Credit: DisneyDisney has announced the cancellation of several projects today, including the $1 billion Lake Nona project and the Star Wars: Galactic Starcruiser.
These were two of the biggest projects undertaken by former CEO Bob Chapek, along with the Park reservation system and Genie+. While the reservation system has officially received an end date, it’s possible Genie+ may be the next thing to go or get a major redesign. However, there was one other major undertaking announced by Chapek that may actually be the next on the chopping block.
StoryLiving by Disney was first announced in early 2022 as a business/residential community where fans could live, work, and play all in the same space while enjoying the Disney atmosphere. Located in Rancho Mirage, California, the project received an update in March of this year with all-new concept art featuring a clubhouse designed after the Parr House from The Incredibles along with several other amenities.
Reminiscent of Walt Disney World’s Golden Oak community, StoryLiving was clearly directed at a specific group of Disney fans, leaving many to wonder: who could actually afford to live there? While an innovative undertaking, online reception was primarily negative, with no demand for a project of this size or type from the company, especially the heavy inclusion of IP-based offerings, making it feel like a residential theme park.
As current CEO Bob Iger has announced thousands of layoffs, dropping revenue, and other issues within the company, today’s announcements may just be the first of many. The Galactic Starcruiser, in particular, was a highly innovative and creative experience that had a lot of popularity upon its initial announcement, but when it ended up pricing out the average family and only drawing in those who could afford the several thousand dollar experience, it’s no surprise it wasn’t successful.
With the StoryLiving by Disney community aiming at that same group of Disney fans, it seems likely that the project may be cancelled before it gets much further off the ground. With the other announcements made today and the clear direction Disney seems to be taking towards cutting costs, it’s just a matter of time.
Stay tuned for the latest updates about this and other developing stories from Inside the Magic.