News, Analysis and Reviews of the Disney Entertainment Business
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If you’ve been waiting to book your fall Disney World vacation until the dates for the 2023 EPCOT International Food & Wine Festival dropped, wait no longer. Disney has shared the schedule for the 2023 food fest, and it starts a bit later than last year. This year’s culinary celebration runs July 27 through November 18, 2023.
There will be more than 25 Global Marketplaces (known to the rest of us as food booths), including last year’s big draws, The Fry Basket and Flavors from Fire. And, as was the case in the past, several Global Marketplaces will debut in the latter part of the festival, offering new dining opportunities later in the season to keep things fresh.
Returning fan favorite activities include Emile’s Fromage Montage, a fun cheese crawl around the Global Marketplaces that earns you a chance to redeem a sweet treat at the end of your 5 plate cheese-eating-binge.
If your family enjoys scavenger hunts, there are two to choose from this year. Remy’s Ratatouille Hide & Squeak will be back, and guests can search high and low throughout the World Showcase pavilions for that Lil’ Chef, Remy. If you are there during the Halloween season (September 29 through October 31), you can also hunt for special Disney-themed pumpkins during Pluto’s Pumpkin Pursuit.
And though we don’t have the line-up of artists yet, the Eat to the Beat Concert Series will also be bringing the energy to the festival’s nights.
If you don’t want to miss any of the upcoming details, or if you are planning ahead for your dining adventures, you can check in at TasteEPCOT.com for future foodie updates from Disney. We’ll also let you know when the full list of Marketplace booths and performer schedules arrive!
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Beth Keating is a theme parks, restaurant and entertainment reporter for DisneyBizJournal.
Disneyland’s Splash Mountain ride, which opened in 1989, will close for good on May 31, 2023, with its last day to plunge over the 52-foot falls at Chick-a-pin Hill with Br’er Bear, Br’er Fox and Br’er Rabbit taking place on May 30th. Disney World’s Splash Mountain closed in January, with construction chugging ahead toward a projected 2024 reopening.
Construction on Splash Mountain in Disney World
Both of the Tony Baxter-designed Splash Mountain locations are being re-themed as Tiana’s Bayou Adventure, based on the animated Princess and the Frog movie. The attraction’s storyline takes place after the close of the film, with Tiana opening her own restaurant and setting up an employee-owned company called “Tiana’s Foods,” supported by a new salt mine for the company. Signs at the Florida construction site already advertise “Tiana’s Foods…coming soon!”
The new iteration of the log flume ride will use the same ride track, but offer up a continuing story in Tiana’s tale, and will showcase characters from the original film, including Prince Naveen, Mama Odie, Louis, Eudora, Charlotte, “Big Daddy,” the King and Queen of Maldonia, and Prince Ralphie as they celebrate Mardi Gras. Many of the original actors and actresses will be bringing their voices to the adventure’s sound track, but even more exciting, Disney has said they will be adding the scent of beignets to the ride! The accompanying music for the attraction will feature favorites from the movie, as well as newly created tunes.
Interestingly, while some of the animatronic characters are expected to be repurposed (along with many higher tech ones creating new characters for the ride), this isn’t the first time the critters will be reused. A number of the more than 100 Disneyland ride animatronics were brought in from the original “America Sings” attraction.
If you want to catch one more log to your laughing place, you’d best “Zip-A-Dee-Doo-Dah” over there soon! Splash Mountain is also available in Tokyo Disneyland, but it has not been slated for closure or re-theming at this time.
In other Disneyland news this week, Magic Key Passes (Disneyland’s version of an annual pass) went on sale again on April 11, but not for long. As of this morning (April 14), only the Inspire Key ($1,599) was still available for new purchase. (You can still renew at other levels.). At Disney World, guests will get their chance to snap up annual passes on April 20, though Disney Vacation Club members had a shot at it yesterday, April 13, but it was not without its technical difficulties.
In more sad Disneyland “closings” news, Catal Restaurant and Uva Bar & Café are also shutting their doors. But there is good news in there, too, as the eateries will be making way for the new Paseo and Centrico. It should be a welcome addition, as its Mexican cuisine is being brought to the reimagined Downtown Disney area by Michelin Star Chef Carlos Gaytan.
