star tours before star wars

The History Of Disneyland's Star Tours: How Star Wars Came To The Disney Parks Long Before Galaxy's Edge

A look back at how Disneyland's first Star Wars ride came to be.

For more than 10 years Star Wars has been the property of the Walt Disney Company . In that time, the studio have produced several hit films for the franchise, more than one popular TV series and even expanded the Star Wars universe through a brand new series of novels . But the biggest addition to the Star Wars universe may be in the theme parks. Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge at Disneyland and Walt Disney World brought the galaxy far, far away to life for people in a way that movies never could, but the first Star Wars attraction, Star Tours, happened decades before any of that.

Ever since Galaxy’s Edge opened, many fans have wondered if Star Tours was not long for this world. But during the recent Star Wars Celebration it was confirmed that next year, new segments will be added to the popular attraction. Since this one isn’t going anywhere, let’s take a look at where it came from and the incredible history of Star Tours.

Harrison Ford in Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom

Star Wars Comes To Disneyland Thanks To Indiana Jones

The story of Star Wars at Disneyland actually begins with another franchise entirely, which wouldn’t make it to the park until years later. When Michael Eisner became the CEO of The Walt Disney Company one of his major initiatives was bringing young people into the parks. Disney was seen as a park for kids and their parents, but not so much for teenagers or young adults. The hunt was on for new attractions based on franchises that were popular with this demographic.

Eisner had previously been the President of Paramount Pictures, the studio behind the Indiana Jones movies, and so he had a relationship with George Lucas . The idea was floated of turning Indiana Jones , Star Wars and more into attractions at Disneyland, and Lucas was interested in the idea.

Walt Disney Imagineering and Lucas’ own Industrial Light and Magic came together to put together the attraction, which would use a motion simulator combined with a projection screen that would give the guests the feeling of flying through outer space. A number of technical hurdles had to be overcome, including the fact that the motion simulator wasn’t originally designed to do all the things Disney would need it to do in order to properly give guests a Star Wars experience. The projection system mounted to the front also threw off the system’s weight.

Eventually these issues were dealt with, a story and a film were put together, and Star Tours opened at Disneyland in 1987. And if you thought a new ride draws crowds now, Disneyland was open for 60 straight hours to accommodate the crowds for this one.

The Original Star Tours

The concept of the ride is that guests are tourists taking a trip to visit the forest moon of Endor. Unfortunately, the pilot for your journey, RX-24, also called R3X, is new at the job, so after taking a couple of wrong turns just getting out of the dock, he overshoots his mark and flies right by the moon. Numerous other unfortunate things take place, like flying through a comet cluster. The craft gets knocked around before flying through a large comet and barely escaping.

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After that, the speeder is captured in the tractor beam of a Star Destroyer, but is freed by a fleet of X-Wings. The Star Tours ship then travels with the X-wings where they find a Death Star, and guests get to experience a trench run like the one we saw in Star Wars: A New Hope . After successfully destroying the Death Star, R3X returns the ship back to the dock so guests can depart.

Liam Neeson, Jake Lloyd, and Ewan McGregor in Star Wars: Episode I - The Phantom Menace

The Star Wars Prequels And Star Tours The Adventure Continues

Roughly 10 years after the original Star Tours opened, George Lucas began working on his Star Wars prequel trilogy . Very early on, Imagineering began to consider updating Star Tours to tie it into the new trilogy, but eventually it was decided to wait until the new set of movies was complete before deciding just what story to tell or what world, or worlds, to visit.

After a decade, technology had progressed enough that some of the initial concepts that had been considered for Star Tours were able to be revisited. From the beginning, the idea that Star Tours could be updated or changed over time with new films had been on the wish list, but it had never happened.

With the advent of digital film, the massive projection system on the front of the motion simulator could be replaced with something less fragile. In addition, digital projection allowed for a system that could put together different pieces of film chosen randomly.

Opening on the same day at both Disneyland and Disney’s Hollywood Studios, the new Star Tours, Star Tours: The Adventure Continues, replaced RX-24 with C-3PO, who found himself in the pilot’s seat accidentally. From there, guests are treated to a story broken into four main segments, but each segment has multiple options, and what you get is chosen randomly. It's all focused around keeping a Rebel spy safe. The spy is a randomly selected person on the ride.

Guests may visit Tatooine during a pod race on one ride, and go to Hoth on another. A trip may end on Coruscant or it could go to Kashyyyk. It’s unlikely that you’ll have two rides that are exactly the same, and you'll need to go on the attraction several times in order to see everything.

The Addition Of The Star Wars Sequel Trilogy

But the real benefit to the new Star Tours system came later, after Disney had purchased Lucasfilm from George Lucas and began to make all new movies. Because with each new movie came a new addition to Star Tours.

A new addition to Star Wars was released more or less alongside each entry in the Sequel Trilogy. A flight through a crashed Star Destroyer on Jakku from The Force Awakens , a flight on the salt planet of Crait from The Last Jedi , ( a part of the movie that was actually inspired by the original Star Tours ), and a couple of different segments were added with The Rise of Skywalker .

Each of these new additions also includes cameo appearances by members of the cast of the films, so fans can see Rey, Finn and Poe as part of the ride. Each new segment was simply added to the existing ride, increasing the number of options and making the chances of getting the same ride twice even less likely.

The Adventure Will Continue For Star Tours

Since 2019, there had been no additional updates or changes to Star Tours: The Adventure Continues , and considering that both Disneyland Resort’s and Walt Disney World’s versions of Star Tours are in the same park as Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge, many wondered if Star Tours might eventually get replaced.

But it looks like that won’t be happening anytime soon. At Star Wars Celebration in London, Walt Disney Imagineer Scott Trowbridge revealed that not only will additional destinations be added to Star Tours in 2024 , but the locations aren’t even places we’ve ever seen before.

Considering that we’re not expecting new Star Wars movies until at least 2025, it seems like we could be getting new destinations based on Disney+ shows rather than movies. Assuming we will see these worlds before the ride adds them, or at least at the same time, we could be talking about seeing a planet from Ahsoka or The Acolyte becoming part of this iconic attraction. And we could still see some new additions that we have seen before alongside those we have not, like Mandalore.

What’s clear is that after more than 35 years, Star Tours is still going strong. If the Disneyland and Walt Disney World attraction is getting fresh investment now, there are obviously no plans to retire it anytime soon. And with Disney continuing to expand the Star Wars universe, the opportunity for new additions will always be there. This adventure will continue for many more years to come.

CinemaBlend’s resident theme park junkie and amateur Disney historian, Dirk began writing for CinemaBlend as a freelancer in 2015 before joining the site full-time in 2018. He has previously held positions as a Staff Writer and Games Editor, but has more recently transformed his true passion into his job as the head of the site's Theme Park section. He has previously done freelance work for various gaming and technology sites. Prior to starting his second career as a writer he worked for 12 years in sales for various companies within the consumer electronics industry. He has a degree in political science from the University of California, Davis. Is an armchair Imagineer, Epcot Stan, Future Club 33 Member.

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Star Tours: Inside the Secret History of Disney’s Classic ‘Star Wars’ Ride

The Disney Parks attraction’s origin and evolution is an adventure all its own

Earlier in January, Star Tours turned 35.

The groundbreaking attraction has been a favorite of Disney Parks visitors the world over, and it would prove an influential part of the “Star Wars” mythology, even today. In Jon Favreau’s “The Book of Boba Fett” (streaming now on Disney+) a familiar-looking droid has been dealing cards in the cantina/casino hideout The Sanctuary in the Tatooine village of Mos Espa. The droid looks like Rex, the inexperienced pilot of the original version of Star Tours. Predictably, fans went nuts.

In fact, the influence of Star Tours has been felt strongly in the current era of “Star Wars” on both the big and small screen. Rex previously appeared in an episode of animated series “Star Wars: Rebels,” and the Star Tours spaceship the Starspeeder made blink-and-you’ll-miss-it background appearances in J.J. Abrams two sequel trilogy installments, while Rian Johnson admitted a looser influence over his installment, “The Last Jedi.” The sequence where the Millennium Falcon is careening through the crystalline caverns of Crait was inspired by the original ride film’s trip through a craggy comet.

But the story of how Star Tours was developed – how it came to be, what technology was employed, and the profound implications for both the Disney Parks and George Lucas’ Lucasfilm – might be even more thrilling and complex than the actual ride, which was heavily retrofitted in 2010 now goes by the name Star Tours: The Adventures Continue.

So, without further ado, lightspeed to Endor !

the-book-of-boba-fett-temuera-morrison-ming-na-wen-image

A Long Time Ago …

Long before there was any kind of official partnership, Lucasfilm and Disney Parks were linked, thanks mostly to some fortuitous timing. George Lucas’ “Star Wars” hit theaters on May 25, 1977, intoxicating audiences with its depiction of bold heroes, dastardly villains, fussy droids and otherworldly creatures. Those that saw it went back again and again but itched for something more . Thankfully for Southern California audiences, Space Mountain, an adaptation of an attraction that opened at Walt Disney World’s Magic Kingdom two years earlier, opened at Disneyland two days after “Star Wars.” Folks would go see “Star Wars” and then book it to Disneyland for a chance to ride Space Mountain, nestled in the far corner of Tomorrowland. The line for the attraction snaked from that distant part of Tomorrowland all the way up Main Street, U.S.A. Even if their pairing was still a decade away, Lucasfilm and Disney Parks were already strongly bound by the Force.

But if the actual Lucasfilm/Disney enterprise had a point of origin (something that we are painfully aware that George Lucas just loves ), it was when Michael Eisner, then the head of Paramount, decided to green light “Raiders of the Lost Ark.” As Brian Jay Jones recounts in his biography “George Lucas: A Life,” Lucas’ financial terms for the movie were aggressive and mirrored those of the “Star Wars” sequels. Lucas would fund the movie himself and the studio would “distribute the completed film in exchange for profits.” While many of the studios passed right away, Warner Bros., who had clumsily distributed Lucas’ first film “THX-1138,” initially wanted to make it, but they were ultimately usurped by Paramount and Eisner. “George came over to my house,” Eisner later said, “and he said, ‘Let’s make the best deal they’ve ever made in Hollywood.’”

On November 7, 1979, Paramount announced an agreement with Lucasfilm – they’d agreed to Lucas’ demands and would be making “Raiders of the Lost Ark.” Eisner believed in George Lucas, even when other studios didn’t. This is baffling, after the astronomical success of “Star Wars” just two years earlier, but true. “Eisner was no dummy,” Jones says now. “Professionally, they spoke the same language. They got the cultural sensibilities.”

Eisner’s decision to help Lucas out on “Raiders of the Lost Ark” would have far reaching ramifications; for one, it would lead to Paramount releasing one of the most successful franchises (after Lucas’ own “Star Wars”) of all time. It would also ultimately assist in the rehabilitation of one of Hollywood’s most celebrated brands, which by the early 1980s had fallen into disrepair and disinterest.

Rebellion Reborn

In 1984, after greenmail attempts by corporate raiders, the Walt Disney Company got a fresh transfusion of new executive talent in the form of Michael Eisner, Frank Wells and (a few months later) Jeffrey Katzenberg. As CEO and Chairman of the Board, Eisner set his sights on strengthening the company’s bottom line and refreshing the brand, which in the nearly 20 years since Walt Disney had died, became a creaky dinosaur, badly out of step with modern audiences and accompanying cultural shifts. (The year before Eisner became CEO, the top grossing Disney movie was “Never Cry Wolf,” with a whopping $29.6 million .)

Similarly, the Disney Parks had been badly neglected despite accounting for nearly 70% of the company’s annual revenue, in part because of the wobbly, extremely over-budget opening of EPCOT Center in Florida, but more pressingly because Disney wasn’t producing anything that could be adapted into rides, shows, or attractions at the parks. While Katzenberg looked to return the studio’s feature animation unit to its former glory (it existed, in the early 1980s, as a partially mothballed group that was in constant danger of shuttering completely), Eisner looked to the parks. “You couldn’t walk through the theme parks and not recognize that they lacked contemporary development. But when Frank and I walked down Main Street for the first time, Frank turned to me and said, ‘There’s so much here. There’s so much potential,’” Eisner recounted in “The Imagineering Story” documentary on Disney+.

Imagineering had reached out to Lucas before Eisner had been installed. Marty Sklar had set up a meeting between Ron Miller, who was president and CEO of Disney before Eisner (he was also Walt’s son-in-law), and Imagineer Tony Baxter. Baxter was, and remains, a superstar of Walt Disney Imagineering, the kind of persona that Disney fanatics dress up as at Disney fan conventions. (Seriously.) At the time, Baxter wasn’t even 40 and had already contributed to the Disney portfolio in meaningful, some would argue profound, ways. He was behind the Journey into Imagination pavilion at EPCOT Center, which featured some truly next-level technological breakthroughs alongside a whimsical story about the power of creativity; and Big Thunder Mountain Railroad at Disneyland, a runaway train thrill ride that would become instantly beloved and replicated at Disney parks the world over. Miller was still stinging from the failure of “The Black Hole,” Disney’s bid to challenge “Star Wars,” but agreed with Baxter that “Disneyland did need an infusion of new IP for younger generations of visitors” (according to Baxter). Miller suggested that they meet with Lucas at Miller’s Silverado Ranch. In addition to Sklar and Miller, Imagineers Rick Rothschild and Gary Krisel were also at the meeting. “There was no lag time between those initial agreements at the Silverado Vineyard, the subsequent leaving of Ron Miller, and Michael and Frank’s arrival in September 1984,” Baxter said. (Another former Imagineer had told me that after that initial meeting, “those discussions went nowhere.”)

Interestingly, before Eisner was hired, Disney board members had originally turned to Lucas to run the entire company in the early 1980s. “It wasn’t what he wanted to do with his life,” said Howard Roffman, who was the chief operating officer of Lucasfilm, in The Cinema of George Lucas by Marcus Hearn. Instead, the board offered the job to Eisner, the man who had the guts and the creative ambition to back “Raiders of the Lost Ark.” Now Eisner quietly reached out to Lucas about projects with the Disney Parks. Lucas had been a lifelong Disneyland fan (his family had first visited the park on July 19, 1955, two days after it had opened), making annual treks to the resort. And just as Eisner had gotten behind a lucrative deal (in Lucas’ favor) for “Raiders of the Lost Ark,” he offered Lucas an equally eye-popping arrangement for his services: for every Lucas-originated project, the filmmaker would get $1 million per attraction per park per year. Lucas happily agreed. This arrangement even applied to later attractions Indiana Jones and the Temple of Peril (a fairly off-the-shelf rollercoaster with the Indiana Jones name) located in Disneyland Paris, and Indiana Jones Adventure: Temple of the Crystal Skull (essentially a clone of the Disneyland attraction) at Tokyo Disney Sea.

According to Baxter, during their first week at Disney, Eisner and Wells asked several Imagineers to come in on a Saturday and pitch “everything we had in conceptual design.” For Baxter, that meant he showed off the “Star Wars” project and what would later be known as Splash Mountain. (This is the infamous meeting where Eisner brought along his son Breck. Eisner told Baxter that Breck “loved theme parks” and Michael knew little about theme parks.) Both Star Tours and Splash Mountain were “given the green light” during Baxter’s presentation but according to Baxter executives were “disturbed” by the proposed 3-year production time designated for Star Tours. Famously, Eisner willed the teen-oriented dance club Videopolis into existence at Disneyland in a mere 100 days, partially due to architect Chris Carradine salvaging structural elements from the 1984 Olympics. He wanted things in the parks and he wanted them now .

