Disney to close Star Wars: Galactic Starcruiser hotel 18 months after it was launched

At $6,000 for a two-night stay, it is now destined to take its last voyage in September

An artist's impression of the hotel, which will hang up its light sabre in September. Photo: Disney

Travellers and Star Wars fans hoping to experience a night spent in a galaxy far, far away will need to act quickly. Walt Disney World in Florida is to close its recently opened Star Wars: Galactic Starcruiser hotel.

The ultra-luxury experience-led hotel opened to great acclaim last March, with two-night stays costing $6,000 for a family of four.

Now, the media giant and entertainment company has confirmed that the Starcruiser cabins will take their final voyage from September 28 to 30, closing just before the company celebrates its 100-year-anniversary on October 16.

No reason has been provided for the hotel's closure, but Disney chief executive Bob Iger announced in February that the company would aim to reduce costs by $5.5 billion, Reuters reported.

While a family of four checking in for an intergalactic experience can expect to pay almost $6,000 for a two-day stay, families of three are looking at $5,299 and two-person stays start from $4,800.

Travellers hoping to stay in the hotel's premium Galaxy Class Suites or two-bedroom Grand Captain’s Suites have to pay even more.

The lofty rates include all food and soft drinks, valet parking and entry to Disney’s Hollywood Studios.

Before the hotel's launch, Disney described the experiences as “part live immersive theatre, part themed environment, part culinary extravaganza, part real-life role-playing game – and yet so much more”.

With only 100 rooms, the Star Wars: Galactic Starcruiser hotel accounted for less than 0.5 per cent of Disney's inventory in the Florida area, Reuters said.

Travellers who had voyages booked beyond September 28 will be offered the chance to move their bookings to a new date before the hotel closes. New bookings are currently unavailable.

A Disney spokesman said the Star Wars hotel experience was “praised by our guests and recognised for setting a new bar for innovation and immersive entertainment”, adding: “We will take what we've learnt to create future experiences that can reach more of our guests and fans.”

The company also made the news this week when it announced it has dropped plans to relocate 2,000 California employees to a new $86 million campus in Florida. News of both the hotel's closure and the move away from the company's new campus comes as Walt Disney Co is embroiled in a high-profile debate with Florida Governor Ron DeSantis.

The fight between the Florida politician and the company began over a new conservative education law, which Disney criticised. It evolved into a feud about land and tax revolving around Walt Disney World's 25,000-acre plot.