Walt Disney World 2024 Since its grand opening in 1971, Walt Disney World Resort has remained an unparalleled symbol of enchantment and imagination, captivating the hearts of millions of visitors each year. The year of 2024 will be no different. Here are five new things coming to Walt Disney World Parks in 2024. Park Reservations Lifted After re-opening from the pandemic, Disney introduced the park reservation system. In addition to buying tickets, guests would book a reservation for the park they wanted to visit and which day. This was an excellent way to keep track of capacity. This system meant that guests knew in advanced which park they would be able to get into which day. However, there were some downsides. Some guests hate having to plan out every single minute of their vacation. Some like to wake up in the morning and decide which park they want to go to based on their current vibes. Now, they have to make that decision months in advance. Fortunately, Walt Disney World is lif
The news recently broke that Walt Disney World's Galactic Starcruiser hotel is to close.
The Star Wars: Galactic Starcruiser resort offered a unique experience. The hotel was themed after a spaceship in the Star Wars universe. Star Wars fans could dress up as their favorite character and board the ship for a two night voyage where they learned how to wield a lightsaber and ate foods found in the movies.
This hotel opened in March 2022, and is set to close September 2023, meaning that the hotel will only have been open for a year and a half.
Why is Disney closing the Galactic Starcuriser hotel? Disney has not given an official reason, but fans can guess that it has to come down to one reason: money.
As you can guess by the elaborate experience offered, rooms at this resort were not cheap. Just a two-night stay could cost $5,000. Comparatively, a two-night stay at the Grand Floridian, Walt Disney World's most luxurious resort, costs about $1,600. This does not seem like such a bad deal when compared to $5,000! However, it is important to consider that Walt Disney World has a reputation of being a vacation place for middle-class families. It does not make sense to the average Disney guest to be charged such ridiculous prices.
Okay, but this must be a mind-blowing experience if Disney is charging so much, right? Not necessarily. The hotel constantly received lukewarm reviews. The potential was there, but the experience was not executed to guests' expectations.
With high prices and poor reviews, it makes sense that the Star Wars resort had to shut its doors.
Worry not about the space going to waste. It is said that Imagineers will move in to the building. Since the hotel is located right next to Hollywood Studios, Imagineers can keep a close eye on the park.
What does the Star Wars hotel closure mean for Disney?
Hopefully, this means that Disney parks will re-evaluate their prices, not just for hotel rooms but for everything across the park. It is unlikely that Disney will drastically lower their prices, but things might level out.
Personally, I'm really glad this hotel backfired for several reasons. One, it is another piece of
Second, this is a message for the Disney Parks that overcharging their guests will not prove to be successful in the long run. Of course, this message may not be fully received when considering the success of Genie+, but I still see it as a win for us consumers.
I am not a Star Wars fan. However, having an experience tailored to your specific fandom seemed pretty cool on paper. In reality, it was executed poorly. The expensive booking rates meant that this experience was not accessible to the majority of its customer base. Even Star Wars fans who were excited about the resort felt the rooms were priced way too high.
So, what's next for Walt Disney World hotels?
Some may argue that Disney does not even need another hotel, but Disney seems to think differently. The Riveria Resort was recently added just 4 years ago, and Walt Disney World seems to want more. The Reflections Resort was scrapped, but the Star Cruiser was completed.
If Walt Disney World does want another resort, I have a few ideas.
The Star Cruiser is not the first resort to be themed after a specific land in a singular park. All of the Magic Kingdom area resorts are themed after the lands at Magic Kingdom. The Grand Floridian is themed to the turn of the century, like Main Street. Adventureland is represented in the Polynesian. The Wilderness Lodge is for Frontierland. And the Contemporary fits in with Tomorrowland. If you want a dose of Fantasyland, you can find those elements sprinkled throughout various resorts, particularly the royal rooms at Port Orleans Riverside. But you know what land is not represented by a resort? Liberty Square.
Imagineers could easily come up with some sort of Revolutionary War era themed resort. Patriotics and history buffs would go nuts over this place.
Or, if Walt Disney World wanted to keep in theme of Hollywood Studios park, they could pick a different land besides Star Wars. What if the Hollywood Tower Hotel was an actual hotel guests could stay in? This was the original plan for Tower of Terror. Disney could revive this idea and build a glamorous 1930s Hollywood hotel, without all the cobwebs. It would be like the Tower of Terror before the lightning strike.
The main theme for Walt Disney World Resorts is the east coast. The Northeast is represented in the Boardwalk Inn and the Yacht and Beach Clubs. The Southeast is represented in Port Orleans, Key West, and the Grand Floridian. This makes sense because Walt Disney World is on the East Coast. Similarly, Disneyland's hotels have a Californian touch. But there is a very important region that is not represented at any Disney hotel: The Midwest!
Walt Disney is from Marceline, Missouri. This town was so important to Disney. Main Street in both Disneyland and Magic Kingdom took inspiration from Marceline. Additionally, the setting of Lady and the Tramp is also said to pay homage to this little Missouri town.
Did you know that Walt's first ever cartoon studio was headquartered in Kansas City? And Tom Sawyer Island in Magic Kingdom pays tribute to Hannibal, Missouri - a town not too far from Marceline.
Walt stayed true to his Midwest roots throughout his life. His critics said he spoke like a simple farm boy, even after he established himself as a serious Hollywood executive. He was constantly trying to recreate his childhood home - in his movies, in Disneyland, in the backyard of his L.A. mansion. It only makes sense that Walt Disney World carries on this legacy. One way they could do this is by creating a hotel inspired by Marcline. The resort pool could be themed after the Mississippi River steamboats. There could be a miniature train taking guests around the resort. There could even be a replica of Walt's barn and Dreaming Tree. Disney history nerds would book up rooms so fast!
I'm sure Disney Imagineers have about 50 ideas for the next resort already. But it is fun to dream.
Your Opinions
What do you think about the Star Cruiser closing? What hotel would you want to see Disney build next? Share your ideas in the comments below this post!
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