{"id":1336238,"date":"2022-02-24T05:25:00","date_gmt":"2022-02-24T10:25:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/?p=1336238"},"modified":"2022-02-24T08:11:29","modified_gmt":"2022-02-24T13:11:29","slug":"disney-rewrites-han-and-leias-love-story-in-shameless-star-wars-hotel-marketing-ploy","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/disney-rewrites-han-and-leias-love-story-in-shameless-star-wars-hotel-marketing-ploy\/","title":{"rendered":"Disney Rewrites Han And Leia\u2019s Love Story In Shameless Star Wars Hotel\u00a0Marketing Ploy"},"content":{"rendered":"<aside class=\"mashsb-container mashsb-main mashsb-stretched\"><div class=\"mashsb-box\"><div class=\"mashsb-count mash-medium\" style=\"&quot;\"><div class=\"counts mashsbcount\">26<\/div><span class=\"mashsb-sharetext\">SHARES<\/span><\/div><div class=\"mashsb-buttons\"><a class=\"mashicon-facebook mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservativenewsdaily.net%2Fbreaking-news%2Fdisney-rewrites-han-and-leias-love-story-in-shameless-star-wars-hotel-marketing-ploy%2F\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Facebook<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-twitter mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/intent\/tweet?text=&amp;url=https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/?p=1336238&amp;via=ConservNewsDly\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Twitter<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-subscribe mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"#\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Subscribe<\/span><\/a><div class=\"onoffswitch2 mash-medium mashsb-noshadow\" style=\"display:none\"><\/div><\/div>\n            <\/div>\n                <div style=\"clear:both\"><\/div><\/aside>\n            <!-- Share buttons by mashshare.net - Version: 4.0.47--><div><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/02\/star-wars-hotel-room-interior-1.jpeg\" class=\"ff-og-image-inserted\" alt=\"image\" \/><\/div>\n<p>In a Valentine\u2019s Day post, Disney announced the publication of a novel that will reimagine the iconic love story of Han Solo and Princess Leia Organa from a \u201cgalaxy far, far away.\u201d Only their marriage celebration will take place not so far away, but at an elaborate Star Wars hotel set to open March 1 at Walt Disney World in Orlando.<\/p>\n<p>Ten years after Disney first purchased the franchise, this \u201csynergy\u201d move between Disney Parks and their publishing division marks the latest universe expansion. Galaxy\u2019s Edge \u2014 a Star Wars Land at both the Orlando resort and Disneyland in Anaheim \u2014 <a href=\"https:\/\/www.ocregister.com\/2019\/12\/06\/how-disney-pulled-off-the-spectacular-technical-feats-in-rise-of-the-resistance-at-star-wars-galaxys-edge\/\">has earned<\/a> high marks for innovative attractions. While Disney\u2019s sequel film trilogy was largely <a href=\"https:\/\/thefederalist.com\/2019\/12\/20\/the-rise-of-skywalker-is-more-amusement-park-ride-than-it-is-movie\/\">panned<\/a>, inventive TV series <a href=\"https:\/\/thefederalist.com\/2022\/02\/04\/disney-proves-it-finally-gets-star-wars-in-latest-book-of-boba-fett-episodes\/\">have given<\/a> some fans hope.<\/p>\n<p>Now a new themed hotel, Star Wars Galactic Starcruiser, seeks to give attendees an immersive experience . . . for a price. Built adjoining Galaxy\u2019s Edge, the hotel fees include alien-world-themed meals and \u201cexcursions\u201d to the theme park. However, for a family of four, a two-day stay at the high-tech hotel <a href=\"https:\/\/www.cnbc.com\/2021\/08\/04\/disneys-galactic-starcruiser-will-take-you-to-a-galaxy-far-far-away.html\">will set you back<\/a> $6,000.<\/p>\n<p>Stephen Kent, author of \u201c<a href=\"https:\/\/thefederalist.com\/2021\/11\/11\/could-star-wars-be-what-unites-us-across-raging-political-divides\/\">How the Force Can Save the World<\/a>\u201d and often a defender of Star Wars in its many iterations, stated via e-mail that he finds it \u201cshameful\u201d for Disney to charge such astronomical rates.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>\u201cAny family would be insane to book this hotel, when they could spend a week in Spain for the same amount of money,\u201d he said. \u201cClearly it\u2019s being aimed at well-to-do childless 20-somethings with money to burn and no responsibilities.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>But even high-income nerds have been a tough sell. In December, a video previewed a sample two-day itinerary as actors illustrated building a lightsaber and other activities. Mocked by <a href=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=0zTcNWV56pU\">fan sites<\/a> as amateurish and off-brand, Disney quietly <a href=\"https:\/\/nypost.com\/2021\/12\/13\/disney-removes-video-for-star-wars-hotel-amid-fan-backlash\/\">pulled it<\/a> from YouTube. Reportedly, some who had pre-booked at the hotel canceled reservations.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>Few would fault Disney for utilizing every available resource for its hotel marketing strategy. Still, the upcoming novel \u201cThe Scoundrel and the Princess\u201d seems particularly crass in using the saga\u2019s most memorable love story to market the pricey resort.<\/p>\n<h2 id=\"debasing-a-beloved-silver-screen-romance\">Debasing a Beloved Silver-Screen Romance<\/h2>\n<p>The latest among hundreds of Star Wars novels, \u201cThe Scoundrel and the Princess\u201d slated for August release will supposedly pick up where the original movie trilogy left off.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>A <a href=\"https:\/\/www.readstarwars.com\/book\/the-princess-and-the-scoundrel\/\">plot summary<\/a> notes that Han proposes to Leia on the forest moon of Endor and there\u2019s a ceremony with Ewoks in attendance. Then they\u2019re whisked away for their honeymoon aboard Starcruiser Halcyon, the \u201cin-universe\u201d moniker for that new hotel. (Yes, there are already internet memes about wanting to book their room.)