In a surprising move, Walt Disney World has decided to shut down its Star Wars-themed hotel, just a year after the much-anticipated attraction opened its doors in Florida.
Late Thursday, Disney announced via its website that the Star Wars: Galactic Starcruiser, known as Halcyon, will welcome its last guests on September 30. The company advised those with bookings beyond this date to reach out for assistance in altering their reservations.
“We are incredibly proud of our cast members and Imagineers who brought the Star Wars: Galactic Starcruiser to life and are committed to providing an outstanding experience for our guests during the remaining months,” Disney stated in a statement. “Our sincere thanks to our guests and fans for making this journey so memorable.”
In the meantime, Disney has paused new reservations for the hotel until May 26, to better assist those affected by the impending closure.
The entertainment giant has not revealed the reasons behind the closure or the financial investment involved in the construction of the 100-room facility located in Bay Lake, Florida.
When the Halcyon launched in March 2022, it featured premium pricing, with packages starting at $4,800 for two guests, reaching up to $5,999 for three adults and a child. The experience promised a two-day immersive stay, complete with luxurious accommodations, exquisite dining, and unique entertainment.
At the hotel, guests were able to embark on a personal adventure by interacting with characters, crew and other passengers they met as they became part of a broader, two-day “Star Wars” storyline. Guests checked in and were then shuttled to their rooms on a “Launch Pod.”
A Halcyon stay also included several activities, including lightsaber training and lessons on how to operate the Galactic Starcruiser’s navigation system — and interactions with popular Star Wars characters like Chewbacca and Kylo Ren.
Halcyon’s closing comes as Disney cuts more than $5 billion in costs, with CEO Bob Iger seeking a “transformation.” Disney plans to slash 7,000 jobs in three waves and the final round is slated for the beginning of summer. The pending layoffs stretch across Disney’s business, ranging from early career animators and artists to senior executives.
Disney had planned to build a 1.8 million-square-foot office space that would house 2,000 employees in Lake Nona, just outside Orlando. The entertainment giant said this week it’s pulling out of the roughly $1 billion investment in Florida, citing “changing business conditions” amid a year-long feud with the state’s Republican governor Ron DeSantis.
