One yr in the past this week, Walt Disney World made the shock announcement that it might be completely closing Galactic Starcruiser, its “Star Wars resort.” This got here amidst struggles filling ‘voyages’ regardless of discounting, however was however shocking that it occurred so quick.
The closure of Star Wars: Galactic Starcruiser itself was not a shock–we predicted that as a high-probably consequence even previous to it even opening–however the abrupt method after solely a bit of over a yr of operations was. Certainly, we thought, Disney would try and pivot as soon as the preliminary wave of hardcore followers and prosperous fans bought their repair.
Nope. As an alternative, Walt Disney World introduced the Starcruiser would make its last voyages by the top of the fiscal yr, taking accelerated depreciation of a whopping $300 million. On the plus aspect, I assume, Disney did handle to promote out the ultimate voyages in quick vogue because the hardcore fanbase that had shortly fashioned round Starcruiser–and those that thought they’d extra time to attend for reductions or no matter–rushed to guide spots on the remaining months of voyages.
The struggles of Starcruiser are well-documented. We’ve written quite a few articles about it through the years. It was a captivating and troubled subject even pre-closure. Many followers completely adored it, whereas others beloved to hate it. Starcruiser crashing and burning so spectacularly after underneath 2 years of operations has solely added to the mystique. It is going to be deconstructed for much longer than it was constructed and operational.
Within the grand scheme of the Star Wars and Disney fandoms, only a few folks had the chance to expertise it. We’ve beforehand remarked about how there have been dozens–if not tons of–of YouTube movies in regards to the Star Wars resort that have been watched by exponentially extra folks than ever stayed at Starcruiser.
One such video simply dropped throughout the final week, and is singularly liable for renewed curiosity within the doomed mission:
“The Spectacular Failure of the Star Wars Lodge” by Jenny Nicholson has already racked up almost 5 million views with roughly 30,000 feedback. It has “damaged containment” from the Star Wars and Disneyspheres into the broader web. I’ve had a number of folks ask for my ideas on it–from common readers to non-Disney normies (that’s how you realize it’s a giant deal).
Other than a scattering of clips I’ve seen on social media, I’ve not watched it. The video is roughly 4 hours lengthy, which is sort of a weeklong viewing affair when translated to being a brand new father or mother working across the calls for of a child. (I can’t even watch a 2 hour film with out breaking it into a number of viewings.)
I’ve heard the video is extremely thorough and well-done, and lots of people whose opinions I belief have mentioned it’s properly price watching and is definitely concise as a result of it’s so dense with info. So I can’t actually suggest it, per se, however I additionally haven’t learn Anna Karenina and am equally assured that’s good content material regardless of my lack of firsthand information.
Nonetheless, I can’t open social media with out seeing arguments in regards to the video…and folks preserve asking for my opinions on it…so I’ll supply some oblique, roundabout ideas on Starcruiser that (hopefully? perhaps?) will suffice. Clearly, that’s not the identical, however the different is writing my “response” in 3 years when I’ve free time, and I really feel just like the second may have handed by then.
Many of the questions I’ve acquired in regards to the Starcruiser and/or that video have been variations of this publish’s title. (The remainder have been super-specific stuff, many revolving round “influencer tradition,” for lack of a greater time period.) Spoiler: I don’t have a solution to the titular query as a result of there isn’t a single factor that went incorrect with Galactic Starcruiser. It was just about all the pieces.
The primary downside, in fact, was the value. To not belabor the purpose right here, because the overwhelming majority of discourse about Starcruiser has revolved across the prohibitive pricing. This was patently apparent to simply about everybody from the start, and one of many greatest explanation why so many followers cheered for its failure. (For extra ideas on this costly pricing, see Is Star Wars: Galactic Starcruiser Definitely worth the Excessive Value?)
Mainly, Walt Disney World had one thing that was superior and envelope-pushing, however had astronomical working prices and even larger worth factors for company. The top result’s one thing extremely exclusionary that diminished a probably massive client pool into a really small one.
