LightSaber Building Experience will be $219.99

[jcruise86]

According to Inside the Magic, Galaxy's Edge's 20-minute Lightsaber Building Experience will now cost $219.99 (up from $199.99) at both Disneyland & Disney World. Yes, you get to keep the Lightsaber. No, they don't do anything the way the less expensive Harry Potter wands let kids perform "magic" around the Wizarding Worlds of Harry Potter.

https://insidethemagic.net/2021/04/s...07ccb-96246877

SNARK ALERT:
Well at least everyone likes the Star Wars lands' blue & green drinks more than they like butterbeer.

[JerrodDRagon]

Enjoy

I could literally get APs to two theme parks (none Disney) for that price

[jcruise86]

Yes, but at these other theme parks can you get fresh candy canes for only $12.95 each?
(At that price you could decorate your tree with 4 dozen for only $621.60! {Pre-tax, or course.} So worth it!)

[YeaDZNY]

Yes, but at these other theme parks can you get fresh candy canes for only $12.95 each?
(At that price you could decorate your tree with 4 dozen for only $621.60! {Pre-tax, or course.} So worth it!)

LOL...love the sarcasm :-)

[BasilOregano]

This is embarrassing, but I'm sure not as embarrassing as whatever their next attempt to have their own version of the Harry Potter wands will be...

[Blurr]

The Harry Potter wand I bought didn't even have the RFID tech installed yet so I paid $30 for a collectable piece of wood, haha! I don't regret it and haven't even considered picking up a newer one. Likely because it wouldn't have the same meaning to me.

These collectables mean different things to different people and I personally associate my wand with my opening weekend trip to Wizarding World in 2010 with my brother so having it on display fills me with joy. For the same reasons, I also don't regret my $199.99, kyber crystal compatible Lightsaber or pin from GE opening because my wife and the entire family was there for that. Love them both.

All that outta the way, I actually am surprised about the amount of the jump and how quickly it happened. I was going to guess maybe the extra $20 was Disney trying to compensate for the reduced capacity availability in the experience due to COVID. Less people per "show" with the same amount of "shows" per day = less money made than before.

But most likely it's just Disney being Disney. I actually haven't looked into the altered experience over in WDW. I can't even say for certain that they've reduced the capacity of the experience at all.

[Captain Andy]

I wonder if the lightsabers have received any updates? Wasn't Josh D'Amaro flexing an actual lightsaber recently without any context?

Are the two connected? 🤔

[Blurr]

I wonder if the lightsabers have received any updates? Wasn't Josh D'Amaro flexing an actual lightsaber recently without any context?

Are the two connected? 🤔

Yes, he teased new lightsaber tech but I don't think they're connected to the price increase.

Disney Parks Chairman Has Teased a Realistic, Retractable Lightsaber - IGN

Disney would likely charge much more for what they're bragging about, if it really works as well as everyone hopes. A $20 increase is probably just Disney price gouging or compensating for reduced capacity. I would be thrilled if it meant the new tech was for sale, though.

[Brandonius]

This experience (it’s about the experience more than the product - there are better custom lightsabers online) is so limited capacity and has large enough of an audience that honestly Disney could double the cost and still get takers. If you want the experience, fork out - it’s marketed as a “luxury” thing. If you aren’t a high roller, deal with it, it’s a cool experience that Disney can charge this rate for and still get people to book. If I ever am in a position where I’d legitimately think about doing this, I wouldn’t be too concerned about a 20 dollar difference.

[Spongeocto4]

Disney Executives:

[redoscar]

Are they including the belt clip now? Because that's really the only justifiable justification for raising the prices 10% during the middle of a time when most people are monitoring their finances. The experience is awesome, but does that imply they needed a 10% inflationary increase?

It could be worse, I guess. They could have raised ticket prices by 10% at both resorts upon reopening without a reason (a very real possibility at DLR still given reservations are only valid through the end of June right now).

[Starcade]

As a huge Star Wars fan since A New Hope this lightsaber experience never really attracted me, not because I can or cannot afford it but because I know many of the other lightsabers by other builders available in the market for similar cost that are much, much more detailed and more realistic and if I was every going to own a replica saber I would want something more unique and custom than an assemble from the same bucket of parts as everyone else's saber. In the Star Wars universe all sabers are unique so as a fan having one that likely exists somewhere else just doesn't work for me. Just remembered I also I have a Graflex flash handle purchased decades ago in a box in the attic to one day make my own, now I just need to find the time.

[Blurr]

For what it's worth, Disney does offer a plethora of options regarding Lightsaber prices/quality to suit whatever the Guest's need might be. If you don't want to spend $200 (now $220) on a Lightsaber, you don't have to. There are cheaper, build-a-Lightsaber options in Tomorrowland and budget-friendly, ready to play Lightsabers all over the resort. Some even in Galaxy's Edge.

Are they of the same quality? Of course not. But all things considered, families need to ask themselves who they are buying for and what they are buying. The Savi's Workshop Lightsabers are heavy, higher quality and although they can be, they shouldn't be slammed into each other (fragile). They are collectors/display/cosmetic items, plain and simple. Any parent looking to buy a $200 Savi's Workshop Lightsaber is going to be stuck with the fallout of their child damaging, breaking or having trouble carrying it. It clearly makes more sense for someone in that situation to end up with one of the cheaper, made to play options all over the Resort.

