Walt Disney World closing Galactic Star Cruiser in September

I would have loved to do it someday and I've probably done enough of the domestic Disney parks in recent years to mix it up a bit, but I'm like you. There's other things I'm more interested in under the Disney umbrella, cruises, the Asia parks, an Adventures trip, etc.

I agree with Hangin'....you don't see a lot of industry taking big risks anymore (maybe outside the tech giants) and when a company starts becoming complacent it is a recipe for disaster. Netflix took a pretty big risk. Blockbuster did not. Who is still around?

Having more information doesn't make you infallible. Just more likely to make better decisions (at least on a sustained basis) than those without. An occasional failure, isn't necessarily a bad thing. If you never fail, you likely were too cautious.

Someone on YouTube said that they could demolish the attraction for a tax write-off. That would be a waste of creativity, imho.

What if the eventual closing of this attraction was the plan all along? Hear me out. If they are going to turn it into something more affordable, wouldn't it be a good idea to offer the expensive version until everyone who is fanatical enough who can afford it has done it, and then change it into a smaller experience that more people can or are winning to enjoy?

There is no way there demolishing it (also with Iger back over top of Josh, who I am surprised survived the Chapek house cleaning) I am sure P&R is already working on 2.0, and Sept to May is almost 6 months, so I could see revised version launching next Celebration cycle.

Also as they said it has the best Disney Guest Ratings ever, and I am sure until its current run ends, Disney will survey the **** out of everyone who does it and already has a mountain of survey replies.

I wonder if it was just too "niche"? Outside of the animated stuff I think I've seen every Star Wars release, including the Star Wars Holiday Special. I collected the trading cards and had the action figures. All that said, I still didn't feel strongly about visiting the hotel even though the price point was within reach. Now. I'm not drawn to cruising either so perhaps it just didn't pull the right emotional strings.

I can't imagine they will tear down a 1 year old building, however. The exterior isn't much to look at so re-imagining it is going to take some work. Maybe they temporarily turn it into office space or another use until they come up with the next big thing.

LostKause:

wouldn't it be a good idea to offer the expensive version until everyone who is fanatical enough who can afford it has done it

For only a year?

Hanging n' Banging:

So, while this particular concept may have been a failure, Disney isn’t going to skip a beat in the theme park side of the business.

If it was a failure at all. Disney may have achieved exactly what they set out to do, even if the optics to all of us appear differently.

I’d like to offer something else that I don’t think has been mentioned. As a life-long performer I can attest to the fact that people in general don’t like to participate. You wouldn’t believe how many (just about all) people freeze uncomfortably when they think they might get pulled out of the audience. Or singled out. Or sung to, or even looked at. Even when the option couldn’t be more remote they’re still afraid. And as a performer, you really don’t want it anyway. People that are eager to do something like this are usually bad at it and it can go south real quick. Rehearsals are in place for a reason. I remember somebody asked me if that was a job at Disney I might like to have and my answer was a flat no.
I understand fandom and this participatory experience had promise. But outside of static forms or cosplay I can’t imagine that even the most devoted of fans would jump in or spend that kind of money for a chance to. I also understand that participation was “optional” and you could participate at your own comfort level, but once again where’s the fun of that?
From the beginning I was fearful this would be a fail.

RCMAC:

As a life-long performer I can attest to the fact that people in general don’t like to participate. You wouldn’t believe how many (just about all) people freeze uncomfortably when they think they might get pulled out of the audience. Or singled out. Or sung to, or even looked at.

As a life-long person, I would absolutely believe how many people don't like to participate. I'm definitely one of the (just about all) people who freeze uncomfortably in situations like this. And I've been on the other side of it, too, at least back in high school. I even lettered (lol) in theater. But I always preferred acting in front of an audience without interaction...and definitely wasn't good at improv.

Edited to add: this is the primary reason Galactic Star Cruiser held zero interest for me, even if they offered me a stay on them. And I like Star Wars.

LostKause:

Someone on YouTube said that they could demolish the attraction for a tax write-off.

Come on, it took them 17 years to demolish River Country.

I WANT A LETTER IN THEATRE!!!
I don’t even care if I get beat up everyday, it’s kind of happening already anyway…
What goes on the jacket? Comedy and Tragedy? Tell me you still have it.

I think it dry rotted a long time ago. It MIGHT be in a box somewhere, but I vaguely remember tossing it. It looked like any other letter jacket, but I'd put a couple pins on it that I'd won. I think they probably were comedy/tragedy masks.

hambone:

Come on, it took them 17 years to demolish River Country.

How long until we start getting the abandoned Star Wars hotel videos and story links?

I suspect the kind of people that have this kind of money don't spend their leisure time LARPing for the most part.

(and I say that only partially jokingly)

I think, ultimately, we're all saying similar things - it got too niche in too many directions. At some point there's just not enough of an audience anymore.

They built it just to close it.

They demolished Harmonious at EPCOT. That's the example the YouTuber I watched gave as the tax write off.

I'm sure the Stargate Tacos already had a depreciation schedule.

Looks like depreciation (for the Starcruiser) is being accelerated. Probably not the reason, but at least it is something.

https://www.wdwmagic.com/re...losure.htm

(I can't find a better source for this, but WDWMagic is usually pretty good about making sure stuff that makes it to their news feed is actually news.)