Disney CEO Bob Iger has another Star Wars issue that does not include movies.Ten years back, Disney CEO Bob Iger worked out the revolutionary acquisition that brought Lucasfilm under the Disney umbrella. In the years that followed
, not just did Iger oversee the release of five Star Wars theatrical movies and The Mandalorian’s very first season on Disney +, however also the debut of Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge at both the Disneyland Resort and Walt Disney World. In the wake of the bad reception to The Rise of Skywalker in late 2019, followed by Iger’s own retirement in February 2020, new CEO Bob Chapek appeared to take a slightly various approach. Despite a multitude of directorial statements from Lucasfilm, none of these films moved previous pre-production. Rather, the Star Wars slate under Chapek’s reign was exclusively limited to Disney+. And, instead of a Star Wars land or brand-new destination at the Disney Parks, the CEO supervise the debut of a brand-new type of travel
and fan experience in March of 2022: the Star Wars: Galactic Starcruiser. What is the Star Wars: Galactic Starcruiser? Star Wars While often labeled as a hotel or resort, the Galactic Starcruiser is
far more than just a location to sleep. Located next
to Disney’s Hollywood Studios at Walt Disney World, the Starcruiser is structured likewise to that of a cruise. Fans stay in cabins instead of guest spaces and
delight in buffets, live home entertainment, onboard activities like lightsaber and bridge training, and even a”coast expedition “to Star
Wars: Galaxy’s Edge.But where the Starcruiser genuinely breaks new ground remains in its immersive, choose-your-adventure experience. Fans who book the Galactic Starcruiser are there for two nights; and from the second they get here, they’re dealt with as if they’re actually in the Star Wars Universe, taking a pleasure cruise aboard a ship called the Halcyon
. This impression is reinforced by the feel and look of a ship taking a trip through space, consisting of jumps through hyperspace, in addition to food and drink motivated by Star Wars locales.Guests are motivated
to cosplay and form their own character backstories, along with interact with the ship’s cast of Rodians, Twi’ leks, and Togrutas both personally and on an app.
How visitors choose to react in these interactions and appointed”objectives”determines whether they help the Resistance or support the First Order, culminating in a climactic event
on the last night of the experience.” I have actually Got a Bad Feeling About This …” Before the Starcruiser ever opened its blast doors to the general public, both Star Wars fans and theme park fans had their misgivings.In addition to a stopped working advertising campaign where the Starcruiser appeared low-cost and even cartoonish, some guests were reluctant about being largely confined to a hotel for 2 nights with only screens as windows. There was likewise the truth that, like Galaxy’s Edge, the Halycon is set between the events of The Last Jedi and The Rise of Skywalker. Not just are these two movies extremely controversial among fans, but it implies the most immersive Star Wars experience ever created is limited in regards to its characters.
While some follow up trilogy characters are popular, the reality remains that Darth Vader, OG trilogy Luke Skywalker, Obi-Wan Kenobi , and the Mandalorian areabsent.
Disney Others were reluctant about the idea of a multi-day role-playing experience that relied so heavily on involvement and interactions. In spite of these issues, the Starcruiser
took pleasure in a largely favorable reception upon its launching, specifically in regards to the quality of its performers. Still, a number of grievances stayed, including that of
rate.
When the Starcruiser opened in early 2022, a two-night “trip”for 2 visitors per cabin was priced at $4,809 total. For two adults and one child per cabin, rates hovered around $5,300 overall. While these steep rates do consist of meals and one-time entry to Galaxy’s Edge’s 2 destinations, it looked as if Disney was
targeting just the wealthiest portion of the vacationing public and rates out others. Can Bob Iger Bring Balance to the Force? Disney Two months after the Galactic Starcruiser debuted, Disney’s then-CEO
Bob Chapek touted the “strong demand “for the Star Wars experience that opened under his
watch. But now, out ahead of the Starcruiser’s 1 year anniversary, that demand is apparently non-existent; and it’s Iger- not Chapek- who remains holding the bag. At the time of composing, just one trip (which is the equivalent of two nights)between January and September of 2023 is entirely scheduled. For reference, the Starcruiser
houses
100 cabins and suites with a max capability of 502 guests. Still, in spite of Chapek’s claim earlier in the year, visitor drop-off isn’t new. Recent reports declared that occupancies have been low,
leading Disney to cut worker hours and extra home entertainment. While the Galactic Starcruiser was planned to be Disney’s next-generation trip experience, and one that
immersed visitors in among its most significant IPs, it now stands as yet another Lucasfilm-related problem Iger has to deal with. Disney and Lucasfilm may be leaving
money on the table in keeping Star Wars out of the theaters, however the Starcruiser is in fact losing
money due to the lack of guests. Now, it deserves keeping in mind that days after Iger’s return, Disney provided its first-ever discount for the Galactic Starcruiser to Disney Trip Club(DVC )members. Whether that deal was previously planned, or the outcome of Iger’s return, is unknown. Still, a single discount rate is unlikely to save this sinking starship or Disney’s reputation for its handling of Star Wars IP in its parks and resorts. With 2023 just around the corner, it will
be remarkable to see how the CEO addresses both the absence of Star Wars movies and the need for the touted Starcruiser. However for now, it’s safe to state that Bob Iger has more
than one Star Wars issue to manage before his two-year contract concludes.