Disney’s Star Wars Hotel In Trouble?
The Disney Galactic Star Cruiser has canceled all its summer bookings, leaving many to wonder of the hotel is going to be shut down.
Last year, Disney World added what sounded like a great attraction for Star Wars fans: a kind of interactive, Westworld-like experience that allowed guests to fully inhabit the galaxy far, far away as they never have before. The Disney Galactic Star Cruiser is one part hotel, one-part interactive ride, and one-part immersive cosplay opportunity. Now, it looks like the ambitious hotel is in trouble because WDWMagic is reporting that Disney has canceled a number of summer 2023 bookings.
This obviously has many Star Wars fans worried about the long-term viability of the Disney Galactic Starcruiser. This was already one of the most expensive Star Wars experiences available: for you and a partner or friend to stay in a double-occupancy room, you’ll have to pay nearly $5,000. Considering that this is only for a two-night stay, many hardcore fans skipped out on even trying to go, and news of Disney canceling bookings has many wondering if returning Disney CEO Bob Iger is ransacking this starship as surely as Darth Vader did at the beginning of Star Wars: A New Hope.
However, statements from the House of Mouse claim that they are simply refurbishing the Disney Galactic Starcruiser, and guests whose bookings are canceled have received the offer to book different dates for 50% off the regular price. On paper, this seems like a reasonable explanation considering that individual rides and areas of Disney World are often closed for renovation and refurbishment. However, it’s notable how long this Star Wars hotel is closed (canceled reservations range from July 4 to September 12), and Disney is losing thousands of dollars with every booking they cancel during summer (their busiest time), so paranoid fans are worried that there may be some disturbances in the Force with this pricy hotel that Disney isn’t telling us about.
Another reason to be worried is previous reports about how few fans have booked a stay aboard the Disney Galactic Starcruiser. Despite the fact that the hotel can accommodate up to 502 guests at once, only one of their “voyages” were fully booked from January through September 2023 according to a report published in December. Some are speculating that the real reason Disney is canceling so many of these existing bookings is so they can make later voyages appear fuller, lest these guests end up wandering a futuristic hotel that is more like a ghost town.
On top of that, some fans have pointed out how unlikely it is that the Disney Galactic Starcruiser would actually close down for nearly half a year due to a “refurbishment period.” Keep in mind that the hotel only opened last year, so it really shouldn’t need any actual refurbishments, and if Disney was adding some special new features, they’d presumably advertise that. And the fact that Disney has now trotted out their first real discount for the experience (which isn’t a discount per se but a chance to get $700 off a Walt Disney World Resort hotel once they book a voyage on the cruiser) seems to be another sign that very few people are willing to pony up a minimum of $4,800 to do interactive cosplay and stay in very cramped rooms for only two nights.