The margins on Starcruiser weren’t almost as wholesome as many followers assumed at first. Sure, the value was excessive, however the working prices have been staggering because of the excessive variety of frontline Forged Members and performers, in addition to the low variety of rooms. It was mainly a math downside, and I’m nonetheless shocked that Disney greenlit Starcruiser understanding it might be so costly (for them) to run and require excessive occupancy charges.
Some followers nonetheless don’t appear to imagine this, which is odd to me. If the one factor Disney wanted to do for Starcruiser to be a hit was decrease costs…they might’ve lowered costs! It’s not like they wished the factor to fail and to take the tax writedown. Disney would’ve been significantly better off had Starcruiser succeeded and truly made cash.
This is only one of a number of methods Disney boxed themselves in with Starcruiser and didn’t have a lot room to pivot. One other instance of that is the character decisions and setting–as with the land itself, it’s honest to say there in all probability would’ve been extra curiosity if Darth Vader and different acquainted characters and environments have been featured. The entire thing made extra sense as a “want success” expertise that might’ve let adults relieve fond recollections of formative movies from their childhoods.
Then there’s the area of interest nature of the expertise. Starcruiser was a live-action role-playing recreation and interactive leisure kinda endeavor–and one which required a number of days to expertise. The time and nature of the expertise have been two large obstacles to entry, with the excessive price being the third of the trifecta. We heard from so many Star Wars and Disney followers who have been curious about Starcruiser and will’ve afforded it as a splurge, however in the end couldn’t justify the chance of their trip time for an unknown idea that they could’ve not loved. Exhausting in charge ’em!
One other concern was the advertising of Starcruiser, with the corporate having a troublesome time conveying what it was (and wasn’t). What most prosperous customers in a position to afford Starcruiser’s costs really wished was a boutique resort set within the Star Wars universe, however that’s not what it delivered. (On a associated observe, right here’s Why Walt Disney World Will NOT Reimagine Starcruiser Right into a Star Wars Lodge.)
That is only a partial checklist of what went incorrect with Starcruiser. (There’s a sure 4 hour video you may watch that I assume provides a deeper dive into all of this and extra.) I’d’ve beloved to see Disney no less than strive to pivot, however I may also perceive not throwing good cash after unhealthy. Starcruiser was reserving to half-capacity a yr after it opened.
Whereas it’s straightforward to Monday morning quarterback and assert they need to’ve performed X or Y in another way, and that might’ve fastened all the pieces, I’m skeptical that might’ve been the case. The issues have been extra elementary and multifaceted. Truly, I think its authentic creation would’ve needed to play out in another way for the end result to vary. (Nonetheless, I want they might’ve tried day journeys to the Halcyon.)
I’ve additionally been requested my ideas on the video itself–and have seen much more of “The Discourse” within the final week on social media. Let’s begin with the title, “The Spectacular Failure of the Star Wars Lodge.” It’s bizarre to me to see folks arguing about whether or not Starcruiser was a failure.
From my perspective, this level is well-settled. On condition that the Star Wars resort closed and Disney took a large $300 million writedown on it, in fact it failed. Going out of enterprise is incontrovertible proof of failure. So I’m not involved in relitigating this query. If Starcruiser succeeded, you can nonetheless guide voyages on it.
I assume you can argue that it was really a inventive triumph or the true success was the chums we made alongside the best way. All of that looks like a stretch. Creatives don’t function in a vacuum, and even when the expertise was implausible for a choose variety of company, the underside line is that it wasn’t booked sufficient to stay in enterprise.
Once more, it resulted in a $300 million loss for Disney. Let that sink in, as a result of it means the naked minimal that Disney sunk on this mission was $300 million. It’s doable that Starcruiser misplaced much more, however they’ve recycled among the property and didn’t take a writedown on these. I do know Disney has develop into so adept at dropping cash with films and Disney+ that it would appear to be Monopoly cash at this level, however that’s actual cash. Think about dropping your pockets filled with $300. Would you excitedly inform your partner about this nice success, or really feel upset about it?
