Galactic Starcruiser Closing Permanently In September!

[Pooh's World]

Disney.s Galactic Titanic

 

[bcla]

I wonder where this ranks for Disney in terms of worst loss on an investment?

I know they lost quite a bit on John Carter and Lone Ranger, but they did not lose $300 million. This is quite a big mistake of not knowing your customer base or size of your target audience.

The original Euro Disney and California Adventure were generally considered flops, but not to the point where they were completely written off. Those cost a lot of money to make right, which also took some time. One of the biggest things Bob Iger did when he took over as CEO was to redo California Adventure for about double the cost of the original project.

 

[Brocktoon]

This almost seemed like an experience at Westworld

The original construction permits in 2016 were filed under Project Delos .. that was for Galaxy's Edge but ultimately the idea behind the Halcyon

 

[bcla]

The original construction permits in 2016 were filed under Project Delos .. that was for Galaxy's Edge but ultimately the idea behind the Halcyon

So they weren't sued for trademark infringement? I remember when Carl Sagan apparently had his attorneys send a nasty letter to Apple when he found out that they used "Sagan" as an internal project codename. I remember hearing about a company where there was a project with a Star Wars themed internal codename.

 

[Brocktoon]

So they weren't sued for trademark infringement? I remember when Carl Sagan apparently had his attorneys send a nasty letter to Apple when he found out that they used "Sagan" as an internal project codename. I remember hearing about a company where there was a project with a Star Wars themed internal codename.

Delos is probably public domain as it's Greek Island ... and in Greek mythology I think it may be the birthplace of the gods?

There's an interesting debate on the Project 'D' filings for the Galaxy's Edge permits, as some say the Delos is the Island that imagineers used as a model for Batuu. While others think it's an obvious nod to the original Westworld film where the overall immersive amusement park was called Delos ... in the series the corporation was named after the Delos family.

 

[bcla]

Delos is probably public domain as it's Greek Island ... and in Greek mythology I think it may be the birthplace of the gods?

There's an interesting debate on the Project 'D' filings for the Galaxy's Edge permits, as some say the Delos is the Island that imagineers used as a model for Batuu. While others think it's an obvious nod to the original Westworld film where the overall immersive amusement park was called Delos ... in the series the corporation was named after the Delos family.

There are several Delos trademarks though.

Monster Cable was notorious for filing all sorts of trademark infringement lawsuits.

 

[NotUrsula]

Believe it or not, there actually *is* a Hotel Ishtar.

It's in Jordan, on the shore of the Dead Sea. (Very spiffy resort, actually.)

 

[Fauntleroy]

Turn it into a museum dedicated to the Bob Chapek era. Keep pricing the same.

 

[Obi-J Kenobi]

Believe it or not, there actually *is* a Hotel Ishtar.

It's in Jordan, on the shore of the Dead Sea. (Very spiffy resort, actually.)

Maybe Pete Werner should visit this Hotel Ishtar and give us some room and food/meal reviews. That'd be fun!

 

[Strimp]

The accelerated depreciation comment makes me wonder what is really going on. They may be starving for cash and decided to hang GSC out to dry because the cash flow from the accelerated depreciation was going to be a LOT more than what it would make any time in the near future. If that is the case, seems like an act of desperation.

I think they are looking at the HULU negotiation with Comcast and probably getting a little freaked out. Assuming Stock Price doesn't rise by the time terms are agreed upon, they don't have a lot of cash on hand just to pay Comcast. While Treasuries have been relatively stable despite the FED, I am sure issuing a ton of new corporate debt is a concern as well. The Disney + strategy of gutting and raising prices on it as the path to profitability is curious too.

 

[Kennywood]

 

[Disney Bobby]

I think they are looking at the HULU negotiation with Comcast and probably getting a little freaked out. Assuming Stock Price doesn't rise by the time terms are agreed upon, they don't have a lot of cash on hand just to pay Comcast. While Treasuries have been relatively stable despite the FED, I am sure issuing a ton of new corporate debt is a concern as well. The Disney + strategy of gutting and raising prices on it as the path to profitability is curious too.

