Bob Iger Rejected Multiple Ideas For Failed Galactic Starcruiser

In 2017, Disney announced a brand-new Star Wars experience would be coming to Walt Disney World Resort. At the time, details were scarce, but two years later, at the 2019 D23 Expo, the Galactic Starcruiser was revealed. The Galactic Starcruiser would completely immerse Guests in the Star Wars universe. Guests would spend two nights aboard the Starcruiser, only leaving to visit Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge in Disney’s Hollywood Studios. While on the Starcruiser, Guests could join the Resistance or the First Order, become a Bounty Hunter, dine on authentic food, and even receive lightsaber lessons.

Star Wars fans were thrilled at the news of a new experience coming their way. Then Disney revealed the price tag. For just two days and two people, the price was just under $5,000. Many wondered how anyone could afford to enjoy such an expensive experience — much less, more than once. Guests quickly began predicting that the Starcruiser wouldn’t be successful because it was just too expensive and catered to an elite number of Disney fans.

The Galactic Starcruiser opened in March 2022, and the criticisms quickly came in. While some Guests loved the experience, others pointed out that many of the experiences that they were paying top dollar for were ones that were originally supposed to be a part of Galaxy’s Edge. Now-fired CEO Bob Chapek had cut a number of things from Galaxy’s Edge at the last minute to save money. Now he was charging extra for those experiences.

Just months after opening, discounts on the Starcruiser were released. Disney also canceled voyages because there were not enough people booked. Then, just over one year after it opened, Disney Parks Chairman Josh’DAmaro announced that the Starcruiser would be closing. Now, we are left to wonder; what will happen with the space?

Disney has been trying to figure out what to do with the space, but so far, no successful ideas have come about. An exclusive report from The Wrap says that CEO Bob Iger has rejected several proposed ideas. Per The Wrap:

Behind the scenes, Disney toiled to find a workable solution. Could they offer “tours” of the facilities, with access to the bar, the dinner show and the gift shop, for those already staying at Walt Disney World? The charge could be $50 or $100 per person. Another option recently emerged according to Hill: retheme the entire hotel to the popular Disney+ “Star Wars” streaming series “The Mandalorian.” Reports have since emerged that Imagineers were at the Starcruiser as recently as last week, looking at ways they could retrofit or change the experience.

Ultimately, it was Bob Iger who decided to shut these plans down. It was one more problem the two-time Disney CEO inherited from Chapek, his hand-picked successor, whom he replaced in November.

Disney did not comment on The Wrap’s article. However, Disney has said that they expect to write-down at least $150 million on the Starcruiser. That amount could balloon to nearly $300 million.

The Starcruiser will take its final voyage on September 28, 2023. Disney Fanatic will continue to keep readers updated on any plans made for the Galactic Starcruiser after its closure.