Sunday, June 4, 2023

BREAKING – Disney to close experiential Star Wars: Galactic Starcruiser

Today (May 18, 2023) Walt Disney World officially announced it would be closing Star Wars: Galactic Starcruiser, a first-of-its-kind, luxury vacation and hospitality experience that immersed guests into Star Wars themed adventures over the course of a three-day, two-night stay. Opening day for Star Wars: Galactic Starcruiser was March 1, 2022 at Walt Disney World in Orlando, Florida.

Disney’s official statement

“Star Wars: Galactic Starcruiser is one of our most creative projects ever and has been praised by our guests and recognized for setting a new bar for innovation and immersive entertainment. This premium, boutique experience gave us the opportunity to try new things on a smaller scale of 100 rooms, and as we prepare for its final voyage, we will take what we’ve learned to create future experiences that can reach more of our guests and fans.”

Thea Award recipient

The Themed Entertainment Association celebrated Star Wars: Galactic Starcruiser as a breakthrough achievement, honoring it with the prestigious TEA Thea Award in April 2023. The Thea Awards Judging Committee stated in its official description: “Over the course of their stay, guests have a chance to explore this magnificent ship and become the heroes of their own Star Wars stories. Disney’s Imagineering team is showcasing the future of immersive experiences for theme parks and attractions by focusing on how we change the way people play together, the way stories are told together (immersive theater), and how technology can support such experiences.”

More about Galactic Starcruiser

InPark publisher Martin Palicki reported at length on Star Wars: Galactic Starcruiser in the February 2022 article “Come Fly with Me” and on the InPark Tracks podcast: Track 18 is an exclusive interview with Disney Executive Producer and Executive Creative Director for Star Wars: Galactic Starcruiser Ann Morrow Johnson, while Track 21 shares audio from a host of Disney creatives who were part of the project.

Judith Rubin
Judith Rubin
Judith Rubin ([email protected]) is a leading journalist, publicist, strategist, blogger, content marketing specialist and connector in the international attractions industry. She excels at writing about all aspects of design and technical design, production and project management. Areas of special interest include AV integration and show control, lighting design and acoustics, specialty cinema, digital video and world’s fairs. Judith has ties to numerous industry organizations. From 2005-2020 she ran communications, publications and social media for the Themed Entertainment Association (TEA). In 2013, she was honored with the TEA Service Award. She was development director of IMERSA, and co-chair of the 2014 IMERSA Summit. She was publicist for the Large Format Cinema Association in the 1990s, now part of the Giant Screen Cinema Association (GSCA) and has also contributed to the publications of PLASA, IAAPA and the International Planetarium Society. Already making her mark as a magazine and book editor, Judith joined World’s Fair magazine in 1987, which introduced her to the attractions industry. Launching as a freelancer in the mid 1990s she has contributed to dozens of publications and media outlets including Funworld, Lighting&Sound America, Sound & Communications, Urban Land, The Raconteur and The Planetarian. She joined InPark in 2010. Judith earned a Bachelor of Fine Arts from Pratt Institute. She has lived in New York City and the San Francisco Bay Area, and now makes her home in Saint Louis, where she is active in the local arts and theater community.

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