The truth that one thing perceived so positively by many/most of those that skilled it nonetheless needed to shut isn’t precisely the ringing endorsement that some followers imagine it’s. I don’t assume that makes it higher–it makes it worse! “We had this good thing folks beloved however it misplaced a ton of cash and in addition was seldom absolutely booked till we introduced its closure” isn’t one thing to brag about.
To be abundantly clear, this doesn’t undermine your enjoyment of Starcruiser and fervour folks nonetheless have for it. It doesn’t invalidate the work Imagineers and so many different proficient Forged Members undertook to convey it to stay, and breathe life into it. There are lots of people who’ve (very understandably!) grown hooked up to Starcruiser, the individuals who inhabited its areas, the tales they skilled, and associates they made alongside the best way. That’s nice–I beloved it, too!
However I additionally don’t want a label of “success” to be the enduring legacy of the mission. And I do know that, it doesn’t matter what I or anybody else says, that completely is not going to be how Starcruiser is remembered. It’ll be as a expensive and colossal flop that Disney pulled the plug on lower than two years after it opened. That doesn’t undermine anybody’s recollections. I occur to like the flicks Mulholland Drive and Popstar: By no means Cease By no means Stopping (Sarah says I shouldn’t admit to that) regardless of each flopping–a truth about which I by no means assume whereas watching them!
I’ve mentioned this earlier than, however Starcruiser jogs my memory of the Adventurers Membership–however with childhood love of Star Wars and a large barrier to entry within the worth. Each have been additionally immersive experiences that concerned a level of role-playing, or no less than had an in-group dynamic. Folks fashioned friendships and solid robust bonds by means of each.
Many followers discovered their adopted “households” at each, and the closures hit sure folks exhausting. Within the case of Adventurers Membership, the diehards held out hope for years that it might return–clinging to each little bit of hypothesis, rumors, and/or wishful considering. It was painful to observe, even secondhand.
It’s in all probability honest to say that the identical factor is already taking place with Star Wars: Galactic Starcruiser, which is why so many individuals are taking this video–or something damaging–personally. It’s perceived not as a critique of the inventive and enterprise selections of a multi-billion company, however an assault on household. It’s private. (Not for me. I actually favored Starcruiser, however not that a lot.)
I perceive why it’s taking place, however it nonetheless appears misguided to me to select aside this video, making an attempt to poke holes within the arguments. Even with out watching it in full, I’m glad it exists. And that is with out understanding whether or not I’d agree or disagree with the substance of the video.
Actually, I in all probability wouldn’t agree with among the particular critiques on condition that we actually loved Starcruiser and she or he didn’t. (Our full Star Wars: Galactic Starcruiser Evaluation is usually optimistic.) However that doesn’t a lot matter–she will be able to’t invalidate my expertise identical to I can’t invalidate hers.
It’s not simply us, both. There are dozens upon dozens of glowingly optimistic opinions for Starcruiser all around the web. And never simply from bloggers, vloggers, influencers, and many others. Numerous common company thought of it the perfect factor they’d ever performed at Walt Disney World. It had one of many highest visitor satisfaction scores at Walt Disney World of all-time.
I suppose you can say each considered one of these folks is biased or suffered a mass hallucination after catching Gaya’s gaze. Or there’s the extra easy clarification…lots of people who did Starcruiser actually favored it?
From what I collect, Jenny’s voyage was a comedy of errors and points that Disney declined to repair–or did so belatedly. I’ve additionally seen feedback suggesting she did X or Y the “incorrect” means, which strikes me as patently absurd and dismissive. Given the value level, the service and a focus to element ought to’ve been immaculate.