And can we have a drum roll, please? Disney also announced a start date for the highly-anticipated Rogers: The Musical at Disney California Adventure. A short, 30-minute, one-act musical, the limited time show will debut on June 30, 2023, at the Hyperion Theater. Why is this so highly anticipated? Well, if you aren’t familiar with this send-up of Captain America and his gang of heroic Avengers, the performance first caught audiences’ attention at the 2022 D23 convention, and also made an appearance in the Disney+ series, Hawkeye. The show will reportedly include the “Save the City” song from Hawkeye, as well as several new original songs created just for the musical.
If you’re looking to “do this all day,” you can only grab a seat Tuesday-Saturday at the Hyperion. There will, of course, be appropriately themed merch released at a later date.
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Beth Keating is a theme parks, restaurant and entertainment reporter for DisneyBizJournal.
Oswald the Lucky Rabbit is one of the Disney-themed eggs hiding throughout World Showcase during EPCOT's limited time "Egg-Stravaganza Scavenger Hunt."
(Seekers can purchase a special map and stickers at select merchandise locations, and hunt high and low throughout the gardens of the World Showcase pavilions to find these adorable larger-than-life decorated eggs. When you spot a character egg, add your sticker to the appropriate spot on your map. When you've located all of the eggs, you can turn in your Scavenger Hunt sheet for a special prize.)
Oftentimes, when Disney drops a batch of new treats for celebrations and holidays, the vast majority of the offerings tend to be sweet indulgences. The exception to this is the EPCOT festivals, where there are just as many savory options to enjoy as you travel the world. On a recent visit to the 2023 EPCOT International Flower & Garden Festival, we decided that a balance between the two sides might be in order.
It was lunchtime, and our first stop was The Honey Bee-stro Kitchen, located near Port of Entry. This booth is interesting, not only because the foods were delightful, but because the area surrounding the booth is set up as a subtle (yet educational) look at the journey of those industrious little bees, and how honey is processed around the world. Flip-the-flap signs, honey jars, and honey-making gear are also on display.
Since this kitchen is hosted by the National Honey Board, you won’t be shocked to find out that each dish at this outdoor kitchen was made from varying flavors of honey, from the lavender honey in the flatbread to the orange blossom honey in the cheesecake.
At this booth, we chose the “Pollinator Flatbread with Honey Whipped Mascarpone” ($6.25), served with honey caramelized onions, blueberry gastrique, prosciutto, honey whipped goat cheese, arugula, honey vinaigrette and bee pollen. This was one of the most flavorful dishes of the day for us, an unexpected juxtaposition between the tart blueberries and the sweet honey, with the arugula sprouts providing a slightly herby, garden feel to the finished dish. Tiny edible pansy-type flowers added a colorful flair to the flatbread, but didn’t have much flavor to them. The crispy prosciutto brought a welcome, salty element to the bread, and the gastrique was reminiscent of a balsamic reduction, giving a sharp but tasty tang to the many things that were happening on this bread. There were also a decent number of fresh, plump blueberries on the nicely-sized flatbread. The only complaint, and it wasn’t much of one, was that the outer edges of the flatbread were too crunchy to eat. All in all, this was a satisfying lunch option.
We also added the “Honey-Mascarpone Cheesecake” ($5.00) to our lunch break at The Honey Bee-Stro. Plated with honey whipped cream, whipped honey, crystalized honey, a dot of honeycomb, dehydrated honey and fennel pollen meringue kisses, this was a delightful dessert. Smooth and creamy, made with orange blossom honey, it featured five different ways to love the use of honey. That being said, you’d expect the dish to be sweet, and it was, but not overwhelmingly so. The small, molded triangle had a fluffy texture rather than a more compact cheesecake. Sadly, the honey whipped cream, while delicious, deflated very quickly in the Florida heat, and was pretty much a puddle by the time we reached a table. Regardless, we scooped it up with a spoon, drizzled it over the rest of the cheesecake, and enjoyed it anyway. The trio of meringue kisses had a bit more flavor than your typical meringue, and once again, a tiny little flower added color, without bringing any additional taste to the dish. And though it was only a small dot, it was quite interesting to try the pinch of honeycomb that was decoratively added to the side of the cake.
