Is Disney's Star Wars Hotel worth $3000 a Night?
Lucy Thackray
Independent.ie
Walt Disney World Resort in Florida has unveiled its much-hyped new luxury Star Wars-themed hotel, with family rooms costing around $6,000 (€5,372) per stay.
The Star Wars: Galactic Starcruiser hotel - described by Disney as “a two-night immersive” adventure - opened to Disney guests from March 1, following a mixed reaction to preview images and videos released by the brand.
Galactic Starcruiser’s two-night-minimum “journeys” see guests boarding a futuristic vessel called the Halcyon for a simulated cruise to a planet from the Star Wars universe, complete with a cast of actors and various interactive experiences around the spaceship-styled set.
These start at $4,809 (€4,306) for two people, or $5,999 (€5,371) for a family of four - based on weeknight stays - but go up to $20,000 (€17,910) for the highest-end suite.
The New York Times, which had a preview last week, called it “equal parts luxury hotel, interactive theatre, theme park ride, food as entertainment, digital scavenger hunt and role-playing game” where “guests are encouraged to dress in Star Wars garb”.
The run-up to the hotel’s launch has been blighted by criticism around price point and quality, with many fans of the franchise criticising the prohibitive rates and debating how luxurious the experience, shown in promotional videos, looks.
Following largely negative comments on a YouTube preview last November, Disney even removed the video - though it never attributed its disappearance to viewers’ reactions. Photography released by Disney shows utilitarian-looking black, white and orange cabins with double beds, hollowed-out bunk beds for kids and interactive TV screens, alongside more impressive, high-ceilinged communal spaces where much of the action takes place.