, you know? It's like early on in SWGE, when you'd ask where the restroom was. "Oh, you mean the refresher?" Yeah, I know they call it that - I just need an answer, not a nerd lecture.

And, believe me, I know a nerd lecture when I give one!

 

[fla4fun]

My CM friend that knows some people in the know said they tried, but there wasn’t really anywhere else to cut. I was surprised they had so little fat in the budget they couldn’t lower the price point but he said his sources said no.

My guess is that a large portion of the operating expenses went to paying the actors. If you cut the actors, then you don’t have the experience. I suppose they could have gone to a three night model, with a day to just relax and explore the hotel without the interaction. People might have considered paying the same amount for a longer stay on the ship and if they still only had two days of interaction then they would have a lower average per day of operating expenses. I’m sure they considered many options before deciding on just throwing in the towel completely.

 

[iheartglaciers]

My CM friend that knows some people in the know said they tried, but there wasn’t really anywhere else to cut. I was surprised they had so little fat in the budget they couldn’t lower the price point but he said his sources said no.

Having done it, I can believe this. I don't think there was much to cut without diminishing the whole interactive storyline. Everything comes together and impacts your experience/story.

I love Star Wars. I love the whole idea of a Star Wars themed resort. But I'm an introvert and a person that would not do well at role playing-I squirm at the very idea. I would spend the entire two days not doing missions and making myself look as small as possible so nobody would interact with me.

I think lots of people, while maybe not introverts, would have liked the experience without all the work you had to do to 'get your money's worth.' I'm on vacation, not starring in a movie. My sister and I both predicted at the beginning that this thing would fail-the expense alone for only two days was a downer. Then you have to act? Or do missions or whatever it was. No thanks.

As an introvert, I was impressed at how the Imagineers designed the experience so that there were different ways to interact with the story and move forward your own path. If you don't want to directly interact with the characters, you can still have "choose your own adventure" conversations in the app which impacts missions you're assigned to and secret meetings (where you can totally just observe).

I also thought the actors/characters were good about being sensitive to how much certain people wanted to be directly drawn in and included. They really are incredible--remembering people's names, details, etc.

 

[rowan1813]

I love Star Wars (or at least the SW before some decisions were made regarding the storylines of 7-9 and the complete trashing of the EU) but I can't afford this place. I'm a teacher. There was just no way that I would've been able to afford flights from CA and the cost for just 2 nights on just my salary. I am so not surprised that this is being shut down. I understand why the cost (with all of the amazing character actors who deserve to be paid an appropriate amount) but it's just completely out of my reach and I'm guessing most folks who would want to go.

 

[Mysterian]

The Laser Shuffleboard was the line in the sand* for me.

I could just dress up in a cardboard Mandalorian outfit and run around my yard swinging a stick at random objects for free.

*It's coarse and rough, and irritating, and it gets everywhere.