Star Wars: Galactic Starcruiser

[Lucky Planet]

LoL

 

[HandsomePete]

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

Imagineering doesn’t have anyone in the Feature Animation building, but they do have people scattered across various trailer complexes. Those would be the priority to empty.

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.

While I don’t think the pricing was officially set that way, there was a fair bit of “if people are willing to pay $X for these other things, it has to work” going on. I’m guessing there was a spreadsheet somewhere that said it would be profitable, but I’m also in the “it was never going to be profitable” camp because things like charging per person instead of per room made the revenue side highly volatile and likely to come off the rails even if they got the occupancy.

I wonder if they’re going to stick a webcam on the side of the building and pipe in a video feed to the “windows” in each room. It seems like an awful building to have to work in every day.

 

[Mad Dog]

Imagineering doesn’t have anyone in the Feature Animation building, but they do have people scattered across various trailer complexes. Those would be the priority to empty.


While I don’t think the pricing was officially set that way, there was a fair bit of “if people are willing to pay $X for these other things, it has to work” going on. I’m guessing there was a spreadsheet somewhere that said it would be profitable, but I’m also in the “it was never going to be profitable” camp because things like charging per person instead of per room made the revenue side highly volatile and likely to come off the rails even if they got the occupancy.

I wonder if they’re going to stick a webcam on the side of the building and pipe in a video feed to the “windows” in each room. It seems like an awful building to have to work in every day.

The Imagineers will need to 'imagine' what the real world looks like through those windows. Fitting punishment.

 

[DrStarlander]

I wonder if they’re going to stick a webcam on the side of the building and pipe in a video feed to the “windows” in each room. It seems like an awful building to have to work in every day.

I worked in a creative studio and many "creatives" (especially digital painters and sculptors, but also graphic designers/art directors) had their window blinds not only shut, but 11x17 paper taped to the glass to block any bit of light. And the office lights were out of course. Dark office after dark office if you walk down the halls...that's how they liked it. So, it may not be that bad depending on what type of talent is working there.

 

[SeventyOne]

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

Bob Iger's true legacy, amirite Bob Chapek?

 

[SeventyOne]

Bumping this thread for a groundling perspective of the Starcruiser from a CP who worked there on Reddit:

Yeah, Reddit, so it could be fiction, but has the ring of truth to it, especially the occasional dips into college kid petulance. A lot of interesting take-aways, but perhaps the craziest to me was the idea that the overpriced WDW resorts typically only rate 60% guest satisfaction.

 

[HandsomePete]

Interesting read - I always thought to work there you really needed to drink the Kool Aid of the experience being something revolutionary but even if you did it would still be a draining experience. Working there in the period that it sounds like this person did where you weren’t in the opening crew (who got to get up to speed with test stays and non-paying guests) but they hadn’t figured out how to best train the first wave’s replacements had to be hard.

Yeah, Reddit, so it could be fiction, but has the ring of truth to it, especially the occasional dips into college kid petulance. A lot of interesting take-aways, but perhaps the craziest to me was the idea that the overpriced WDW resorts typically only rate 60% guest satisfaction.

On a five point scale (excellent, very good, good, fair, poor), 60% is well above industry average and is in the vicinity of a 4.5 star Hilton/Marriott brand on the aggregate - in Marriott terms, around JW but certainly below Ritz which are typically high 60s to mid 70s. I’m guessing most Disney hotels fall between like 45-62ish.

 

[Grabnar]

I’m guessing most Disney hotels fall between like 45-62ish.

I’d actually be really interested in seeing the price breakdown here, my guess is that there’s a normal distribution around the moderates with them having the highest satisfaction scores

 

[Scott W.]

"I swear this could have easily been a season of The Office in a parallel universe"

I don't think Disney has the self deprecating humour to ever do this but this would be hilarious and would at least make the space somewhat feasible again as a small shooting location.

 

[Alicia]

"I swear this could have easily been a season of The Office in a parallel universe"

I don't think Disney has the self deprecating humour to ever do this but this would be hilarious and would at least make the space somewhat feasible again as a small shooting location.

The irony of it currently *being* used as offices.

 

[Parkscope Joe]

FWIW I shared that post with some folks close to the SWGS and they all said it was BS.

 

[Legacy]

They could have just made the Star Wars hotel the hotel Cassian stays at on Ghorman and would have made bank.

 

[TheCodeMan95]

The irony of it currently *being* used as offices.

This is honestly hilarious for me to picture. Serious office workers surrounded by a highly themed Star Wars environment

 

[Lucky Planet]

This is honestly hilarious for me to picture. Serious office workers surrounded by a highly themed Star Wars environment

And imagine if the star wars music was still playing lol.

 

[tielo]

Bein confronted with your most expensive failure on a daily basis must be very "inspiring"?

 

[SkiBum]

They could have just made the Star Wars hotel the hotel Cassian stays at on Ghorman and would have made bank.

In all seriousness, how hard would it be to convert this to a Star Wars themed value hotel? Add a pool, some general theming, windows, make the outside look like a building from Tatooine, and have it staffed by people wearing Star Wars garb. An imperial officer could check you in. A resistance person could handle customer requests. The rooms are small but perfect for a small family or couple and it has a nice dedicated exit to get into/out of the hotel. I haven't been to the place but it seems doable. It would give Disney another value resort, albeit a small one. Plus, my guess is that it would stay booked up. They could create an entrance into DHS from here or use the existing shuttle.

I say all this while recognizing that they wrote this off but that is an accounting entry that could be reversed/modified. The ship may have sailed long ago but it is just an idea. The price point, even as a moderate, would justify its existence and they could see how their occupancy rates hold up over time.

 

[Spike101]

In all seriousness, how hard would it be to convert this to a Star Wars themed value hotel? Add a pool, some general theming, windows, make the outside look like a building from Tatooine, and have it staffed by people wearing Star Wars garb. An imperial officer could check you in. A resistance person could handle customer requests. The rooms are small but perfect for a small family or couple and it has a nice dedicated exit to get into/out of the hotel. I haven't been to the place but it seems doable. It would give Disney another value resort, albeit a small one. Plus, my guess is that it would stay booked up. They could create an entrance into DHS from here or use the existing shuttle.

I say all this while recognizing that they wrote this off but that is an accounting entry that could be reversed/modified. The ship may have sailed long ago but it is just an idea. The price point, even as a moderate, would justify its existence and they could see how their occupancy rates hold up over time.

TBH they should have just done that from the start.