Star Wars Hotel in Disney World
A Star Wars Resort Hotel has been announced for Walt Disney World, which will offer an immersive visit that further enhances what guests experience in Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge. Previously, Disney indicated that the Star Wars Starship Resort will “be seamlessly connected” to Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge. (Last updated August 23, 2019.)
In August 2019, Disney revealed that this new hotel would be called Star Wars: Galactic Starcruiser. Disney additionally revealed that this will be a two-night adventure aboard a glamorous starship. Once onboard the starcruiser (called the Halcyon), guests will interact with characters and become active participants in stories that unfold around them on their galactic journey.
We’ve offered other info, including concept art, permit plans, and more in our recent Star Wars Resort Rumors & Construction Photos. Hopefully, we’ll hear more about the Star Wars: Galactic Starcruiser Resort at the 2019 D23 Expo this weekend, so stay tuned!
At the last D23 Expo, Chairman of Walt Disney Parks & Resorts, Bob Chapek, confirmed that the Star Wars: Galactic Starcruiser Resort will debut as part of the new Disney 360 vacation concept. This new vacation concept will be a living adventure that allows guests to be active participants in an entirely new form of Disney storytelling.
Last May, Disney took this a step further, confirming that the hotel is currently under development on the south side of Disney’s Hollywood Studios, just east of World Drive. Following that, land was cleared for the new hotel, but not much substantive work occurred last year. In 2019, we finally started seeing visible progress, with underground infrastructure work occurring in a pit at the construction site. Still, the project is quite far from going vertical, and several years away from opening.
In the original Star Wars Hotel’s original announcement, Bob Chapek shared that “from the second you arrive, you will become a part of a Star Wars story! You’ll immediately become a citizen of the galaxy and experience all that entails, including dressing up in the proper attire. Once you leave Earth, you will discover a starship alive with characters, stories, and adventures that unfold all around you. It is 100% immersive, and the story will touch every single minute of your day, and it will culminate in a unique journey for every person who visits.”
It’s a fascinating idea, one that sounds like a hybrid of a live action role playing game–something Disneyland previously tested (to a totally different extent) with Legends of Frontierland–and the all-inclusive resort hands-on ‘enrichment through entertainment’ experience of the Disney Institute.
While both Legends of Frontierland and the Disney Institute were ahead of their time pushing unique concepts, both of them were (arguably) failures. (There’s a decent chance you’ve never heard of either.) Legends of Frontierland only lasted a summer at Disneyland, and the Disney Institute is now Saratoga Springs (with a name that endures as some sort of corporate training program).
Presumably, this Star Wars Hotel will not suffer a similar fate…
My Reaction
There are still a lot of unknowns and unconfirmed details about the Star Wars Resort. Even with all of that, this is a game-changer, plain and simple. It’s a revolutionary concept, and one that will likely be highly lucrative for Walt Disney World if they can pull off the concept. It’s probably not for me, but not everything at Walt Disney World is. I can still sit in the corner and politely clap at what I think is an idea with a ton of potential.
Per the previous rumor, which was based upon extensive questionnaires that Disney had sent out, the Star Wars resort experience at Walt Disney World would entail guests being immersed in a 2-day story set in the the Star Wars universe and taking place both at their resort and within Star Wars Land.
Over the course of their 2-night stay, guests would have personalized interactions with Star Wars characters and performers throughout the Star Wars: Galactic Starcruiser Resort, have an all-inclusive Star Wars meal experience, and engage in story ‘quests’ and missions throughout the Star Wars: Galactic Starcruiser Resort and Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge.
Since this was announced, I’ve seen a few people “report” on pricing at the Star Wars Resort. I would take all of these numbers with a huge grain of salt. Walt Disney World has yet to settle on 2019 hotel pricing for its standard resorts–there is no way there is concrete pricing for a resort that has not even started construction yet.
Yes, this is going to be an incredibly expensive resort. It’s rumored to be an all-inclusive resort experience, with per person pricing. It wouldn’t surprise me if it’s like Disney Cruise Line with pricing based upon double occupancy and each additional guest in a room costing more (but not quite as much) after that.
However, in terms of actual pricing? No one knows yet. With things like this, so much depends upon actual operational costs, what the actual capex outlay ends up being for the resort, and even things like the economy. (If things are still booming when this opens, expect higher prices.)
No matter whether the price is $600 per person or $2,000 (or more!), there will be a loud chorus of “TAKE MY MONEY, DISNEY.” How loud that chorus is all depends on the final number. With a presumably low capacity for such a personalized experience–and a huge fan base for Star Wars–it might be the case that demand always outstrips supply.
This is sort of what we have seen with limited capacity events Disney has done in the past. It does not matter if something is an objectively good value if there’s enough scarcity and enough fans with a surplus of disposable income. That could be the case here.
