Star Tours: Difference between revisions

Revision as of 00:07, 7 March 2006

Latest revision as of 21:36, 2 August 2025

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{{Short description|Former attraction at Disney theme parks}}

{{Infobox_Film |

{{About|the former versions in the US, France and Japan|the current Disneyland, Disney's Hollywood Studios, Tokyo Disneyland, and Disneyland Paris attraction|Star Tours – The Adventures Continue}}

name = Star Tours |

{{Use American English|date=January 2025}}

image = startours.jpg |

{{Use mdy dates|date=October 2024}}

caption = A poster from the Star Tours ride. |

{{More citations needed|date=May 2021}}{{Infobox attraction

writer = [[George Lucas]] (uncredited) |

<!--GLOBAL STATISTICS-->

starring = [[Anthony Daniels]]<br>[[Ira Keeler]]<br>[[Paul Reubens]] |

| name director = [[George Lucas]] | = Star Tours

| logo = Star Tours logo.svg

producer = George Lucas<br>Tom Fitzgerald |

| logo_width costumes = unknown |=

| image = Star Tours poster.jpg

distributor = [[Lucasfilm|Lucasfilm Ltd.]]<br>[[Disneyland]] |

| imagedimensions = 250px

released = [[January 9]], [[1987]] |

| caption runtime = 4 min. 30 sec.= |Attraction poster

<!--INDIVIDUAL PARK STATISTICS-->

language = English |

| ___location budget = Unknown |= Disneyland

| section music = [[JohnTomorrowland Williams]](Disney Parks)|Tomorrowland]]

| coordinates = {{coord|33.8118|N|117.9177|W|region:US-CA_type:landmark_scale:2000|display=inline}}

awards = Unknown |

| status imdb_id = 0094029 |Removed

| cost = US$32 million

| opened = {{Start date and age|1987|1|9}}

| closed = {{End date and age|2010|7|26}}

| previousattraction = [[Adventure Thru Inner Space]]

| replacement = [[Star Tours – The Adventures Continue]]

| altname2 =

| location2 = Tokyo Disneyland

| section2 = Tomorrowland

| coordinates2 = {{coord|35.6334|N|139.8783|E|region:JP_type:landmark_scale:2000|display=inline}}

| status2 = Removed

| cost2 =

| soft_opened2 =

| opened2 = {{Start date and age|1989|7|12}}

| closed2 = {{End date and age|2012|4|1}}

| previousattraction2 =

| replacement2 = [[Star Tours – The Adventures Continue]]

| location3 = Disney's Hollywood Studios

| section3 = [[Disney's Hollywood Studios#Echo Lake|Echo Lake]]

| coordinates3 = {{coord|35.6334|N|139.8783|E|region:JP_type:landmark_scale:2000|display=inline}}

| status3 = Removed

| cost3 =

| soft_opened3 =

| opened3 = {{Start date and age|1989|12|15}}

| closed3 = {{End date and age|2010|9|7}}

| previousattraction3 =

| replacement3 = [[Star Tours – The Adventures Continue]]

| location4 = Disneyland Park (Paris)

| section4 = [[Tomorrowland (Disney Parks)|Discoveryland]]

| coordinates4 = {{coord|48.8751|N|2.7794|E|region:FR_type:landmark_scale:2000|display=inline}}

| status4 = Removed

| Closed =

| cost4 =

| soft_opened4 =

| opened4 = {{Start date and age|1992|4|12}}

| closed4 = {{End date and age|2016|3|16}}

| previousattraction4 =

| replacement4 = [[Star Tours – The Adventures Continue]]

<!--GENERAL STATISTICS-->

| type = [[Motion simulator]]

| designer = {{flat list|*[[Walt Disney Imagineering]]

*[[Lucasfilm]]}}

| manufacturer = Rediffusion Simulation

| model =

| theme = <!--Should be linked.-->

| music = [[Richard Bellis]]<ref>{{cite web|title=Music by Richard Bellis|url=http://www.richardbellis.com/page2/page2.html|access-date=May 24, 2013|archive-url=https://archive.today/20130630055900/http://www.richardbellis.com/page2/page2.html|archive-date=June 30, 2013}}</ref><br>[[John Williams]] (original themes)

| height_ft =

| drop_ft = <!--Must be expressed in feet and may contain only numeric characters.-->

| drop_m = <!--Must be expressed in metres and may contain only numeric characters.-->

| length_ft = <!--Must be expressed in feet and may contain only numeric characters.-->

| length_m = <!--Must be expressed in metres and may contain only numeric characters.-->

| speed_mph = <!--Must be expressed in miles per hour and may contain only numeric characters.-->

| speed_km/h = <!--Must be expressed in kilometres per hour and may contain only numeric characters.-->

| sitearea_sqft = <!--Must be expressed in square feet and may contain only numeric characters.-->

| sitearea_sqm = <!--Must be expressed in square metres and may contain only numeric characters.-->

| gforce =

| capacity =

<!--Use only one of vehicles, rows, participants, or audience-->

| vehicle_type =

| vehicles = 4 (Disneyland)<br />6 (Disney's Hollywood Studios, Tokyo Disneyland and Disneyland Paris)

| riders_per_vehicle = 40

| rows =

| riders_per_row = <!--Only use if rows has been specified.-->

| participants_per_group= 40

| audience_capacity = <!--For shows-->

| duration = 4:30

| restriction_in = 40

| virtual_queue_name = [[Disney's Fastpass]]

