Star Tours to Receive New Ride Films

Star Tours is a popular attraction at Disney parks that takes guests on an immersive journey through the Star Wars universe. The ride has been a staple of Disney parks since its debut in 1987, but continues to grow and develop. Now, Disney has announced that more ride films will be added, coming in 2024. Unfortunately, they have not yet announced any new missions for Millennium Falcon: Smuggler’s Run, so we’ll have to rely on Star Tours for our new adventures.

Origin

The idea for Star Tours first came about in the early 1980s when George Lucas and Disney Imagineers began discussing the possibility of creating a Star Wars-themed ride. Lucas was intrigued by the idea of using the latest technology to create a unique and immersive experience for park guests.

The ride was officially announced in 1985 and opened to the public in 1987 at Disneyland. It was an instant hit, with long lines and rave reviews from guests. The ride’s popularity led to the creation of additional Star Tours attractions at Disney parks around the world.

The original Star Tours ride used a motion simulator to create the sensation of flying through space. The ride’s storyline followed a group of droids as they take guests on a thrilling journey through the Star Wars universe, encountering iconic characters and locations along the way.

Initial Expansion Plans

In the early 1990s, Disney announced that it would be creating new ride films for Star Tours that would feature different storylines and destinations. The plan was to create four additional ride films, each with its own unique storyline and characters.

The first new ride film was to be set on the forest moon of Endor and would have featured the Ewoks from Return of the Jedi. However, due to budget constraints and other factors, the project was eventually shelved.

Instead of creating new ride films for Star Tours, Disney decided to focus on updating and improving the existing attraction. In 2010, the company announced that it would be revamping the ride with new technology and a new storyline, which led to the creation of Star Tours: The Adventures Continue. The updated ride opened in 2011 and featured a new storyline that incorporated characters and locations from the Star Wars prequel trilogy and the then-upcoming sequel trilogy.
The Adventures Continue

The updated ride also used new technology that allowed for randomized storylines and multiple ride experiences. This meant that guests could ride Star Tours multiple times and experience different storylines and scenarios each time.

Since its debut, Star Tours has become one of the most beloved and iconic attractions at Disney parks. It has been praised for its innovative use of technology, immersive storytelling, and its ability to transport guests to a galaxy far, far away.

And Will Continue On

In recent years, Disney has continued to expand the Star Wars universe with new movies, TV shows, and attractions. Disney has not yet shared specifics on what will exist in the updated show films coming next year, but they have said that they will feature places we have not yet gone to. With how focused Disney is on cross-promotion, it’s likely that these will tie in to some of the coming series, like Ahsoka and the newly announced movies.

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