Galaxy’s Edge (Star Wars area), Hollywood Studios – Courtesy: Shutterstock – Image by GuilhermeZangiacomi
Walt Disney Co. will close its immersive Star Wars-themed luxury hotel in Orlando in September, less than two years after it launched, as the media conglomerate reduces costs across its entertainment and parks operations.
On Thursday, Disney announced the closure of the two-night “Star Wars: Galactic Starcruiser” hotel and experience, but provided no explanation. The hotel opened to the public in March 2022 at Walt Disney World.
Disney CEO Bob Iger stated in February that the corporation would eliminate $5.5 billion in costs as it seeks to make its streaming TV business viable.
Some Star Wars enthusiasts claimed that the expense of staying on the Starcruiser was prohibitively expensive. Bookings for two guests began at $4,800.
Two days and two nights in one of 100 Starcruiser cabins offered galactic-inspired cuisine and drink, and a journey to Batuu, the “Star Wars” planet inside Disney World.
The 100 rooms on the property accounted for less than 0.5% of Disney’s total lodging inventory in the area.
Disney also announced on Thursday that it was abandoning plans to create a roughly $1 billion corporate campus in Florida, citing “changing business conditions” in the midst of a legal battle with Republican Governor Ron DeSantis.
According to a Disney spokesman, the Starcruiser experience was “praised and recognized by our guests for setting a new bar for innovation and immersive entertainment.”
“We will use what we’ve learned to create future experiences that can reach even more of our guests and fans,” stated a spokeswoman.
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Chris began his writing as a hobby while attending Florida Southern College in Lakeland, Florida. Today he and his wife live in the Orlando area with their three children and dog.
