Sorry, Star Wars dorks.

[Deej 76759]

Quote

Disney Is Closing Its Immersive Star Wars Hotel, A Year After Opening

https://www.forbes.com/sites/suzannerowankelleher/2023/05/19/disney-closing-star-wars-hotel/

[ztejas 43418]

I'm guessing no one that wanted to stay in that place could afford it. 

[Dahobbs 17533]

Saw that the other day. Highly considering making a trip for our son's bday. They spent something like 2 billion making this thing. I'm shocked they would close it after. Year. 

[HamsterHookah 112]

10 minutes ago, ztejas said:

I'm guessing no one that wanted to stay in that place could afford it. 

Poor mdmost :(

[Deej 76759]

11 minutes ago, ztejas said:

I'm guessing no one that wanted to stay in that place could afford it. 

[HamsterHookah 112]

8 minutes ago, Dahobbs said:

Saw that the other day. Highly considering making a trip for our son's bday. They spent something like 2 billion making this thing. I'm shocked they would close it after. Year. 

I read it was Bob chapek’s idea and Iger thought/thinks it’s stupid and old CEO is gone so why keep it running at a huge loss?

Edited May 19, 2023 by HamsterHookah

[Deej 76759]

Just now, HamsterHookah said:

I read it was Bob chapel’s idea and Iger thought/thinks it’s stupid and old CEO is gone so why keep it running at a huge loss?

#shaggytexas

[Dahobbs 17533]

6 minutes ago, HamsterHookah said:

I read it was Bob chapek’s idea and Iger thought/thinks it’s stupid and old CEO is gone so why keep it running at a huge loss?

It has been a critical success if not a financial one. Unfortunate that they couldn't make the pricing work. 

[mdmost 43001]

7 minutes ago, HamsterHookah said:

Poor mdmost

No, that place is more for a LARPing dork like you.

I never thought it was a great idea and was way too expensive. I wouldn't spend $6000 for a 2 night stay when I can go an actual cruise somewhere else for that amount. It was geared for people with really young kids. If they geared it for adults, set it in the Original Trilogy, and lowered the price, it might've had more success. 

[Pescado_Rojo 19416]

My SE is despondent. I thought he was gonna cry talking about it today. 

[Celery Man 20934]

If it was Westworld with lightsabers, maybe.

[Deej 76759]

6 minutes ago, mdmost said:

If they geared it for adults, set it in the Original Trilogy, and lowered the price, it might've had more success.

[mdmost 43001]

Just now, Celery Man said:

If it was Westworld with lightsabers, maybe.

No, it was more playing dress up where you had to buy expensive cosplay outfits, staying inside a hotel with tiny rooms, no windows, no pool, your only access to the outdoors was a quick trip to the Star Wars Land, some goofy drinks and food, a terrible stage show, a laser light show billed as lightsaber training, and some theater involving the First Order, which no one cares about. All for way too much money. It was an ambitious attempt to try something that there was only a very limited audience for. Another Chapek folly that Iger had to cut back fairly quickly. 

[Deej 76759]

17 minutes ago, mdmost said:

No, it was more playing dress up where you had to buy expensive cosplay outfits

Works for aggy.

[Blotto 23497]

18 minutes ago, Deej said:

Quote

If they geared it for adults, set it in Revenge of the Nerds, and lowered the price, it might've had more success.

[Celery Man 20934]

I want to shoot a spice runner from under the table and then pick up the twi'lek waitress while the cantina band is playing. Whisper sweet mind tricks into her ear and take the key card out of her skirt on the way out the door, grab the stash from behind the bar and hit the hyperdrive right when the governor's fighters show up on my tail.

Shit I just went and bought KOTOR on switch

[Wally Fairway 5543]

Title should say

Sorry Star dorks

My wife and 2 of my grown children are devastated

[Nivek 16923]

 

1 hour ago, mdmost said:

No, that place is more for a LARPing dork like you.

I never thought it was a great idea and was way too expensive. I wouldn't spend $6000 for a 2 night stay when I can go an actual cruise somewhere else for that amount. It was geared for people with really young kids. If they geared it for adults, set it in the Original Trilogy, and lowered the price, it might've had more success. 

