Disney’s Star Wars: Galactic Starcruiser hotel experience is closing after only a year in business, and this failure can be traced back to one choice. Galactic Starcruiser was criticized for its second-rate features and lacking sci-fi aesthetic, but even these problems aren’t the real reason for its shutting down.
If Disney had simply made one change to the Galactic Starcruiser package, then maybe the hotel would have lasted long enough for the other glaring problems to be resolved. Sadly, a perplexing choice made at Galactic Starcruiser‘s inception doomed the experience to fail no matter what Disney did.
Star Wars Galactic Starcruiser Simply Cost Far Too Much Money For Guests
The biggest problem with Galactic Starcruiser from the start was its outrageous cost which was far too much for most guests. There were other issues, but the nearly $5,000 price tag for a stay is so prohibitive that nothing else really matters that much. The only way to justify a price tag that high is to deliver an absolutely amazing experience and give guests plenty of time to enjoy it. Unfortunately, most guests felt that Galactic Starcruiser looked cheap despite its cost and that the architecture didn’t evoke the Star Wars style at all. Even if these issues had been addressed, bookings started at $4,800 just for a two-night stay.
Disney really backed itself into a corner with Galactic Starcruiser that was almost impossible to get out of. Redesigning the hotel and adding more activities to the experience may have justified the price, but that would have meant having to close down after guests had already booked their stay in advance. Another option was to lower the price to encourage greater attendance, but the low capacity may not have allowed for enough guests to justify the change. Whatever changes Disney made, guests would still want more time to enjoy what they paid for, which would have added to all the other challenges.
Disney Parks Needs To Do Better With Star Wars
With Galactic Starcruiser shutting down, Disney Parks will have to do better with Star Wars, but this closure opens up other opportunities. A large portion of land will now be available to expand Galaxy’s Edge at Hollywood Studios, which has already had far greater success that Galactic Starcruiser. Adding more attractions and expanding the scope of Galaxy’s Edge would be expensive, but Disney can generate more long-term profits and good faith with its guests. Star Wars: Galactic Starcruiser may have been doomed from the start thanks to one perplexing choice, but future Disney experiences can still find success.