Sadly, that is nothing new or distinctive. We heard from others who both had damaging experiences or for whom Starcruiser didn’t “click on.” Though secondhand, there are anecdotes of company not realizing what they’d signed up for and having a disappointing time. To be clear, this was not our expertise–ours was superb and Disney firing on all cylinders on the highest caliber. However we aren’t everybody.
One factor that’s/was key’s distinguishing between the phrases costly and luxurious when describing Starcruiser. One thing can price some huge cash–as this did–with out being luxurious–as this was not. This can be a frequent thread with Walt Disney World. We’ve identified time and time once more that Disney can not maintain a candle to actual world luxurious hoteliers, which is why they outsourced that to 4 Seasons a number of years in the past. Disney largely does themed resorts, not luxurious ones.
The specifics right here don’t actually matter, anyway, because the factor in query is lifeless and gone, so it’s not like my evaluation can persuade anybody to do Starcruiser or vice-versa. At this level, all the pieces written or recorded about Starcruiser is actually a postmortem on the mission, with a lot of it serving as a cautionary story or a prism for commentary on Disney as a complete.
And that’s why I’m glad “The Spectacular Failure of the Star Wars Lodge” video exists. As a result of–no less than from a pair clips that I’ve seen–it basically views Starcruiser as a symptom of a bigger and systemic downside. The corporate’s proclivity for treating Walt Disney World like its money cow–nickel and diming company, charging extra and providing much less.
We’ve been essential of the corporate, with Is Disney Ruining Its Popularity? and Disney’s Popularity Falls Additional protecting the corporate’s self-inflicted model injury and lack of goodwill within the final a number of years. That has occurred, no less than partly, as a result of Walt Disney World is charging extra and providing much less as in comparison with 2019.
Starcruiser is seen because the fruits of this, which was exactly why there was a lot schadenfreude amongst Disney followers about its failure. Followers cheered for Starcruiser’s downfall not essentially as a result of it was unhealthy in isolation, however as a result of it was the most important and boldest exemplar of a problematic pattern. The most costly upcharge at a time of ever-increasing upcharges. Starcruiser opened on the peak of that, within the darkest days through the Chapek period when all the pieces was being lower…besides costs.
Though we first coated the subject a few years in the past in Is Disney World Eroding Fan Goodwill?, the pattern actually accelerated post-pandemic through the pent-up demand “period” when Walt Disney World was doing record-breaking numbers whatever the guest-unfriendly selections and adjustments they made. (See additionally, High 10 Visitor Complaints About Walt Disney World and Walt Disney World Might Repair the Visitor Expertise by Bettering These Issues.)
From my perspective, there’s means an excessive amount of uncritical commentary of Disney. This web site actually doesn’t draw back from positivity when it’s warranted–however we additionally aren’t afraid to supply blunt and frank assessments when these are warranted. One of many causes Disney Adults are the topic of a lot derision (moreover the truth that we’re tremendous cool and everyone seems to be jealous of us–clearly) is as a result of there’s a lot unflinching positivity or knee-jerk negativity in the neighborhood. (Crucial commentary is distinct from negativity–you may be reflexively damaging by complaining about any and all the pieces with out providing considerate and coherent critique.)
That is the primary motive I’m most trying ahead to watching the 4 hour Star Wars resort video. I don’t actually care about Starcruiser itself anymore–what’s performed and gone is gone–it’s how the teachings realized (or not) by the corporate will likely be utilized (or not) sooner or later at Walt Disney World that basically issues to me.
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YOUR THOUGHTS
Ideas on what went incorrect with Star Wars: Galactic Starcruiser? In the event you’ve watched “The Spectacular Failure of the Star Wars Lodge,” what was your tackle the video? Did you additionally expertise the Star Wars resort? Do you agree or disagree with its assessments? Any questions we can assist you reply? Listening to your suggestions–even while you disagree with us–is each attention-grabbing to us and useful to different readers, so please share your ideas under within the feedback!