Over at The Citrus Blossom at the Odyssey Pavilion, citrus fruits are the primary focus, and they are served up in fun ways. (It’s also where you can get the adorable Orange Bird sipper cup for $15.00, filled with a refreshing and nonalcoholic Orange-Lemon Smoothie.) We’d previously tried the Orange Sesame Tempura Shrimp here, and this time we selected the “Citrus Baked Brie” ($5.25) with preserved lemon marmalade, Limoncello-macerated blueberries and spiced Marcona almonds. We’re big Brie fans in our house, so we were looking forward to trying this sphere of cheesy temptation. It had a distinct citrus tone from the thick lemon marmalade, but the tartness of the blueberries brought a good balance to the lemon in the dish. The lemon notes were front and center, just to the edge of over-shadowing the more delicate Brie, but the combination was a fresh, fun, spring-like entry into the garden festival. The cheese itself was warm without being liquid-y, with an outer coating that was chewy, but not crisp. The almonds were indeed spiced, but also brought a bit of a kick.
If there’s a Garden Rocks concert going on at the America Gardens Theatre, it’s a good bet that we’ll first grab dinner at the Magnolia Terrace Kitchen at the American Adventure Pavilion, where they feature classic bayou foods from the Gulf Coast. On this particular evening, we sampled the “Muffuletta Panini” ($6.00) with ham, salami, mortadella, provolone and swiss with olive salad, and the “Crawfish Pie” ($6.75). We’re actually not sure of all that was in the Crawfish Pie because neither the sandwich boards in front of the kitchen, nor the My Disney Experience app (or the festival passport, for that matter), gave an entrée description. Nonetheless, it was good, if a bit messy to eat. Served in a small bowl, this dish definitely isn’t a grab-and-go-walk item. You absolutely need a knife, spoon and table to eat this one. Maybe a fork, too. Even bench sitting likely won’t work. Tucked underneath a pastry shell that was on the chewy side, there were large and numerous pieces of crawfish that were excellent. The sauce that the crawfish was simmered in had a hint of spice, but it was not over-powering at all.
The Muffuletta was very cheesy in a good way, and the meats offered rich flavors with some smokiness. The olive tapenade comes through strong – but it added a needed dimension to the sandwich, bringing both texture and saltiness to the party. Ray is not usually an olive fan (he avoids them at all times), but he found the olive mixture an enjoyable addition. Overall, the panini-style sandwich was full of flavor, but had two drawbacks: It’s a very small sandwich (don’t let the photo at the queue fool you - it’s more of a half sandwich, really), and the bread texture was uneven, soft in some spots, but overly crunchy in others. While it’s only a $6.00 investment, as long as you are aware that you are getting more of a “sampler” with this selection, it’s an appetizing snack. There’s always that debate as to whether smaller, less expensive dishes are better, because you can try more things, or whether a bigger plate is better when you discover something you like!
Dessert at the Magnolia Terrace Kitchen was a delicious “Bananas Foster Bread Pudding” ($4.75). Served warm, this was a lovely wrap up to the comfort foods theme to this booth. It had a traditional bread pudding texture that was almost cake-like, and the banana component came through loud and clear, a scrumptious ending to the choices at this booth.
The last stop of the day was the Northern Bloom Kitchen in Canada for meals that were a little more savory than sweet. We tried the “Seared Scallops” ($7.50), served with French green beans, butter potatoes, brown butter vinaigrette and Neuske’s applewood-smoked bacon; and the “Beef Tenderloin Tips” ($7.25) drizzled in a mushroom Bordelaise sauce with whipped potatoes with garden vegetables (which, on our evening, was a trio of perfectly cooked baby carrots).
The scallops were the clear winner here, with large, nicely grilled shellfish that had a tasty yet gentle spiciness. A large plate of these would be Canadian heaven! The vinaigrette infused the two kinds of baby potatoes and beans with a mild, buttery flavor, as well as giving added moisture to the scallops.
On the other hand, we were not impressed by the Beef Tenderloin Tips. While there were large pieces of juicy meat served in a thick gravy, they were a bit on the tough side and very chewy. Particularly compared to the tender bison at the Farmers Feast Kitchen, these didn’t really measure up to the quality of the bison dish. The Beef Tips were accompanied by some delicious, light mashed potatoes, though.
The Outdoor Kitchens are open daily for the duration of the Flower & Garden Festival, March 1 through July 5, 2023.
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Beth Keating is a theme parks, restaurant and entertainment reporter for DisneyBizJournal.
We’ve waited a really long time for the official opening of Disney World’s newest restaurant, “Roundup Rodeo BBQ” in Hollywood Studio’s Toy Story Land. Was it worth the wait?