<\/p>\n<p>Considering previews of the hotel received negative feedback, Disney likely considered decoupling its most valuable Star Wars characters from the risky new venture. After all, every fan\u2019s list of favorite films tops out with \u201cThe Empire Strikes Back,\u201d on the strength of how Harrison Ford and Carrie Fisher embody Han and Leia.<\/p>\n<p>Yet, as has become increasingly common with Disney, marketing prevailed. Determined to make bank on its many millions in hotel investment, they have cast aside an earlier version of the couple\u2019s romance depicted in \u201c<a href=\"https:\/\/starwars.fandom.com\/wiki\/The_Courtship_of_Princess_Leia\">The Courtship of Princess Leia<\/a>.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>A featured speaker at Star Wars Celebration in 2015 and writer on <a href=\"https:\/\/stream.org\/author\/aaronwelty\/\">genre<\/a> <a href=\"https:\/\/whatsondisneyplus.com\/is-the-mandalorian-trying-to-fix-star-wars\/\">entertainment<\/a>, Aaron Welty has read dozens of these novels over decades. He contends many tie-in books are \u201cbeloved story mythology\u201d rather than a cash grab \u2014 and he has fond memories of reading that original \u201cLeia\u201d novel.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThis story introduced the idea of riding a rancor as transportation, which we just saw on their latest TV series \u2018<a href=\"https:\/\/thefederalist.com\/2022\/02\/04\/disney-proves-it-finally-gets-star-wars-in-latest-book-of-boba-fett-episodes\/\">The Book of Boba Fett<\/a>,\u2019 among other plot ideas later used on-screen,\u201d said Welty. \u201cSo Disney\u2019s decision to wipe the slate clean upon purchasing Lucasfilm remains a tough sell for fans.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>But author Kent sees a potential silver lining in the new novel and related hotel tie-in. Up to now, Disney\u2019s Galaxy\u2019s Edge park featured only characters from the \u201cregrettable\u201d sequel film trilogy (Kylo Ren and the like.) \u201cDisney is inching backward in the timeline to a place fans want to go again, which is to Han, Leia, the original film trilogy, and the age of the Empire,\u201d stated Kent.<\/p>\n<p>Moving forward, he finds good reasons to hope recent saga additions are forgotten. \u201cThe thing that stings about an opportunity to see Han and Leia marry aboard this Galactic Starcruiser, is Disney already canonized their divorce with \u2018The Force Awakens.\u2019 Talk about sour grapes.\u201d<\/p>\n<h2 id=\"the-force-will-be-with-you-always\">\u2018The Force Will Be With You . . . Always\u2019<\/h2>\n<p>As Disney continues to ramp up production of Star Wars titles \u2014 three TV series <a href=\"https:\/\/whatsondisneyplus.com\/every-star-wars-series-coming-to-disney-in-2022\/\">will premiere<\/a> on Disney Plus in the next eight months \u2014 cynicism abounds among casual observers that it\u2019s a glut of content (that awful marketing term) and little substance.<\/p>\n<p>Similar to Kent, Welty views the Disney era of Star Wars as a \u201cmixed bag\u201d and says they should have gone with George Lucas\u2019 <a href=\"https:\/\/www.polygon.com\/2019\/12\/10\/21005059\/george-lucas-star-wars-sequel-trilogy-plot-characters\">blueprint<\/a> for a sequel trilogy. But he also points to Disney\u2019s \u201cStar Wars: Rogue One\u201d as a hopeful, redemptive film that reflects the heart of the space-opera mythos and expands on it.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>Indeed, these diehard fans see a bright future as Star Wars forges ahead in exploring new corners of the fictional galaxy. \u201cWith Disney, it\u2019s clear they\u2019re learning, listening, and adapting to what is performing well in a highly segmented marketplace with various niche audiences to serve,\u201d said Kent. \u201cToday, there is something for every kind of Star Wars fan, of whatever tribe.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>Many view it as tasteless and materialistic to milk every possible plotline for a spin-off and shakedown fans with ever more merchandise . . . not to mention a live-action roleplay hotel at a cost of several thousand dollars for two days. Kent calls it \u201ccapitalism at its most functional.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Yet, on the storytelling side, producer Dave Filoni (a <a href=\"https:\/\/thefederalist.com\/2020\/03\/31\/the-mandalorians-season-2-hype-train-is-now-boarding\/\">Lucas prot\u00e9g\u00e9<\/a>) and trailblazing director Jon Favreau are leading the charge with future Star Wars TV series. \u201cAs students of Lucas, they understand what Star Wars is \u2014 both teleologically and technologically,\u201d said Welty.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cSure, Disney executives are pushing to progress the bottom line. But Star Wars is alive, and even ascendant, because of the people currently making it.\u201d<\/p>\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator\" \/>\n<p>\n  Josh Shepherd covers culture, faith, and public policy for several media outlets including The Stream. His articles have appeared in Christianity Today, Religion &#038; Politics, Faithfully Magazine, Religion News Service, and Providence Magazine. A graduate of the University of Colorado, he previously worked on staff at The Heritage Foundation and Focus on the Family. Josh and his wife live in the Washington, D.C. area with their two children.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>In a Valentine\u2019s Day post, Disney announced the publication of a novel that will reimagine the iconic love story of Han Solo and Princess Leia Organa from a \u201cgalaxy far,<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":2315279,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_mo_disable_npp":"","fifu_image_url":"","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-1336238","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1336238","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=1336238"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1336238\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2315279"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1336238"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=1336238"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=1336238"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}