Forced out: How Disney’s $1bn Star Wars hotel came crashing down to earth

Hannah Sampson examines the short life of the immersive Galactic Starcruiser, whose sky-high ticket price easily startled guests, preventing them from coming back in greater numbers

A passenger wearing a Togruta headpiece sits at the holo-sabacc table in the Star Wars: Galactic Starcruiser (Walt Disney World/Caitlyn McCabe)

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.