There’s an actual smoker behind the restaurant to prepare the BBQ meats in-house, so as you approach the Roundup Rodeo, you’ll smell the food cooking before you see it. Inside the immersive restaurant, you are one of Andy’s honorary toys, so everything, from the western towns to the train station playsets to the game board pieces, feels larger than life. A ruler along the back of a seating area will show you that you’re less than a miniaturized inch wide in this universe! There are two separate dining areas, one centered around Jessie, and the other to Bo Beep.
Video by Jonathan Keating
The décor is bright and even a bit overwhelming, not unlike the nearby Toy Story Mania attraction, but a little more child-styled, since, of course, Andy has designed this himself. Kid-created “drawings,” scenes engineered with Andy’s favorite toys and all the accoutrements you’d find in a kid’s room – pencils to hold up the boxes, wooden train tracks, game pieces, milk cartons, Christmas lights, puzzle pieces and cardboard cut-outs – make it feel a bit like Andy’s toy box exploded. It’s all of the toy sets from Andy’s room brought to life by his imagination. And while it is a continuation of the design theme of the entire Toy Story Land, Roundup Rodeo BBQ is just a touch more obvious in the child-artist territory.
If your family members are fans of Toy Story, there will be plenty to look at here while you wait for your meals – Easter eggs from the movies abound. Ask your cast member servers to point out their favorites!
This restaurant isn’t just visual. You also get to hear dialogue from the characters, ride a pogo pony to your table, and, along with the rest of the cast members, freeze in place when you hear the warning, “Andy’s coming!” While this isn’t a “character dining” restaurant, and there are no characters walking around, you’ll hear the actual voices of your favorites. Listen for the tinkling triangle dinner bell overhead, and you’ll be treated to three different audio clips, from a mistaken yardsale/lemonade stand; to a Partysaurus Rex dance party you and your servers can rock out to; to the “Andy’s coming!” warning that will have you laughing as your servers freeze in the oddest of poses until given the all-clear.
The meal is a fixed price $45 per adult and $25 per child (ages 3-9), and is the same for lunch or dinner. Your family-style menu begins with “The Prospector’s Homemade Cheddar Biscuits” with sweet pepper jelly, and a set of three salads to share for the table. “Rootin’ Tootin’ Tomato Salad” comes with cucumbers, pickled red onion, and a white balsamic vinaigrette; “Rex’s Romaine and Kale Salad” has apples, dried cranberries, pumpkin seeds, and Green Goddess dressing; and “Wheezy’s Watermelon Salad” has fresh-torn mint.
The cheddar biscuits were delightful - fluffy, buttery biscuits with a slightly salty top, served warm. We were expecting the pepper jelly to be spicy, but it wasn’t. Rather, it was distinctly vegetable-pepper flavored, as opposed to spicy-pepper flavored. The biscuits were wonderful on their own, but the jelly elevates it to another whole level. Just be careful not to fill up on additional servings of these lovely bread offerings. It will be tempting to do so, but there is so much more food to come. This is an all-you-care to enjoy meal, with lots of options.
The salads were just slightly better than average. The Romaine and Kale salad was a leafy green salad with a tasty green goddess dressing. The apple slices added sweetness and a bit of crunch, but while it was a nice flavor, it was nothing that required second servings. The cucumber tomato salad was a more typical backyard salad, with strong onion and vinegar undertones from the pickled red onions, something like what one of your aunties would have brought to a backyard potluck. The standout in this trio was the luscious watermelon salad. While it was advertised as having mint with the melon, there weren’t too many obvious mint leaves in our dish. The small snips that appeared added a tiny bit of herby-ness, but the melon itself was so fresh and sweet we could have eaten this all afternoon. It’ll be devoured by the kiddos in your group as well.
Entrées also come out family-style, and you can dish your vittles out onto ceramic plates that look like the typical white paper plates that you’d use at a barbecue. Your cast members will bring out platters of “Evil Dr. Smoked Ribs,” “Buttercup’s Beef Brisket,” “There’s a Sausage in My Boots” fire-grilled pork sausage, and smoked “BBQ Chicken – With Style!” Plant-based diners get platters that include “Combat Carloflower” (smoked cauliflower) with harissa drizzle and walnut gremolata, a plant-based “Scrumptious Bratwurst,” and “Rip Roarin’ Rib Chop,” made from Impossible meat.