With Lucas onboard for a Disney Parks “Star Wars” attraction, Imagineering began spit-balling ideas. At a National Fantasy Fan Club meeting in July 1988 legendary Imagineer David Mumford, whose notable work includes the Land pavilion at EPCOT Center and the Mermaid Lagoon section of Tokyo DisneySea, spoke of a cutting-edge “Star Wars” rollercoaster that was originally proposed. In this attraction, guests in the ride vehicle would vote on whether they would follow Yoda and become a Jedi or instead choose the path illuminated by the Emperor, embracing the dark side of the Force. Depending on that decision, you would rocket past show scenes featuring animatronics of your favorite characters (Boba Fett, Darth Vader and Jabba the Hutt on one path or Leia, Luke and Han Solo on the other). It was a wonderful idea, utilizing interactivity and good old-fashioned Imagineering magic, but Mumford said that it would take at least five years just to design the complex mechanism that would allow the ride to work. They needed something sooner.

Enter Mark Eades. Eades was a young Imagineer who had moved over from the Walt Disney Studios to work on EPCOT Center. In the days after EPCOT Center’s opening, when Imagineering’s ranks shrank and viable new projects became scarce, Eades was tasked with researching motion simulator technology. He visited army bases and tested out rudimentary versions designed for entertainment purposes (including “one where they basically stuck a camera on a rollercoaster”). At the end of his exploratory journey, he wrote a memo outlining the potential uses of the technology in the parks (he notes that, contrary to much reporting, the technology was never looked at for a “Black Hole” attraction, but rather “The Black Hole” was thought of as a potential overlay for the aging Mission to Mars). “We either a) treat it as a Tomorrowland attraction where we talk about how the pilots of tomorrow are being trained and you get to go train with them,” Eades said of the simulator technology. “Or there could be other stories if we’re willing to not admit that it’s a simulator. One of them could be in the ‘Star Wars’ universe.” At the end of the memo, he even suggested a possible narrative, should the ‘Star Wars’ idea actually be chosen: “Take a ride on the Millennium Falcon and when we get off we can go over to the Mos Eisley cantina.” This exact idea would be recirculated, 30 years later, at Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge.

At the urging of Imagineer Randy Bright, Baxter went to Retifusion London, a test facility, to see if the flight simulator technology could successfully be used “for entertainment purposes.” (According to Baxter, Bright had stopped at the facility following an Abbey Road recording session for some new orchestral elements for EPCOT.) “I took several leaders from Disneyland operations & maintenance along on the trip to validate the practicality,” Baxter said. Imagineers might design the attractions, but operations and maintenance keep it running. Baxter and the small group seem to have watched the same “rollercoaster” ride film that Eades had also seen. “The simulator was limited in what it could mimic, but we were impressed enough to begin the project in earnest,” Baxter said. Disney made a deal to buy one of the simulators. It was housed in a custom-designed building in the parking lot of Imagineering’s Glendale headquarters.

In Spite of ‘Captain EO’

While work progressed on Star Tours, Michael Jackson had approached the company about joining forces for a new project. Jackson loved Disneyland and Walt Disney World (later he would fashion a Disneyland-style theme park at his home, Neverland Ranch). Eisner and Katzenberg were both dazzled by big name stars and made the Jackson project a priority. At the same meeting where Splash Mountain and Star Tours were greenlit, the executives first brought up the possibility of a Jackson project (according to Baxter). “Imagineering was challenged to give Michael Jackson three concepts to choose,” Baxter said. In his memoir, Eisner describes the concept: “Our notion was to put him in an extended 3D music video.”

One pitch had the entertainer at Disneyland after dark, when various attractions like Pirates of the Caribbean would spring to life. (It was deemed too similar to his beloved “Thriller” music video.) Another version had Jackson inhabiting the role of a Peter Pan-type character who battled an ice queen, eventually melting her heart. And yet another, dubbed the “intergalactic ‘Music Man’” had him visiting a cold, distant planet and bringing music to the people, literally transforming them. Jackson liked the space idea but had a list of demands, including hiring either George Lucas or Steven Spielberg to help oversee what would ultimately become a cumbersome, costly, 17-minute 3D film (a “miracle of a movie” according to Whoopi Goldberg in the “Captain EO: Backstage” episode of “The Disney SundayMovie”). Spielberg was busy with “The Color Purple.” But Lucas had just signed on with Disney and was happy to oblige. At the very least, it would mean another $1 million per year per park.

Instead of helming the project himself, Lucas would install Francis Ford Coppola, one of his oldest friends, in the director’s chair. And Jones pointed out, not only would Lucas be spared the drudgery of daily production (“Return of the Jedi” had nearly killed him), handing Coppola the Disney project meant that he’d be “giving his mentor a much-needed job” (this after the middling response to Coppola’s costly “The Cotton Club”). Since it was technically a film, the production for what was now known as “Captain EO” (named by Coppola after Eos, the Greek goddess of dawn) was handled mostly by the film studio and therefore overseen by Katzenberg. Initially, at least, Imagineering was consulted (they’d be brought back later to design the in-theater effects and motion). “I’d talked to them about it. I’d done an estimate and said it was going to cost $17 million,” Eades said. “The studio people said it would cost $10 million. I said, ‘Make that movie.’ They spent a lot more than $10 million and they spent a lot more than I said it would cost.”

As it turns out, considerably more than what Eades had quoted. The production of “Captain EO” was long and difficult, with original actress Shelley Long dropping out of the role as the evil queen because of the extensive prosthetics (Anjelica Houston replaced her) and Coppola struggling with the complicated requirements of shooting in 3D. (Coppola would lean on Lucas for guidance when it came to the visual effects and creatures.) Behind schedule, the production went over-budget and had to cut corners. On an episode of the “I Was There Too” podcast, comedian Doug Benson talked about his time as an extra on the movie; the production was so over-budget that they couldn’t afford to pay actual dancers anymore. Benson had to stand in the background and gyrate. While most cite the $17 million budget as the final cost, Eades told TheWrap that the actual figure was more than $22.7 million – “and that was in real money in those days.” At the time, per minute, it was the most expensive movie ever produced. Imagineers, still hard at work on Star Tours, printed out custom memo templates that read Star Tours – In Spite of EO .

The Star Tours team was assembled, involving some of Imagineering’s key talents, led by Baxter, and including Eades. Bruce Gordon was the original producer on the project and had, according to Baxter, “as to what you could and could not do in programming events to physically simulate an experience.” “You cannot just write a story and then film it. It’s impossible for many kinetic options to dovetail into one another, due to the limitations of the hydraulic system,” Baxter said. “After we matched the capability of the simulator to a list of ‘Star Wars’ ‘stunts,’ their running order became a dictate of what capabilities were available after the completion of the preceding stunt. The most notable example was being caught in a tractor beam . This motionless backward tilt was the only capability that could be achieved after exhausting the hydraulics in the preceding ice cave sequence.” They had worked out the runtime of the ride: 4 minutes and 35 seconds. “This was the maximum time before an increasing nausea curve would begin ticking upwards,” Baxter said. The Imagineers also learned that they had to put in story pauses every 45 seconds or so, “to let riders regain their bearings.” He also notes that this fact was ignored when developing Body Wars, a sort of “Fantastic Voyage”-type experience that would open with the Wonders of Life Pavilion at EPCOT Center in 1989. Guests got so sick that several seconds of the ride film were removed after Body Wars opened.

For Star Tours, Imagineering had some key collaborators in the form of the wizards at Industrial Light & Magic, the groundbreaking effects house that Lucas had started for the first “Star Wars,” although getting them to grasp the concept of the project (which Eisner wanted to call Star Ride) was difficult. There was a meeting beween Imagineering and ILM, where George Lucas, ILM artists Dennis Muran and Dave Carson (who would serve as the “directors” for ILM), and Imagineering personnel like Tom Fitzgerald, Randy Bright, Marty Sklar and Eades, discussed the project. Eades remembered the scene: “Dennis starts talking to George, ‘We could cut to this angle, cut to that angle.’ And I’m a neophyte at the time. I’m not even 31 years old. I’m the new kid on the block and I’m listening to this and thinking, They’re wrong . I stopped at one point and actually said, ‘Wait a minute, wait a minute. You guys don’t understand. This isn’t a movie. This is a window like in a jet. We can’t cut.’ And I’m looking right at Dennis. ‘However long this is, it’s a continuous take.’ He sat back and looked at me and said, ‘Gee, George. He’s right.’”

The concept of the attraction, where Star Tours was one of several “commercial companies have started business to take people across the galaxy” following the events of “Return of the Jedi,” coalesced quickly and stayed mostly in place. “That way we can give people a ride going through a ‘Star Wars’ movie without giving them a ‘Star Wars’ movie,” Eades explained. Other things remained in flux. The voice of Captain RX-24 (“Rex”), originally described by Lucas as a frazzled Clone Wars veteran named “Crazy Harry,” remained elusive, until Eades (also working as the casting director for the project) saw “Flight of the Navigator.” “Flight of the Navigator” (released by Disney) featured a UFO voiced by Paul Reubens, who had yet to gain fame as Pee-Wee Herman. Eades knew that Reubens was the perfect voice and urged Tom Fitzgerald to see “Flight of the Navigator.” After watching the film, Fitzgerald agreed. Reubens was in production on the first season of what would become the fabled television series “Pee-Wee’s Playhouse.” “We got ahold of [Reubens] on set and he agreed in principle, and we sent a recording to George and he said, ‘That’s it,’” Eades said.

At one point, Baxter and Muren went to Las Vegas to watch a demo of HD digital technology. They came back “pushing for the use of HD media rather than 70mm film.” “That decision was predicated on Sony being a sole source supplier of equipment. A safer decision was made to go with 70mm film rather than Sony HD, but it would set the variability of the ride experience back for 20 years,” Baxter said.

The troubled production of “Captain EO” actually gave the Star Tours team some cover. “They were so focused on ‘Captain EO’ and we were doing this thing and working with ILM and we were kind of ignored. Which was great for the team,” Eades said. “We had a budget and we stuck to the budget. We figured out how to get the most bang for our buck.” Somewhat amazingly, Eades explained: “We actually had Star Tours done first but they wanted to open ‘Captain EO’ and open Star Tours the next year. It was great because it gave the simulators some time to get some run time on them.”

After an equally arduous post-production, which saw Disney executives shocked at the number of crotch-thrusts Jackson squeezed into the choreographed dance numbers (amongst other woes), “Captain EO,” the tale of a singing, dancing space fighter (Jackson) and his band of puppet-y confederates, opened on Sept. 12, 1986 at EPCOT Center (then in desperate need of a starry attraction) and Sept. 18, 1986 at Disneyland. It had two new songs by the King of Pop that you could only hear in the movie (one of the songs would be reworked for “Bad”). An hour-long television special dedicated to its opening and featuring a laundry list of celebrities, including such 80s staples as Judge Reinhold (“I want to know how to dance leaving that theater”) and, um, OJ Simpson (with Nicole on his arm), aired nationally. Disneyland stayed open for 60 hours and ran the 3D film continuously just to meet demand. Disneyland was not only popular again; it was also hip .

Before Star Tours officially opened, Eades was joined by a clean-shaven Lucas, Oscar-winning sound designer Gary Rydstrom (who told me that he came up with the famous Star Tours “chime”), and many of the Imagineers who had worked on the project, for a soft opening. Eades had a good feeling about it but an attraction like Star Tours was the first of its kind. Nobody knew how guests were going to react. “The first group came off and I heard this guy say, ‘Can you imagine how many miles of track Disneyland had to build under the park for this ride?’” Eades remembered. The guest thought that he was actually moving through space. Eades and the rest of the team knew they had a hit.

A few months after “Captain EO,” on Jan. 9, 1987, Star Tours would open at Disneyland. Lucas and Eisner were on hand, with Mickey and Minnie in their iconic silver space suits (with the rainbow on the chest), joined by C-3PO. Instead of a pair of oversized scissors, they used a lightsaber to cut the ceremonial ribbon. Just like “Captain EO,” they left the park open for 60 hours straight to meet demand. It was a smash out of the gate. But the success of Star Tours ultimately derailed an aspect of the attraction Eades had designed for the project: that every three years, the ride film would change. (That’s right, he said at some point you were actually supposed to get to Endor.)

In the early 1980s, Disneyland management and Imagineering had noticed an uptick in guests visiting multiple times a year, so Eades and his team had a refresh built into their proposal so that Star Tours would never get stale. “But because the damn ride was so popular, the parks said, ‘Why do you want to spend money, because you don’t need it,’” Eades said. ”And they were right.” Undoubtedly the decision to go with 70mm film also set the multiple-planets conceit back, as Baxter previously alluded to. It would be much trickier to switch out the ride film or the projection system. And he was right: it would be decades before that idea would be revisited.

Galactic Expansion

With two successful Lucas-led projects, both Disney and the filmmaker were emboldened. This was especially heartening for Eisner, who was about to open a risky new theme park in Florida dedicated to the behind-the-scenes aspects of the entertainment business.

Disney-MGM Studios, as it was then known, was designed to be many things: a working, world class film and television production facility (complete with a satellite animation studio designed with animators in mind), a theme park, and giant middle-finger to Universal Studios, which was planning to open its own multiday resort in Orlando. (Eisner, while still at Paramount, was supposedly in the meeting where Universal executives revealed the Florida project and by 1985, just a year after he assumed power at Disney, Eisner had begun work on what would eventually be Disney-MGM Studios.) The debut of Disney-MGM Studios would also serve as the opening salvo for an ambitious, 10-year effort to rejuvenate the Disney Parks brand and expand that brand worldwide. Eisner would later publicly refer to this initiative as the Disney Decade.

By the end of 1989, Star Tours would be open at Tokyo Disneyland and Disney-MGM Studios in slightly modified configurations. Instead of the Disneyland version, which took over a pre-existing attraction (Adventure Thru Innerspace) and was converted under the supervision of legendary Imagineer Tom Morris, the Disney World version was a blank slate. This new Star Tours was just around the corner from the Indiana Jones Stunt Spectacular, also based on a Lucas property, which also opened in 1989. A more intricate façade was developed with a full-sized AT-AT walker (that at the time shot water from its moving turrets) and forested Ewok village and a show building that still maintained the “backlot” look of the rest of the park. It’s just an illusion, this new show building said, but what an illusion.

The Japanese version of Star Tours was even more ornate. As Kevin Rafferty recalls in his memoir “Magic Journeys,” he was tasked with Astrozone, a “unique-to-Tokyo Disneyland part of the Star Tours complex.” This new area was to include an “enclosed skyway bridge that connected Star Tours and a new two-level dine-in restaurant,” hosted by an adorable animatronic alien and eventually dubbed the Pan Galactic Pizza Port. In 1992, Star Tours would open, with a full-sized X-Wing, at the Euro Disney theme park (now known as Disneyland Paris). Fun needs no translation.

But the biggest change for the attraction would happen in late summer 2010, when both the Disneyland and Walt Disney World versions of Star Tours would shut down completely. Years of rumors persisted that the attraction would be shuttered and reopened, this time themed around the pod-racing sequence from 1999’s prequel film “Star Wars: The Phantom Menace.” As it turned out, the plans were much more ambitious.

Instead of a single new theme, the ride would be re-conceived, with the idea that Eades, Baxter and the other Imagineers had concocted during the blue-sky phase of the attraction’s development. You wouldn’t just be going to one planet, you would be going to all of your favorite “Star Wars” planets, including Tatooine (hello pod-race!), the Wookiee homeworld of Kashyyyk, underneath the opulent planet of Naboo, and on the snowy planet of Hoth, made famous by the opening battle sequence from “The Empire Strikes Back.” Incredibly, you don’t visit Endor, the Ewok-filled planet that you were attempting to visit in the first iteration of the ride, despite the fact that early marketing materials suggested the forest moon would be part of the new version of the attraction.

This new Star Tours, now dubbed Star Tours: The Adventures Continue, allowed guests, thanks to a cutting-edge randomization feature, to visit many planets in the course of a single trip aboard your new Starspeeder. The new version of the ride featured additional in-theater effects and C-3PO as your new in-cabin pilot, as well, and the digital projection of the ride film could be enjoyed in 3D.

