Star Wars: Galactic Starcruiser

[HandsomePete]

The secure sidewalk entrance/exit gate that you could just walk around pretty much sums this place up.

 

[Cup_Of_Coffee]

Like, just make it a normal hotel. This cannot but that difficult if a decision (yet it is!!!)

 

[NotPennysBoat]

It’s so sad that they had to price it at a level where 90% of the people could not afford it. I really wanted to experience this, but I just could not pay the high price.

 

[Skold]

Like, just make it a normal hotel. This cannot but that difficult if a decision (yet it is!!!)

It is too late. The "hotel" has no pool, no fitness room, very small rooms with no windows, a cafeteria (not a food court), and the only sightlines are to the unfinished back of Galaxies Edge. There was no "Plan B" here; there is no way this could function as a regular hotel.

A Motel 6 might be considered on par, except maybe those fancy star-wars-orange blankets might be a little more snug.

They screwed themselves here.

They won't even keep the light on for you!*

*Cheers to anyone and everyone who read that in Tom Bodett's voice!

 

[SeventyOne]

It is too late. The "hotel" has no pool, no fitness room, very small rooms with no windows, a cafeteria (not a food court), and the only sightlines are to the unfinished back of Galaxies Edge. There was no "Plan B" here; there is no way this could function as a regular hotel.

A Motel 6 might be considered on par, except maybe those fancy star-wars-orange blankets might be a little more snug.

They screwed themselves here.

They won't even keep the light on for you!*

*Cheers to anyone and everyone who read that in Tom Bodett's voice!

In addition to these very valid -- and funny! -- points, if they took a tax write-off on the loss, they can't just re-use it. Sort of like WB's Coyote v Acme movie that some swear was actually pretty funny. Once they took the loss on their taxes, they can never use the movie to make money again--not in theaters, not on streaming, not selling DVDs out of the back of a car.

Which certainly means Disney bean-counters ran the numbers, and realized even a show-less hotel wouldn't make enough money to offset what the resort cost. Probably the first thing they did.

 

[MikePat]

LoL

 

[Mad Dog]

LoL

Perfect location. Teach & learn by pointing out all of those mistaken assumptions and get real.

 

[belloq87]

LoL

They should be moving the offices behind Animation Courtyard over here.

 

[SkiBum]

Perfect location. Teach & learn by pointing out all of those mistaken assumptions and get real.

Best part is that each office has its own restroom and shower.

 

[Cup_Of_Coffee]

They should be moving the offices behind Animation Courtyard over here.

This is genuinely what I’d expect to happen.

 

[Patrokls]

It’s like rubbing a dog’s nose in its own mess. Look what you did! Bad Imagineers! Obviously management bears more responsibility but nobody’s going to hold them to account.

 

[Mad Dog]

It’s like rubbing a dog’s nose in its own mess. Look what you did! Bad Imagineers! Obviously management bears more responsibility but nobody’s going to hold them to account.

Excellent analogy. It hurts....but its so true.....One of the times that many of us were able to see all the poor assumptions involved before it was completed. And generally, we predicted correctly that it would only last a year or two because the concept and pricing just wouldn't work long term. Imagineers and mgt. really had their heads in the clouds on this one. Missing a huge dose of reality.

 

[Parkscope Joe]

I don’t blame imagineering just as I don’t blame individual engineers on the Spruce Goose.

 

[belloq87]

The "original sin" of the Galactic Starcruiser goes all the way back to the decision to make Galaxy's Edge (and, therefore, its extensions like the hotel) chained to the Sequel era.

I have absolutely no doubt that Imagineers -- given a wider berth by executives -- could have designed an awesome STAR WARS hotel based on Original or Prequel Trilogy locations (read: places that audiences/fans wanted to visit for decades).

 

[Jake S]

The "original sin" of the Galactic Starcruiser goes all the way back to the decision to make Galaxy's Edge (and, therefore, its extensions like the hotel) chained to the Sequel era.

I have absolutely no doubt that Imagineers -- given a wider berth by executives -- could have designed an awesome STAR WARS hotel based on Original or Prequel Trilogy locations (read: places that audiences/fans wanted to visit for decades).

strongly disagree. the original sin of galaxy’s edge was removing all its kinetic energy and putting some of it behind a paywall at a hotel that was always going to appeal a niche audience.

 

[NotPennysBoat]

In my humble opinion, no matter what Disney did as far as theming, aesthetics, dining or entertainment. No matter how much better it could have been, it was always going to be too expensive for the average person. It’s just that simple. If you can’t afford it, you can’t afford it. And the ones that maybe could afford it, it was a “let’s do it one time” kinda thing. I would have loved to have done it one time, oh well.

 

[fryoj]

If they'd have made a Star Wars hotel themed on the wilderness lodge/AK lodge level of theming and priced it as a deluxe, it would have have done massive business regardless which era it was themed to. Once they made it a LARP experience it was done. Even pricing it as a deluxe or moderate as a LARP was going to limit it's appeal. Pricing it as an exclusive experience just sped up its demise.

 

[kristenabelle]

If they'd have made a Star Wars hotel themed on the wilderness lodge/AK lodge level of theming and priced it as a deluxe, it would have have done massive business regardless which era it was themed to. Once they made it a LARP experience it was done. Even pricing it as a deluxe or moderate as a LARP was going to limit it's appeal. Pricing it as an exclusive experience just sped up its demise.

They could've still had the awesome dinner/action show component here, too. I really hope they resurrect that in some way.

 

[DrStarlander]

The "original sin" of the Galactic Starcruiser goes all the way back to the decision to make Galaxy's Edge (and, therefore, its extensions like the hotel) chained to the Sequel era.

I have absolutely no doubt that Imagineers -- given a wider berth by executives -- could have designed an awesome STAR WARS hotel based on Original or Prequel Trilogy locations (read: places that audiences/fans wanted to visit for decades).

strongly disagree. the original sin of galaxy’s edge was removing all its kinetic energy and putting some of it behind a paywall at a hotel that was always going to appeal a niche audience.

Both are true in my opinion. Though sequentially, the decision to do Sequel trilogy likely came before the land's scope/cost cutting.

I think an original trilogy, or all-content land, that was not dour and low-energy, but rather fun and had kinetic energy, could have worked. But one other thing was also necessary, and that it needed two banger attractions (which Smuggler's Run isn't) for the size of the land. And opening just with "meh" Smuggler's Run doomed initial perceptions.

As far as the Starcruiser, a more "regular" Star Wars themed hotel could have worked.

 

[Parkscope Joe]

In my humble opinion, no matter what Disney did as far as theming, aesthetics, dining or entertainment. No matter how much better it could have been, it was always going to be too expensive for the average person. It’s just that simple. If you can’t afford it, you can’t afford it. And the ones that maybe could afford it, it was a “let’s do it one time” kinda thing. I would have loved to have done it one time, oh well.

Fun fact: Disney came up with the initial price not based on what it actually cost to run the place but an average of expensive things to do over 48 hours at WDW. Two nights at a hotel, two dinner shows, etc. SWGS was NEVER profitable at the already steep cost, even at 100% occupancy. That's why I think SWGS could never have worked, Disney just runs things super expensively and immersive theater is already a low margin business. The actual cost for what Disney promised would likely be much much much higher.

Then you add on the poor marketing, poor advertising, and poor planning for what kids/someone who doesn't want to play can do, it's easy to see how this was one man's folly.