Disney to close Florida property due to high prices after fan complaints.

Disney Announces Closure of Galactic Starcruiser

Disney World has announced the decommissioning of its Galactic Starcruiser, a two-day “immersive experience” for “Star Wars” fans that came with an out-of-this-world price tag. Billed as something far more than a two-night hotel stay, the attraction brought participants aboard as fellow passengers who interacted with costumed sci-fi characters, took lightsaber training and chose between the good Force and the evil Dark Side.

The Final Voyage

The attraction’s final two-day “voyage” will be Sept. 28-30, less than two years after its March 2022 opening, according to reports. CNBC described the attraction as an “experience” that “blends elements of the company’s resorts, cruise lines and theme parks into a 48-hour romp in space.”

A High Price to Pay

The 24/7 immersive entertainment format did not come cheap; a family of four could expect to pay close to $6,000 for standard quarters or up to $20,000 for a spacious “tricked-out suite.” The jaw-dropping price included food and drink (except alcohol), admission to Galaxy’s Edge (Disney’s “Star Wars” themed attraction) and “a supper club performance with cameos from popular characters like Yoda.”

A Failed Experiment

The unique format brought high marks from guests and even a Thea Award “for outstanding achievement in the themed entertainment space.” However, the down-to-earth fact of the matter appears to be that, despite the high price tag, the attraction was not profitable. The giant entertainment conglomerate recently announced extensive staffing cuts and said Thursday that it was canceling a $1 billion campus in Florida, implying the decision was at least in part due to ongoing battles between Disney and Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis.

Shortly after Disney’s announcement of the Galactic Starcruiser’s closing was made public, social media users pounced on the opportunity to lament the sky-high pricing and other aspects of the attraction.

Reddit Users React

Many Reddit users who chimed in focused on the hotel’s high price and bland exterior. “It looks like an actual maximum security prison from the exterior. What a waste of money for everyone,” one said. Another remarked, “Hmmmm…so you mean to tell me that Disney opened a crappy, cinder-block hotel filled with bad cosplay, cheap sets, silly acting theatre, basic arcade games, cell-like beds, and bland space windows, charged $5,000+ for a two-night stay…and somehow, this did not attract the average person into purchasing said experience enough to keep it afloat?”

At least one Twitter user joked about the facility being repurposed into “Reedy Creek State Prison,” a reference to the special tax district at the heart of the DeSantis-Disney battle last year.

The Motley Fool financial site speculated that Disney’s decision to offer discounted stays was the beginning of the end for the attraction.

“Star Wars: Galactic Starcruiser was doomed the moment that it offered its first promotion in January, giving its guests as much as a $700 discount when combined with a traditional Disney World resort stay. It would be hard to get back to retail pricing after that,” the site reported.

“The markdowns eventually widened to a 30% discount on select springtime ‘sailings’ for annual passholders, Disney credit cardholders, and members of the Disney Vacation Club. As demand continued to soften, Disney started to pare back on the actual number of voyages.”

Despite the mixed reactions, the Galactic Starcruiser will soon be a thing of the past, leaving behind memories of a unique and expensive experience for “Star Wars” fans.

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