In 2011, Star Tours – The Adventures Continue opened at Disneyland and Walt Disney World (it would reach Tokyo Disneyland in 2013 and Disneyland Paris in 2017). Further randomization was added when planets and characters from the new “Star Wars” sequel trilogy, including Jakku and Kef Bir, were included. And in a full circle moment, there was a sequence now devoted to Crait from “The Last Jedi,” the planet that was inspired by the original version of Star Tours.

On Friday, May 20, 2011, there was an opening celebration at Walt Disney World for the new Star Tours – The Adventures Continue. The park that was once Disney-MGM Studios was now called Disney’s Hollywood Studios, but Star Tours was just as important to the park. Disney chairman and CEO Bob Iger, who had succeeded Eisner, was there to inaugurate the new version of the attraction, as was Lucas. Darth Vader was on stage too, as was the creator of “Star Wars: The Clone Wars,” Dave Filoni, who would go on to shepherd “The Mandalorian.”

“Star Tours is a timeless adventure,” Iger said at the event. “Guests will be immersed in the Star Wars galaxy like never before.” He touted the “over 50” combinations that this new attraction would deliver, plus the fact that the Disneyland version would be open the following month. Lucas called the new attraction “amazing.” “It turned out better than we could ever imagine,” Lucas said. Lucas also cited the original plan to switch out the original ride film every few years. “This time we figured when we did it, we would give you all the reprogramming in one event,” Lucas said. He also referred to “secret cookies,” which were further randomizations (in one version you narrowly miss Jar Jar Binks who is seen swimming underneath Naboo, in another version you hit him dead on). These weren’t turned on until the “Force Awakens” additions in 2015.

After the event in Florida, Lucas and Iger convened to have lunch at the park’s Brown Derby restaurant. According to Iger, this is where he first floated an intriguing idea to Lucas – what if Disney bought Lucasfilm? Lucas listened. A few years later, he agreed. This conversation would lead to, amongst other things, the production of the sequel trilogy and the design and construction of Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge, a 14-acre land that would feature the Millennium Falcon simulator attraction Eades had dreamed up all those years ago, along with Rise of the Resistance, one of the most technologically innovative and immersive attractions in the history of Walt Disney Imagineering. There’s even a “Star Wars”-y cantina, which, just as Eades had imagined it, is a few steps from the Millennium Falcon.

That cantina’s DJ might seem familiar. It’s Rex from Star Tours, once again voiced by Paul Reubens. Wonder if he ever made it to Endor.

Star Tours at 35: A Timeline From 'Star Wars' Simulator Ride to Galaxy's Edge Land (Flashback)

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While the upcoming Galactic Starcruiser hotel at Disney World might be advertising an out-of-this-world vacation, Disneyland 's Star Tours has been offering tourism-themed Star Wars experiences for 35 years. The attraction was met with a passionate enthusiasm from the shaded Venn diagram of theme park fans and George Lucas devotees when it opened on Jan. 9, 1987.

Speaking with ET in December at the Make-A-Wish’s Galaxy of Wishes event at Disneyland, Luke Skywalker himself, Mark Hamill , shared his initial reaction to the groundbreaking ride. The actor recalled putting to Lucas if he could ever have imagined one of his movies “inspiring a ride at Disneyland” and told the iconic director, “‘We’ll never top this, George.’”

True to the reputation of Disney Imagineers, the actor’s expectations were later blown away by the fantastical, immersive park regions now at Disneyland Park and Disney World’s Hollywood Studios that go far beyond motion simulator experiences. Nevertheless, Star Tours is still a hallmark attraction at Disney parks around the world, also boasting locations at Disneyland Paris and Tokyo Disney.

Let’s take a look at the audacious beginnings of Star Tours and how its imaginative conception built the foundation of an enduring Disney Parks legacy.

“Lightspeed to Endor!”

A LONG, LONG TIME AGO, IN ANAHEIM…

Following a slump in Disney’s Imagineering efforts in the late ‘70s and early ‘80s, renewed interest in the department picked up when Michael Eisner was installed as CEO of the House of Mouse in 1984. The executive, who remained at the helm until Bob Iger took the reins in 2005, is often credited with igniting new vigor into the legendary team of creatives.

Speaking with ET in 1985, Eisner teased the upcoming ride as one “several exciting things” in the works for Disney parks. Along with the now defunct 3-D space musical Captain EO starring the late Michael Jackson , and also produced by Lucas, Star Tours was selected to be one of the first projects to benefit from this renaissance. For Lucas, who can boast he walked through Disneyland’s gates on its second day of operation in July of 1955 , he counted both the park and Walt Disney’s animated classics as some of his earliest creative influences.

With the filmmaker lending his world of lightsabers and Wookies to the parks, Star Tours became the first attraction adapted from non-Disney IP. In promotional materials at the time, Lucas explained in an interview, “I wanted to have an involvement in Tomorrowland. I thought that was a portion of the park that had been a little less than what it could have been, so they've given me the opportunity to include my characters into that part of the park and try to come up with some new ideas.”

As Lucas and Imagineers set out to adapt Star Wars for Disneyland, the collaborators wished to expedite the traditional five-year development process. In this pursuit, they turned to advanced military flight simulator technology that had never been applied to theme park attractions before (an image from one of the original simulation sequences is on the left). The ride’s designers, including legendary Imagineers Tony Baxter and Tom Fitzgerald, recognized the potential for the system’s hydraulic lifts to create a hyper realistic Star Wars adventure.

For the location, Star Tours took over the show building for Adventure Thru Inner Space (ending its run after 18 years of operation) near the Tomorrowland entrance. With the hardware on standby, stakeholders turned to their biggest challenge: making another Star Wars movie.

The idea: guests enter Star Tours, an interstellar travel agency promising voyages to multiple deep space locales following the climatic events of Return of the Jedi . Forty “tourists” at a time board their space vessel, the Starspeeder 3000, and sit facing what looks like the craft’s front window. But with a first-time pilot at the helm, a droid named RX-24 -- nicknamed “Rex” (voiced by Paul Reubens) -- complications ensue, as they historically do in Star Wars tales.

Designers at Industrial, Light and Magic spent a year and a half working on Star Tours’ four-minute special effects extravaganza (with the added difficulty of creating a movie without noticeable editing cuts). While passengers are scheduled for a flight to the Moon of Endor, Rex's maiden voyage quickly involves unplanned near-collisions with icy comets and evasive maneuvers against Imperial fighters. Riders drop, rise and tilt -- meticulously in sync with the viewscreen images -- as their rookie pilot narrowly manages to secure everyone's safe return.

THE PREMIERE

Over 65 years after its debut, there’s not many exciting “firsts” or “records” which aren’t routinely broken year after year at Disneyland. But the exception which proves this rule lies with the opening of Star Tours in 1987. For the first, and presumably final time, the park remained open for 60 hours straight to celebrate the attraction’s highly anticipated debut.

The state-of-the-art motion simulator experience was a hit with parkgoers. ET went on the $35 million ride later that year with Facts of Life star Mackenzie Astin. “It was very bouncy. You shake around a whole lot,” he remarked after exiting Star Tours. “But I loved every minute of it.”

The ride’s inaugural guests were treated to a commonplace experience today at most theme parks, but was revolutionary at the time: an entertaining queue. As people waited in line, they wound through a spaceport where a big-screen played vacation promotional reels for Star Wars destinations (like Hoth, promoted as "the galaxy's greatest ice planet”). Plus, awaiting passengers walked by a full-size Starspeeder 3000 being repaired by none other than familiar droids C-3PO and R2-D2, who didn’t hold back their trademark bickering as guests inched closer to the boarding zone.

Star Tours made its way to Florida a few years later when it premiered at Disney/MGM Studios (now Hollywood Studios). Following its well-documented popularity in Anaheim, Imagineers chose to provide this location with six Starspeeder cars, as opposed to the four at Disneyland. In addition, the ride exterior was fleshed out with an Endor forest and a 35-foot AT-AT walker looming over the entrance, much like the ones seen today while riding Rise of the Resistance.

The “Endor Express” became a staple attraction at Disney parks over the next decade, often spoken in the same breath as Matterhorn and Spaceship Earth. In the early '90s, Star Tours gained extra significance when Lucas began teasing his long-awaited prequel trilogy . As fans waited for these new films, they could at least stop by Tomorrowland for an interactive Star Wars experience to hold them over.

To celebrate its 10th anniversary in 1997, Disneyland invited Carrie Fisher to re-dedicate the attraction. In a ceremony pointedly reminiscent of the end of A New Hope , Fisher was presented with a “Disneyland Medal of Honor,” seemingly the only person to ever been given such an award.

In promotional materials at the time, Fisher referenced daughter Billie Lourd as the reason why she loved going to the park. “The easiest mothering thing I have to do is bring my kid to Disneyland, so I can't tell you how many times we've come here. This represents my best maternal zone, [because] I never grew up to the extent that I grew past the ability to enjoy a great amusement park. And this is the best,” Fisher explained.

THE ADVENTURE CONTINUES

In 2011, a new version of the ride opened in Florida and California titled Star Tours: The Adventure Continues. This iteration, which is the standing version at the parks today, features different variations of opening sequences, primary destinations, holographic messages and finale set pieces. All to say, the random shuffle of scenes ensures no rider will have the same Star Tours experience twice in their lifetime.

The updated ride system features a high-definition 3-D experience (requiring guests to wear "flight goggles"), several new special effects and most crucial: a new position on the Star Wars timeline. Star Tours now existed in the prequel era, leading to several changes to retrofit the attraction from its post-Episode VI origin date (the Starspeeder 3000 was now the Starspeeder 1000, etc). But one of the most evident was Rex's demotion from captain to unproven droid placed in the ride queue in order to keep up with this new continuity (but more on Rex later).

Following the sale of Lucasfilm to The Walt Disney Company in 2012 and the ensuing sequel trilogy, the franchise's latest heroes and villains were integrated into the ride’s experience. During this era, Star Tours also became a go-to place of celebration as new Star Wars movies and TV shows rolled out. To hype the premiere of The Last Jedi , Hamill stopped by Tomorrowland (see below) and to blow the minds of some passengers who can now say they jumped to lightspeed with a Jedi legend.

Of course, its present-day version fudges the ride's temporal landscape a bit. Guests might run into any characters and locations depicted across Episodes I-XI , be it jumping into a podrace from The Phantom Menace or exploring the Death Star ruins on Kef Bir as seen in The Rise of Skywalker (and who’s to say riders might eventually see TV characters such as The Mandalorian on the Starpeeder viewscreen at some point, let's be realistic).

“STAR TOURS ON STEROIDS”

In 2015, Imagineers announced it would fulfill the ultimate dream of Star Wars fans by creating an entire land within the parks dedicated to Lucas’ space opera. This vision included two new attractions, eateries, character interactions, gift shops and even droid footprints embedded in the cement walkways. As the initial concept art proved, not since the debut of Cars Land at Disney California Adventure had there been such an ambitious execution of placemaking in theme parks.

When Galaxy’s Edge opened at Disneyland in 2019 , the impact of Star Tours could be seen in both a physical and spiritual sense throughout the 14-acre region. At the opening ceremony, this connection was given the ultimate confirmation when Lucas referred to Black Spire Outpost as “Star Tours on steroids.”

But the most tangible of these influences was the resurrection of Rex. As fans now know, Rex’s tenure as a Star Tours pilot came to an end after crash landing on Batuu, where he took up a new vocation as Oga Cantina’s DJ (taking on the aptly named title “DJ Rex”). The retired pilot spins records as guests sip libations with names like “Coruscant Cooler” and “Gold Squadron Lager.” Following Rex’s cameo in the first season for Star Wars: Rebels , a couple of his RX-series peers have also been spotted in The Book of Boba Fett .

Another sign of Star Tours’ enduring legacy is the sense of longing it inspired among theme park fans amid the coronavirus pandemic. Avid Disneyland-goers Kourtney Kardashian and Travis Barker have made up for plenty of lost time in the park after it reopened in April of 2021. But staying away from Harbor Boulevard stung for the drummer and his band, Blink 182. The proof is in a catchy chorus from their song, “Quarantine,” released in August of 2020.

"Quarantine, f**k this disease / I'd rather be on Star Tours or stuck at the DMV…”

But maybe the DMV can learn from Star Tours -- or get a permanent music residency -- as a spectacular line queue experience can go a long, long way.

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Complete Guide to Star Tours – The Adventures Continue at Hollywood Studios

May the force be with you on this thrilling 3D space flight to legendary destinations from the Star Wars saga.

You’ll take to the stars with C-3PO and R2-D2. But watch out for some familiar, less-than-friendly faces like Kylo Ren or Darth Vader!

In 2024, more stories and characters will be added to Star Tours at Hollywood Studios. Further details haven’t been announced just yet, but we will let you know about the changes as soon as we learn more.

Blast off with our complete guide to Star Tours – The Adventures Continue!

In this article

New Adventures Coming April 5, 2024

As announced at 2023 Destination D23, beginning April 5, Star Tours will include new locations and adventures from Ahsoka , Andor , and The Mandalorian .

Once added, the ride will have over 250 different adventure combinations for guest to experience.

Star Tours – The Adventures Continue Quick Facts

Location: Echo Lake , Hollywood Studios
Height req : 40 inches
Suitable for: Anybody 40″ or taller who can handle simulators and some rough movement.
Attraction length: About 7 minutes
Do we recommend? Yes, especially for Star Wars fans
When to visit: 2nd hour
Scheduled Refurbishments
Tip(s): The exit area is a great Star Wars gift shop that has areas to build LEGO Star Wars characters and affordable light sabers. If this store seems too busy, you may have better luck at Once Upon a Toy store in Disney Springs where you can get the same items.
Description: 3D flight simulator that takes guests through one of dozens of different Star Wars experiences including new characters and adventures from Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker as well as Star Wars: The Last Jed i and Batuu, the home planet of Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge.

Star Tours – The Adventures Continue is located in Echo Lake near Backlot Express, a Quick Service restaurant.

Here is the location on the map:

star tours location in hollywood studios

Download the PDF

How to Ride Star Tours – The Adventures Continue

Star Tours – The Adventures Continue has a Standby Line and a Lightning Lane. There is no Single Rider Line .

Do I need to use Genie+ at Star Tours – The Adventures Continue?

Genie+ is available at Star Tours – The Adventures Continue however this wouldn’t be an early priority ride to grab those Genie+ reservations because availability rarely runs out.

This ride is also available for Early Entry to those who qualify.

Be sure to check out our touring strategies for Hollywood Studios for more Genie+ advice.

Rider Switch/Child Swap

Since you must be 40″ to ride Star Tours – The Adventures Continue, this attraction does offer Rider Switch.

Rider Switch is Disney’s system that allows guests with small children to take turns riding bigger rides, while another person/people wait with the little one.

You can learn more about Rider Switch via our handy guide.

What to Expect when you Ride

The queue at Star Tours – The Adventures Continue is designed to resemble a spaceport terminal.

You’ll see posters advertising voyages to different planets with Star Tours and a large LCD screen informing riders of flight statuses and planetary weather forecasts.

You’ll also see some of your favorite characters like C-3PO and R2-D2, as well as Captain Rex from the original attraction. He occasionally has a power surge and delivers a line from the first Star Tours ride.

Two G2 droids process passengers’ “luggage” on a scanning system that reveals the contents to you as you wait in the queue.

You’ll then retrieve your 3-D “flight glasses” before you are directed by a flight agent to a gate where you’ll wait to board.

While you wait, you’ll be entertained by a pre-show on the screen above you. C-3PO has been assigned to maintenance on the StarSpeeder 1000 that you’re about to board and he gets trapped in the cockpit after the ship’s captain leaves!

Make sure you then pay attention to the safety instructions before you board.

