Closure of Star Wars: Galactic Starcruiser will allow for $300M write off
When Walt Disney World closes the Star Wars: Galactic Starcruiser in September Disney will be able to accelerate depreciation costs and write off $300 million during the remainder of the year, Disney Parks Chairman Josh D’Amaro said during the JP Morgan Global Technology, Media & Communications Conference.
Disney has announced the final voyage for Star Wars: Galactic Starcruiser will take place Sept. 28-30, 2023. The 2-night experience immersive Star Wars experience provides an overnight experience on a “starship” with character interactions, personal adventures and a trip to Batuu at Disney’s Hollywood Studios. The cost was more than $4,800 for two people and around $6,000 for a family of four.
Even though the Imagineers did an incredible job putting everything together and it received high ratings from guests, “It didn’t perform,” D’Amaro said, so the decision was to sunset the project.
“I don’t think we’ve talked about this before, but in both Q3 and Q4, as we accelerate depreciation on that Starcruiser, we should expect about $100 to $150 million” in depreciation for both quarters, he said.
