Star Wars: Galactic Starcruiser, Disney’s ambitious “Star Wars”-themed hotel experience that shuttered in September 2023 just 18 months after it opened, will get new life as office space for Walt Disney Imagineering.
The building, located next to Disney’s Hollywood Studios, will be used as a hub for Imagineeers working on a variety of upcoming projects at Disney World, according to The Wrap, which first reported the story.
Some of Disney’s upcoming projects for its Florida theme parks include the Tropical Americas land at Disney’s Animal Kingdom, a villains-themed land at Magic Kingdom and a “Monsters, Inc.”-themed land at Hollywood Studios.
Galactic Starcruiser opened in March 2022 and was marketed as part hotel, part cruise ship, part role-playing experience. Guests would be able to live out their own Star Wars story during a two-night stay by interacting with in-character performers, who might ask them to help complete a mission, or by exploring parts of the luxury liner.
The experience also let guests participate in lightsaber training or play a game of Sabaac.
But with a price tag starting at $4,800 for two people (and nearly $6,000 for a family of four), the experience was met with a lot of criticism from fans. Galactic Starcruiser received positive reviews from many people who experienced it, but ultimately it underperformed and Disney decided to close it.
Months before Galactic Starcruiser closed for good, Disney Experience chairman Josh D’Amaro hinted that “something” was in the works for the space’s future, but didn’t provide any details.
Many fans hoped the space would be used for a new guest experience—possibly a themed dining experience. But, alas, that doesn’t seem like a possibility now.
