Who is Jenny Nicholson? YouTuber breaks down her bad stay at Disney's now-closed Star Wars hotel

We are finally getting a deep dive into the unofficial "Star Wars" saga we never knew we wanted.

Youtuber Jenny Nicholson, known for her commentary on niche topics on theme parks and fan culture, released a four-hour video recounting her experience staying at the now-shuttered Star Wars hotel at Disney World.

The Star Wars: Galactic Starcruiser was a hyped-up, $400 million luxury hotel on the Walt Disney World property, promising guests their own "Star Wars story." Once checked in, guest were promised “immersive, customizable Star Wars experience” with live actors, missions and a quick stop to Batuu. All while charging thousands of dollars per guest.

Titled “The Spectacular Failure of the Star Wars Hotel," the video has over 3 million views after three days. Theme parks fanatics, Star Wars geeks and gossip enthusiasts alike have tuned in, listening as Nicholson detailed the good, bad and the ugly of the cruiser.

Grab a snack and drink! Watch here or if you can't see the video of Nicholson's entire deep dive on Galactic Starcruiser, click here.

Who is Jenny Nicholson?

Jenny Nicholson is a YouTuber who boasts over one million subscribers, hooking them in with her videos on theme parks, pop culture and other weird parts other internet (cough, cough, Hallmark's own YouTube channel).

Some of her most popular videos include deep dives into movies and shows such as “The Vampire Diaries,” “Frozen 2" and "Dear Evan Hansen." She has also covered installments in the “Star Wars” franchise.

Nicholson has also traveled to theme parks to directly get the scoop for her viewers, posting an hour long video about Disney's Avatar-themed region in Animal Kingdom. Spoiler alert, she did enjoy most of it, except the Na'vi popcorn she bought.

Where was Galactic Starcruiser hotel? When did Disney World open Star Wars hotel?

Disney's Galactic Starcruiser (colloquially known as the Star Wars Hotel) was announced at the D23 Expo in Anaheim, California back in 2017 and opened to the public on March 1, 2022.

As Nicholson's video showcase, the Galactic Starcruiser wasn't in its own area where you could just simply drive up to and explore. It was actually located right behind the Hollywood Studios park, boarding the Galaxy's Edge section.

In her video, Nicholson shows how they had to drive up to specific gate and a cast member had to check their IDs to make sure they had a reservation to the hotel before allowing them through.

What does Nicholson say about Star Wars hotel in her video?

Running through an internet-friendly numbered list, Nicholson discusses her own experience at the hotel and her overall thoughts on the project, going how it was marketed to whether she felt it was worth it.

She notes near the beginning of the video that she paid more than $6,000 for a two-night stay, which was for the cheapest room in the spacecraft and no extra accommodations, such as dinner at the Captain's Table or special missions. Nicholson mentioned she spent roughly $150 for photos to be taken throughout her trip but no photographers were around during her stay.

Nicholson goes through it all, from the on-site attractions to the food and room options. She discussed the chaotic schedule, the technological hang-ups she had and the lack of missions she had (which is the whole point of the hotel).

"I'm going to be frank, the gameplay did not work for us at all. At some point, there was some sort of critical logistical failure which broke every aspect of it," She said. "I was continuously frustrated the entire time I was there and I left extremely disappointed in our particular experience."

However, that doesn't mean she found everything negative. In one chapter, she highlights the cast members who gave their all to preserving the story.

She summed up her feelings in chapter 20, titled "You've been robbed." Nicholson said despite the hotel's unique enough features and its promise of immersion, it's business model prioritized profit over consumer satisfaction.

"It was a unique experience and now it will be gone and that's sad … but that doesn't mean it was worth the price. It doesn't even mean it was good," Nicholson said. "In fact, if the Galactic Starcruiser has succeeded, it would have only emboldened Disney to keep charging more and offering less."

"… And for that reason, it deserved to fail and I'm glad it's dead."

'Disney spent $400 on a Jenny Nicholson video' Fans share excitement for Galactic Starcruiser deep dive

After Nicholson's video hit the platform, millions rejoiced over new content from the YouTuber, regardless over what the video topic was on.

One commenter joked, "Jenny's curse is that her criticisms are so valid and well-researched that by the time she shares them the thing she's criticizing is already out of business."

What happened to the Star Wars hotel at Disney World?

Galactic Starcruiser made its finale voyage in September 2023, abruptly announcing its closure in May of the same year. The hotel was only open for a little over a year.

A Walt Disney World spokesperson statement said, "This premium, boutique experience gave us the opportunity to try new things on a smaller scale of 100 rooms, and as we prepare for its final voyage, we will take what we’ve learned to create future experiences that can reach more of our guests and fans."

How much did it cost to stay at Galactic Starcruiser?

The starting price was roughly $4,800 for two guests and just under $6,000 for four guests sharing a cabin, according to USA Today.

How much did Disney lose on Galactic Starcruiser?

In an earnings call between The Walt Disney Company and its shareholders, the closing of the hotel reportedly cost Disney millions of dollars.

The Orange County Register detailed that Disney’s interim CFO Kevin Lansberry said, in not as many words, it will cost Disney $250 million to close Galactic Starcruiser.

What is Disney World doing with Galactic Starcruiser?

So far, the theme park has not announced any sort of potential revival of the resort. However, there might be something brewing behind the scenes.

Orlando's FOX35 reported back in February that the theme park filed a Notice of Commencement in Orange County for construction to begin on the former site of the Star Wars: Galactic Starcruiser at Disney's Hollywood Studios. Notices of Commencement are required by Orange County for the "construction, improvements to, or for the alteration of repair of improvements to real property."

This filing does not share details about specific plans other than "general construction."

This article originally appeared on Fort Myers News-Press: Star Wars hotel Disney failure detailed in new Jenny Nicholson video