In what universe would fans of Star Wars pay $5,000 to spend two nights in a hotel?

Hannah Sampson examines the short life of Disney’s venture whose sky-high prices stopped guests coming back for more

- Hannah Sampson

Not all that long ago, in a galaxy that looks a lot like Central Florida, Disney embarked on a mission that would take its brand of themed entertainment into hyperspace. It wouldn’t just be a Star Wars hotel designed to space-opera specifications. It would be an entire immersive universe, complete with storylines, aliens, droids and at least one Wookiee.

Disney first announced the project – ultimately called Star Wars: Galactic Starcruiser – to rabid reception in 2017. Early descriptions promised that costumed fans could participate in continuous storytelling, interact with characters and simulate spaceshiplike transportation. The Starcruiser would take five more years to open, launching in March 2022 with a startling price tag starting at nearly $5,000 per couple for a two-night experience. Experts say the project represented an investment of hundreds of millions – and possibly close to $1bn – for Disney.

Media and influencers showed off the voyage after a preview, and then-CEO Bob Chapek described the response to the experience as “phenomenal” in a May earnings call. But months into the experiment, it became clear there was a disturbance in the force. The Starcruiser would sail for just over a year before executives decided to call it quits, announcing earlier this month the final voyage would be 28 September. “It didn’t perform exactly like we wanted it to perform, so we decided that we were going to sunset this in September,” the company’s parks and resorts chair, Josh D’Amaro, said at the JP Morgan Global Technology, Media and Communications Conference this week.