Play Disney Parks is available for Star Tours – The Adventures Continue. This free mobile app is only available for select attractions and allows guests to pass the time as they play games, trivia, and earn achievements along the way.

Ride Vehicles

The ride vehicles at Star Tours – The Adventures Continue are large 3D flight simulators.

When the door to your flight simulator opens, make your way inside to the last available seat. There are four rows in the simulator and each row contains 10 individual seats with armrests and a place to store your personal items below.

Make sure you buckle up, it’s going to be a bumpy ride!

Accessibility Information

Guests who wish to ride Star Tours – The Adventures Continue must transfer from their ECV to a wheelchair and then to the ride vehicle.

Keep in mind, Disney has issued a warning that those who ride Star Tours – The Adventures Continue should be in good health and free from high blood pressure, heart, back, or neck problems. Expectant mothers should not ride.

Video and handheld captioning are available and those under 40″ are not allowed to ride.

Motion Sickness

Since Star Tours – The Adventures Continue is a 3D flight simulator, this ride is highly turbulent and includes sharp turns and sudden bumps which can aggravate motion sickness.

If you experience motion sickness in general, check out our guide on motion sickness for any Disney World attraction.

On the Ride

If you prefer to experience Star Tours – The Adventures Continue without spoilers, make sure you skip over this section!

Board your Starspeeder 1000 and prepare for takeoff! While you’re supposed to be heading off on a relaxing tour (hence Star Tours), a series of mishaps ends up launching you early, forcing C-3PO to take control.

But as soon as it appears that your trip is back on track, your ship is intercepted by Imperial — or First Order — forces searching for a Rebel spy. This spy is chosen from one of the guests on your ride vehicle— it could even be you!

star tours bypass hallway at hollywood studios

To avoid capture and not give up your rebel passenger, you’ll be taken on the ride of a lifetime to the farthest reaches of the galaxy.

Since the attraction features several different segments that are selected randomly, your ride will be different each time! You may end up facing off with First Order villain Kylo Ren, bounty hunter Boba Fett, Princess Leia, or Jedi Master Yoda.

lando on star tours - the adventure continue

Just a few of the scenes you may encounter is a narrow escape from a battle on the planet Crait, following Scout Troopers as they chase after Chewbacca and a Wookiee warrior on Kashyyk, or discovering the still-to-be-finished Death Star.

With so many story twists, you never know where you’ll go or who you may encounter on your Star Tour!

May the Force be with you as you and your fellow passengers attempt to elude capture and make it back to the base on Star Tours – The Adventures Continue.

Is Star Tours – The Adventures Continue Kid-Friendly?

The height requirement for Star Tours – The Adventures Continue is 40″ and there can be some dark moments during the action so this ride is more for older kids, tweens, teens, and adults.

We have a list of things that may scare little ones at Disney World that you can check out, if you’d like.

Strollers are not allowed in most queues or theaters at Walt Disney World.

You’ll need to leave your stroller in the designated stroller parking area near the entrance to the queue at Star Tours – The Adventures Continue.

In 1986 Disney and George Lucas, the creator of Star Wars , partnered on the Captain EO attraction, a 3-D musical film starring Michael Jackson at Disneyland. Since the partnership was so successful Disney then approached Lucas with the idea for Star Tours.

The original Star Tours ride opened on January 9, 1987 in California’s Disneyland. Two years later, Star Tours opened at Disney’s Hollywood Studios in Orlando, then known as Disney’s MGM Studios.

star tours opening day at disneyland park

Set in the Star Wars universe, the motion simulator attraction sent guests on a tour to Endor, where they got caught in an altercation between the New Republic and an Imperial Remnant. The attraction featured Captain “Rex” RX-24 along with series regulars R2-D2 and C-3PO.

In 1998, Disney began planning to upgrade Star Tours as part of the release of the upcoming 1999 film Star Wars: Episode I – The Phantom Menace , the first film of the new prequel trilogy.

This version would be in 3D and feature new flights. However, since more films for the franchise were in pre-production, officials chose to wait until 2003 when production began on Revenge of the Sith before remodeling Star Tours.

star tours ride vehicle from disneyland opening day

In April 2005, at Star Wars Celebration III, creator George Lucas confirmed that a revamp of Star Tours was in production. Then at the 2009 D23 Expo it was announced that Star Tours at Disneyland and Hollywood Studios would close in October 2010 for renovations.

The rides would reopen in May and June 2011 as Star Tours – The Adventures Continue.

On August 14, 2010, Hollywood Studios hosted the “Last Tour To Endor” event for Celebration V attendees. This extravaganza included an appearance by George Lucas, character appearances, Jedi Training Academy, Death Star Disco, Raiders Of The Lost Jedi Temple of Doom: A Fan Film of Epic Proportions live show, Hyperspace Hoopla, and Symphony in the Stars fireworks.

star tours rise of skywalker concept art

It also included the Star Tours shutdown ceremony which was a live show with C-3PO, R2-D2, Boba Fett, Darth Vader, as well as a few Stormtroopers, culminating in the official power-down of Star Tours.

The ride remained open until September 7, 2010, when the attraction held its “Final Flight to Endor” for D23 members.

In Orlando, Star Tours – The Adventures Continue began soft openings on May 14, 2011, with the official opening held at midnight on May 20, 2011.

Since its opening, the planet Jakku from The Force Awakens has been added to the attraction as well as the planet Crait from The Last Jedi and Batuu, from Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge. Finally, the ocean moon Kef Bir from The Rise of Skywalker was added on December 20, 2019, the film’s release date.

In 2023, Disney announced at Destination D23 that Ahoska would be added to Star Tours in spring 2024 .

Other Fun Details

Star Tours – The Adventures Continue is inspired by all nine films of the Star Wars Skywalker saga: Episode I – The Phantom Menace, Episode II – Attack of the Clones, Episode III – Revenge of the Sith, Episode IV – A New Hope, Episode V – The Empire Strikes Back, Empire VI – Return of the Jedi, Episode VII – The Force Awakens, Episode VIII – The Last Jedi, and Episode IX – The Rise of Skywalker .
There are Star Tours attractions at four different Disney Parks around the world: Disney World’s Hollywood Studios, Disneyland Paris, Tokyo Disneyland, and Disneyland in California.

The exteriors of all four Star Tours attractions are different in their respective parks. The attraction in Florida is inspired by an Ewok village on the forest moon of Endor.
Listen closely just before boarding your spaceship. You may hear a reference to THX1138. THX1138 was in all of the Star Wars movies because it was the name of George Lucas’ first movie, so he included it in all of the Star Wars films as a nod to his origin.
Other boarding call announcements in the first area of the indoor wait queue gives names that are actually anagrams for people like Star Wars creator George Lucas (“Egroeg Sacul”) and Tom Morrow (“Mot Worrom”). When you reach the baggage check area, many different Disney attractions and franchises like Haunted Mansion , Toy Story, Aladdin, WALL-E, The Incredibles , and Captain EO get cameos as G2-9T scans boarding IDs.
Paul Reubens, perhaps better known for his famous character, Pee Wee Herman, was actually the voice of Captain RX-24 (Rex) in the original Star Tours ride. He was the pilot talking as R2-D2 was being loaded. In the new version of the ride, you can see him in the droid maintenance section in the queue.

Patrick Warburton, who is known for delivering the safety spiel before boarding Soarin’ at Epcot and for also voicing Kronk in Emperor’s New Groove , is the voice of security officer G2-4Ton Star Tours — The Adventures Continue. You can spot him as you pass through a series of security scanners.
As part of the attraction, you’ll see scenes with archival footage of Princess Leia, played by Carrie Fisher. The dialogue, however, is re-recorded. Carrie Fisher collaborated with Imagineers to re-record her dialogue so that it fits the attraction seamlessly.
While the original Star Tours ride didn’t open until 1989, Imagineers originally had an idea for a simulator ride themed to another Disney movie. The 1979 live-action film The Black Hole followed astronauts investigating a mysterious spaceship inside a black hole, but it was a commercial flop. This, combined with the high costs for the planned ride, led to the concept being scrapped. It wasn’t until Disney partnered with George Lucas and Lucasfilm in 1986, that the simulator idea was revisited, this time with Star Wars in mind.

Other Attractions in Echo Lake

For the First Time in Forever: A Frozen Sing-Along Celebration
Indiana Jones™ Epic Stunt Spectacular!
Mickey Shorts Theater
Star Tours – The Adventure Continues

The Inventory

The New Star Tours Update: Everything You Need, and Want, to Know

Characters from the mandalorian, ahsoka, and andor are now part of the legendary disney attraction..

Cassian Andor, Ahsoka Tano, and the Mandalorian with Grogu on Star Tours.

Before Disney bought Star Wars , the two brands began their courtship with a ride . Star Tours opened in 1987 and has seen many new upgrades and additions over the years . This week, for its Season of the Force event , Disney gave the ride another refresh. And this time, for the first time, it’s with characters from Disney+.

How many new Star Tours locations are there?

Though you may have assumed otherwise, only one new, full planet has been added to Star Tours this time around: Seatos from Ahsoka. However, there are three different variations going into that. One featuring Ahsoka (with Rosario Dawson reprising the role), one featuring Cassian Andor (with Diego Luna reprising), and one featuring both the Mandalorian and Grogu.

Image for article titled The New Star Tours Update: Everything You Need, and Want, to Know

What can happen on the new Star Tours ?

So, you get on the ride and start to pull out of the spaceport. Here’s where, potentially, your first new change will be. In the past, riders would usually see the Millennium Falcon sitting there as the ship was stopped by Darth Vader, Kylo Ren, or a Probe Droid. And while that’s still more likely to happen than not, if you happen to see a new ship there, you know exactly where this particular ride will take you.

Yes, in some Star Tours rides not only is Ahsoka Tano’s T-6 Jedi Shuttle in the first scene, you can see Ahsoka herself there in the frame. She’s talking to Stormtroopers and, when they discover the Rebel spy, Ahsoka turns on her lightsabers and battles off the troopers before jumping in the ship.

If you see that, you can impress your friends and tell them what’s going to happen next. After you visit one of many, many planets that were previously on the ride (I did it twice on Friday and both times it was podracing on Tatooine from Episode I ), you’ll then get one of the three new transmissions. However, if you got Ahsoka’s ship at the start, you are guaranteed to get Ahsoka in this moment. She’ll say “Hi” to C-3PO, and be excited to see her friend R2-D2 again, before asking to deliver a very important person—the Rebel spy. As she’s talking, we see Chopper and Huyang in the background, getting into shenanigans.

What are the two other transmissions?

These transmissions is the part of this new Star Tours that will be the most random. If you don’t get Ahsoka, maybe you’ll get the Mandalorian and Grogu. As Mando (who does not sound like it’s Pedro Pascal but we’ve asked Disney for confirmation) talks about a dangerous mission and fight, Grogu is eating one of his frogs. He then spits it out and it floats toward your face in 3D. It’s very cute and funny and just as the one-eyed creature gets close enough to almost touch it, Grogu sucks him back in. “This is the way,” Mando says, and you’re off to the final part of your mission.

Note: unfortunately, we didn’t get to see Cassian’s transmission but, from what we were told, it’s very different tonally than the other two, on purpose. While Ahsoka’s is friendly and Mando’s is funny, Cassian’s is mysterious. He comes out in a hood, lurking in a shadow, then reveals himself to the audience and asks for help with the spy. The key was that each one feels completely unique.

What happens on Seatos?

No matter what transmission you get though, everything is the same after that. Star Tours is off to Seatos, the planet from the final episodes of Ahsoka where they showdown with Thrawn. You arrive in some kind of shadow, only to emerge from the clouds flying among the majestic Purrgil (aka Space Whales). Ahsoka hails you on the side monitor and asks for help with the two ships attacking her, which R2 is more than happy to do. You fly up and around the Purrgil, along their backs, weaving in and out of its fins, and at one point almost even getting sucked in and eaten. Finally, there’s a perfect moment, which R2 uses to land the perfect shot and save the day. Ashoka thanks you, has a special goodbye for her old pal R2, and it’s back home.

Are the new additions to Star Tours good?

Yes and no. Yes, because anytime you can get to sit down and experience a new piece of Star Wars , especially on a ride that’s been around for almost 40 years, that’s a good thing. However, do I think Seatos as a planet is one of the better destinations in the ride? No. In fact, it may be one of my least favorites. It’s drastically lacking in drama compared to, say, Geonosis, Coruscant, or Naboo. But Ahsoka is great and it’s fun to follow a different ship around.

Oh, and the new transmissions (at least the ones we saw) were phenomenal. Much more detailed and eventful than the previous ones.

How long is the new ride happening?

“For a limited time” everyone who boards Star Tours will get the new planet of Seatos every time, as well as one of the new transmissions. Whether or not that’s just through the Season of the Force event or longer is unclear, and Disney wouldn’t commit to specifics. It might be a park to park decision. But, for at least a few weeks or months, if you go on Star Tours , you’ll get the new stuff.

Then, eventually, the three new transmissions and one new planet will be slotted into the ride’s randomizer. When that happens, it takes the number of possible combinations up to over 250.

Why Seatos over anything else?

In the last few years, thanks to Disney+, Star Wars has seen more new planets, characters, and creatures than ever. So why Seatos and the Purrgil? Well, Tom Fitzgerald, one of Star Tours ’ original Imagineers—who also worked on this one —said it was all about picking a planet that was different from all the others. Something unique. Maybe that’s colors or maybe, in this case, it’s a unique creature. So by choosing Seatos, not only do you get to see these massive, new, unique creatures, but those creatures allow the ride to do moves it’s never done before. That’s how we get the first barrel roll ever in Star Tours as well as a sequence he refers to as the “slalom ski run.”

How long did the new upgrade take?

Fitzgerald said he and his team first started working on these new additions sometime between 18 months and two years ago.

Could another ride get this treatment?

Since Disney bought Lucasfilm in 2012, Star Tours has been updated about every two or three years. This update is the first since 2019 though—so it makes you wonder, what’s next? And, will it even be Star Tours ?

When Galaxy’s Edge opened in 2019, Disney said that the Millennium Falcon ride, Smugglers Run , was designed in a similar fashion to Star Tours and that the actual visuals in the ride could be changed to take guests on new adventures. But now, that ride has been the same for five years. Could a change be coming? Unfortunately, no one from Imagineering or Lucasfilm would comment, confirm, or deny—but, fingers crossed.

The Ahsoka, Andor and Mandalorian additions to Star Tours: The Adventures Continue are now running at Disneyland, Hollywood Studios, and Disneyland Paris as part of the Season of the Force event. For more on that, check out this link.

Want more io9 news? Check out when to expect the latest Marvel , Star Wars , and Star Trek releases, what’s next for the DC Universe on film and TV , and everything you need to know about the future of Doctor Who .

Every New Star Wars Location And Character Added To Disney's Star Tours Ride

D isney's theme parks launched new experiences for their original "Star Wars" ride this week. Star Tours: The Adventures Continue is the second iteration of the attraction that originally opened at Disneyland Park in 1987. The first version of the ride was a consistent experience that put audiences inside a motion-simulated ship piloted by a droid voiced by Paul Reubens . The ride took park-goers right into the middle of a Death Star attack and was unlike anything anyone had ever seen. An ever-popular attraction, it was updated in May of 2011 to its current iteration. Instead of a single movie ride, new technology allowed Lucasfilm and Disney Imagineers to randomize the process. Now, with the updated system, your voyages could be randomized and it was easy for new updates to be made.

As new movies in the Skywalker Saga were subsequently released, new locations were added to the ride. "The Force Awakens" brought Jakku to Star Tours, with "The Last Jedi" bringing Crait, and "The Rise of Skywalker" similarly adding Exegol and Kef Bir to the mix. However, there haven't been any new additions since the Skywalker Saga concluded in 2019 -- until now, that is.

