‘Backfired tremendously’: Disney fans react to closure of ‘overpriced’ Star Wars hotel
Fans reacted to Disney’s choice to shutter its ultra-expensive Star Wars-themed luxurious hotel, which boasted rooms that ranged from $6,000 for a two-night keep for a household of 4 to an eye-popping $20,000 for a “tricked-out suite.”
The “Star Wars” Galactic Starcruiser hotel, which opened in March 2022 at Disney World, stated Thursday it’s going to shut its doorways on Sept. 28 — lower than two years after opening — amid struggles to fill the 100-room facility.
“This is actually hilarious. They were adamant about having the Star Wars brand as the reason people spent thousands a night for the hotel, yet it has backfired tremendously,” said one user on a Reddit board about the hotel closure Friday.
When it opened, critics lambasted Disney for the Orlando-based hotel’s expensive, windowless rooms, subpar meals and “Star Wars”-themed extras, like a non-public portrait session with a photographer.
As a outcome, the Mouse House had problem filling its 100-room hotel — at the same time as Disney World rang up strong gross sales.
“It looks like an actual maximum security prison from the exterior. What a waste of money for everyone,” one other Disney fan stated after studying of the information to shutter the hotel.
At launch, Disney had bragged concerning the immersive expertise, which might enable friends to work together with forged members and partake in adventures throughout their keep — however prospects complained concerning the expertise in relation to the excessive worth.
One person on Reddit stated: “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?”
“It was essentially a $5000 escape room with Star Wars sprinkled in. And they damn near force you to participate in the ‘story,’” echoed one other person.
Disney didn’t specify why one of its most “creative projects ever” was closing, however acknowledged it set a “new bar for innovation and immersive entertainment,” the corporate stated in a press release.
“This premium, boutique experience gave us the opportunity to try new things on a smaller scale of 100 rooms,” the assertion learn. “We are so proud of all of the Cast Members and Imagineers who brought Star Wars: Galactic Starcruiser to life. Thank you to our Guests and fans for making this experience so special.”
Disney chief govt Bob Iger introduced in February that the corporate would scale back prices by $5.5 billion as it really works to make its streaming TV enterprise worthwhile.
The firm, which introduced the hotel in 2019, reportedly spent round $2 billion to assemble its Star Wars theme parks in Florida and California.
It’s unknown if the associated fee of the Starcruiser Hotel was included within the quantity.
Disney additionally revealed on Thursday it was scrapping its plans to construct a whopping $1 billion company campus in Florida.
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