Disney Converts Former Star Wars: Galactic Starcruiser Into Walt Disney Imagineering Offices

Disney’s Star Wars: Galactic Starcruiser, the ambitious yet short-lived immersive hotel experience, will not be making a return, according to multiple sources. Instead, the $1 billion structure, which opened on March 1, 2022, and closed just over a year later in September 2023, is now being repurposed as office space for Walt Disney Imagineering (WDI).

This sounds similar to what the Lake Nona project was supposed to be. Is this just a less expensive alternative?

A New Purpose for the Former Galactic Starcruiser

The building, located near Disney’s Hollywood Studios at Walt Disney World, will now serve as a central hub for WDI as the company embarks on several large-scale expansion projects across the resort. Imagineers stationed in the former Star Wars hotel will oversee upcoming developments, including:

• Tropical Americas – A Latin America-inspired land at Disney’s Animal Kingdom featuring attractions themed to Encanto and Indiana Jones.
• A “Cars”- and Disney Villains-themed expansion at Magic Kingdom, adding new experiences to Disney’s flagship park.
• A Monsters, Inc. land at Disney’s Hollywood Studios, including a new door chase coaster—a project that has sparked controversy due to its planned replacement of MuppetVision 3D*, Jim Henson’s final creation.

No Public Access to the Starcruiser Building

Rumors had suggested that Disney might repurpose parts of the Starcruiser facility into a high-end Star Wars-themed dinner theater experience, utilizing spaces such as the hotel’s lobby, bridge, bar, and restaurant. However, sources now confirm that the building will not be accessible to guests at all.

Another rumor claimed it would be turned into a generic “space hotel.”

This decision is likely due to logistical challenges. When the Galactic Starcruiser was operational, guests were transported via themed shuttles to and from Galaxy’s Edge in Disney’s Hollywood Studios. These shuttles were small retrofitted box trucks and were not ideal for a large-scale dining experience, making it impractical to repurpose the space for park guests.

Disney Explores a Star Wars Dinner Theater—Elsewhere

Although the Galactic Starcruiser building will not be used for a dinner theater experience, according to The Wrap, Disney is reportedly revisiting the concept for a new location within the theme park. Early plans for Oga’s Cantina in Galaxy’s Edge initially included a dinner theater component, an idea that was later adapted for the Starcruiser hotel. Now, Disney appears to be circling back to that concept as a future addition to the park.

Recent playtests have been conducted, with cast members acting as guests, to explore potential options for a themed dining experience—though not in the former Starcruiser space.

The End of the Galactic Starcruiser Era

The Star Wars: Galactic Starcruiser experience, despite its ambitious scope, was a costly endeavor for Disney, leading to its closure and subsequent tax write-down. While the experience was embraced by a niche group of die-hard fans, it also gained widespread attention through online critiques and YouTube videos.

With the facility now transitioning into office space and Disney taking a tax writedown, any future use of the building for guest-facing experiences is unlikely in the short term. However, with the newly announced expansion projects still in their early stages, fans can expect years of development ahead before they become a reality.

For now, the chapter on the Galactic Starcruiser appears to be closed, as Disney shifts focus to its next wave of immersive experiences across its theme parks.