Credit: Inside the MagicDisney World is home to a number of hotel resorts. From value offerings to deluxe locations, the parks in Florida can serve any guest’s budget and preference, but this week, Disney will officially close one of its most premium experiences.
Across the many acres of the Walt Disney World Resort (Orlando, Central Florida), there are over 25 hotel resort destinations. For the jewel in the Disney Parks’ crown, Disney has invested millions in ensuring there is an option for everyone, with choices ranging from animation-themed value resorts to grandiose deluxe offerings.
In terms of the deluxe resort experience, guests can choose from a number of hotel resorts, such as Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort & Spa in the Magic Kingdom resort area, Disney’s BoardWalk Inn in the EPCOT resort area, and Disney’s Animal Kingdom Lodge in the Animal Kingdom resort area.
Deluxe resorts, of course, come with a higher price tag, and while places like Disney’s Contemporary Resort and Disney’s Beach Club are the more traditional types of hotel offerings, last year the Disney park opened its most expensive destination yet.
Related: Disney World Declared “Capitalist Dystopian Nightmare” as Guest Struggles to Save Vacation
In March 2022, Walt Disney World officially debuted the Star Wars: Galactic Starcruiser. Whisking guests away for a deluxe experience aboard the Halcyon Starcruiser, the two-night, two-day adventure saw guests becoming part of the Star Wars story as they got involved in the battle between the Resistance and the First Order.
Featuring elements like the Crown of Corellia dining room, the Sublight Lounge, and an array of cabin and suite options, the Star Wars: Galactic Starcruiser was a truly immersive resort experience. Guests can learn the ways of the bridge or the lightsaber, all the while taking part in the ongoing narrative happening on board. Guests would even traverse to the Black Spire Outpost on Batuu, AKA Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge at Hollywood Studios, during their voyage
Perfect for fans of Star Wars or those who appreciate a good dose of Walt Disney Imagineering, the Star Wars: Galactic Starcruiser was one Disney’s most-anticipated projects ever since it was announced at the 2017 D23 Expo in Anaheim, Southern California.
Upon the lead-up to its opening, though, the Starcruiser proved it really was a deluxe resort experience, coming in at close to $5,000 for a standard cabin for the two-night adventure. And while voyages were initially sold out, the Starcruiser soon began to depreciate with wide-open bookings that left Disney offering discounts for select guests.
It wouldn’t be enough, in the end. In May 2023, just over a year after the Starcruiser opened, Disney announced it would be shuttering this deluxe offering, and the final voyage will be this week over the September 28 through September 30 weekend.
“This premium, boutique experience gave us the opportunity to try new things on a smaller scale of 100 rooms, and as we prepare for its final voyage, we will take what we’ve learned to create future experiences that can reach more of our Guests and fans,” Disney wrote when the company announced the closure.
Related: Disgruntled Guests Cause Disney to Make a Bold Statement
On the website, Disney states: “The final voyage for Star Wars: Galactic Starcruiser will take place September 28-30, 2023. We are so proud of all of the Cast Members and Imagineers who brought Star Wars: Galactic Starcruiser to life and look forward to delivering an excellent experience for Guests during the remaining voyages over the coming months. Thank you to our Guests and fans for making this experience so special.”
Found in Disney’s Hollywood Studios resort area, all eyes are now on what Disney World could do with the structure that housed its Starcruiser. Only time will tell if the company will utilize the former Halcyon location, but if this recent announcement on investment in parks and cruises is anything to go by, there is a chance the Starcruiser could live on in a different way going into the future.
Did you ever get to experience the Star Wars: Galactic Starcruiser? Let Inside the Magic know in the comments down below!