Disney fans mourn 'Star Wars: Galactic Starcruiser' hotel

April 2024 · 4 minute read

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Die-hard “Star Wars” fans lamented the demise of their sci-fi movie-themed hotel at Disney World — despite the $400 million resort turning into a much-panned flop for the Mouse House.

The “Star Wars: Galactic Starcruiser” hotel, which includes an immersive experience where guests can interact with characters from the “Star Wars” franchise, will zoom off into hyperspace Saturday to end its ill-fated 19-month run.

A few fanatics attempted some Jedi mind tricks in casting the doomed project as a positive experience.

“I’ve been trying to find a way to talk about my feelings for ages now and just kept procrastinating,” wrote one member of a private Facebook group, “Galactic Starcruiser Drop: Post-Voyage Emotional Support.”

“But as time has drawn to a close, things built up and I spent the night sobbing,”

Another Luke Skywalker fan offered: “I’ve moved around a lot and I think I did so because nowhere ever felt like home. I’ve always searched for home but never knew where home was. The Galactic Starcruiser felt like it. … Our hearts are broken [by the news].”

Disney super fans are lamenting the closure of the “Star Wars” hotel, which will shutter on Saturday. Los Angeles Times via Getty Images
Fans lamented the closure of the “Star Wars” hotel in a private Facebook group offering emotional support. Facebook

Another member recounted his three stays at the hotel, which included lightsaber training with cast members dressed as various “Star Wars” characters, as well as mingling with other guests.

“The story that I wrap up this year is the story that I will tell myself about my career for the rest of my life. It needs to be a hero’s journey. I’m working on it, and the lessons learned from the Galactic Starcruiser are helping,” he said. “I have found that being outside of my comfort zone is where I learn best.”

Others merely posted photos from their stay and memorabilia acquired on their voyage, with one user currently staying at the hotel, vowing to livestream the final moments of the Starcruiser before it shutters.

Despite the celebratory words, the “Starcruiser” was a huge flameout for Disney after it opened in March 2022.

Disney World struggled to fill the 100-room hotel, which was poo-pooed by critics for its $5,000 price tag for a two-night stay, overpriced food and rooms that guests likened to “windowless bunkers.”

“The ‘lightsaber training’ looks about as exciting as a roadside sobriety test,” one Disney watcher commented on YouTube at the time.

“It’s way too expensive,” another said, referring to “tricked out” rooms that can balloon to $20,000.

On X, formerly known as Twitter, users echoed those sentiments ahead of the hotel’s closure.

The “Starcruiser” was an ambitious project by Disney, but critics slammed the Mouse House for the hotel’s high price. Los Angeles Times via Getty Images
Guests at the hotel take part in an immersive experience, in which they interact with castmembers . Los Angeles Times via Getty Images

“The Disney World ‘star wars hotel’ also started with many pretensions and has been open for a year and a half, right? In these times these prices are barbaric. But hey, there will be people who can afford it,” a user tweeted.

“Learning that Disney spent 400 million dollars & 5 years building that star wars hotel & It only lived for 2 years is very funny & Sad,” concluded another.

Disney Parks chairman Josh D’Amaro admitted that the “Starcruiser” failed to meet the hype in announcing the decision to close the hotel in May during a JPMorgan conference in Boston.

Critics likened the rooms at the “Star Wars” hotel to “windowless bunkers” Los Angeles Times via Getty Images
Disney said it was losing money on the expensive hotel, which cost it $400 million to build. GC Images

“It didn’t perform exactly like we wanted it to perform,” he said. “Despite the fact it was a never-before-seen experience and raised the bar, we thought it was time to sunset this in September.”

The company is expected to take a $300 million write off, according to Forbes.

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