News just broke that the Star Wars Galactic Starcruiser is set to close permanently at the end of September 2023. We want to remind everyone reading this that we actually announced the closure back in October far before anyone else, as you can read here. As our slogan states, we truly are The Moused Trusted Name in Disney News because of our vast and knowledgeable secret sources. This brings us to today’s Disney news. The Galactic Starcruiser will officially become home to the Reedy Creek State Prison.
Weeks ago, Ron DeSantis joked about adding a state prison near Disney World in Reedy Creek. This is part of the ongoing battle between Disney and DeSantis. As a reminder, we reported here about Florida calling in the National Guard to block all entrances to Disney World. Their battle continues to heat up with the newest announcement that the Galactic Starcruise will soon be a Florida state prison.
Galactic Starcruiser Closing to Become State Prison
The announcement of the Galactic Starcruser closing was inevitable. It was obvious after a few weeks of operation that demand was in serious decline for this experiential resort. After all, it’s extremely expensive and the experience does not live up to the price tag. Now, everyone has finally caught on to the fact that a hotel like this was never going to survive. At least Star Wars fans are getting a 5th Disney World theme park as we reported here.
The problem with the Galactic Starcruiser is it costs $2 billion to build. We aren’t making that up. Disney took a $2 billion bet and they lost. The good news is that Chapek already lost his job, but Disney is still struggling financially. Which is why Disney is charging for Wi-Fi. Any way they can squeeze money out of people is fair game to them. They need it more than ever now. Luckily, if you don’t want to pay full price for a Disney hotel, our friends at The World of DVC have hotels you can book at up to 65% off here!
Despite Star Wars Galactic Starcruiser closing, Disney will still be making money from it. This is through leasing the building to the state of Florida to use as a prison. In fact, Ron DeSantis and Disney are actually mutually agreeing on something for once. This is a very fascinating shift, but it says a lot about the current state of things between the two powerhouses.
DeSantis and Disney Working Together?
The state of Florida under Ron DeSantis has agreed to lease out the Galactic Starcruiser building once it closes to turn it into the Reedy Creek State Prison. This new Florida prison is expected to hold 1,000 inmates. The terms of the agreement are currently being figured out, however, both sides agreed to move forward with this plan. While it seems odd for Disney and DeSantis to work together in this capacity, the reason why makes sense.
Disney is in need of money. This Starcruiser bet has put them in a massive hole. Instead of demolishing or leaving the building vacant, they are leasing it. Obviously building a prison on Disney World property isn’t ideal, but according to an internal source, the offer was too good for Disney to refuse. They need the revenue and they would look bad to already skeptical shareholders if they turned down the opportunity for additional cash.
This agreement certainly favors Governor DeSantis. He gets another political win by adding a state prison on Disney World property. To add insult to injury, it’s taking over a failed Disney project. This is Disney’s worst nightmare, however, they put themselves in a hole and have no other option. It’s expected that the Reedy Creek State Prison will take over the Galactic Starcruiser in 2024. There needs to be minor interior work done and a big fence installed. However, the project timeline to completion is expected to be very short.
What do you think of a Florida State prison replacing Star Wars Galactic Starcruiser? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below!
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And Ron DeSantis will be the first inmate there!
TRUE!!!