That article you cited is extremely light on anything resembling data. Literally not a single revenue or booking percentage number is given in the article. The fact that any random Joe Blow can go on the WDW website and see that availability still exists certainly doesn't mean that it's a "flop".
I'm firmly on the anti side of this. Location has nothing to do with this.A question for those on both sides of the debate:
However popular or unpopular the hotel is currently, would it have been better to have made this a standalone type experience away from Disney World, in fact completely disassociated with anything theme park related. Now it could've still gone in Orlando or perhaps in a nearby warm state? Perhaps built in a wooded/mountainy locale where the surroundings could've added an Endor type excursion thereby appeasing OT fans a little more than they have (and let's be real...OT was what made this all happen what would be so horrible about ingratiating themselves to that huge segment of fans). I personally feel like the whole $6000 argument would almost become non existent in a situation like this because to me it feels very much like BECAUSE it is part of a theme park that people have this feeling of "Why would I spend $6000 to roleplay basically at HS for 2 nights". Whereas you make this a standalone destination (plus a little bit more than they're currently offering) and people would flock to it. Just my 2 cents.
In a couple years, strip it bare and make it the Avengers Campus experience.... And then a couple years after that use some sort of societal crisis to close it temporarily. And then mothball it. And then YouTubers film spooky haunted hotel videos. And then tear it down and build the DVC resort "Apparitions".I’m more introvert than extrovert, and really like Star Wars, and while I enjoy role-playing along for the 15 minutes or so on RotR, the thought of participating in SW role-play for two solid days is unthinkable for me, even putting the cost aside. I have to think that Disney will burn through the extroverted, rich, fanatical SW enthusiasts relatively quickly, and I doubt that Disney will still be packing people in at the same price 10 years from now (or even 5 years from now). So what happens next? Previously I have mused that Disney could turn into a more conventional kind of hotel, but who wants to spend time in Florida in a hotel with small, windowless rooms and no pool? I hate to say it but I think the most likely scenario is when the bookings start to fall off a cliff, Disney acknowledges that the concept was a mistake and shuts it down.
I can see the “play along” aspect being very appealing to huge fans, I honestly think the experience is over most of the “younglings “ heads. If I were a bettin’ gal, I’d think that the role-play will vanish in time and it will become just a fancy star-wars themed resort.