 

1 hour ago, mdmost said:

No, it was more playing dress up where you had to buy expensive cosplay outfits, staying inside a hotel with tiny rooms, no windows, no pool, your only access to the outdoors was a quick trip to the Star Wars Land, some goofy drinks and food, a terrible stage show, a laser light show billed as lightsaber training, and some theater involving the First Order, which no one cares about. All for way too much money. It was an ambitious attempt to try something that there was only a very limited audience for. Another Chapek folly that Iger had to cut back fairly quickly. 

Sounds like a cruise.

Edited May 20, 2023 by Nivek

[Your Mom 4805]

Seems like it just opened 12 parsecs ago. 

[mdmost 43001]

5 minutes ago, Nivek said:

 

 

Sounds like a cruise.

That's your uncle talking. 

[Shaggy3.0 1695]

5 minutes ago, Your Mom said:

Seems like it just opened 12 parsecs ago. 

It should've opened in a galaxy far far away.

[dcbc 14471]

It was made for people like this

 

 

[Nivek 16923]

1 minute ago, mdmost said:

That's your uncle talking. 

I wish.  I miss that goofy guy.   Last year we took the kids to Disney and the Star Wars-themed rides were well done.  I imagine they made the hotel seem worth it,I didn't realize the price was that steep though.   Oh well.  

[Bevo 13576]

The Mars restaurant in New York closed also. I guess people aren't that into paying more for food or accommodations for an entertaining experience. Actually, I think the bigger problem is that it is difficult to get repeat business. The first visit is entertaining but that novelty decreases with each additional visit.

[F250 28767]

1 hour ago, Celery Man said:

If it was Westworld with lightsabers, maybe.

Oh that would be fun to watch.

[mdmost 43001]

1 minute ago, Bevo said:

The Mars restaurant in New York closed also. I guess people aren't that into paying more for food or accommodations for an entertaining experience. Actually, I think the bigger problem is that it is difficult to get repeat business. The first visit is entertaining but that novelty decreases with each additional visit.

Right and that was something I missed on my previous post as to why it wasn't going to work. If you go on a cruise every few years, there's either a different boat to go on with more things to do or a different destination to go to in the Caribbean or Alaska. This experience wouldn't change so unless you just really loved it, you probably weren't repeating it. It's more of a one and done. I think if you did the same type of cruise, priced the same with Harry Potter themes where you can put on your robe and wizard hat, it would fare the same. It's not like going to the Star Wars Land where you can ride a couple rides that have good repeatability. 

[RDCanecutter 26411]

3 hours ago, mdmost said:

No, that place is more for a LARPing dork like you.

I never thought it was a great idea and was way too expensive. I wouldn't spend $6000 for a 2 night stay

What the ever-living fuck...?

For 6K you could spend a full year in any number of northern Mexican towns closer to Mos Eisley than whatever stage-prop doodad they slapped together in Florida.

[YGIFS 19450]

Was 'the Force' too 'Awoken'?

I'll see myself out.

[NotActuallyALonghorn 4976]

You have to wonder, though...

They spent all that money building the thing. Is Disney the kind of company to flush all of that money connected to a popular franchise down the drain? I've seen the Ryan's World videos about that place, because I have young kids who hate me. Yeah, they spent a bunch of money building it, but a lot of that cost is services associated with the experience. Eliminate those services and you still have a big investment in the buildings themselves. I'm betting that there will be affordable Disney deals involving staying in a Republic Star cruiser in the future, because they aren't going to demo all that junk that they spent so much money on. 

So this is good news for us Star Wars nerds.

[SL Xpress 7513]

It was Ron DeSantis's favorite hotel. 

[Rimbo 25919]

4 hours ago, mdmost said:

No, that place is more for a LARPing dork like you.

I never thought it was a great idea and was way too expensive. I wouldn't spend $6000 for a 2 night stay when I can go an actual cruise somewhere else for that amount. It was geared for people with really young kids. If they geared it for adults, set it in the Original Trilogy, and lowered the price, it might've had more success. 

Or, if they'd just made it a themed hotel that had access to the rest of the property -- at a fraction of the cost and price -- it would've been a good idea.

[YGIFS 19450]

I tried booking a discount rate and it worked but never again after that and couldn't afford to go back.

"It's an older code sir, but it checks out."  

[InkaUtexas 25904]

Who the fuck cares except for the Ewoks. 

