Credit: DisneyOne year after launching its struggling Galactic Starcruiser, Disney is taking another stab at a “storytelling” hotel.
Disney’s hotels are as much a part of the vacation experience as the Parks themselves. From the Disneyland Resort to Tokyo Disneyland, each Resort is home to a collection of destinations with their own unique form of Disney magic.
The latest addition is Walt Disney World’s much-anticipated Star Wars hotel. Galactic Starcruiser opened in March 2022 as Disney’s first fully-immersive hotel experience – taking Guests on a two-night “voyage” that blends role-playing with live-theater for a one-of-a-kind vacation.
There’s just one issue: this one-of-a-kind vacation has proved a tough sell. After persistent reports of dwindling Guests upon the Halcyon, in March Disney announced that it would cut voyages to just two per week from the fall.
Over the past few months, Disney has also introduced a swathe of “exclusive” discounts for potential voyagers. In March, it added a Galactic Starcruiser discount to the list of benefits for Annual Passholders, as well as introducing discounted voyages for DVC members.
Galactic Starcruiser was an Imagineering vision of epic proportions. However, big visions come with big pricetags. A night at the Star Wars hotel starts at $1,209.00 per Guest per night, which means that the mandatory two nights for two Guests comes in at $4,809 – something that (understandably) seems to put off the average Parkgoer.
But that hasn’t put Disney off attempting a second storytelling hotel experience in Disneyland Paris.
Closed since 2020, the Resort’s Disneyland Hotel is currently in the process of a total transformation inspired by Disney Princesses. Sneak peeks give Guests a glimpse at the kind of royal aesthetic they can expect whent the hotel reopens in 2024 – and now a new video from Disney has confirmed more immersive details.
According to Pilar Hamil, Vice President of Disneyland Paris, the newly transformed Disneyland Hotel will integrate “experiences that are out of this world” and “invite Guests to be Kings and Queens in their own Kingdom.”
Cast Members working in the hotel will reportedly offer Guests a “luxury experience” that takes their trip “to the next level with storytelling.”
👑 Video: Pilar Hamil, Disneyland Paris Hotels VP introduces upcoming Cast Member roles at the re-imagined Disneyland Hotel. Guests will be invited “to be Kings and Queens in their own Kingdom”, and the Cast will strive to deliver “excellence in service”, with storytelling: pic.twitter.com/qVhe5vCY5A
— DLP Report (@DLPReport) April 26, 2023
While we don’t know exactly what these storytelling experiences will entail, concept art released earlier this month offers a glimpse at Guests mingling with the likes of Tiana and Naveen from The Princess and the Frog (2009) in the lobby, suggesting that the hotel will let Guests live their royal dream side-by-side with their favorite princes and princesses.
With the Galactic Starcruiser experiencing sluggish demand, it’ll be interesting to see what lessons Disney takes into its next “storytelling” hotel venture. The Disneyland Hotel, while not as intricately immersive, is sure to carry a hefty price tag due to its royal theme. Even before its makeover, an average night started at €500 ($551.35) per night. The big question is whether this time round, Guests will judge the magic to be worth the cost.