Disney's Star Wars Hotel: Unveiling the Unexpected Reality
Disney's Galactic Starcruiser: A closer look at the setbacks that led to its underperformance and the valuable lessons learned
Summary
Disney's Star Wars hotel, Galactic Starcruiser, failed and will be closing in September 2023, resulting in a $250 million hit on accelerated depreciation for Disney.
The cost of $5,000 for a two-night stay at Galactic Starcruiser made it unaffordable for many fans, who tend to prefer longer vacations at Walt Disney World. It is uncertain if Disney will take lessons from this setback and venture into creating another Star Wars hotel in the future, given their emphasis on synergy and the franchise's potential.
Disney's Star Wars hotel, Galactic Starcruiser, has been deemed a major failure. After launching in 2022, the hotel will be closing just over a year later, with the final voyage scheduled for September 28-30, 2023. Disney expressed pride in the team that brought Galactic Starcruiser to life and promised a great experience for remaining guests in the upcoming months. However, the recent earnings call revealed the extent of its failure. The closure of Galactic Starcruiser will result in a $250 million hit in accelerated depreciation for Disney. This demonstrates the high cost of the project and highlights the significance of its failure for the company.
Why Did Disney's Galactic Starcruiser Fail?
Disney's Galactic Starcruiser was doomed from the start due to one fatal mistake - its exorbitant price of $5,000 for a two-night stay. While some argue that the additional features, such as access to popular Star Wars rides, justify the high cost, the reality is that this price tag was simply unaffordable for the majority of fans. Most families prefer to spend a full week at Walt Disney World, and paying $5,000 for just a weekend is impractical, especially given the current economic climate.
The intriguing question is whether Disney will make another attempt at creating a successful Star Wars hotel, having learned from the failure of Galactic Starcruiser. Disney has always embraced the concept of synergy across various platforms, and Star Wars seems perfectly suited for such an approach - at least in theory. Only time will reveal whether there is a future for Star Wars-themed hotels moving forward.
Source: Walt Hickey