We chose the meat-based platter, with very unexpected results. The meats we were anticipating loving weren’t necessarily our favorites, and the ones that we hadn’t given a second thought to before the meal turned out to be stellar. Our ribs-loving family was not all that impressed by the Evil Dr. Smoked Ribs. While the BBQ-glazed ribs had a subtle sweetness, they weren’t fall-off-the-bone tender. There was a distinct smokiness to them, but there was just as much fat to the rib as there was meat.
We’d also been looking forward to Buttercup’s Beef Brisket, and the tastiness of the brisket didn’t disappoint. While the slices themselves were somewhat inconsistent, with most being moist and tender, but others overly greasy, you could cut the brisket with the side of your fork. There wasn’t a strong smokiness to these slices, just a gentle seasoning. There are three sauces on your table that you can choose to use with your brisket: a spicy, a sweet and a classic. We used the spicy, and while it had a little bit of heat, it was nothing that heat-adverse diners should shy away from.
The surprise for us was “There’s a Sausage in My Boots,” a rolled-up coil of sweet sausage grilled over an oak fire. It was a substantial amount of sausage, and it had a crisp snap to the outside, and a juicy, mildly seasoned inside. We’re not normally running to grab a plate of sausage, but this roll of links was so good we actually thought of asking for a second round, and it got our vote for the best of the platter.
BBQ Chicken – With Style! was also an appealing addition to the platter. The selection of chicken legs, wings and breasts is a 48-hour, brined smoked chicken with a house-made seasoning that gave a light flavor to the tender meat. There was a hint of smoke on the back end.
In addition to the entrée platters, families will also get to choose four sides from a list of eight. Choices include “Mean Old Potato Salad” with homestyle red-skinned potatoes; “The Married Spuds” loaded potato barrels; “Veggie Slaw”; “Force Field Fried Pickles”; “Campfire-roasted Vegetables”; the springy “Slinky Doooooooooog's Mac & Cheese”; “Buckin’ Baked Beans”; and “Cowpoke Corn on the Cob.”
Of the eight, we selected the potato barrels, corn on the cob, mac and cheese, and pickles, and were pleased with all of our selections. The Cowpoke Corn is an interesting take on grilled street corn, with a very sweet corn hidden beneath a coating of Queso and seasonings that offered an alternating combination of sweet and salty. There was a bit of a char to the cob, giving it a slight smokiness and the cheese (Queso? Parmesan?) was a pungent but not unwelcome flavor profile. The street corn is also prepared over the oak fire before adding the spices.
The Married Spuds (our server told us to “Congratulate them!”) were soft baked tater tots with two deliciously paired sauces, a Green Goddess and a cheese sauce. If we’d had room, we would have gotten another bowl of these, because they were a dish of cheesy goodness. But, with only so much space in our bellies, we were holding out for the Slinky Doooooooooog's Mac & Cheese. This mac and cheese was worth the price of admission! Our server told us that the pasta was specially ordered to be extra springy, like Slinky Dog himself, but we were just pleased those little coils held so much of the extra cheese! The sauce was very thick and creamy, and while we were a little hesitant about the smashed crackers (read: Goldfish crackers) on the top of the dish, it did not detract from the bowl in the slightest. This was some of the best mac and cheese in Disney World, and a great addition to a backyard barbecue.
Lastly, the fried pickles were a star. Rather than the typical round pickle chips you would see deep fried in your local pub, these were pickle spears. Not overly tart, but simply coated in a crispy shell and not greasy at all.
Of course, your meal wouldn’t be complete without dessert, and diners can choose from one chuckwagon dessert jar per guest, from among “Bo’s Lemon and Blueberry Cheesecake,” “Billy’s Chocolate Silk Pie,” “Goat’s Apple Pie,” or “Gruff’s Peach-Strawberry Pie.” (In case you didn’t catch that subtlety, it’s Bo Beep and her Billy Goats Gruff.) Adorable chocolate Forky cupcakes are available for the Lil’ Riders as well.
We selected the Billy’s Chocolate Silk Pie, and Bo’s Lemon and Blueberry Cheesecake. Of the two, we preferred Billy’s Pie, a smooth chocolate that was a darker chocolate, somewhat thicker than a pudding, but not quite a mousse. Bo’s cheesecake was a stronger flavor. If you like lemon, this is your dessert. Interestingly, it initially had three distinct flavors, owing to the various layers. The blueberry layer had a few plump blueberries incorporated in the filling, and the cheesecake layer wasn’t a typical “cheesecake,” but a softer, more whipped consistency. After a few spoonfuls, the layers began to blend, giving it a different taste altogether. It was a solid dessert, but a sharply flavored one.