[Trey3216 15346]

6 hours ago, Pescado_Rojo said:

My SE is despondent. I thought he was gonna cry talking about it today. 

Significant Ether? 

[UTGrad98 2271]

58 minutes ago, Trey3216 said:

Significant Ether? 

I read it as son enlaw

[Underdog 28611]

Significant Ewok 

[SydneyCarton 48075]

This makes little sense to me because most of those costs have to be sunk. It’s built. Shuttering it makes little sense.  Media is absolutely throwing it into the bin of “Disney’s War with Desantis.” Either way it’s perplexing, almost as perplexing as 6k for 2 nights. 

[ClubWhatever 12128]

9 hours ago, Bevo said:

The Mars restaurant in New York closed also. I guess people aren't that into paying more for food or accommodations for an entertaining experience. Actually, I think the bigger problem is that it is difficult to get repeat business. The first visit is entertaining but that novelty decreases with each additional visit.

The Rain Forest Cafe $40 rubber chicken phenomenon

[Bevo 13576]

23 minutes ago, SydneyCarton said:

This makes little sense to me because most of those costs have to be sunk. It’s built. Shuttering it makes little sense.  Media is absolutely throwing it into the bin of “Disney’s War with Desantis.” Either way it’s perplexing, almost as perplexing as 6k for 2 nights. 

Sunk costs are costs that have already been incurred - from a business standpoint the term is used to explain that sunk costs shouldn't come into play when making the decision whether or not to shutter a project. If the project is losing money and the business prospects look poor then shutter the project. Don't look back thinking that you already spent a ton of money to get it up and running.

[Pescado_Rojo 19416]

5 hours ago, Trey3216 said:

Significant Ether? 

 

4 hours ago, UTGrad98 said:

I read it as son enlaw

 

1 hour ago, Underdog said:

Significant Ewok 

Sales Engineer...Though Significant Ewok is a pretty good description. 

[Celery Man 20934]

1 hour ago, SydneyCarton said:

This makes little sense to me because most of those costs have to be sunk. It’s built. Shuttering it makes little sense.  Media is absolutely throwing it into the bin of “Disney’s War with Desantis.” Either way it’s perplexing, almost as perplexing as 6k for 2 nights. 

He was seen absconding with a snow trooper’s shoes.

[bschoolprof 6252]

1 hour ago, SydneyCarton said:

This makes little sense to me because most of those costs have to be sunk. It’s built. 

True, but I don't think it can even cover its operating costs. I read it's only open something like two days a week, so I doubt it can even cover costs like utilities and (paired-down) staff.  

[SydneyCarton 48075]

1 hour ago, Bevo said:

Sunk costs are costs that have already been incurred - from a business standpoint the term is used to explain that sunk costs shouldn't come into play when making the decision whether or not to shutter a project. If the project is losing money and the business prospects look poor then shutter the project. Don't look back thinking that you already spent a ton of money to get it up and running.

Yes, thank you, I know what sunk costs are. Furthermore. See below. 

2 minutes ago, bschoolprof said:

True, but I don't think it can even cover its operating costs. I read it's only open something like two days a week, so I doubt it can even cover costs like utilities and (paired-down) staff.  

I get that, but this is also the first we’ve heard of any changes…and it’s closing. They didn’t even try to tweak it to make it viable. Not enough customers? Tweak pricing. Remove the 2 day only limit per stay. Open it more days a week. Create new packages. Less employees in character. Etc. They didnt try to change or alter anything. They just ran it one way and then announced its closing. that’s what’s weird. Also, at a place like Disney, it can’t be utility cost. Even if it’s just sucking electricity, which I doubt as screens don’t eat that much power, it can’t be making Disney flinch. It’s not the cost of operating a data center. I hope they release more details as to why, because it really seems weird to me. 

[Deej 76759]

2 hours ago, Underdog said:

Significant Ewok 

 

[Underdog 28611]

That Zeke pic belongs here... 

 

[Homercles 10205]

Shitty that if I ever stayed there I’d probably recognize like 1/3rd of the characters and I’m pretty much caught up on the movies.  The Timothy Zahn books were infinitely more interesting extensions of the universe.  

