Star Wars: Galactic Starcruiser

[HandsomePete]

It would be interesting to hear the entire quote verbatim because that seems a little high, but I’m guessing it’s the semantics around timing and whatnot.

But that likely means they’re going to bulldoze it, and probably before the end of the year.

 

[Mad Dog]

Maybe Disney could work with Universal and get a good twofer price, and bulldoze F&F along with Galactic. A 'special 'Two Turkeys' deal.

 

[wutisgood]

and....WDW attendance has appeared to nosedive the last month....so future SW Hotel bookings might have been 'projected' to drop drastically. Get out while the getting is good. This might be a tough year for Orlando theme parks. Covid money gone, and customers dissatisfied with the direction, cost and operational, parks/hotels have taken in the last couple of years.....and economic uncertainty, actual or imagined, looming in people's minds.

I think it will be a tough year for Disney more than other parks. Disney has become so reliant on charging whatever they want to cover costs at the margin they want it will be much harder for them to offer deals to boost sales that can make up for it.

 

[kingcooger]

'Imagineer Division' and 'Greatly Inflated Costs' are different words but mean the same. A few years ago, Mice Chat had an interview with an ex Imagineer and he documented how they extremely overcharged for everything, even mundane stuff like cardboard signs, small props, etc. A real eye opener.

I remember reading this years ago but cannot recall who the interview was with. I think it was an operations person, not an Imagineer because I recall them saying they put up a temporary sign which the Imagineers were not happy about.

If anyone has the link to this article, I would love to give it another read as I cannot seem to find it myself.

 

[Mad Dog]

I remember reading this years ago but cannot recall who the interview was with. I think it was an operations person, not an Imagineer because I recall them saying they put up a temporary sign which the Imagineers were not happy about.

If anyone has the link to this article, I would love to give it another read as I cannot seem to find it myself.

It was pretty long ago. But it appears the leopard still has its same spots. Though, I seem to remember it as a former Imagineer division employee interviewed , who was just stating that operations was p _ ssed concerning the really outlandish cost of something they could have picked up at a local printer shop for a few bucks instead of a few thousand.

 

[Cup_Of_Coffee]

Okay… I’ve done some researching via Vlogs regarding this experience.

It needs to be a regular Star Wars hotel, better priced, slightly more food options, along with a dinner theatre/nightly event with actors. Add more of the entertainment here to SWGE itself, and include early admission for these hotel guests to SWGE.

I’d stay here if that was the case, but a full forced 48 hour experience when I could do a lot of Disney stuff isn’t reasonable.

Keep the space, make it a normal, yet heavily themed, hotel.

 

[OrlandoGuy]

Okay… I’ve done some researching via Vlogs regarding this experience.

It needs to be a regular Star Wars hotel, better priced, slightly more food options, along with a dinner theatre/nightly event with actors. Add more of the entertainment here to SWGE itself, and include early admission for these hotel guests to SWGE.

I’d stay here if that was the case, but a full forced 48 hour experience when I could do a lot of Disney stuff isn’t reasonable.

Keep the space, make it a normal, yet heavily themed, hotel.

Agreed. I wonder how many guests would’ve been willing to try it (even with the price tag) but were turned off by the role playing. I would’ve 100% been willing to give it a shot (when I didn’t live 10 minutes away) if not for the fact that I’d have to dress up and interact with strangers.


I guess we’ll never know what could’ve been. I wonder if the idea started as a traditional hotel but the market research didn’t support it so it became irreversibly married to the interactive game engine. Really, the experience itself seemed completely unrelated to Star Wars with the exception of a couple brief character appearances and the bridge room, all of which could’ve been easily swapped for any other theme…

 

[Brian G.]

Agreed. I wonder how many guests would’ve been willing to try it (even with the price tag) but were turned off by the role playing. I would’ve 100% been willing to give it a shot (when I didn’t live 10 minutes away) if not for the fact that I’d have to dress up and interact with strangers.


I guess we’ll never know what could’ve been. I wonder if the idea started as a traditional hotel but the market research didn’t support it so it became irreversibly married to the interactive game engine. Really, the experience itself seemed completely unrelated to Star Wars with the exception of a couple brief character appearances and the bridge room, all of which could’ve been easily swapped for any other theme…

Granted, it's anecdotal - but I had a couple of family and friends book not realizing it was for a LARP-type commitment. They liked it but wouldn't do it again unless it became more of a traditional hotel experience.

 

[Jake S]

I will echo that I would have been much more intrigued by this had it not been LARP-y. I am not above blowing a ton of money on something Disney Parks/Star Wars related, but finding out what the experience entailed felt like U.S. Soccer releasing an ugly jersey: a welcome excuse for me to not open my wallet.

 

[fryoj]

As soon as I heard LARP I was out. For the price they charged, I get why they kinda had to go that way, but it certainly turned a lot of people off. Too many introverts and those who don't like the idea of being stuck there for 2 days roleplaying out there.

 

[Nick]

I don't buy it, but I will say I have heard talk of a Marvel hotel replacing it. I'm not even sure if Disney can legally do that. @Brian G.?


Extended quote:
"I know not everything’s going to work. What did work, though, is we took creativity and storytelling to a completely new level, to a level that had never existed before. … It didn’t work commercially. And so, when we realized that, you just make a call and move on.

No hints yet, but something will happen."

 

[fryoj]

Guardians of the galaxy hotel. You are on a space cruise that gets hijacked and the guardians have to save you.

 

[Parkscope Joe]

Yeah it’ll be torn down

 

[HandsomePete]

Yeah it’ll be torn down

This is my bet - you can’t write off the amount he said would be written off and still use the building for something.

 

[Grabnar]

I would love to see a full accounting breakdown of this thing, it must be wild

 

[Parkscope Joe]

This is my bet - you can’t write off the amount he said would be written off and still use the building for something.

I think he’s trying to be cute and hint at some SWGC stuff in the parks.

 

[SeventyOne]

I don't buy it, but I will say I have heard talk of a Marvel hotel replacing it. I'm not even sure if Disney can legally do that.

In addition to @HandsomePete's excellent Tax Law point -- which really ends all discussions -- a Marvel hotel doesn't feature exotic locales like SW, doesn't feature a wealth of interesting NPCs like SW, and would be just enough like the "Marvel Universe" restaurants proposed in the 90s to ensure long, drawn-out arbitration with Universal. Plus if it fails AGAIN, looks even worse, can't blame it on Chapek.

 

[Parkscope Joe]

The marvel hotel was for California. How quickly we forget about the contract.

 

[Nick]

The marvel hotel was for California. How quickly we forget about the contract.

Nobody is forgetting about the contract. This is recent chatter that I even said I didn’t believe, but had heard specifically for Florida by Florida Equity performers.

 

[SkiBum]

I think he’s trying to be cute and hint at some SWGC stuff in the parks.

Well, we can't expect full admission of failure. Personally, I would hope that they either tear it down or repurpose the building for something useful.