In March 2022, a new attraction graced the Epcot area of Walt Disney World in Florida. Star Wars: Galactic Starcruiser arrived, offering an interactive journey that whisked guests away from reality into a distant galaxy. Every detail of the hotel was crafted with “Star Wars” enthusiasts in mind, from the design and characters to the immersive adventure that unfolded throughout the venue, making guests feel as though they were genuinely part of the “Star Wars” universe.

Regrettably, the hotel had a short lifespan, with Disney opting to close Galactic Starcruiser by September 2023. This shut down resulted in a substantial financial setback for Disney, as the facilities were designed and equipped with a similar level of detail as a “Star Wars” movie set. The reason for the closure boils down to a common issue faced by many businesses: financial sustainability.

To be specific, the cost of staying at the hotel was extremely high, restricting its clientele to a limited few, because not many families could afford the roughly $6,000 price for a two-night experience. This fee also excluded additional costs such as alcoholic drinks and the expense of traveling to Orlando. Although any resort stay involves considerable costs, Galactic Starcruiser quickly became unsustainable, prompting Disney to close its doors. Here’s a look at what transpired and what led Disney executives to make the decision to cease operations.

Getting the opportunity to dive into the “Star Wars” franchise is certainly enticing to fans, and Galactic Starcruiser was touted as the ultimate fan experience. Highly rated by franchise aficionados initially, the interactive experience enjoyed high guest satisfaction numbers, and earned a Thea Award as an outstanding achievement in themed entertainment.

But it’s not beyond Disney World to sneakily get you to spend more money, and that was part of the problem with the hotel. If you wanted a room on the Starcruiser for a family of four, you’d have to drop around $6,000 for the experience, with food and other expenses amounting to a total cost of between $8,200 and $9,500 — which is far too expensive for most families. Part of the problem was that the hotel only had 100 rooms, which is on the low end for a comparable resort hotel. There was also the airfare you’d have to spend if you flew into Orlando, though those rates were constantly changing. 

To compare, a three-night Disney Cruise for a family of four cost around $2,500 in 2022, though this too can fluctuate. Meanwhile, it’s estimated that a family of four vacationing in Disney World in 2025 would spend between $2,200 and $3,500 just to go to the park for a weekend stay. That’s an average cost for a typical visit to the entire resort — and it’s still dwarfed by a stay at Galactic Starcruiser.

Although fans initially enjoyed their time at Galactic Starcruiser, criticisms of the attraction began to emerge. One YouTuber named Jenny Nicholson was unimpressed, famously recording a four-hour YouTube video in which she derided the hotel’s quality and concluded that it was more of a failed experiment than anything else. Another complaint related to the fact that the hotel experience was designed to be all-encompassing, limiting the need to leave and visit the other parks. This effectively kept guests inside, so while they could save money by not visiting any Disney parks, this restricted their vacation to just the one experience.

That one experience was also problematic because there really was only one. Guests could return, but they’d be treated to the exact same shows and interactions. This issue and the high cost of entry greatly reduced repeat business. For the people who could afford to drop thousands on a two-night stay at a hotel, they had no reason to return. Without repeat business and a high sticker price, the hotel was doomed. Disney wrote off the loss, amounting to $300 million and killed the hotel. Star Wars: Galactic Starcruiser was a rare failure for the franchise, and Disney has since been converting the space into Imagineering offices.