Disney has made a decision on the former location of the Star Wars Galactic Starcruiser and it’s not what many may expect!
Disney isn’t flawless, we all know that. Yet, in terms of sheer disasters, it’s hard to ignore the Star Wars Galactic Starcruiser. On paper, it was a great idea: A Star-Wars-themed hotel replicating a voyage through the galaxy, packed with actors playing characters and giving guests a chance to experience “storylines” set in this universe.
Such themed resorts have proven popular in Las Vegas and other places and with the Disney push behind it, this had a lot going for it. Disney agreed, pouring almost a billion dollars into the project, which had the usual array of setbacks before finally opening in March of 2022.
The hotel has been the subject of debate from the moment it opened. It did get praise from those who attended it and championed the experience. The problem was the fantastic cost as the minimum rooms would cost $4800 a night with larger suites almost double that. That meant the average guests and even some Star Wars fans simply couldn’t afford the place.
The resort’s issues were summed up in a popular four-hour video from Disney park fan Jenny Nicholson that’s been viewed over 11 million times. It cited issues of technology, guest relations, and simply how there wasn’t as much to do with the experience as promised.
Combine that with economic issues and cost overruns and there was little shock when Disney announced the Starcruiser was closing down in September of 2023. The building itself has remained vacant since, with various discussions on what to do with it.
There were rumored plans of everything from changing it to a regular hotel with the Star Wars theme to making it a “dinner theater” spot. Welp, Disney’s made their decision and it’s a bit of a surprise.
Welcome to a new Disney Imagineering home
The Wrap broke the exclusive news (not yet confirmed by Disney) that the Starcruiser will now be changed into offices for Walt Disney Imagineering.
That may be a surprising move, although it makes sense given that Disney is planning a lot for WDW. From Animal Kingdom adding Encanto and Indiana Jones rides to the transformation of Frontierland to the coming Villains Land and Monstropolis expansions, there’s a lot coming.
So, Disney having a special on-site branch of Imagineering to handle it fits the mold, and using this building is better economically than building a new office space. It should be remembered that the Starcruiser was located in a remote area at the rear of Hollywood Studios.
That meant guests would have to be shuttled to it if Disney was to have tried the “dinner theater” or making it a Meet and Greet or gift shop spot. The Wrap reported that Disney had been testing the idea with employees as “guests.” It seems they’re moving away from that, although the report hints Disney may still leave some part of the building open for a potential restaurant.
Is Disney making the right choice with the new building?
This can be a bit of a letdown to some. The Starcruiser was a flawed experiment, but a Star-Wars-themed hotel was a great idea. The problem was that guests would have preferred just theming rather than a full experience, forcing them to go along with a “story.”
That’s without mentioning that ridiculously high cost is more fitting for a cruise than a three-night hotel stay. Converting it to a regular hotel could have been a better bet.
The idea of making it into some sort of theater experience also could have been a great idea. Disney could have given guests a fun show of Jedi vs. Sith or Rebellion/Empire mixed with some meals, and that could have been a great showcase that would spark the area.
On the flip side, having an Imagineering section right in WDW is a long overdue idea. There have always been complaints that Disney is a bit too distant from the parks, while Imagineers able to work right in WDW and see firsthand how guests interact with the rides is best.
So it looks like the final remnants of the Starcruiser are being swept away for an Imagineering expansion to put to bed one of Disney’s more notable flop projects.