The big question is when will this open? Unless there’s a literal starship hotel being built off-site that will be flown in come 2019 when Star Wars Land opens, construction for this hotel has yet to begin. It would appear that permits have not yet been filed, either. (August 2019 Update: construction now has begun and we’re anticipating that Star Wars: Galactic Starcruiser Resort will open in 2021.)
There’s the possibility that the Star Wars Hotel will be taking over an existing property, which would allow it to open sooner rather than later, but that also seems unlikely. More likely is that this has yet to begin, and won’t be open when Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge debuts in 2019. I wouldn’t be surprised if the target date here is 2021, so it can be bundled as part of the Walt Disney World 50th Anniversary celebration.
Other unknowns include whether the Star Wars: Galactic Starcruiser Resort will also be built at some point at Disneyland Resort. While it was not announced at D23 Expo, the concept has been on the table for Disneyland as well. The hotel dynamic and resort operations in California are a bit different, and current delays with Anaheim City Council in moving projects forward could be what caused the delay in announcement there. Or, it could be entirely off the table.
Irrespective of the details, the fact that Walt Disney World is going to build the Star Wars: Galactic Starcruiser Resort as an immersive, storytelling boutique hotel is a bold and laudable move. It’s the kind of envelope-pushing experience for which Disney was once known–and seems to be returning to. To my knowledge, nothing has ever been done like this anywhere, and this is a revolutionary concept. While the Star Wars Hotel is almost certainly going to price us out, it’s still a really cool idea, and I’m excited that Disney is moving forward on it. I wouldn’t go as far as to call it risky given the crazy demand for all things Star Wars, it’s certainly an ambitious concept, and far more applause-worthy than Walt Disney World just re-theming some existing hotel rooms by throwing some Ewok-fur comforters on the beds, a BB-8 lamp in the corner, and calling it a day.
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YOUR THOUGHTS
What do you think about the addition of a boutique Star Wars: Galactic Starcruiser Resort to Walt Disney World? Does this make you want to yell “TAKE MY MONEY!!1!” to Disney, or would it not appeal to you at the potentially high price points? Would you prefer an immersive “Disney 360” experience, or would you prefer a more conventional hotel stay? Let’s hear some of your thoughts about this news in the comments below!
I wonder how they will handle guests who are not staying at this resort. I can see tons of people (including myself) just hanging around the common areas. But if it’s a fully immersive, all-inclusive experience, perhaps access is not possible unless you are actually staying there. It will be interesting to see how this pans out.
I’m really interested in what the logistics of this will be. What age ranges will be allowed? Will kids have to be old enough to participate (or at least not be terrified?) Are they going to mail you costumes ahead of time like they do with Magic Bands?? Will people freak out about the sizes of the costumes? Can cosplayers make their own costumes? This whole thing is going to be fascinating to watch.
Jim Hill (disney insider) has stated that the plan is building it adjacent to Star Wars land. Aerial pics already show that land has been cleared away right there. Would make sense. Staying at the hotel would offer a direct entrance into Star Wars land. I’m excited to see it!
I remember hearing the early rumors of this and the price being 1k for the experience. If the price can be kept at that, I’d do it in a heartbeat.
i can’t wait for this, and I really hope Disney goes full in. As someone who is a Larper the idea of a Star Wars experience with Disney production values behind it sounds amazing. Disney has me hook, line, and sinker on this one.
“Take my money!”
Westworld for Star Wars fans, without the murder? Sign me up!
It’s a cool idea but we would probably pass because we aren’t big Star Wars fans. I’m excited to see what it’s like though when it’s done.
Honeslty, if you started selling BB-8 lamps you could probably price yourself back in
The idea sound very, very interesting. The whole immersive experience is one reason I enjoy staying at Disney Resorts. This is definitely a few levels above that.
However, this is also the second article on a new resort. With the continued expansion of beds, is there any concern of overcrowding at Disney World?
Will the additions at Hollywood Studios, Epcot and Animal Kingdom offset the numbers?
From articles I have read , it is estimated that Disney resort guests only make about 40% of park guests. I have read as low as 30% and as high as 50%. It is just an estimate. I read one great article, that I can’t seem to locate now!, that explained the math and put it close to 40%.
It seems odd to me that they would claim that this plot could touch on every minute of your stay unless you’re somewhat confined, and that makes me wonder whether it’s possible that this *is* a cruise ship? Because that seems like the best way to keep everything contained, and presumably you don’t want people running off to the Magic Kingdom in the middle of this kind immersive experience.
I’m just spit-balling here, but if it’s a quest, it might ask people to go do certain things at the resort and at the parks. Maybe you need to stop by a cast member and get some sort of token, for example, and return to your resort with it. With a quest idea like that, it could take people out to other parks like MK and still work. Of course, with the MagicBands, it might be even better for Disney to implement those. If you are on a quest because you’re staying at the resort, you might be able to tap your MB on something to hear the next part of your quest. Again, that can be incorporated into the parks fairly easily (although I wouldn’t want to see Star Wars characters EVERYWHERE at WDW).
