Walt Disney World has announced some truly impressive expansion plans for its theme parks over the past year, which include over a dozen new attractions across its four theme parks being constructed over the next five years. However, one of their most exciting projects has actually been in the works for several years, but is now finally coming together: the Star Wars Boutique hotel. And though this new hotel was confirmed quite some time ago, Disney recently shared some new details that have us even more excited for this project!
Get ready to live out a Star Wars adventure.. at Disney’s Hollywood Studios
Image: Disney
In an effort to extend the Star Wars experience beyond Star Wars: Galactic Edge (now confirmed to be opening in fall 2019 at Disney’s Hollywood Studios) Disney has confirmed that they will be building a brand new Star Wars-themed hotel adjacent to Disney’s Hollywood Studios, specifically right across from where Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge will be on the south side of the park.
While the idea of a hotel that close to the edge of the theme park may seem a little weird for regular Walt Disney World visitors, other Disney resorts around the world, including Disneyland Resort and Shanghai Disneyland, have built hotels on the edges of their theme park with access to these hotels for guests actually inside their theme parks. And that’s likely what is going to happen with this new project.
As announced previously, the idea behind this hotel isn’t just to allow guests to enjoy decor “inspired” by Star Wars (like the movie-based wings of the Art of Animation), but to actually give fans the ability to be a part of the Star Wars universe by creating a wholly immersive experience designed from the ground up to be a living adventure.
Image: Disney
Inside the hotel, guests will discover a starship alive with characters, stories, and adventures that unfold all around them. Guests will be able to live and breathe their own story with themed dining, activities and more that will touch every single minute of their day, culminating in a unique journey for every person who visits. Everything from the decor to the furniture will be a part of the theme, with nothing in this hotel recalling our world. Even the windows will be themed, with views of the various planets, starships and more from the world of Star Wars visible from guests’ rooms.
A package deal
Image: Disney
Every story has a beginning, middle, and an end, and guests living out their own personal adventure inside this new hotel will experience the same, with a pre-determined itinerary that will include boarding the starship, interacting with characters in the hotel, and having exclusive experiences inside Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge. Though it hasn’t been specifically confirmed yet, we’d imagine that Disney will have a number of packages available, with options for 2-day, 3-day, etc. stays inside this hotel, with different stories and narratives available.
As for cost, expect this to be one of the most, if not the most, expensive hotel on Walt Disney World property. Last year, Disney released a survey that seemed to indicate that Disney is considering a cost of around $1,000 per guest for a 2-night stay. Of course, this stay is all-inclusive and would include meals, theme park admission, etc. which could make it a decent value for Star Wars fans, but of course we’ll have to wait until the hotel is finally constructed to know more about what kind of pricing Disney will settle on.
When could we see an opening?
Image: Disney
Construction on Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge is entering its final phases, with this new land confirmed to be opening next year. And while it might have been nice for Disney to open this new hotel alongside this upcoming land, with construction not yet begun, that seems out of the realm of possibility at this point. However, what we could see is this new hotel constructed as part of a “phase 2” of sorts for this land, which Disney could be waiting until next year to announce.
Unlike certain other projects, it looks like even though this hotel doesn’t have a name or an opening date, Disney is still going full steam ahead with this new experience. What are your predictions for this new hotel? Would you be willing to pay $1,000 per person to stay here?
