Disney’s overpriced “Star Wars” Galactic Starcruiser hotel, which only has 100 rooms, is nowhere near selling out, according to the availability calendar on its website. Guests have their pick of dates through the second half of 2022 to stay in the hotel, which has rooms for between $5,000 and $20,000 for a “tricked out” suite. Almost every day in August, September, October, November and December is available, the calendar shows, and there are many openings in June and July, too. The immersive Orlando-based Star Wars hotel, which opened on March 1, has faced fierce backlash by Disney World fans over the sky-high room rates, food costs and “Star Wars” themed-extras, like a private portrait session with photographer. Anger bubbled up last December, when the Mouse House scrubbed a promotional video from Twitter and YouTube, after fans slammed the lodging as subpar and too expensive. “The ‘light saber training’ looks about as exciting as a roadside sobriety test,” one Disney watcher commented on YouTube. “It’s way too expensive,” another said. The New York Times, which recently got a preview of the hotel, laid out some of the egregious additional costs guests can expect to pay outside of the basic experience fee. A stay at the hotel does not include alcohol, which runs around $13 for beer, $11 and up for wine and $23 for specialty drinks, or any fun “Star Wars” themed-extras, the report said. For instance, it costs $99 minimum to hire a photographer for a portrait — or if you want to sit at the head of the captain’s table in the Starcruiser’s Crown of Corellia dining room, you’ll need to cough up an extra 30 bucks. Still, reviews have since been relatively positive with some exceptions. In its review, CNBC said “immersion takes on new meaning” aboard the Starcruiser, noting that the price tag is worth it, “if you’re willing to let loose and play.” Others critiqued the high-priced cabins, which do not have any windows, but instead a view of screens that play videos of stars, planets and asteroid showers. Reviewers likened them to a “windowless bunker” and a “suburban junior high school built in the mid-1970s,” according to the SFGate. They said the Starcruiser also lacks the amenities usually expected in hotels at this price point, like a pool and spa. On the flip side, some guests have raved about the character actors, who take part in the immersive experience. Along with Rey, Kylo Ren and Chewbacca, guests interact with a cast of cruise ship workers who encourage them to fight for the resistance and take on secret missions during their stay.
