Disney Reveals What Its $1 Billion ‘Star Wars’ Hotel Is Turning Into

Do or do not. There is no try.

And Disney certainly did try to make its most ambitious project of all time successful. But now its fate has been revealed: the $1 billion Star Wars: Galactic Starcruiser, located in a building behind Disney’s Hollywood Studios, will be converted into office space for Walt Disney Imagineering, according to The Wrap. 

Walt Disney Imagineering (WDI) is the creative segment within the Disney company that works across its portfolio of theme parks, cruise ships, and hotels globally. According to the article, WDI will set up in the Walt Disney World building to serve as a hub for several highly anticipated expansion projects in the works for the central Florida resort. This includes the upcoming Cars and Disney Villains-themed land in Magic Kingdom Park, the revamp of Muppets Courtyard into a Monsters, Inc.-themed land, and the transformation of Disney’s Animal Kingdom Park’s Dinosaur-themed land into Tropical Americas.

Star Wars: Galactic Starcruiser was a multi-day, immersive hotel-meets-live theater experience that thrust guests directly into the Star Wars universe. The first-of-its-kind project closed in September 2023 after being open for just 18 months. While it was well received, its bookings floundered in its final days. 

With costs of around $6,000 per two-night stay, the LARP (live-action role-playing) journey welcomed guests aboard the fictional Halcyon, a luxury starcruiser. There, they could choose their own real-life adventure, from training with lightsabers to battling alongside the Resistance.

During the stay, guests could enjoy an all-inclusive style vacation, with a highlight being an evening dinner in the Crown of Cordellia supper club complete with an alien performer. Live actors played a major role in the stay with performers utilizing improvisational acting to interact with guests. Even with a steep price tag, Disney has shared that it was one of its most well-received projects based on guest feedback.

All is not lost for those seeking to journey to a galaxy far, far away. Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge, at Disney’s Hollywood Studios, is a land themed to the beloved film franchise. Opening in 2019, it introduced Wookie-loving fans to pioneering attractions that pushed the limits of innovation in themed entertainment, including the nearly 20-minute Star Wars: Rise Of The Resistance.  

The news comes at a time of great change and expansion at Walt Disney World. This year, guests can expect a new night-time parade at Magic Kingdom, a brand-new “Pirates of the Caribbean”-themed tavern, a reimagined version of Test Track, a new The Little Mermaid stage show, and more. 2025 also sees the permanent closure of several attractions, making way for new rides, including Tom Sawyer Island, Liberty Square Riverboat, Dinosaur, and Muppet*Vision 3D.