Did you know that Walt Disney World has plans for a new luxury resort? It’s not the rumored new hotel on the monorail loop to and from EPCOT, instead it’s a Star Wars-themed hotel built around the ambitious plan of immersing guests in a 360-degree fully-realized environment that places guests in the middle of a multi-day adventure in a galaxy far, far away.
As a resort guest, you will have the option to go a mission. A dossier will tell you where to go, which characters you have to interact with to complete the mission. What happens at the hotel will impact your reputation in the park, and vice-versa. Multi-day stays will be required so you can participate in complicated missions, while still getting some time in at the theme parks.
At the top is room with an other-worldly view. The chief conceit of he hotel is that you won’t be on a terrestrial hotel, but rather a flying spaceship resort. Your room will look out over an alien planet. Guests will have access to a Star Wars wardrobe so they feel more immersive. The detail of having your own droid beside the bed to interact with is great. I can see some secret mission details coming in via the droid.
I love this concept art for a lounge and bar at the Star Wars themed hotel. It has a viewport looking down from space on an alien planet to set the mood. Note the little kid with Mickey Ears. That’s the only sign you have that you’re at Walt Disney World. If you look close you’ll spot a monitor with a view of Naboo, one of the destinations for Star Tours.
This picture shows what looks like an active role play room where guests will be asked to carry out tasks to fly a starship into a space battle with the First Order. Notice the two droids, BB-8 and R2-D2, and alien races including a Twilek and a Mon Calimari. Different roles means repeatability is in play so you might book a return trip in the future.
I don’t doubt that Disney has the technical, casting, and hospitality know-how to pull this off. I am less certain that there will be 365 days worth of guests a year who want to get into the whole Live Action Role Play thing, even for a chance to visit the Star Wars galaxy in a completely unique way. Disney feels similarly, that’s why there will will only be 400 rooms to start, and if there’s demand then they will keep expanding up to 1,000 rooms.
Once the new entrance to Disney’s Hollywood Studios is complete, Disney will transition the old world drive entrance is expected to become the new entryway for the hotel. The hotel itself will be adjacent to Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge, but not in it. Disney learned their lesson with the hotel in Disneyland Paris.
The room rates for the hotel are expected to be astronomical. But the experience is expected to be phenomenal. It will be priced similarly to the Disney Cruise Line. For instance, if the first guest costs $1300 for two nights and each extra guest is $400. Those prices are estimated, but I’m told it’s going to be fairly close to that.
Keep in mind that not only will there be plenty of entertainment cast members who have to learn their roles and perform, there will be backstage support, and even regular hotel staff will have to be in character.
Disney’s Imagineers are already testing some ideas that will find their way to the Star Wars-themed hotel. The Mission: Space restaurant that looks down on an orbiting earth seems designed to be a test to see if Disney can convincingly transport guests into space for a unique experience. It will also test the technology they expect to use for the ‘windows.’
Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge will open in 2019 at Disney’s Hollywood Studios. The Star Wars themed hotel does not yet have an opening date. But I don’t expect it to open simultaneously with the new land.
Forgetting the price for a moment, does a whole hotel dedicated to Star Wars role play sound like something you’d like to experience?
yes !! Will be amazing, and the cost doesn’t seem to outrageous… two people, two nights 1,700.. seems ok
It’s an amazing idea and a one of a kind immersive experience, but I think the real test is if Cast Members can stay within their Star Wars roles for the long term. In the end they are still cleaning rooms, running a front desk and managing a property while dealing with the public who can be very difficult. Disney is the only company that could pull this off and for them I still expect it may be difficult.
Wondering if the costs include meals as you need to interact with everyone? Will they limit people from coming in to look around the lobby or eat in the restaurant or drink at the lounge? I for one, could not afford to stay there with a family of four. This will truly be for the privileged. Don’t forget that park admission is always extra. Disney finally got to me. Since first going in August 1972, this will be a first that I cannot experience something at Walt Disney World that is open to all. Next to come on that list is all the Club 33 locations.
Ignoring the cost for a second, if it was an interesting experience I could see giving up two days in the parks to experience this given that we’re annual visitors to WDW. I would be less inclined if I was on a one-in-a-lifetime trip to WDW.
But for our family of six the price would be a significant consideration. We might stomach it once if the experience was bucket-list amazing, but if it is anything short of mind-blowing we would not spend that kind of money.
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