Why is Disney shutting down Galactic Starcruiser?

And while it received glowing reviews from guests, ultimately it performed below Disney's expectations, according to Disney Parks, Experiences and Products Chairman Josh D'Amaro. “It didn't perform exactly like we wanted it to perform, so we decided that we were going to sunset this in September,” D'Amaro said.



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– Disney announced earlier this year that the company would be closing its Star Wars-themed “Galactic Starcruiser” hotel, with its final voyage scheduled from Sept. 28-30.

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BAY LAKE, Fla. – Walt Disney World's Star Wars: Galactic Starcruiser is beginning its final voyage Thursday before closing permanently. Walt Disney World announced back in May that the immersive Star Wars hotel experience would be closing after nearly two years in operation.

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The company said that its Star Wars: Galactic Starcruiser hotel at Walt Disney World in Florida, which costs nearly $5,000 per couple for a two-night stay, will take its final voyage Sept. 28. Travel better with news, tips and guides that make you feel like a local wherever you go.

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Disney Parks made a surprising announcement in May: its Star Wars: Galactic Starcruiser experience in Orlando, Florida, will close in September after just ~18 months. During the Walt Disney Company's Q3 earnings call, the company revealed that the closure would result in a $250m loss.

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But the Starcruiser was also said to be immensely costly to operate, primarily because it employed a cast of about a dozen core actors who had to perform and interact with guests in full-day shifts. The Galactic Starcruiser features about a dozen core actors who interact with guests throughout the two-day experience.

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What if you need to leave in the middle of your stay? Passengers are able to leave the Galactic Starcruiser at any point throughout their stay.

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Your starcruiser voyage includes a 2-night stay in a cabin or suite with cosmic views of planets, stars, and other ships traveling through the galaxy. Standard Cabins can comfortably sleep 4 to 5 passengers, Galaxy Class Suites sleep 4 passengers, and Grand Captain's Suites sleep up to 8.

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With its 100 guest rooms, the Galatic Starcruiser has a maximum capacity of 502 passengers. Assuming that every guest pays an average of $1,800 for a two-night stay, Disney could take in roughly $900,000 per voyage—or about $13.5 million per month—but that's before expenses.

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Pushing Buttons: Why the closure of Disney's Star Wars hotel isn't the end of immersive gaming. Next month, Disney's immersive Galactic Starcruiser “Star Wars hotel” in Florida will shut down, less than two years after opening.

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Disney has not commented on just how much Galactic Starcruiser took to construct, although the Washington Post estimated a cost of close to $1 billion. Now, the company can add another $250,000,000 to that total, according to Disney's interim CFO Kevin Lansberry on the August 9 earnings call.

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One of the reasons a stay at the Galactic Starcruiser is so expensive is that it's more like a cruise experience rather than a hotel. Most meals and activities onboard are included in the price.

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FILE - Los Angeles Times columnist Todd Martens sits in one of the bunk beds inside a room in the Disney World Galactic Starcruiser on March 1, 2022. Less than a year after opening to great fanfare, Disney World's $5,000-a-stay Star Wars hotel is slashing rates in an attempt to increase bookings.

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'A Premium Brand and Luxury Amenities' Disney hotels are expensive because they offer exclusive perks like early park access. Throughout 2022, everything at Disney has been subject to pretty drastic price hikes.

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Passengers are able to leave the Galactic Starcruiser at any point throughout their stay. Just let a Crew Member know that you need to leave and they will escort you onto a Launch Pod back to planet Earth.

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