Read more: The Best Star Wars Books Ever Written

Ahsoka And Her Crew

While Star Tours has always brought park-goers to many places, all of those destinations were previously taken directly from the nine films of the Skywalker Saga (and everything else came from the theatrically released "Star Wars" features only). With this most recent update, though, the world of "Star Wars" television and animation has finally come to life on Star Tours.

The only new location that's been added to Star Tours this time around is the planet Seatos, which was first seen in the "Ahsoka" television show. It's where Ahsoka was able to chase Morgan Elsbeth to a new galaxy with the help of the giant space whales known as the purrgil . As a passenger, it's thrilling to weave through the purrgil and get to see them up close, with Ahsoka on the screen calling out instructions to R2-D2 and C-3PO. In fact, the ride even includes a touching moment where Ahsoka tells Artoo it's nice to see him again, which got me a little choked up after 15 years of seeing them interact in the canon across various cartoons.

Seatos itself is a terrific addition and fits in completely with the aesthetic and adventure of the rest of the ride. Though it doesn't maintain the adherence to the Skywalker Saga as all of the previous additions did, let's hope this opens the door for locations from other movies like "Solo: A Star Wars Story," as well as "Rogue One: A Star Wars Story."

But the new location isn't all that's been added.

New Holograms

One of the fun additions to Star Tours that came with this latest redesign is the ability to receive holographic messages from beloved characters across the "Star Wars" franchise. Princess Leia, Yoda, and Admiral Ackbar provided the first holographic messages for the ride, while Poe Dameron, BB-8, Maz Kanata, and Lando Calrissian were added later (with the original actors generally reprising their roles). This latest update expanded the holograms further into the realm of Disney+ shows, bringing us Cassian Andor, Din Djarin and Grogu, and Ahsoka Tano herself.

The holograms come at a point in the ride that allows the rider to catch their breath and engage them in the broader story. The holographic entities offer new coordinates for the riders of Star Tours to head to in order to help the Rebellion or Resistance in the fight against evil.

Each of the new additions has a different flavor. The Cassian Andor hologram (Diego Luna) has a grave urgency to it that feels very much in line with the tone of "Rogue One" and "Andor." I couldn't help but notice a tingle up my spine with the gravitas that Luna employed to deliver his holographic message for the ride.

Ahsoka was added as well, and she offers a ray of hope, along with cameos and a more lighthearted tone. In the background of Ahsoka's hologram, you can see Huyang -- David Tenant's character from "Ahsoka" and "The Clone Wars" -- as well as everyone's favorite murder droid, Chopper. He's such a fan favorite that when he appeared on the ride, the entire ship cheered in surprise and delight.

The last hologram that got added really pushed the 3D effects to their maximum and brought Din Djarin and Grogu to the ride. It's almost hard to remember what the Mandalorian was saying because your attention is fixed on Grogu, who levitates before eating a frog. In the end, he spat the frog out at the audience and it got everyone to flinch.

There was one more element added to the ride for this iteration, and it involves the very first scene. Ordinarily, Stormtroopers and either Darth Vader or Kylo Ren will appear to stop your transport. Sometimes, in the background, you'll see the Millennium Falcon taking off to make an escape, at which point Artoo guides the Starspeeder 1000 to chase it. The new intro replaces the Falcon with Ahsoka's T6 Jedi Shuttle from the "Ahsoka" television series. Seeing it in action was quite beautiful and it added one more immersive element to the ride.

The Future Of Star Tours

With this new batch of additions to Star Tours, it feels safe to assume we'll be getting more updates as more theatrical films are released. Might that include an older Rey from the New Jedi Order film? Or perhaps more of Din and Grogu to coincide with "Star Wars" returning to theaters with "The Mandalorian & Grogu" in 2026 ? It's easy to imagine the possibilities, all of which would serve to make Star Tours a fresh experience for as long as the ride itself is around.

The only complaint I might have is that the original intent of the first batch of Star Tours rides came with the conceit that the experiences could somehow be canon and that they all took place during a specific era of "Star Wars," placing them during the dark times chronicled in the first two "Star Wars" trilogies. That started to change a bit with the inclusion of the sequel movies, to the point where now some of the combined experiences just don't make sense. For example, I got a version of the ride that featured Ahsoka across its entirety, including her escaping, offering us a mission, and then finding her way to Seatos. It's simply unclear how it all fits together. The original release also sort of implied there would be locations from "The Mandalorian," "Andor," and "Ahsoka," as opposed to just "Ahsoka" (as thrilling as it is to visit Seatos).

Overall, though, those are minor quibbles. As a kid, Star Tours was the closest I thought I'd ever feel to taking a step into the "Star Wars" universe, and now I frequent it as often as I can to visit new corners of it.

Star Tours: The Adventures Continue is currently operating at Disneyland, Disney World's Hollywood Studios, and Disneyland Paris.

Read the original article on SlashFilm

Star Tours - The Adventures Continue

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A Starspeeder 1000 races past the Deathstar while being shot at with lasers

40" (102 cm) or Taller
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Visit a Galaxy Far, Far Away

When your Starspeeder accidentally starts up without a pilot, tour guide C-3PO takes the controls. Suddenly, the ship is intercepted by menacing Imperial—or First Order—forces searching for a Rebel spy. To avoid capture, you’ll take off on a thrilling, unpredictable flight that rockets you to the farthest reaches of the galaxy.

Starting April 5, 2024, embark on exciting new Star Wars adventures featuring characters and locations from some of your favorite Disney+ series. Hold on tight as urgent transmissions from Ahsoka Tano, Cassian Andor, the Mandalorian and Grogu may soon be part of your next Starspeeder flight.

With these additions, you’ll have the opportunity to experience one of more than 250 storyline variations, including a visit to the planet Seatos from Ahsoka .

Star Tours Takes Flight

On January 9, 1987, George Lucas and Walt Disney Imagineering brought the Star Wars galaxy to life at Disneyland Park .

The original Star Tours attraction blasted off to Endor. In the years since, the experience has been updated with new worlds and iconic characters from Star Wars: The Force Awakens , Star Wars: The Last Jedi and Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker .

The attraction now features state-of-the-art technology—including a flight simulator, digital 3D video, Audio-Animatronics characters and “in-cockpit” special effects and music.

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How the 501st and rebel legions became part of star tours.

StarWars.com speaks with Lawrence Green, 501st Legion and Rebel Legion member, about how costuming fans helped update a classic Star Wars ride.

Disney Parks' Star Tours got a facelift three years ago and became Star Tours - The Adventures Continue . The Star Wars -themed ride first opened at Disneyland in 1987 and Disney's Hollywood Studios in Orlando in 1989. The new version of the attraction features familiar features like the StarSpeeder, but the queue and experience got an upgrade and became more powerful than you can possibly... You get the drift.

When it came time to gather material that would be used in the queue, Disney put a request in with the 501st Legion's Southern California Garrison and asked members to appear at a silhouette photo shoot. Though they didn't know it at the time, the footage would be included in the silhouettes scene featured in the queue of Star Tours - The Adventures Continue . The panel features the silhouettes of stormtroopers, Imperial officers, and citizens as they walk through the spaceport. It gives you the impression that it's a hustling and bustling joint.

I caught up with 501st Legion and Rebel Legion member and fellow Star Wars blog contributor Lawrence Green to find out how he got involved and learned how the Force was with him the day of the shoot.

StarWars.com: How did the 501st become part of Star Tours - The Adventures Continue ?

Lawrence Green: At the end of of July 2010, then Commanding Officer of the 501st Legion's Southern California Garrison, Lesley Farquhar, received a request for several 501st members to appear at a silhouette photo shoot for something for Disney. Often in cases like this we also line up a reserve member or two in case one scheduled member is unable to make it, and I signed up to be a reserve Trooper.

On the day of the shoot in August 2010, Lesley called to tell me that everyone who had signed up was heading out but said that if I still wanted to go as a handler and senior member to help and observe I should do so since the event was for something unusual and important.

I'm not sure why and can only attribute it to a disturbance in the Force, but for whatever reason just as I was about to leave, I decided to load my Return of the Jedi Luke and X-wing pilot outfits into my car and headed out, not realizing how crucial that decision would turn out to be upon arrival.

StarWars.com: What was filming like, and who did you end up dressed as?

Lawrence Green: The location we were given turned out to be a small, non-descript studio located in the [San Fernando] Valley. Our four stormtroopers (Tom Brink, Al Eisenmann, Daryl Hokama, and Peter Rode] were already there and had been informed that this was far from even a "special" photo shoot and what was officially named "Project: Lodestar" was to shoot segments for the revamped Star Tours attraction! To say we were surprised would be an understatement. But amidst all the paperwork and NDAs we were filling out and confirming -- and before we could really celebrate and contemplate what this opportunity would mean -- we had a huge, unexpected problem to surmount: The two Imperial officers scheduled for the shoot had updated to say they were unable to make it!

Although the Imperial officer outfit is not a relatively difficult one to do, finding someone who would fit the role at that moment when shooting had to commence immediately would be impossible.

The director and producer were getting ready to leave the makeshift trooper armor green room to brainstorm, asking us to think of a solution if possible, when I came up with a suggestion and offered that I could go back to my car and combine my Luke boots and belt with the X-wing jumpsuit and gloves. I offered that as long as I kept everything relatively taut, it would look reasonably like an Imperial officer's uniform except for the completely unorthodox colors and the fact that I didn't have a regulation Imperial cap. Daryl however had a cap from his TIE pilot outfit with him, and the producer approved the idea on the spot, saying that since we were shooting in silhouette for the new ride it would be perfect. And so literally less than 15 minutes after proposing my idea, I was suited up and on the set by 9:40 a.m. to get things rolling!.

As I wrapped my solo shots, the stormtroopers made their way to set and began both their individual and group run/walks past the window. To specially-emphasize speed and urgency the troopers sometimes ran past the camera and always heavily emoted their movements, and in a few takes, they all had to get a jog-in-place start before being cued to go across the window.

Before we wrapped completely for the day, the producers approached me by way of thanks to appear as a second character. With a quick reshuffling of my outfit and removal of the cap, I also had an opportunity to appear as the character that shows up from time to time operating a large, "hover-platform," with various items on top.

StarWars.com: How many different characters and costumes were involved? Did both 501st and Rebel Legions participate?

Lawrence Green: All told we had four stormtroopers on site with me in the two make-shift roles in place of the of the members who were unable to make it. Of the troopers, all four are official members of the 501st and both Al and Peter are also members in the Rebel Legion. But, we also had another member of the Rebel Legion make a huge contribution to the revamped Star Tours : if you are fortunate enough to do the Hoth mission as part of your Star Tours adventure, the snowspeeder pilot featured on the comm is Sunrider Base member Rob Howe.

So our collective crew was: Thomas Brink, stormtrooper Al Eisenmann, stormtrooper Lawrence Green, Imperial admiral and hover platform operator Daryl Hokama, stormtrooper Rob Howe, Rebel snowspeeder pilot

[Note: 501st Golden Gate Garrison member BH-1034 portrays Boba Fett in the ride.]

StarWars.com: What is it like being part of Disney and Star Wars history?

Lawrence Green: It was and remains incredibly exciting to have been able to help out and be a part of something so special, especially because events like this are very rare. We are especially thankful we could do our part, and make sure everything came together when absolutely needed.

Amy Ratcliffe is a writer obsessed with all things Star Wars , Disney, and coffee. You can follow her on Twitter at @amy_geek and keep up with all things geeky at her blog .

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Star Tours – The Adventures Continue

Replay Star Tours – The Adventures Continue

40in (102cm) or taller
Small Drops

Explore a Galaxy Far, Far Away

Board your Starspeeder 1000 and prepare for take off! When a series of mishaps unwittingly causes your starship to launch too soon, protocol droid C-3PO takes the controls.

Suddenly, the ship is intercepted by Imperial—or First Order—forces searching for a Rebel spy. To avoid capture, you’ll embark on a thrilling, unpredictable flight that rockets you to the farthest reaches of the galaxy.

Featuring a flight simulator, digital 3D video, Audio-Animatronics characters and “in-cockpit” special effects and music, this attraction immerses you in the Star Wars mythology for an unforgettable intergalactic adventure.

Will your starspeeder elude capture and make it back to the base? May the Force be with you—always.

Featuring Favorite Star Wars Characters

Always a new adventure.

Find yourself in a unique story again and again—including one inspired by Star Wars: The Last Jedi.

Anytime you ride, you might fly into the middle of a furious battle on Crait, dodge blaster fire from TIE fighters on Jakku, swoop into the dreaded Death Star or dive deep under the oceans of Naboo.

Plus, to celebrate Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker , Star Tours now features an all-new destination from the movie—the ocean moon of Kef Bir.”

Because the many story twists are random, you never know where you’ll go or who you may encounter along the way!

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All of the Star Tours – The Adventures Continue Combinations

Star Tours – The Adventures Continue at Disney’s Hollywood Studios is the second incarnation of the park’s original Star Wars-based motion simulator and debuted in 2011. For this attraction, guests board a Starspeeder 1000 piloted by C-3PO and encounter a number of planets, characters, and scenes spanning the Skywalker Saga.

Part of the appeal of this attraction is that the planets, characters, and scenes you encounter on your ride are randomized! Where you go and who you’ll see could be completely different with each ride! But just what planets and characters from that galaxy far, far away can you expect to encounter during your flight?

Your ride begins as a passenger aboard a Starspeeder 1000 which takes off accidentally with C-3PO as the pilot even though he’s not the official pilot. The speeder is then stopped by one of the following villains looking for a Rebel Spy who happens to be a randomly selected guest!

Option #1: Darth Vader accompanied by Stormtroopers uses the Force to prevent your Starspeeder from escaping. Possible Option : Boba Fett may appear with Vader and the Stormtroopers.

Option #2: A probe droid latches on to your Starspeeder but is stopped by the Millennium Falcon. Possible Option : Either Han Solo or Rey will use the Falcon to help.

Option #3: Kylo Ren accompanied by First Order Stormtroopers attempts to prevent your Starspeeder’s escape.

Your Starspeeder 1000 exits hyperspace above one of the planets listed below and gets caught up in an action scene.

Option #1: Kashyyyk

Your Starspeeder 1000 joins in on a speeder bike chase along with the Wookies. Chewbacca ends up hitting the speeder’s windshield!

Option #2: Hoth

Your Starspeeder 1000 joins the attack on the AT-ATs from The Empire Strikes Back before skidding across the planet’s snowy surface and sliding down a mountain.

Option #3: Jakku

Your Starspeeder 1000 flies into the chase scene from The Force Awakens where First Order TIE Fighters are in pursuit of the Millennium Falcon. Either Finn or Rey makes an appearance on the inside screen. The speeder flies through the wreckage of a Star Destroyer and encounters scavengers.

Option #4: Kef Bir

The speeder flies past Endor to the watery moon of Kef Bir. Ocean waves push the speeder into the wreckage of the second Darth Star. A Dianoga makes an appearance!

Option #5: Tatooine

The Starspeeder 1000 joins a pod race!

Safely back in space, the action pauses for a moment and a Star Wars character appears in the form of a hologram.

Option #1 : BB-8 asks the Starspeeder 1000 for help in delivering a message.

Option #2 : Princess Leia says the Rebel Spy must be taken safely to a rendevous point and sends the coordinates to R2-D2.

Option #3 : Admiral Ackbar says the Rebel Spy must be taken safely to a rendevous point and sends the coordinates to R2-D2.

Option #4 : Yoda says the Rebel Spy must be taken safely to a rendevous point and sends the coordinates to R2-D2.

Option #5 : Poe Dameron asks the Starspeeder 1000 for help and transmits coordinates.

Option #6 : Maz Kanata appears and asks the Starspeeder 1000 to help the Resistance while caught in the middle of a combat situation.

Option #7 : Lando Calrissian is happy to see R2-D2 and C-3PO and asks the Starspeeder 1000 to help the Resistance.