I like the idea of a Star Wars themed hotel, the immersive cosplay thing is not for me, but others in my family would love it.
I do remember Disney Institute- stayed on the property in the villas and townhouses (loved them) but never played the back to school at Disney U thing.
I personally go to “Walt Disney World”, not “Star Wars World”. I love Star Wars and have since the first movie came out when I was a kid, but i still feel a bit conflicted when I see Star Wars Characters in Walt Disney World. They fit OK in Hollywood studios but that’s it for me personally
If a lawyer with no kids is likely priced out of an experience, the rest of us peons don’t stand a chance!
I’m super-cheap, so my being priced out of something probably should not say too much about the cost of said thing. Also, only a casual Star Wars fan.
At the ripe old age of 43, I guess I can officially call myself a “grumpy old curmudgeon”! I have no interest in Star Wars Land, Pandora, Guardians of the Galaxy or Toy Story Land. In keeping with my surly ways, none of these belong at Disney as they don’t seem to fit with MY views of traditional Disney. Starting my trips to WDW in the early 80’s, I was raised on the classics. Some have survived and continue to prosper, some are sadly nearing their end of days, some long gone yet never forgotten. But all these new-fangled story lines pale in comparison to the classics.
I hate to fall back on this, but what would Walt Disney himself think of Han Solo, Starlord or the Na’vi? I have nothing against these movie franchises and find them all to be entertaining. But in my humble opinion, they don’t fit in well with traditional Disney. However, I will admit that this is most likely a generational thing. Talk to a 43 year old thirty years from now and I bet they couldn’t imagine Disney without Star Wars land.
Walt Disney loved good story telling, so I would say its safe to assume that he would have loved all of these franchises.
I agree totally! Maybe it is a generational thing. I’m 41 and a HUGE Disney addict but totally conflicted with all of the new all at once. I think it’s great for Hollywood Studios but maybe not everywhere else. I like the classics and hate to see them going by the wayside in some cases. I know some were in need of attention but maybe a new park with a separate admission may have been a better choice for more comic book spacey type stuff if Disney really wanted to make bank. My family won’t be able to ever stay at the new Star Wars resort. Like ever. My husband and I are both teachers and we have four kids. Soooo… We will stay at AOA and love it
I am also 43 and SUPER EXCITED about all these changes. I WILL stay at the Star Wars Hotel. Disney has definitely elevated the superhero movie genre, too.
But, why not Toy Story? It has literally been around for half of my life (so, yours too). Since we are so ‘old’, doesn’t that make it a classic?
I’m definitely thinking “take my money!” It may mean that this completely replaces our yearly stay at WDW one year depending on the cost, but this promises to be a completely unique once in a lifetime experience that would make it worth it. Count me in!
Just a little thing… but I wonder what this will mean for Disney parks’ no-adults-in-full-costume policy? If you have Star Wars fans in elaborate Disney-created costumes playing roles, what differentiates them from cast members for the average guest? I am sure adults could figure it out. But, what will a kid watching a parade think when mowed-down by a Jedi who is really a guest on the way to the next “quest”?
So awesome! Even for those of us that can’t afford to stay at the hotel, this will further enhance the Starwars land, imagine 400-600 ‘extras’ roaming around Starwars Land everyday wearing full authentic looking outfits, interacting with cast members in missions, etc, it’s totally going to make the world feel more alive and real. Well done Disney!
Cool concept, but it feels like it’s going to be one of those things that the vast majority of guests are priced out of. One could argue that Disney has been creating “tiers” of guest experiences for some time, so making something else to draw in the top tier even more is a good business move (especially if visitation numbers continue to be low in the summer), and they’re a business after all. But despite being giant Star Wars fans, I don’t see any way that a. we’ll be able to afford it, and b. we’ll be able to get reservations anywhere in about a 30 year window once it opens. If it’s immersive, makes me wonder if the plebes like me will even be allowed in the lobby!
I hear what you’re saying, but, to be fair, many people are priced out of staying at a lot of the deluxe resorts and even the moderate resorts. There are certainly suites in deluxe resorts that go for about $1,000/night. If a basic room at the Star Wars resort (with food included) would cost $1,000/person, I think it’s relatively reasonable. I’m not saying that I could afford it, though! I know there are people who would REALLY want to stay there who won’t afford it, but there are also people who would REALLY like to stay in a savanna sweet at AKL too. My point is only that those high-end resorts are going to be costly, but there will still be more affordable options at the other resorts. People can still visit and check out the resort even if they’re not staying there. Maybe Disney will even allow non-resort guests to do a few sample quests around the lobby or something.
An important part of a Disney vacation is being in The Disney Bubble, I don’t know if I’d be able to get into a Star Wars Bubble!
I don’t like this… I don’t like that when you look outside there is no sunlight. It freaks me out and just makes me feel boxed in. I think this concept is great for Disney, and people are going to pay obscene amount of money for this experience. But I can’t get over the window thing….