Disney’s Star Wars Hotel forced to reduce rates after less than a year

Passengers enjoy their Halcyon starcruiser cabin in Star Wars: Galactic Starcruiser at Walt Disney World Resort in Lake Buena Vista, Fla. (Matt Stroshane, photographer)
By James Harrison


After less than a year in business, Disney World’s $5000-a-stay Star Wars Hotel has had to cut rates to attract more sci-fi keen travellers.

The Star Wars: Galactic Starcruiser Hotel, which opened its doors on 1 March, 2022, has struggled to fill its rooms, despite there only being 100 of them.

The hotel was originally advertised as an immersive journey where guests found themselves a long time ago in a galaxy far, far away. Over the period of a two-night stay, which initially set couples back US$5000 (AU$7100) and a family of four US$6000 (AU$8530), the Starcruiser took travellers around the Star Wars universe.

But some hotel-stayers weren’t so impressed. With the high price tag looming over the experience, some guests reported feeling a bit cheated.

As the experience was to take place in space, guest rooms were tiny and there were no windows to the outside world, leading some to describe the hotel as a “windowless bunker.”

Passengers learn the ancient art of wielding a lightsaber in the Lightsaber Training Pod onboard the Halcyon starcruiser in Star Wars: Galactic Starcruiser at Walt Disney World Resort in Lake Buena Vista, Fla. (Matt Stroshane, photographer)

The Galactic Starcruiser Hotel lacked a pool or other fitness amenities commonly found in other luxury hotels and the full-price cocktails in the hotel’s only bar left a sour taste in traveller’s mouths (metaphorically of course, unless they ordered a sour cocktail).

Disney has had to cut rates for the hotel to get more Star Wars fans interested. Disney Vacation Club (DVC) members were receiving discounts of up to 30 per cent back in November, which is quite high for the timeshare program.

Disney recently announced it’s offering the discount to non DVC-members. Those who make a reservation for the Star Wars themed hotel can get up to US$700 (AU$1000) off if they book before or after staying at another participating Disney World hotel.

The largest discounts on offer – US$350 (AU$500) per night – are for packaging a Starcruiser stay with extra nights at the Beach Club, Grand Floridian or Yacht Club resorts. This is valid between 5 February and 30 September.

You can read more about the Star Wars: Galactic Starcruiser Hotel here.

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