After receiving the hologram, the speeder arrives at one of the following planets:

Option #1: Naboo

The speeder drops into a space battle over Naboo and then journeys to the planet’s surface for a dive into the ocean near Gungan city. While passing through the planet’s core, scary sea creatures from The Phantom Menace make an appearance. The speeder eventually ends up in a hangar. Possible Option : There are two ways the pit droids may react.

Option #2: Crait

The Starspeeder 1000 joins the battle on Crait from The Last Jedi , is pursued by Tie Fighters, and takes on All-Terrain MegaCaliber Sixes before jumping to hyperspace.

Option #3: Coruscant

The speeder contends with Buzz droids over the skies of Coruscant before encountering the planet’s traffic. Upon reaching a landing platform, either the Millennium Falcon or Starspeeders will be there.

Option #4: Exegol

Above the planet of Exegol, the Starspeeder tries to avoid being hit during the battle between the Resistance and the Final Order from The Rise of Skywalker . The speeder successfully helps take down a Star Destroyer.

Option #5: Geonosis

Upon arriving in the Geonosis asteroid belt, the speeder is pursued by Boba Fett’s Slave I ship. The speeder then is chased by Darth Vader and TIE pilots through the unfinished second Death Star. After another run-in with Boba Fett, the speeder jumps to hyperspace.

After jumping to hyperspace, the Starspeeder 1000 lands at one of two locations.

The Starspeeder 1000 arrives on Batuu and lands in Black Spire Outpost which guests can see in person at Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge.

Option #2: Spaceport THX1138

The Starspeeder 1000 has a chaotic landing and startles several pit droids while the actual speeder pilot’s AC-38 approaches angrily.

Those are the possible scenes you could experience while riding Star Tours – The Adventures Continue!

Which of the following scenes are your favorites? Have you ever been chosen as the Rebel Spy? Let us know in the comments!

Savannah Sanders

Savannah has been visiting Disney World since she was a year old and has gone back almost every year since. In the real world, she teaches high school history and government and enjoys writing about all things Disney. Savannah can be reached on Twitter @DisneyParkSavvy.

9 thoughts on “ All of the Star Tours – The Adventures Continue Combinations ”

I remember when STAR TOURS went thru its first refurb, and my son and I did an early EXTRA MAGIC HOURS at Hollywood studios, and our chief goal was to document how many different combinations we could see. We ran around from the exit back into the next show continuously for maybe 2-3 hours with effectively NO LINE until our stomachs couldn’t take it any more. One thing we did notice at the time was that when the rebel leader would come on, and say that the spy needed to be “safely escorted to (wherever)”, that some of those times the leader would distinctly specify the SEX of the spy (Like “SHE needs to be safely escorted to…”). We realized that TECHNICALLY, this somewhat DOUBLES the so-called ‘combinations of possible experiences’. My son and I both started paying attention to which leaders had this more specific text, and at exactly what point the cast members were pressing either the secret “SPY is MALE” or SPY is FEMALE” buttons.

Anyway, we soon learned that when YODA was the rebel leader who appeared inside the cabin on the screen. Then the spy was ALWAYS a female. Yoda always said “Accompanied SHE must be…”

I ALWAYS get the episode 1 ending and it PISSES me off! I want to see something else!

I’ve been on it twice and got the exact same each time. Still good.

I’ve also seen three more endings. Land with the Falcon, land with the Falcon with chewie outside it (both in 2018) and land on the rebel cruiser and be welcomed by a host of people clapping your efforts. One was dressed a bit like Mon mothma (March 2022).

Haven’t ridden star tours in years – do they really mix and match scenes across timeframes? Could you get Darth Vader in “The Escape” followed by the wreckage of the death star on planet #1? That would allow the 1000+ combos, but would make zero sense.

I wrote an exam question about this last summer for my probability and stats class!

For some of the options, there’s 2 different alternatives, so that brings it to 2100 unique combinations. That said, only Disney knows whether or not they’re keeping everything in the mix.

Am I doing the math right that, based on the above, there are 1,750 possible combinations? I figured stats-heavy Touring Plans would note that in the article and save me (and my poor math skills) the trouble! LOL

Which story you get definitely can color your rating. We rode last Jan and whatever story we got I was like meh. We rode again in Oct and it was Darth Vader and I enjoyed it a lot more. It was a completely different experience. At the very least way to go Disney for making it so unique each trip.

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Star Tours: Inside the Secret History of Disney’s Classic ‘Star Wars’ Ride

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Earlier in January, Star Tours turned 35.

The groundbreaking attraction has been a favorite of Disney Parks visitors the world over, and it would prove an influential part of the “ Star Wars ” mythology, even today. In Jon Favreau’s “The Book of Boba Fett” (streaming now on Disney+) a familiar-looking droid has been dealing cards in the cantina/casino hideout The Sanctuary in the Tatooine village of Mos Espa. The droid looks like Rex, the inexperienced pilot of the original version of Star Tours. Predictably, fans went nuts.

But the story of how Star Tours was developed – how it came to be, what technology was employed, and the profound implications for both the Disney Parks and George Lucas ’ Lucasfilm – might be even more thrilling and complex than the actual ride, which was heavily retrofitted in 2010 now goes by the name Star Tours: The Adventures Continue.

So, without further ado, lightspeed to Endor !

A Long Time Ago …

But if the actual Lucasfilm/Disney enterprise had a point of origin (something that we are painfully aware that George Lucas just loves ), it was when Michael Eisner , then the head of Paramount, decided to green light “Raiders of the Lost Ark.” As Brian Jay Jones recounts in his biography “George Lucas: A Life,” Lucas’ financial terms for the movie were aggressive and mirrored those of the “Star Wars” sequels. Lucas would fund the movie himself and the studio would “distribute the completed film in exchange for profits.” While many of the studios passed right away, Warner Bros., who had clumsily distributed Lucas’ first film “THX-1138,” initially wanted to make it, but they were ultimately usurped by Paramount and Eisner. “George came over to my house,” Eisner later said, “and he said, ‘Let’s make the best deal they’ve ever made in Hollywood.’”

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That cantina’s DJ might seem familiar. It’s Rex from Star Tours, once again voiced by Paul Reubens. Wonder if he ever made it to Endor.

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Based on the Star Wars films, Star Tours is one of the most fun rides in Disneyland. The technology allows for 54 different story sequences, enough to keep riders coming back again and again.

The basic tale is simple: A bumbling droid pilot accidentally takes a bunch of space tourists down the wrong tunnel at takeoff, jumps to light speed and careens through the universe before getting things under control again. You'll run into characters from many of the Star Wars films and travel through more than a few of its locales, all in quick succession. It all passes so quickly that even a devoted fan might have to ride a dozen times to catch it all.

What You Need to Know About the Star Tours Ride at Disneyland

For most visitors, Star Tours is a must-do ride — or at least ride it if you have time.

Location: Star Tours is in Tomorrowland
Rating: ★★★★★
Restrictions: 40 inches (102 cm). Regardless of height, children under age seven years must be accompanied by a person aged 14 years or older.
Ride Time: 4.5 minutes
Recommended for: Families with teens and anyone who loves the Star Wars movies
Fun Factor: High. Star Tours is one of the best rides at Disneyland .
Wait Factor: High. Use a Fastpass to shorten your time in line . The Fastpass ticket machines are across from the Star Tours entrance, near Buzz Lightyear
Fear Factor: Medium. Some scenes are exciting, but not too scary.
Herky-Jerky Factor: Medium to high. This star-chasing ride is smoother than when it first opened, but Disney still says it's not for anyone a neck or back trouble, heart problems or for expectant mothers. The motion simulator moves smoothly but simulates drops and rolls that will shake you around.
Nausea Factor: Medium to high. Take precautions or be prepared to spend part of the ride with your eyes closed. You can also ask a Cast Member to seat you in the middle, where there is less motion.
Seating: This ride is a small motion simulator room. It has several rows, and every seat has a seatbelt.
Accessibility: Contact a Cast Member at the entrance for boarding information. Guests have to transfer to the ride vehicle by themselves or with help from their companions. Some of the pre-show monitors display guest-activated captioning. Cast Members can help you with this, too. Service animals can't go on Star Tours. More about visiting Disneyland in a wheelchair or ECV

How to Have More Fun

There's lots of simulated danger on Star Tours, and it can be noisy .
If you wear prescription glasses , you can slip the 3D glasses over all but the largest frames.
The 3D glasses come in one size only and are too big for a small child’s face. A simple solution is just don't wear them. Most kids don’t seem to mind that things get a little blurry without them - and they won’t be startled or scared by things that come flying toward them in the 3-D effect. Or try perching the glasses on the child’s nose, tilt them forward and rest the earpieces on top of their head.
Rider swap is available. It's for two adults with a kid or kids who don't ride. They can wait just once and get on as soon as the first adult returns. Tell the Cast Member in the loading area if you want to use that option.

You can see all the Disneyland rides at a glance on the Disneyland ride sheet .

While you're thinking about rides, you should also download the essential Disneyland apps (they're all free!) and get some proven tips to minimize your Disneyland wait time .

When you wait in line for Star Tours, you may hear an overhead speaker paging Egroeg Sacul, which is George Lucas spelled backward.

You may also hear an announcement to move landspeeder THX 1138, another reference to George Lucas: It was the name of his first film, the license plate number in "American Graffiti", and the call sign of a stormtrooper in "Star Wars: A New Hope."

The flight simulator used to create this ride is the same one used to train airplane pilots.

For a more in-depth look into Star Wars, check out Star Wars Launch Bay in Tomorrowland .

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Meet the Star Tours Creators Through Autographs

Meet the Star Tours Creators Through Interviews, Autographs

Table of contents, star tours: the ride that took us to a galaxy far far away, lorne peterson, george giordano, orlando ferrante, selwyn eddy iii, michael eisner, warwick davis, kenny baker, fred tatasciore, paul reubens, lynette eklund & terri hardin, imagineering star tours, directed by , writing credits (in alphabetical order) , produced by , sound department , special effects by , visual effects by , camera and electrical department , music department .

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I have incredible respect and admiration for the creative individuals behind one of Disney’s most iconic rides—Star Tours. I thought it would be fun to reach out to them to find out a little more about the Star Wars inspired ride and to request autographs from some of the people who made the joint project between Lucasfilm and Disney a reality. In doing so, I earned a renewed respect for how multi-faceted and interesting the rides’ production was. I was about five years old when I first visited Disneyland in 1992. I remember a lot about that experience, but what most sticks out in my mind about visiting the park was the original Star Tours ride. Similar to how it is today, upon first entering Star Tours’ loading area, you found yourself in a galaxy far far away. The Starspeeder 3000 was there at full scale with R2-D2 aboard and C-3PO there to greet the attendees. You would wind your way through droids and creatures until you made it to the converted flight simulators that were the ride itself. Everything about Star Tours, from the very experience of waiting in line to the ride itself took teams of talented individuals to create a first of its kind immersive experience. As it was a joint project between Lucasfilm and Disney, talent was pulled from both Industrial Light and Magic (ILM), the people who brought Star Wars to life, and Disney’s Imagineers, the craftsmen in charge of designing the Magic Kingdom.

There was a division of labor between ILM and the Imagineers. For the ride itself, ILM was in charge of creating the ride film, while the Imagineers had the difficult task of making the riders feel like they were experiencing it through the use of a meticulously coordinated flight simulator. Despite how multi-faceted the project was, all of the pieces fell together to create a ride experience that in many ways rivaled the theatrical experience of the Star Wars films that had come before it.

Star Tours Cast and Crew

David carson.

David Carson was the art director and storyboard artist for Star Tours. He also took over for longtime Star Wars veteran Dennis Muren in order to lead the ILM production of the ride film while Muren and his wife had their first child. I was able to reach out to Carson and in addition to signing a few index cards for me, he was kind enough to answer my questions.

TFTC: How did you get the job of storyboard artist on Star Tours? It seems to be the only time you’ve been credited with that role in IMDb . Carson: I was hired at ILM into the model shop on Empire Strikes Back. But shortly after being hired a large number of background plates were approved which meant that many storyboards needed to be up-dated to match. Joe Johnston found out that I had done some storyboarding before coming to ILM and he asked the model shop if he could borrow me for a while to help with the new boards. After that, I did a number of boards for Empire. I did some storyboards on Dragonslayer, though the film had a dedicated storyboard artist. And, I did a lot of storyboarding on Jedi with Joe and Nilo. The reason I’m not credited as storyboard artists is because my primary role was something else. Often the Visual Effects Art Director will also do storyboards. I got the job on Star Tours because I had been working with Dennis Muren a lot, and he was chosen as the Visual Effects Supervisor on the project. He asked me to be Visual Effects Art Director.

TFTC: The ride film had to be made to match the capabilities of the ride vehicle. How did that come into play during the storyboard phase? Carson: Very early in the project a number of us both from Disney and ILM flew to England to see the Simulators in action. We rode it a number of times and got a sense of what it was capable of, and what it was weak at. Mostly we learned that it could do acceleration very well, but needed a few seconds to set up for the move. The one thing it couldn’t do was drop quickly. It just couldn’t dump that much hydraulic fluid that fast. We kept all this in mind as we designed and storyboarded the ‘shots’

TFTC: How did your work on Return of the Jedi inform Star Tours? Carson: I had gotten pretty familiar with storyboarding the interaction between space ships, walkers, snow speeders, etc. The challenge with Star Tours is that there are no visible cuts. So I worked out that the only way you could emulate a new situation was to have the ship turn. So for instance when it was time for the first TIE Fighters to show up, I had the ship make a turn to reveal them. Once I worked that out it was pretty straight forward. The other challenge was that action needed to be coordinated between the screen, the robot driving, and R2 on the side screen. I created a storyboard format that included all three elements. I’ll attach a copy if I can find one.

TFTC: Your career spanned a transitional period when practical effects shifted to computer generated ones. What was it like acquiring new skills and transitioning from a job like model maker to digital effects artist? Carson: I became interested in computers as soon as they started showing up. I got a home computer early-on, and began to learn programming. So as the computer began to become one of our Visuals tools, I was on-board. I was one of the first people to make the transition from ILM to the new Computer Department (on Hook). I stayed there a while working on a number of films including Jurassic Park.

@talesfromthecollection Star Wars SFX artist Dave Carson. ##fanmail ##autograph ##starwars ##starwarsautographs ##sfx ##ttm ##ttmsuccess ♬ original sound – Tales From The Collection

Disney Hack Get Free Autographs From Disney Princesses, Characters (1)

Brian Cummings

Brian Cummings provided the voice for the Vid-Screen Announcer (planetary destinations). Upon entering the ride, there would be mock advertisements for tours to far off Star Wars destinations like Hoth or Tatooine. Cummings provided the voiceover work for those.

TFTC: How were you chosen for the role of Planetary Destinations Announcer? Cummings: I had worked for Disney on a number of projects and the people who headed the project liked the sound of a previous job that was just a normal announcer. They wanted that kind of straighter believable sound. Sometimes we love to do wild, fun, or strange voices, but here, believably was their choice and I’m grateful they chose me. TFTC: What was your experience like working with Disney and Lucasfilm? Cummings: Like two people who work together who have different perspectives, these giants of the magic of our most memorable media have powerful insights. To me, it’s like a gamer’s love of the game. I needed to get the vision from both and try to satisfy both. The challenge makes it exciting! It also is satisfying that they both knew when we hit the mark. Loved it! TFTC: If you’ve had the chance to experience it, what did you think of the updated ride, Star Tours—The Adventures Continue? Cummings: Things that are just good enough or dated get replaced. Great things evolve. There are also times when creative teams change, but no matter, creativity is a process and not a destination. I loved doing the original Duck Tales! It isn’t as fun that they’ve evolved for me, as an actor, but it’s remarkable and satisfying to see a great concept reaching new fans. When it goes on, the innovations make the craft better and also the experience as well. I began as a fan, then actor, now a fan again.

