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Have you ever heard of the Galactic Starcruiser? No? Jenny Nicholson will tell you why. The Spectacular Failure of the Star Wars Hotel is a thoroughly researched dive into how Disney’s Star Wars-themed hotel shuttered in just 18 months, proving that the USD 400 mn project was a galaxy far, far away from expectations.

The concept behind the hotel sounded great on paper. An immersive experience where you live out your Star Wars fantasies by taking part in a two-day storyline being acted out by the crew? Most fans of the franchise would have been lining up at the door for the chance. But for the 18 months the Galactic Starcruiser was operating, guests reported it being empty and getting less bang for their buck, after which tickets started being offered at heavy price cuts, signaling the end.

Got four hours to spare? The video essay may be twice as long as your average film, but the fascinating details of what it took to tank a USD 400 mn venture with a huge fanbase will keep you engrossed throughout. And if you just can’t sit through the whole thing, Nicholson has the video conveniently divided and timestamped into chapters by topic so you can pick up where you left off.

So why did the Galactic Starcruiser fail as spectacularly as it did? It was a perfect storm of greed without vision, being out of touch with the fanbase, and laughably bad marketing…and fourteen other reasons Nicholson meticulously explains. The information backing up Nicholson’s argument isn’t just second-hand research — the Star Wars fan stayed at the hotel herself, using her own experience as a secondary source.

WHERE TO WATCH- You can find the video essay right here on YouTube.

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