Get this: A windowless theme park hotel with a mandatory 48-hour stay that costs a family of four $6,000 per visit failed.
Disney has decided to close its doors Star Warsthemed Galactic Starcruiser hotel after less than two years. The hotel’s last “trip” will be in September.
The ultra-ambitious project opened in March 2022 near the Disney World Resort in Orlando, Florida.
A stay costs approximately $1,200 per person, per day, for a two-day all-inclusive interactive role-playing adventure where guests interact with characters from the sci-fi saga and enjoy themed games, food, and drinks.
“Star Wars: Galactic Starcruiser is one of our most creative projects ever and has been praised by our guests and recognized for setting a new bar for innovation and immersive entertainment,” Disney said in a statement. “This premium boutique experience gave us the chance to try new things on a smaller scale of 100 rooms, and as we prepare for the final journey, we will use what we learned to create future experiences that more of our guests can enjoy. reach and fans.”
Indeed, Star Wars fans who visited the hotel generally praised the concept, with the hotel receiving an average of 4.5 stars on Tripadvisor.
“If you’re into Star Wars and into role-playing games, this is totally worth it,” wrote one reviewer. “Besides the lodging, food (it’s a LOT of food), park entry (including lightning fast access to the rides), you’re really paying for the experience provided by the characters and crew members.”
However, it is also striking that there were only 43 reviews. Among the guests who had a bad feeling about the hotel, one described the experience as “like being in a prison”, and another called it “the most expensive scam of my life”, saying it was the biggest spend part of their time staring at their phones to participate in the role play. “The hotel is surprisingly small, with few themed areas to explore. Even the ‘climate simulator’ in the garden that is supposed to help with claustrophobia is small. I really don’t know why it’s so small, there’s plenty of land to work with. It doesn’t feel immersive, it feels cramped.
The pandemic likely made the concept a harder sell for the virus-wary, given the prospect of being confined in a closed room for extended periods of time.
In any case, Galactic Starcruiser will be remembered as the perfect destination for families who love Star Wars and role-playing games and had a $6,000 reserve to spend and a high tolerance for closed spaces.