The late Ira keeler got his movie making start in the early 1980’s while working on Star Wars: Episode VI – Return of the Jedi as a model maker at ILM. He worked on several other films leading up to Star Tours, as well as Captain EO, which was ILM and Disney’s first collaboration. In addition to making models for the ride film, Keeler also made a cameo as well.

TFTC: Were there particular models that you worked on for Star Tours or did you have a part in a little bit of everything? Keeler: I built speeder craft models, the Death Star’s surface, and the set for the hyperspace shot [as well as] the model of the control room. I am the guy at the end of the ride in the control room. Go on a computer and search for the original Star Tours Ride and you will see me at the end . TFTC: Disney Parks are known for their hidden secrets and there are plenty in the rides themselves. Were you able to include any in the work that you did? Keeler: They sent us a model spacewship from the ride we replaced. (Note: Star Tours replaced the ride Adventure Thru Inner Space.) TFTC: What were your impressions of the ride’s updated version Star Tours—The Adventures Continue? Keeler: I have not seen the new ride.

Richard Bellis

Richard Bellis is the creative force behind the scores for many of Disney’s popular theme park attractions. His music has provided the backdrop for tons of rides to include: Star Tours, Alien Encounter, and the Twilight Zone Tower of Terror. He’s an Emmy Award-winning composer whose work for The Walt Disney Company spans across decades and parks all around the world, including Disneyland Paris and Tokyo Disneyland.

TFTC: How did John Williams’ score influence your own? Bellis: There were two separate jobs on Star Tours. First, the ride portion which involved choosing the sections of JW scores from Star Wars, figuring out how to edit them together (musically) into a score for the ride video as well as how the ride physically affected the audience. Then re-recording that music in the edited format. Second, the pre-show music which involved the “Droid’s Room” and several travel videos on the “Status Board” not to mention the “Announce Chime” was my original music. I think everything I composed had to be influenced by JW in some form or fashion. The “Droid’s Room” was obviously influenced by the Cantina Band cue from the film. Interestingly, the “Announce Chime” was influenced by Close Encounters of the Third Kind (communication with the Mother Ship), another John Williams score. The Status Board videos were supposed to sound like advertisements for trips to Endor, Hoth, etc. The Droid’s Room was supposed to be a workshop with droids repairing droid pilots but in the end, the music was playing out of a “boom box” where a single droid was working on a repair. We also re-recorded more JW music for the exit area. TFTC: Did you have to keep the motions of the ride in mind as you were composing or was it completely based on what occurs on screen? Bellis: Ha! Well above I referred to this. The short answer is “Yes”. Both were important. A group of us were treated to a test ride at the Imagineering campus in the early stages of development which allowed us to watch the flight simulator from the outside before riding inside. Very cool. I would get a copy of the film to work with but, with Disney ride attractions, we learned that even a camera strapped to the ride vehicle, you couldn’t FEEL the ride. That’s because the camera and the vehicle moved exactly together and when one is a passenger, one moves contrary to the bumps and dips of the vehicle. TFTC: Do you have any memories or interesting moments during your time working on the ride that you would like to share? Bellis: Well, again, above you have one example of an extraordinary memory. In addition, standing on the podium in a studio filled with incredible musicians, conducting JW’s fabulous music was a rare treat. For one thing, I was not at all concerned, as I would be with my own music, if it would work or not. Proven, beautiful orchestral music and all I had to do was give a downbeat and off it went.

One of Lorne Peterson’s lesser known roles was as ILM’s supervising model maker for the Star Tours ride. By 1987 when the ride debuted, Peterson was a seasoned veteran in the model shop, having worked on all three previous Star Wars films as well as Indiana Jones and E.T. Star Tours required all new footage and models to be created. It was such an undertaking that it was said to be a more difficult project than the full length Star Wars films.

Lorne Peterson autograph on 30th anniversary card

George Giordano was on the Star Tours special effects crew for the ride’s footage. Giordano has a long history of working in special effects and now runs his own studio PCND/Fx .

During his 40 years at Walt Disney Imagineering (WDI), former vice president of engineering, design, and production Orlando Ferrante helped create magical Disney lands around the world. On Star Tours, Orlando aided in story development as part of the Imagineering project team.

Selwyn Eddy began his film career working at Lucasfilm as assistant cameraman in the miniature and optical effects unit on Return of the Jedi. For Star Tours, he was the effects cameraman and later went on to be a computer graphics artist for the special edition of Star Wars, and assistant cameraman for The Empire Strikes Back .

This photo shows Michael Eisner, center, Disney chairman, and Star Wars creator George Lucas as they prepare to use a lightsaber to cut the ribbon to open the new Star Tours attraction at Disneyland in Anaheim, Calif., Jan. 9, 1987. Without Eisner, the ride never would have come to fruition.

For Star Tours, Warwick Davis reprised the role of the Ewok Wicket W. Warrick from Return of the Jedi.

Kenny Baker is one of the few actors from the original Star Wars trilogy to make an appearance on Star Tours. He played R2-D2 on the ride film.

Unlike Darth Vader in the original Star Wars films who was voiced by James Earl Jones, Star Tours’ Vader was voiced by Fred Tatasciore.

Paul Rubens is known for his character Pee-wee Herman. A zany character with a wildly popular kid’s show in the 80’s. His off the wall personality made him the perfect fit for the haywire pilot droid RX-24 a.k.a. Captain “Rex” in Star Tours.

Lynette Eklund and Terri Hardin both worked on Star Tours and continue to collaborate to this day. They created the Ackbar puppet used in the Tokyo Disneyland version of the ride. Lynette also did some work for Nintendo which you can check out here . Eklund is also credited with designing the “Vomit Seat” for the original Star Tours in Disneyland. It was a redesigned seat for the ride, better equipped to handle, well, vomit.

Star Tours Disney Imagineers Lynette Eklund and Terri Hardin

If you would like to learn more about the history of Star Tours, starwars.com did an incredible two part write up on the history of Star Tours which is worth a read as it provides an in-depth retelling of the ride’s history from inception to opening day. The first part covered the impetus of the ride and the second part covers how Star Tours was made.

Star Tours Credits

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The unmissable addition to Disneyland’s Star Tours ride? Space whales

Guests onboard the simulator attraction Star Tours, with droid C-3PO in the captain's seat.

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Disneyland’s Star Tours: The Adventures Continue has proved to be one of the theme park’s most versatile attractions.

Though perhaps no longer the groundbreaking technological marvel that it was when it debuted in 1987, the flight simulator ride has shifted with the franchise, withstanding cultural trends and aligning with whichever version of “Star Wars” is popular at the moment — or in need of a marketing boost.

The latest update to Star Tours brings the ride into the Disney+ era, with nods to series such as “The Mandalorian,” “Ahsoka” and “Andor.” More noteworthy, at least for Disneyland guests, is that the centerpiece of the latest upgrades is a scene that provides a slight tonal shift for the attraction, one focused, albeit briefly, on slowing down and giving so-called starspeeder riders a look at one of “Star Wars’” more majestic creatures. Star Tours will now rocket guests straight to a moment that boasts a close-up with the purrgil, essentially large, mysterious space whales that move with a galactic grace.

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For the 3-D attraction, its a moment that provides a breather. The motion simulator lingers for a few seconds, and our makeshift animatronic captain, the golden droid C-3PO, turns to face riders. C-3PO shifts into tour guide mode, appearing in awe of the purrgil and commenting on how serene the animals are.

“This will be different from other sequences, to have a moment,” said Tom Fitzgerald, a senior creative executive with Walt Disney Imagineering, the company’s secretive arm devoted to theme park attractions, when asked about taking a patient approach to the scene. “You don’t get many moments. It’s so compact. But it’s a moment to let people look at the beauty of this, and the 3-D gives you the scale of those creatures.”

The additions to Star Tours are arguably the centerpiece of Disneyland’s all-things-”Star Wars” promotion Season of the Force , which debuted this past weekend and runs through June 2. The “Star Wars” festival also sees new droids making their way to Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge through the duration of the event, as well as the return of Space Mountain overlay Hyperspace Mountain and a new free scavenger hunt that aims to get players to pay close attention to the minute details of Galaxy’s Edge.

Fitzgerald has been with Star Tours since the ride’s beginning, and oversaw the latest Star Tours additions, which further deviate the attraction from any strict “Star Wars” timeline and instead focus it on being a sort of “greatest hits” for the brand. The purrgil scene also features Rosario Dawson’s Ahsoka Tano and the character’s svelte, fast-rotating starship above the planet of Seatos. Tano’s ship inspired Imagineers to see if they could add some new tricks to the attraction, mainly in the way the simulator can move. When Tano’s vessel twists and spins, for instance, the starspeeder attempts to mimic it, endeavoring to create the feeling of a 360-barrel roll. At other times, the starspeeder glides among the purrgil.

Key to Star Tours’ longevity, and what makes it the rare motion simulator that doesn’t feel rooted in the 1980s, is its ability to create new sensations via its movements. The ride now has more than 250 storyline variations, and when adding to the attraction, Imagineers are looking for ways to heighten the contrast among its various scenes, both tonally and in its maneuvers. Though Star Tours is typically randomized — for the foreseeable future, and definitely throughout Disneyland’s spring Season of the Force promotion — all riders are guaranteed to visit the new location and receive an early-flight transmission from one of the recently added characters.

Din Djarin and Grogu from "The Mandalorian" can now be seen in 3D on Star Tours.

“How do we make each of the places we go have a different color palette?” says Fitzgerald, who then recalls different “Star Wars” planets that can be featured in the attraction’s random programming. “Mustafar is all lava. Kashyyyk is all green jungle. So they feel very different when you get the combos. And then motion-based. Could we do a barrel roll? That’s the fun of doing it, and programming it and trying it. And we needed something else. What have we not done? So with the purrgils, what if we do skiing through the tentacles? We had never done that. So those are the two big motion changes.”

The attraction is also livened up by appearances from Dawnson’s Tano, Diego Luna’s Cassian Andor and a masked Din Djarin from “The Mandalorian.” While the latter is played and portrayed by Pedro Pascal on the Disney+ series, many have noted that the Djarin on “Star Tours” features a slightly different vocal cadence than Pascal, and an Imagineering spokesperson says the company is not revealing its voice actors for the attraction. Nevertheless, “The Mandalorian” moment features some comic relief — and clever 3-D usage — courtesy of Grogu, colloquially refered to as “baby Yoda,” and his penchant to use Force powers to toy with and eat frogs.

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The three appear as transmissions that help define the suddenly urgent narrative of Star Tours. “Each one is different,” Fitzgerald says. “Mando and Grogu we played for comedy. And Andor is mysterious. You don’t see his face. You see this thing coming toward you. Is that a friend or foe? And then he pulls his hood and the music changes.” Tano, meanwhile, arrives like an old friend who knows C-3PO and fellow droid R2D2. Riders are advised to pay close attention to the opening cinematic in a ship’s hangar, as there is a new randomized opening that features Tano in a lightsaber battle with Stormtroopers.

As for why the new additions perhaps lean a bit more heavily on “Ahsoka,” as it is that series that features the planet of Seatos and the purrgil, Fitzgerald had a simple answer: yes, it’s the space whales.

With access to early scripts from Lucasfilm, Fitzgerald says he singled out the purrgil scenes. “Reading about that, not knowing what they looked like initially, I was going, that’s going to be really cool.” And, at least for a few seconds, relatively calming.

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Anaheim, CA - March 11: Visitors wait in lines inside their idling cars at the end of the ride at Autopia in Tomorrowland at Disneyland. Environmental activists Zan Dubin and Paul Scott, not shown, recently filed a complaint about air pollution and noxious smells from Autopia with Southern California air quality regulators at Disneyland in Anaheim Monday, March 11, 2024. They want Disneyland to convert Autopia to electric vehicles, and to find other ways -in Tomorrowland and across the park - to bring clean energy into its storytelling. (Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times)

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Todd Martens joined the Los Angeles Times in 2007 and covers a mix of interactive entertainment (video games) and pop music. Previously, Martens reported on the music business for Billboard Magazine. He has contributed to numerous books, including “The Big Lebowski: An Illustrated, Annotated History of the Greatest Cult Film of All Time.” He continues to torture himself by rooting for the Chicago Cubs and, while he likes dogs, he is more of a cat person.

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Star Tours – The Adventures Continue

Replay Star Tours – The Adventures Continue

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Board your Starspeeder 1000 and prepare for takeoff! When a series of mishaps unwittingly causes your starship to launch too soon, protocol droid C-3PO takes the controls.

Will your Starspeeder elude capture and make it back to the base? May the Force be with you—always.

Featuring Favorite Star Wars Characters

Always a new adventure.

Hold on tight as urgent transmissions from Ahsoka Tano, Cassian Andor, the Mandalorian and Grogu may soon be part of your next Starspeeder flight.

Starting April 5, 2024, embark on exciting new Star Wars adventures featuring characters and locations from some of your favorite Disney+ series. With these additions, you’ll have the opportunity to experience one of more than 250 storyline variations, including a visit to the planet Seatos from Ahsoka . Because the many story twists are random, you never know where you’ll go or who you may encounter along the way!

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Disneyland Season of the Force 2024 Review: New Star Tours Scene and More

Disneyland kicks off Season of the Force with a new Star Tours scene based off Ahsoka, a new Star Wars fireworks show, fun merch, food, and more.

Star Tours adds a new scene set on the planet Seatos from the Ahsoka Disney+ series.
Season of the Force introduces new and temporary food offerings across Disneyland, including the Wookiee Parfait and Bantha Burger.
Fire of the Rising Moons fireworks show at Star Wars Galaxy's Edge offers a stunning visual experience and classic Star Wars music.

Speaking to media during a preview of Disneyland 's Season of the Force offerings, Disney Live Entertainment’s Executive Creative Director Michael Serna talked about Walt Disney’s desire to make Disneyland an evolving destination. While Disney couldn’t make any changes to his films once they were shipped off for printing, he could ensure that Disneyland stayed relevant as time went on. Season of the Force is yet another example of how Disneyland stays relevant for Star Wars fans, while also expanding its offerings to entice fans of all ages.

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Game Rant was able to experience a lot of what is available during Season of the Force, from the new Star Tours scene to the new food. The Season of the Force event ends June 2nd and while some of the components will go away then, others will become key elements of their lands/rides for the theme park’s future. For Star Wars fans, there is no doubt that what Disneyland has added is exciting, but even for regular guests there is a lot to enjoy as well.

Star Tours Gets Season of the Force Additions

Some of the additions for Season of the Force will be temporary, while others will become permanent fixtures of Disneyland from here on out. Star Tours: The Adventures Continue, for example, added a few new elements as part of Season of the Force, but those are here to stay.

The big addition for Star Tours is a new scene set on the planet Seatos, as seen in the Disney+ series Ahsoka . As one might expect, the Purrgil space whales are a key component of the scene, with the Star Tours vehicle helping Ahsoka fend off enemy ships while whipping between the Purrgil tentacles and avoiding being inhaled whole.

Seatos is a great addition to the Star Tours lineup that keeps the ride relevant as the live-action Star Wars library continues to expand. The twists, turns, and gimmicks are exhilarating without feeling like copies of existing Star Tours planets. There’s also a cool nod to Ahsoka’s T-6 1974 ship that I won’t spoil, but it’s a nice little button on the Seatos sequence.

Alongside the new Seatos scene, Star Tours added three new interstitial scenes featuring The Mandalorian and Grogu, Ahsoka, and Cassian Andor . Each Star Tours ride has a progression that starts with the ride escaping capture at the beginning, then visiting a classic Star Wars planet, having a Star Wars character appear to ask for help, jumping to another planet, and then landing/crashing at a final destination. Now Mando and Grogu, Ahsoka, and Cassian can show up as that character asking for help.

