Disney World's large, expensive, Star Wars-themed, windowless hotel to close

Originally published at: Disney World's large, expensive, Star Wars-themed, windowless hotel to close | Boing Boing

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$5K/couple for a 2 night LARP. Light sabers extra.

Can’t imagine WHY that wouldn’t be a rousing success…

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Well, shit. We were hoping to save up to go, but now we’re going to have to do it. There may not be something like this built again for some time, for any genre.

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Best of luck. I think I read that they aren’t accepting new reservations right now because they’re attempting to re-book all the people who already had reservations in the system for times after September, or at least give them priority.

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From the moment I heard mumblings about it, I wanted to want to go. But between the price and the LARP’ing aspect, I just couldn’t be bothered.

I have no idea if I’m in the minority here, but if it was just a themed hotel, with no live action “adventure” facets involved, I would’ve been infinitely more interested.

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Yep, saw that coming.

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Then there would be no possible way they could have justified the price point. It’s an interesting idea, but for that sort of money, people will be expecting a ‘main character’ experience for themselves (or at least for their kids). No one wants to fork over the price of a used car to play “Rebel machanic #2” or “Republican Guard (3rd class)”

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Apparently reservations reopen on the 26th May - so good luck @orenwolf!

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I’m curious if the building gets demolished or if they can somehow repurpose it. Or if somehow someone just buys it off of them? Probably not though. Real estate is probably worth more than the building.

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That’s one thing that makes Disney World very different from Disneyland. They’re so flush with extra space that they can just completely abandon something like an entire waterpark for years and build a new, better one (or two!) elsewhere on their property:

Hard to say what might happen to the hotel, which is basically built in part of a former employee parking lot behind the Hollywood Studios park. They could demolish it if they needed more parking space back there but I doubt there’s any big rush.

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Could I get a Pan-Galactic Gargle Blaster?

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I’m going straight for the death sticks.

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The people that I know who have gone thought that it was an awsome experience. Even though I’m too cheap to pay that kind of price, I’ll be sad to see it go.

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The LARPing is what makes me want to go. But the $4800 — no thank you. I can take the entire family for almost a week in Ireland for that kind of money. I can then LARP bring a Jedi on my own, thank you very much.

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Honestly, it just struck me, that should have been a giant building which actually played out like a ‘choose your own adventure’ where the group could choose door, A or B, and be led through a different ride experience. Never mind the economics of operating a hotel! Now they are stuck with a bit of a white elephant! Unless they can just turn it into staff accommodations! Ha wouldn’t that be great!

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I’ve loved Star Wars my whole life. I even liked the new movies. But there’s no way in heck I’d pay 5000 bucks (I don’t think I’d pay 500) to be trapped in a windowless building for days no matter much stuff is happening inside. (I also am kinda freaked out about cruises for similar claustrophobic reasons but at least the Star Wars hotel can’t sink)

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Ever since the XP-38 came out, they just aren’t in demand.

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Exactly this. They priced it all wrong. It was hubris pure and simple to expect enough people would keep it full year round at those steep prices. Much as I love the idea, I’ve got better ways of wasting that much money.

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First I missed Star Trek: The Experience, now this. Except this time I feel absolutely no regret at all for not having been able to go during the short time it was open. Aside from the ludicrous price, it just sounded… kinda lame?

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