My perpetual disappointment in Star Wars started when the first Prequel came out with half the movie devoted to complicated trade politics and fucking Jar Jar talking like a hamster getting racked in the nuts…though it did spawn possibly the funniest Robot Chicken of all time:

 

[SydneyCarton 48075]

17 minutes ago, Homercles said:

Shitty that if I ever stayed there I’d probably recognize like 1/3rd of the characters and I’m pretty much caught up on the movies.  The Timothy Zahn books were infinitely more interesting extensions of the universe.  

My perpetual disappointment in Star Wars started when the first Prequel came out with half the movie devoted to complicated trade politics and fucking Jar Jar talking like a hamster getting racked in the nuts…though it did spawn possibly the funniest Robot Chicken of all time:

 

Well, if you like zahn you should be excited now, then. 

[Bevo 13576]

37 minutes ago, SydneyCarton said:

Yes, thank you, I know what sunk costs are. Furthermore. See below. 

I get that, but this is also the first we’ve heard of any changes…and it’s closing. They didn’t even try to tweak it to make it viable. Not enough customers? Tweak pricing. Remove the 2 day only limit per stay. Open it more days a week. Create new packages. Less employees in character. Etc. They didnt try to change or alter anything. They just ran it one way and then announced its closing. that’s what’s weird. Also, at a place like Disney, it can’t be utility cost. Even if it’s just sucking electricity, which I doubt as screens don’t eat that much power, it can’t be making Disney flinch. It’s not the cost of operating a data center. I hope they release more details as to why, because it really seems weird to me. 

Yeah, they want to move away as fast as possible from that bad decision and blame it on the outgoing CEO. Universal Studios should purchase it for pennies on the dollar and make it into a success but because of trademark issues, I assume it is impossible for anything to be done with the property.

 

Disney CEO Bob Iger speaks out about replacing Bob Chapek fresh off a major restructure announcement saying he ‘created a huge divide’

BYChris Morris

February 9, 2023, 3:24 PM UTC

Disney CEO Bob Iger says his predecessor created a “huge divide” at the company.

Michael Kovac—Getty Images/AFI

Disney CEO Bob Iger said he was not anticipating being asked back to lead the entertainment giant after he retired in 2021. However, he says the changes made by his successor (and now predecessor) “created a huge divide” that needed to be corrected.

In an interview with CNBC’s David Faber, Iger said he was contacted on Nov. 18 by Susan Arnold, chairwoman of the Walt Disney Co., about returning. The announcement was made public two days later.

“She made it very clear it was a time of need…and I had a sense of obligation,” Iger said.

Iger handed the CEO title to Bob Chapek in February 2020. The onset of the pandemic was a tremendous disruption, shutting down much of the company’s revenue streams, and many of Chapek’s decisions were unpopular with both consumers and board members, which ultimately led to Iger’s return.

“The structure of the company had been changed by Bob,” Iger said. “He had a reason he wanted to do that, but it created a huge divide between the creative side of the company, the content engine, movies and television, and the monetization/distribution side of the company. And, while I think he had certain valid reasons he wanted to do that at the time, it was very apparent to me, both when I was out and when I came back, that that was a mistake.”

Iger declined to address whether he regretted moving Chapek into the CEO role, only saying, “This is a big complex company and a hard company to run, even in good times. We thought we made the right decision when we chose Bob in 2020. The board recently decided he was not the right person for the job.”

While some have been skeptical about whether Iger will stay for just two years in his current run as CEO, he says his current goal is “to set the company on the right course for years beyond [his] tenure.”  

“My plan is to stay here for two years,” he said. “That’s what my contract says, and that’s the agreement I made with the board. That would be my preference as well…There are other things in life I’d like to do. I’m confident the board will be able to find an able successor.”

[Brisketexan 105095]

I tried booking a discount rate and it worked but never again after that and couldn't afford to go back.
"It's an older code sir, but it checks out."  

I hate myself for chuckling at this.

[Brisketexan 105095]

For $3K a night, I expect to visit Jennifer Beals in that Brothel.   Shit, if I can play Jabba and creep out on a slave Leia/Twilek I am in for $2k a night.  $15K if I get to send the real Ron Desantis to a mechanical Rancor and have him physically killed.  

In terms of ROI…this isn’t far off from what would have to be on offer for me or most any other sane male to sign up.

For $2-3k a night….yeah, there are a LOT more entertaining options out there in this world.