While milk, soda and iced teas are included with your BBQ, there are also a variety of beers, wines and other entertaining drinks available for additional costs. Molly’s Frozen Iced Tea ($6.50); Partysaurus Tex strawberry lemonade – and gummy worms! ($6.50); and Frozen Cowpoke Cocoa, a cocoa and vanilla smoothie ($6.50) are the non-alcoholic offerings.
The alcoholic versions are fun, too, with such libations as the “Grown-up’s Peanut Butter & Jelly” ($16.50), from frozen Skrewball Peanut Butter Whiskey, Minute Maid® vanilla smoothie mix… and grape jelly; the “Snake Eye Margarita” ($14.50); “The Rodeo Mule” ($15.50); “Rum on the Range” ($15.50), made from SelvaRey Chocolate Rum, RumChata Liqueur, Chocolate, with toasted marshmallow; or the “Rattler Rum Punch” ($14.50).
The atmosphere at Roundup Rodeo is high-energy and the theming is fun, enough to keep your kids occupied throughout the meal. With so many Partysaurus Rex dance parties and freeze frames going on throughout the meal, this restaurant is enormously entertaining, as well as a decent food choice. We visited during the first week of operation, and there were still a few glitches (our meat platter and sides came out just as we were dishing the salads onto our plates, so timing is still a bit wonky…) and the tables are nowhere near wide enough for the number of bowls, platters and plates that land on your space. However, these cast members worked their cowboy boots off, hustling refills of dishes, dancing to Rex’s tunes, and keeping a charming banter going during the meal. This restaurant works, in part, because the cast members are very much into their roles here.
There isn’t a separate kid’s menu; they’ll be sharing the same family-style meal as the rest of the crew, but there will be plenty to fill them up on the menu. While Roundup Rodeo isn’t a restaurant you’ll visit all the time, its upbeat and engaging atmosphere will create a fun vacation memory for the Toy Story-loving fans in your home.
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Beth Keating is a theme parks, restaurant and entertainment reporter for DisneyBizJournal.
One of the great things about EPCOT festivals is strolling up to the food booths spur of the moment, and often discovering some excellent cuisine.
Of course, that’s the case at the EPCOT International Flower & Garden Festival, with Outdoor Kitchens open daily from March 1 through July 5, 2023.
Photo by Jonathan Keating
A couple of weeks ago, I stopped at the EPCOT Farmers Feast booth, and tried the Chargrilled Bison Ribeye with leek fondue, red wine butter sauce and whipped red wine goat cheese. It was delicious. The bison was tender, seasoned nicely, and grilled well. The sauce and fondue were smooth, but not strong, and my skepticism of the red wine goat cheese disappeared with the first taste. But make no mistake, this is all about the bison.
This bison dish is on the booth’s early menu running through April 8, but then it goes away. So, if you’re at EPCOT over the next few days, get the bison!
Photo by Jonathan Keating
On the same night, I went from the farm to the sea, trying the Orange Sesame Tempura Shrimp with orange chile sauce at The Citrus Blossom booth. The shrimp was tender and fresh, the coating crispy, and the sauce was a fascinating twist of sweet and a spicey kick.
It turned out to be a great evening of strolling and eating at an EPCOT festival.
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Ray Keating is the editor, publisher and economist for DisneyBizJournal.com; and author of the Pastor Stephen Grant thrillers and mysteries, and the Alliance of Saint Michael novels; and assorted nonfiction books. Have Ray Keating speak your group, business, school, church, or organization. Email him at raykeating@keatingreports.com.
The views expressed here are his own – after all, no one else should be held responsible for this stuff, right?
Consider books by Ray Keating…
• The Weekly Economist: 52 Quick Reads to Help You Think Like an Economist. Signed paperbacks at RayKeatingOnline.com or paperbacks, hardcovers and Kindle editions at Amazon.com.
• Cathedral: An Alliance of Saint Michael Novel. Signed paperbacks and/or paperbacks, hardcovers and the Kindle edition at Amazon.
