| Watch the on-ride POV |
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| The ride's front facade after the refurbishment | |||||||||||||||||||
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| Manufacturer | Thales Training & Simulation | ||||||||||||||||||
| Designer / calculations | Walt Disney Imagineering | ||||||||||||||||||
| Type | |||||||||||||||||||
| Capacity | Four simulators seating forty guests each | ||||||||||||||||||
Star Tours - The Adventures Continue is a Motion simulator attraction located at Disneyland Park in Anaheim, California, USA. Opening on January 9, 1987, as simply Star Tours, the attraction spawned clones at Disney's Hollywood Studios (then known as Disney - MGM Studios), Tokyo Disneyland, and Disneyland Paris. They were all rethemed in 2011, 2013, and 2016, respectively, to be renamed and contain a new film.
History
The attraction's idea started with a ride based on the 1979 movie Black Hole. The idea was that it was to be a simulator with different interactive routes. However, the unpopularity of the film and the cost caused it to be shelved.[1]
However, not all was lost. Instead of scrapping the idea, Disney joined forces with filmmaker George Lucas, extending a partnership already utilized with Michael Jackson to make Captain EO for Epcot in 1986. Getting Lucas' approval, Imagineers then purchased four military-grade training simulators for a believed $550,000 each.[2]
George Lucas and his team at Industrial Lights and Magic would then create the effects seen onscreen by guests, and programmers sat inside and synchronized the movement to the screen via a joystick controller.[3]Adventure Thru Inner Space's former show building was then chosen to insert the four simulators inside.
Star tours would then open on January 9, 1987.[4] To celebrate, the park held a 60-hour marathon from 10 A.M. to 10 P.M.[5]
After opening, the ride would receive very minimal changes. However, for a long time it would remain one of the most popular attractions in the entire park, and a unique ride for its time, as there were barely any simulators at any other theme park.
On July 6, 2010, it was announced that the original ride at Disneyland was to be closed down to make way for a refurbishment.[6] Final rides were held on July of that same year.
It would re-open in 2011 as Star Tours - The Adventures Continue. The new ride has guests put on 3-D glasses to view the attraction, as well as several narrative changes, and new, randomized locations and destinations to make the experience fresh everytime. Since its opening, new locations and characters have been added from the newer films and series of the Star Wars franchise.
References
- ↑ "The History of Space in Disney World". World Of Walt. 2019-04-03. Retrieved 2024-12-15.
- ↑ Harness •, Jill (2011-07-27). "Neatorama Facts: Star Tours". Neatorama. Retrieved 2024-12-15.
- ↑ RebeccaMcK (2022-01-09). "Looking Back on the History and Impact of the Original Star Tours 35 Years Later - WDW News Today". wdwnt.com. Retrieved 2024-12-15.
- ↑ "WDW Chronicles: New Star Tours Opening Ceremony". AllEars.Net. Retrieved 2024-12-15.
- ↑ "WDW Chronicles: New Star Tours Opening Ceremony". AllEars.Net. Retrieved 2024-12-15.
- ↑ "Disneyland's 'Star Tours' is closing and D23 members get the last ride". Los Angeles Times. 2010-07-06. Retrieved 2024-12-15.