The complaints about Savi's is a mixed bag for me. On one hand, you wouldn't complain that the higher end merchandise located in Disneyana was "too expensive". -and if you even had a young child who was interested in something Disneyana had to offer, you'd jump at the chance to buy them the cheaper, more durable option if Disney were selling one a few shops over. Who'd want to trust their child with something akin to a $150 Haunted Mansion Holiday stain glass window to be carried around all day or played with?

On the flip side, I think it's really the exclusivity of the "experience" and "show" itself that I understand Guests having an issue with. Getting a Lightsaber is part of the advertised, "living your Star Wars adventure/dream". -and while there are better, cheaper options for children who want to be a part of that adventure, there's nothing particularly "magical" about picking one out of a bin and ringing it up at the register. I guess a parent or party member could try to make it so, but that shouldn't be their job.

Perhaps the answer here is for Disney to create some kind of mini ceremony for the kiddos whose parents are buying them the cheaper versions. Nothing extravagant would be needed but, something to make that purchase a little more magical and feel more connected to the land as a whole. Maybe something as simple as keeping the cheap ones behind the counter, allowing children to pick them out, then having the CM ask them if they're ready to take on the responsibility ahead of them after making their choice leading to a quick, speakeasy type of "knighting"? It wouldn't have all the bells and whistles but it would certainly be something to elevate the experience for those who aren't hardcore collectors!

[SuperHappyCM]

Keep in mind they will only be able to allow half (if not less) than the normal amount of people for each session. It's an indoor location which will probably have additional restrictions added on to it. I'm sure they'll require reservations like before the pandemic, and with the park closing at 7pm, reservations for the day will be gone in minutes. For every person complaining/whining about a $20 increase, there will be a dozen or more who will gladly pay it because Disneyland is no longer a "walk up...buy a ticket...go on in" park.* This could be their last shot for months.

*or a walk up...flash your card...go on in" park.

[brian11811]

I don’t understand the appeal. It seems like the ceremony would be cool, but you are just buying a cool looking toy that doesn’t do anything. Of course you couldn’t have a real one, they don’t exists, and if they did there would accidental light saber death all over Disneyland. Its more like buying a really cool sword hilt. What is the point?

[JLee1226]

Obviously no price increase would be better than a price increase from a guest perspective.

That being said, I still don't think the pricing on this is too much. The experience is fun for what it is. Hasbro's FX lightsabers are currently priced between $215-$299, so Disney is not wildly out of line with their pricing.

[Spongeocto4]

My personal opinion over Savi's workshop is that I'm not sure if it will be profitable in the long run. Sure, people will pay money now for one, but will there be an incentive for one in 5 years from now? On one hand, Disney is building a more realistic version that would drive sales up.

But, on the other hand, there are toy lightsabers that can be purchased for a 1/10th of Savi's cost. And unlike the Harry Potter Wands or Super Nintendo Wristbands, Savi's lightsabers are not even interactive to Galaxy's Edge.

So basically....what's the point of one?

[Mr Wiggins]

My personal opinion over Savi's workshop is that I'm not sure if it will be profitable in the long run. Sure, people will pay money now for one, but will there be an incentive for one in 5 years from now? On one hand, Disney is building a more realistic version that would drive sales up.

But, on the other hand, there are toy lightsabers that can be purchased for a 1/10th of Savi's cost. And unlike the Harry Potter Wands or Super Nintendo Wristbands, Savi's lightsabers are not even interactive to Galaxy's Edge.

So basically....what's the point of one?

Exactly. It appears to be yet another demonstration of Disney's habit of grabbing short-term profits at the expense of their long-term relationship with their customer base. These ridiculous prices are self-advertisements that mock Disney's own greed -- virtual billboards that advertise their arrogant believe that customers will pay any price for a Disney branded experience.

[mickdaddy]

Exactly. It appears to be yet another demonstration of Disney's habit of grabbing short-term profits at the expense of their long-term relationship with their customer base. These ridiculous prices are self-advertisements that mock Disney's own greed -- virtual billboards that advertise their arrogant believe that customers will pay any price for a Disney branded experience.

Or is it? Disney plays this game better than anyone, They will continue to push prices as long as the market will allow and so far the Disney guest has proven time and time again that there is not a cap to what they are willing to pay. Will it one day implode probably and Disney will be right there to lower prices and market the hell out of that as well which in turn will drive attendance through the roof so the entire process can start again. As long as the Disney consumer treats Disney with roughly the same mentality as an addict looking for their next fix Disney is in control and their marketing team is the pusher man.

[JLee1226]

My personal opinion over Savi's workshop is that I'm not sure if it will be profitable in the long run. Sure, people will pay money now for one, but will there be an incentive for one in 5 years from now?

One could easily make the same argument for the Bippity Bobbity Boutique; sure, people will pay for their younger kids to get a princess costume, but will there be an incentive 5 years from now?

The difference with lightsabers is the age range of the potential purchaser.

So basically....what's the point of one?

Fair enough if they don't appeal to you personally as a collectable or Disney souvenir. But given the number of both licensed and unlicensed lightsaber makers (from the aforementioned Hasbro, to eFx, Saberforge, Ultrasabers, etc) there is clearly a market Disney is tapping into.