I agree. It all seems a little desperate to me. The forced HULU purchase is certainly driving at least part of it. Not sure what they do with D+. Not sure that is a viable strategy, especially with the economy teetering.

 

[fatmanatee]

Story out on The Wrap (paywalled) saying that they had explored alternatives to fully shutting it down, including day trips and retheming. Not what ended up happening, obviously.

 

[EmJ]

Story out on The Wrap (paywalled) saying that they had explored alternatives to fully shutting it down, including day trips and retheming. Not what ended up happening, obviously.

My guess is $300 million in tax write-offs plus the optics of sticking it to the State of Florida twice in one week.

 

[GoingSince1990]

I always said they should have included Jar Jar Binks. But would they listen to me?

 

[HerzerHerrick]

They can, but it lacks some amenities that a regular hotel has. That said, they could add those things, but it's still quite small with small rooms too. It'd be a tough sell compared to other options.

If it was priced similar to deluxe resorts star wars fans would probably stay in it just for the atmosphere.

 

[BrianL]

If it was priced similar to deluxe resorts star wars fans would probably stay in it just for the atmosphere.

They might, but I don't know that there are enough hardcore fans to sustain that either. As much as we like to think otherwise, there aren't enough fans to sustain anything really - it takes casual visitors too.

 

[HerzerHerrick]

They might, but I don't know that there are enough hardcore fans to sustain that either. As much as we like to think otherwise, there aren't enough fans to sustain anything really - it takes casual visitors too.

Guardians of the Galaxy coaster and Tron are way newer then Rise of the Resistance, but the Rise of the Resistance LL( or has the past few times "I've checked anyway) still sells out faster everyday. Hollywood studios went from the park to skip to one of the must see ones. There are plenty enough hardcore fans to warrant and fill a 200 room hotel. Particularly if they kept a themed restaurant and/or maybe did a early entry to Galaxy's edge or some other Galaxy' edge perk with it. Read the numbers for May the 4th at Hollywood studios this year and tell me there aren't enough hardcore fans.

 

[NotUrsula]

Guardians of the Galaxy coaster and Tron are way newer then Rise of the Resistance, but the Rise of the Resistance LL( or has the past few times "I've checked anyway) still sells out faster everyday. Hollywood studios went from the park to skip to one of the must see ones. There are plenty enough hardcore fans to warrant and fill a 200 room hotel. Particularly if they kept a themed restaurant and/or maybe did a early entry to Galaxy's edge or some other Galaxy' edge perk with it. Read the numbers for May the 4th at Hollywood studios this year and tell me there aren't enough hardcore fans.

Remember that there are a LOT of people who just don't ride intense coasters, and a lot of them favor WDW precisely because there are lots of non-coaster e-ticket rides. I'm one of them; I have really severe positional hypotension, and serious coasters tend to make me pass out. Given the choice of those 3 attractions, RotR is going to be my choice every time; not so much because I like SW (though I do) as because the other two play havoc with my blood pressure. Would I pay to stay at GSC just for the atmosphere? No. (A tour or show, perhaps, but I wouldn't chose it for lodging.)

 

[EmJ]

Remember that there are a LOT of people who just don't ride intense coasters, and a lot of them favor WDW precisely because there are lots of non-coaster e-ticket rides. I'm one of them; I have really severe positional hypotension, and serious coasters tend to make me pass out. Given the choice of those 3 attractions, RotR is going to be my choice every time; not so much because I like SW (though I do) as because the other two play havoc with my blood pressure. Would I pay to stay at GSC just for the atmosphere? No. (A tour or show, perhaps, but I wouldn't chose it for lodging.)

Agreed. Despite living with two Star Wars addicts, I am not a Star Wars person at all. I would never choose to voluntarily consume any Star Wars content because I don't like it.

BUT--RoTR was hands-down the best theme park experience of any park anywhere that I've ever experienced (says the shame-faced Harry Potter fan who knows that Star Wars beat Harry Potter this time). I don't know how you top it (I guess with something in between RoTR and the Starcruiser???). That ride is phenomenal from beginning to end and it doesn't surprise me at all that it is continuing to draw massive interest despite newer attractions being out. The Tron coaster looks cool, but I can't imagine the experience being anywhere near comparable.