• The Lutheran Planner: The TO DO List Solution combines a simple, powerful system for getting things done with encouragement, inspiration and consolation from the Christian faith.
It’s been more than a year since the Star Wars: Galactic Starcruiser – or the Halcyon or, simply, the Star Wars Hotel – opened at Walt Disney World. And it hasn’t exactly been a smooth flight. Indeed, the engines seem to be sputtering.
As SFGate reported last month: “In the year since its opening, Disney World may have discovered the limits of charging top dollar for a niche experience. Earlier this year, it began offering its first sizable discounts to the general public. Now, the Starcruiser booking calendar shows only two voyages per week will be available for most of October, November and December. Only Thanksgiving week and Christmas week are offering three voyages.”
Disney also has turned to offering discounts for this pricey experience for Disney Vacation Club (DVC) members and annual passholders. The offer for annual passholders offers 30 percent off during various dates from April 15 to June 28 of this year.
As the Starcruiser was getting ready to set sail, I raised doubts and questions in a February 2022 DisneyBizJournal piece, including the following points:
• The Price Tag. “First, consider that the Starcruiser hotel has 100 rooms or suites. Compare that to approximately 36,000 hotel rooms on the Walt Disney World property, and the Halcyon barely registers. But then there is the price tag for a two-night stay, roughly coming in at a whopping $1,200 per person per day. So, the required two-day stay will hit a couple up for about $4,800.”
• Big Dollar LARPing? Really? “Second, the key selling point for this two-day experience is its immersion. That is, for 48 hours you’re effectively LARPing. Some might ask: LARP? Live Action Role Playing. Now, as long as I’ve been around nerd stuff, from comic books to Star Trek to Star Wars, LARPing even at sci-fi/comics conventions was a pretty limited activity. But the videos from the Halcyon, in fact, point to an intensive, ongoing role playing experience. I’m far from an introvert (my family notes that I seemingly will talk to anyone), but this didn’t look like an enjoyable experience to me (perhaps I’m just getting old). I can’t imagine introverts – of which there are more than a few among intense sci-fi fans – would fork over substantial funds for this kind of experience.”
• Rooms or Bunkers? “Third, the reviews have been all over the place on the experience and hotel itself, with assessments of the rooms ranging from ‘spacious’ to ‘small and cramped,’ and one noteworthy reviewer (the Disney Food Blog) saying that the hotel put ‘the wealthiest guests inside a windowless bunker for two full days.’ Yikes.”
Told you so? Hmmm. Disney is and will be making changes, so we’ll see how this plays outs in the coming year. But, quite frankly, I’m not seeing how this Star Wars hotel makes it over the long run.
And by the way, I stick by the alternative I laid out previously:
“Consider that Disney World’s moderate resorts range from 1,000 to 2,400 rooms. Picture the demand for a large, expansive Star Wars resort with 2,400 rooms, with in-depth theming from the rooms to the pools to the restaurants to the grounds and beyond. All kinds of events and activities could allow people to engage to the degree that they truly choose for their own comfort and vacation time. And the rooms could be priced, again, at the moderate level, or even a bit higher. OMG, there would be a long, long line of individuals and families vying to stay at such a resort – and they could just enjoy a Star Wars vacation at Walt Disney World, even if they were introverts or extroverts who wish to have nothing to do with LARPing. Oh yes, and the family members who care little about Star Wars would likely have a great time as well, given that this would be a full resort with all of the amenities that are missing on the Halcyon.”
Just sayin’.
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Ray Keating is the editor, publisher and economist for DisneyBizJournal.com; and author of the Pastor Stephen Grant thrillers and mysteries, and the Alliance of Saint Michael novels; and assorted nonfiction books. Have Ray Keating speak your group, business, school, church, or organization. Email him at raykeating@keatingreports.com.
The views expressed here are his own – after all, no one else should be held responsible for this stuff, right?
Consider books by Ray Keating…
• The Weekly Economist: 52 Quick Reads to Help You Think Like an Economist. Signed paperbacks at RayKeatingOnline.com or paperbacks, hardcovers and Kindle editions at Amazon.com.
• Cathedral: An Alliance of Saint Michael Novel. Signed paperbacks and/or paperbacks, hardcovers and the Kindle edition at Amazon.
• The Lutheran Planner: The TO DO List Solution combines a simple, powerful system for getting things done with encouragement, inspiration and consolation from the Christian faith.
