Disney Wanted To Build More ‘Star Wars’ Hotels Before Its Permanent Closure

in Walt Disney World

Galactic Starcruiser entrance

Credit: Steven Miller via Flickr

Before Disney announced it was shuttering Galactic Starcruiser for good, there were talks of launching additional voyages across the world.

Opened in March 2022, Disney Worldā€™s Galactic Starcruiser lasted just over one year before Disney announced its permanent closure in May. Reservations are now open for the final voyage on the Chandrila Star Line in September, and slots are filling up fast as Guests rush to enjoy Disneyā€™s most immersive (and most expensive) hotel to date.

Stormtroopers aboard the Galactic Starcruiser
Credit: Steven Miller via Flickr

The price tag was always the key issue for Galactic Starcruiser. Priced between $4,000 and $6,000 for two nights in a standard cabin, its target demographic of ā€˜rich, intensely dedicated Star Wars fansā€™ was ultimately too niche to sustain bookings in the long run.

According to Disney insiders, the company considered multiple options to salvage its $350 million hotel. A recent report from The Wrap states that there were talks about a Mandalorian retheme – as well as offering Disney World Guests the option to book day trips and tours to visit the Halcyonā€™s restaurant, bar, dinner show, and gift shop – until Disney CEO Bob Iger called for a permanent closure.

Guests watch a show at Galactic Starcruiser
Credit: Steven Miller via Flickr

The Wrap also reports that Disney nearly had a much bigger failure on its hands. Until the company realized that bookings were on a sharp, irreversible decline, it had plans to build additional Galactic Starcruiser hotels at Disneyland Resort, Disneyland Paris, and Tokyo Disney Resort.

While none of these plans ever made it as far as an actual announcement – nevermind groundbreaking – they make sense for Disneyland and Disneyland Paris in particular. Disneyland is home to its own Galaxyā€™s Edge, perfect for a Star Wars hotel tie-in, and Disneyland Parisā€™ Walt Disney Studios Park was also supposed to get its own Batuu (although the current status of these plans is now up in the air).

A family walks through Galaxy's Edge at Disneyland
Credit: Disney

From a financial perspective, itā€™s fortunate that Disney never openly committed to taking Galactic Starcruiser global. However, this is just another reminder of how (if done right) an immersive Star Wars experience couldā€™ve been available to Guests worldwide. What could have been.

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