During our media preview day at Disneyland, we saw the Mandalorian and Grogu scene and the Ahsoka scene, and have since seen the Andor scene on a follow-up visit to the theme park. The Mandalorian scene is the real standout of the three, with Grogu stealing the show. It’s also features one of the best uses of 3D in all of Star Tours.

Disney says that the new content will gain priority for the foreseeable future, so guests can expect to see one of the interstitial scenes and visit Seatos during an upcoming visit to Disneyland. However, once the new components do fall into the rotation, Disney says that guests will now be able to experience 250 different combinations of scenes while riding Star Tours.

New Season of the Force Food

There are some new and returning food items scattered across Disneyland during Season of the Force that guests can try. Some are colorful and play on the bright palette of the alien worlds of Star Wars, while others, like the Wookiee Parfait, try to emulate the look of a popular character. There are also a few items that are Asian-inspired and have some slight Star Wars theming. The new and returning Season of the Force food items include:

Fried Chicken Baos (Docking Bay 7 Food and Cargo)
Dewback Chili Noodles (Docking Bay 7 Food and Cargo)
Bantha Burger (Galactic Grill)
Chorizo Loaded Fries (Galactic Grill)
Wookiee Parfait (Galactic Grill)
Watermelon Slush with Death Star Glow Cube (Galactic Grill)
Granny Smith Apple Slush with Millennium Falcon Glow Cube
Celto Slush (Kat Saka's Kettle)
Toydaria Swirl (Milk Stand)
Pasaana Punch (Ronto Roasters)
Oga’s Obsession (Oga's Cantina)
Fiery Mustafarian (Oga's Cantina)
Silver Sea Martini (Oga's Cantina)
Chandrilan Chalice (Oga's Cantina)
Chandrilan Orb Glass (Oga's Cantina)

I tried the Bantha Burger during my media preview, compelled by the Pork Belly and the promise of Asian flavors. There’s a lot of interesting things in the Bantha Burger but the spicy slaw overpowers the rest of the dish. This is definitely one of the spiciest things I have ever tried at Disneyland, which is surprising for theme park food. The components elevate the burger above the level of a generic theme park burger, but that spice needs to be better managed to make sure the other elements come through.

New Fireworks Show at Star Wars Galaxy's Edge

It’s a well-kept secret that Star Wars Galaxy’s Edge offers a great view of the Disneyland fireworks, even if it doesn’t include some of the other accouterments like the Projections, Castle fireworks, and flying characters. Finally, Disneyland capitalizes on that alternate view, offering something different than just the same show at a new location. "Fire of the Rising Moons" is a new fireworks show that uses the same fireworks as the main Disneyland show (currently Wondrous Journeys).

With Black Spire Outpost as its foreground, Fire of the Rising Moons is a fireworks show set to the classic Star Wars music from throughout the IP’s many iterations. It’s not as synchronized as seeing the fireworks on Disneyland’s Main Street can be, but it’s a perfect show for those Star Wars die-hards. There’s something magical about hearing John Williams's iconic score and seeing a newly created lightsaber lift into the air, and Fire of the Rising Moons is going to help create a bunch of new fireworks memories for guests.

Sabine Wren Meet and Greet

Although Star Wars Galaxy’s Edge used to only offer meet and greets with characters that were alive within the Episode 7-9 timeline, Disneyland has bent its rules as of late, adding characters from some of the Disney+ shows like The Mandalorian and Grogu, Boba Fett , Fennec Shand, and Ahsoka. Sabine Wren is the latest to join the fold as a new meet and greet character during Season of the Force.

Disneyland once again nails it with Sabine’s design, giving her armor a lot of cool details and texture. Her bright purple hair ensures that she stands out in a crowd, and the Mandalorian helmet she carries offers a fun prop to snap photos of as well.

Galaxy’s Edge still gets the most attention for its rides, but the character meet and greets are another way that Batuu feels like a lived-in place. And with another fan-favorite character like Sabine wandering around, there is even more to see in the land.

Star Wars Jedi Fans Will Love the BDX Droids

The other cool meet and greet event that is rolling out with Season of the Force is an encounter with BDX Droids. Disney had been testing the BDX Droids last year at the park, but now they are making their official debut. Like a live version of BD-1 from Star Wars Jedi: Survivor , these little droids are another example of the power of Disney Imagineering as they waddle about in front of the Galaxy’s Edge crowds.

Disneyland has smartly included a BDX Droid trainer to help engage with guests and provide direction for the droids. Obviously, there is a Cast Member lurking with a remote control, but the BDX Droids are so cute and filled with personality that it’s easy to forget they aren’t actual robots.

Hyperspace Mountain is a Star Wars Makeover for the Classic Ride

Season of the Force also sees the return of Hyperspace Mountain, which is a Star Wars-themed overlay for Space Mountain. Basically, some of the space-y elements have been traded for zipping Tie Fighters and the music is classic Star Wars. Space Mountain is a thrill ride that works primarily because of its dark, star-filled background and music, so trading that for some Star Wars theming is a perfect marriage. Purists might prefer classic Space Mountain but Hyperspace Mountain is still a great time.

Season of the Force Seek and Find and New Merchandise

For those looking to get a little more out of the Season of the Force, there is a Seek and Find card available for free. Guests will explore various parts of the park looking for clues to decode a message and then earn a reward. According to a Cast Member, the reward will rotate out every two weeks, so frequent visitors should plan to play multiple times during the Season.

Season of the Force also brings some new merchandise with it, including two items that are simply incredible. The Jabba the Hutt popcorn bucket is one of the best I’ve ever seen. It includes a little Salacious Crumb to attach to the lanyard, and when you open it, the bucket triggers a Jabba laugh sound effect. On the first day of Season of the Force, lines for the bucket were consistently long, and let me just say it’s well worth it.

The other amazing piece of merch for Season of the Force is a Star Tours jacket that might seem hideous. But those who regularly visit the park and know the Star Tours cast member uniforms will be very tempted to pick this up. I know I was but the only sizes left were extra small by the time I got to the Star Traders store.

Season of the Force Final Thoughts

Overall, Season of the Force brings a packed slate of activities and additions to Disneyland that are sure to delight guests and Star Wars fans alike. A new scene in Star Tours is obviously the biggest talking point, but there is so much to see and do that you might need a full day just dedicated to the event to experience it all. And based on just my two days spent seeing it all, I can say that Season of the Force is another win for Disneyland.

Rosario Dawson stars as Ahsoka Tano in this Disney Plus Star Wars series that brings some of the franchise's most beloved characters from the animated world into live-action. The series, created by Dave Filoni, also stars Natasha Liu Bordizzo as Sabine Wren, Mary Elizabeth Winstead as Hera Syndulla, and the late Ray Stevenson as Baylan Skoll.

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The original look of the exterior of Star Tours at Disney's MGM Studios
The Complete History Of Star Tours
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Looking Back on the History and Impact of the Original Star Tours 35
Five Intergalactic Star Tours Facts
AT-AT in front of Star Tours. Disney's Hollywood Studios, Orlando

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COMMENTS

Star Tours
Star Tours was a motion simulator attraction at several Disney theme parks, based on the successful Star Wars film series created by George Lucas.Set in the Star Wars universe, the attraction sent guests on an excursion trip to Endor, whilst being caught in an altercation between the New Republic and an Imperial Remnant.The attraction featured Captain "Rex" RX-24 along with series regulars R2 ...
How Star Tours Laid the Stage for Disney's Galactic Ambitions
Origins. Image: Disney. The early phases of the ride that would become Star Toursweren't Star Wars-themed at all. Disney originally envisioned a ride simulator attraction in Tomorrowland based ...
The History Of Disneyland's Star Tours: How Star Wars Came To The
The Star Tours ship then travels with the X-wings where they find a Death Star, and guests get to experience a trench run like the one we saw in Star Wars: A New Hope. After successfully ...
Looking Back on the History and Impact of the Original Star Tours 35
Credit: d-info on Tumblr Guest reaction was so positive that plans were immediately made to install the attraction at Tokyo Disneyland and Walt Disney World. The "Star Wars" franchise is massively popular in Japan, so making Star Tours the second major addition to Tokyo Disneyland since its opening in 1983 was a match made in heaven.
Star Tours: The Making of Disney's Classic Star Wars Ride
Earlier in January, Star Tours turned 35. The groundbreaking attraction has been a favorite of Disney Parks visitors the world over, and it would prove an influential part of the "Star Wars ...
The Complete History Of Star Tours
Join us on Expedition Hollywood Studios as we look at the Complete History Of Star Tours just in time for the release of Star Wars Rise Of Skywalker. Followi...
Star Tours at 35: A Timeline From 'Star Wars' Simulator Ride to Galaxy
Inside Disneyland's Newest 'Star Wars' Attraction for 2020! (Exclusive) Aoki Lee Simmons, 21, Spotted Kissing 65-Year-Old Restaurateur Gwen Stefani and Son Apollo Assist Blake Shelton With Farm Work
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A trip through the history of Disney's Star Tours ride and how this unconventional addition to the Star Wars mythos led to Disney's eventual purchase of Luca...
Star Tours
For Walt Disney World dining, please book your reservation online. 7:00 AM to 11:00 PM Eastern Time. Guests under 18 years of age must have parent or guardian permission to call. Board Star Tours - The Adventures Continue, a 3D, motion-simulated flight to exotic locales from the 'Star Wars' saga—at Walt Disney World Resort in Florida.
The Evolution of Star Tours
Star Tours is Disney's first Star Wars-themed ride with an evolutionary history that has been shaped and shifted as the film series grew. New characters, des...
SWCA 2022: 5 Creative Lessons Behind the Making of Star Tours
Before Star Tours, Imagineer Chris Runco had collaborated with Tony Baxter on attractions like Big Thunder Mountain Railroad. The chance to work on a Star Wars project was an exciting opportunity because, as Runco explained, "the whole [WDI] model shop crew were fantastic Star Wars fans.
Star Tours
Development Pre-production. In 1998, Disney began planning to upgrade Star Tours as part of the release of the upcoming 1999 film Star Wars: Episode I - The Phantom Menace, the first film of the new prequel trilogy.There would be new flights, with passengers going to the Boonta Eve Classic Podrace on Tatooine.Captain Rex would still be a part of the new version and the droids in the queue ...
Complete Guide to Star Tours
Complete Guide to Star Tours - The Adventures Continue at Hollywood Studios. May the force be with you on this thrilling 3D space flight to legendary destinations from the Star Wars saga. You'll take to the stars with C-3PO and R2-D2. But watch out for some familiar, less-than-friendly faces like Kylo Ren or Darth Vader!
Five Intergalactic Star Tours Facts
Long before Disney acquired the Star Wars franchise, you could travel to a galaxy far, far away on Star Tours: The Adventure Continues at Disney's Hollywood Studios.The original ride has been ...
The New Star Tours Update: Everything You Need, and Want, to Know
Before Disney bought Star Wars, the two brands began their courtship with a ride. Star Tours opened in 1987 and has seen many new upgrades and additions over the years.This week, for its Season of ...
Five Things to Know About Star Tours
1. You enter the spaceport under an AT-AT. Your Star Tours adventure begins outdoors, where the surroundings have been designed to resemble an Ewok Village (as seen in Return of the Jedi). You get to pass under a full-size AT-AT walker to get to the entrance of the ride's building, which in and of itself is pretty cool.
Every New Star Wars Location And Character Added To Disney's Star Tours
As new movies in the Skywalker Saga were subsequently released, new locations were added to the ride. "The Force Awakens" brought Jakku to Star Tours, with "The Last Jedi" bringing Crait, and "The ...
Guide to Star Tours at Hollywood Studios
Star Tours is a motion simulator ride at Disney's Hollywood Studios in Walt Disney World. The ride. has a height requirement of 40 in / 102 cm. offers rider switch. has a Lightning Lane that is a part of Genie+. does not have a single rider line. is a part of Early Entry at Hollywood Studios. is about 4 minutes long.
Star Tours
On January 9, 1987, George Lucas and Walt Disney Imagineering brought the Star Wars galaxy to life at Disneyland Park.. The original Star Tours attraction blasted off to Endor. In the years since, the experience has been updated with new worlds and iconic characters from Star Wars: The Force Awakens, Star Wars: The Last Jedi and Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker.
Ahsoka, Andor and The Mandalorian Inspire New Star Tours Adventures
Over the years, we've been working hard to keep our Star Wars experiences in Disney Parks evolving alongside that expanding galaxy far, far away. That is also part of what makes Star Tours - The Adventures Continue so special. So now, I am excited to share that, starting April 5, 2024, at Walt Disney World Resort, Disneyland Resort and Disneyland Paris, Star Tours - The Adventures ...
How the 501st and Rebel Legions Became Part of Star Tours
Disney Parks' Star Tours got a facelift three years ago and became Star Tours - The Adventures Continue.The Star Wars-themed ride first opened at Disneyland in 1987 and Disney's Hollywood Studios in Orlando in 1989.The new version of the attraction features familiar features like the StarSpeeder, but the queue and experience got an upgrade and became more powerful than you can possibly...
Star Tours
7:00 AM to 11:00 PM Eastern Time. Guests under 18 years of age must have parent or guardian permission to call. Make the jump to hyperspace on Star Tours - The Adventures Continue, a 3D, motion-simulated flight to far-away destinations from the 'Star Wars' saga, located in Disney's Hollywood Studios at Walt Disney World Resort near ...
All of the Star Tours
Star Tours - The Adventures Continue at Disney's Hollywood Studios is the second incarnation of the park's original Star Wars-based motion simulator and debuted in 2011. For this attraction, guests board a Starspeeder 1000 piloted by C-3PO and encounter a number of planets, characters, and scenes spanning the Skywalker Saga.
Star Tours: Inside the Secret History of Disney's Classic 'Star Wars' Ride
Earlier in January, Star Tours turned 35. The groundbreaking attraction has been a favorite of Disney Parks visitors the world over, and it would prove an influential part of the " Star Wars ...
Star Tours Ride at Disneyland: Things You Need to Know
For most visitors, Star Tours is a must-do ride — or at least ride it if you have time. Restrictions: 40 inches (102 cm). Regardless of height, children under age seven years must be accompanied by a person aged 14 years or older. Fun Factor: High. Star Tours is one of the best rides at Disneyland . Wait Factor: High.
Meet the Star Tours Creators Through Interviews, Autographs
This photo shows Michael Eisner, center, Disney chairman, and Star Wars creator George Lucas as they prepare to use a lightsaber to cut the ribbon to open the new Star Tours attraction at Disneyland in Anaheim, Calif., Jan. 9, 1987. Without Eisner, the ride never would have come to fruition. (AP Photo/Bob Galbraith)
What to know about Disneyland's updated Star Tours ride
The additions to Star Tours are arguably the centerpiece of Disneyland's all-things-"Star Wars" promotion Season of the Force, which debuted this past weekend and runs through June 2.The ...
Star Tours
For assistance with your Walt Disney World visit, please call 0800 028 0778 (UK) or 1800 812 678 (Ireland). Board Star Tours - The Adventures Continue, a 3D, motion-simulated flight to exotic locales from the 'Star Wars' saga—at Walt Disney World Resort in Florida.
New Star Tours Cast Member-Inspired Hoodie, Shirts, and Ball Cap at
Guests may now visit Seatos and encounter Ahsoka Tano, Cassian Andor, or Din Djarin and Grogu in the randomized scenes of Star Tours: The Adventures Continue. The update debuted a month before Star Wars Day on May the 4th. The new merchandise doesn't reference the new scenes. It's available at Tatooine Traders in Disney's Hollywood Studios.
What's New for Season of the Force at Disneyland
Disneyland kicks off Season of the Force with a new Star Tours scene based off Ahsoka, a new Star Wars fireworks show, fun merch, food, and more. Star Tours adds a new scene set on the planet ...

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