Walt Disney has built a large part of its business around premium pricing. People pay a lot more to spend a single day at Disney World or Disneyland than they do for an annual pass at regional rivals like Six Flags (SIX).
The same thing applies to the company's cruise line. A Walt Disney (DIS) cruise costs a lot more than a comparable Royal Caribbean or Carnival cruise.
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Basically, Disney has shown that people will pay a premium for its high-end products. That's partially because its theme parks and its cruise line have limited capacity, Disney World has a capacity limit, and even with the company holding that limit to a lower number than where it was in the pre-covid days, the company has no trouble filling its parks.
Disney's cruise line only has five ships -- while Carnival has 24 and Royal Caribbean has 26 (and that's only the ships in their namesake brands) -- which makes cabins on the Mouse House's ships more valuable, The same logic applies to premium events like Disney World's after-hours added-fee "parties."
That's why the company thought that a premium Star Wars hotel would make sense. The problem -- and it's a really big one -- is that there are only so many people who can justify spending $5,000 for a two-night stay in/on the "Star Wars: Galactic Starcruiser."
Image source: Walt Disney
Disney Misjudged the Star Wars Audience
"Star Wars: Galactic Starcruiser" is a hotel that offers visitors an immersive two-night experience. It's unlike anything Disney or any other theme park company has tried as essentially the entire hotel is a ride/show.
Disney's big bet was that there are enough Star Wars fans that can afford a minimum of $5,000 for two nights to immerse themselves in George Lucas' world. At first, it seemed like that bet would pay off as early "voyages" filled up.
The problem appears to be that the audience who can afford "Star Wars: Galactic Starcruiser" and is willing to justify the expense is limited. It also seems like even those willing to pay to see it as a one-time experience, not something they will visit year after year.
That has led to Disney canceling a number of Galactic Starcruiser voyages in June, July, and August. That would only happen if demand was soft.
Clearly, Disney made a mistake when it came to the idea that no price was too high for its devoted fanbase. That may be somewhat true when it comes to weeklong vacations, where it's easier to justify the money, but that has not translated to its Star Wars hotel.
Now, the company has a bold, but simple fix to try to save "Star Wars: Galactic Starcruiser."
Disney Offers Lower Star Wars Hotel Prices
Disney had some success offering a discount on "Star Wars: Galactic Starcruiser" voyages to Disney Vacation Club (DVC) members. That's a way to use the discount as a perk to people who have paid a premium to access Disney's properties without lowering the basic price.
Now, the Mouse House has learned from that lesson and has extended a major discount to another group of premium customers -- annual passholders.
"We’re also excited to share that Annual Passholders can save 30% on select voyages aboard "Star Wars: Galactic Starcruiser" -- a first-of-its-kind 2-night immersive adventure that continues to be among our highest-rated experiences by guests visiting Walt Disney World," the company shared on its website.
That's a $1,500 discount off the entry-level price which could be enough to entice Disney World annual passholders to visit "Star Wars: Galactic Starcruiser." The deal applies to most "voyages" in June, July, and August.
"Star Wars: Galactic Starcruiser" is an all-inclusive experience that includes all meals, an offers a visit to "Star Wars: Galaxy's Edge" at Disney's Hollywood Studios.