| virtual_queue_image = Fastpass availability icon.svg

| virtual_queue_status= was available

| single_rider =

| pay_per_use = <!--Must be "available" if available.-->

| custom_label_1 = [[Audio-animatronics]]

| custom_value_1 = Yes

| custom_label_2 = Host

| custom_value_2 = Captain Rex ([[Paul Reubens]])

| custom_label_3 =

| custom_value_3 =

| custom_label_4 =

| custom_value_4 =

| custom_label_5 =

| custom_value_5 =

| custom_label_6 =

| custom_value_6 =

| custom_label_7 =

| custom_value_7 =

| custom_label_8 =

| custom_value_8 =

| accessible =

| transfer_accessible = yes

| assistive_listening =

| cc =

| small = <!--Must be "yes" to collapse ___location sections by default-->

}}

{{Star Wars Portal}}

'''Star Tours''' is a [[simulator ride]] located in many of the [[The Walt Disney Company|Disney]] [[amusement park|theme park]]s, including [[Disneyland]] in [[California]], [[Disney-MGM Studios]] in [[Florida]], [[Disneyland Paris]] in [[France]], and [[Tokyo Disneyland]] in [[Japan]]. The ride is based on the successful "[[Star Wars]]" franchise of movies, created by [[George Lucas]]. This made it, notably, the first of the park's attractions that did not use Disney-designed imagery.

'''Star Tours''' was a [[motion simulator]] attraction at several [[Walt Disney Parks and Resorts|Disney theme parks]], based on the successful [[Star Wars|''Star Wars'' film series]] created by [[George Lucas]]. Set in the ''Star Wars'' universe, the attraction sent guests on an [[excursion]] trip to [[Endor (Star Wars)|Endor]], whilst being caught in an altercation between the [[New Republic (Star Wars)|New Republic]] and an [[Galactic Empire (Star Wars)|Imperial Remnant]]. The attraction featured Captain "Rex" RX-24 along with series regulars [[R2-D2]] and [[C-3PO]].<ref>{{cite book |last1=Strodder |first1=Chris |title=The Disneyland Encyclopedia |date=2017 |publisher=Santa Monica Press |isbn=978-1595800909 |edition=3rd |pages=456–457}}</ref>

Although it has existed since [[1987]], it is considered by many aficionados to be the epitome of the ride form, melding a full sensory experience with the familiarity of a proven entertainment franchise. The first incarnation of the ride appeared in [[Tomorrowland]] at [[Disneyland]] in [[1987]], replacing the previous attraction, [[Adventure Thru Inner Space]].

At its debut at [[Disneyland]] in 1987, it was the first attraction based originally on a non-Disney [[license]]d [[intellectual property]]. The first incarnation of the ride appeared in [[Tomorrowland (Disney Parks)|Tomorrowland]] at Disneyland in 1987, replacing the previous attraction, [[Adventure Thru Inner Space]]. The attraction had subsequent openings at [[Tokyo Disneyland]], [[Disney's Hollywood Studios]], and [[Disneyland Park (Paris)|Disneyland Paris]].

== Plot summary ==

The attraction at Disneyland and Disney's Hollywood Studios closed in 2010 to allow conversion for its successor attraction, [[Star Tours – The Adventures Continue]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.starwars.com/news/how-the-501st-and-rebel-legions-became-part-of-star-tours|title=How the 501st and Rebel Legions Became Part of Star Tours|date=August 29, 2014|website=StarWars.com}}</ref> The latter ___location was completed on May 20, 2011. Tokyo Disneyland and Disneyland Paris closed their versions for conversion in 2012 and 2016,<ref name="PR Japan closure">{{cite web|title=Star Tours to be Reintroduced in a New Version! - Star Tours: The Adventures Continue - Opening Spring 2015|url=http://www.olc.co.jp/wpmu/wp-content/blogs.dir/7/files/2011/11/20111116_02e.pdf|work=Press Release|publisher=Tokyo Disney Resort|access-date=November 19, 2011|date=November 16, 2011|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111125053118/http://www.olc.co.jp/wpmu/wp-content/blogs.dir/7/files/2011/11/20111116_02e.pdf|archive-date=November 25, 2011}}</ref> marking the original ride's final run of 29 years.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://radiodisneyclub.fr/star-tours-2-disneyland-paris/|title=Star Tours 2 à Disneyland Paris pour les 25 ans|author=DreamDisney|date=October 7, 2014|work=Radio Disney Club}}</ref>

{{Spoiler}}

Advertised as "The Ultimate Star Wars Adventure!," ''Star Tours'' puts the guest in the role of a [[space tourism|space tourist]] en route to the forest moon of [[Endor]] via the Star Tours travel agency. Much is made of this throughout the ride queue, and the theming of the inside holding area is convincingly modeled to look like a spaceship boarding terminal. This area is stocked with [[Audio-Animatronics|Audio-Animatronic]] characters that seem to interact with the ride patrons (including versions of Star Wars favorites [[C-3PO]] and [[R2-D2]], delivering a typical [[Laurel and Hardy]]-esque routine), as well as a life size mock-up of the [[minor vehicles in Star Wars#StarSpeeder 3000|StarSpeeder 3000]], the [[spacecraft]]/[[simulator ride]] that guests embark on. According to the book "Disneyland Detective" by Kendra Trahan, the figures of C-3PO and R2-D2 in the Disneyland attraction are actual props from the original film, modified to operate via Audio-Animatronics.

==History==

Once at the head of the line, the ride operators escort guests into one of several ride theatres. As the doors close, the bumbling [[pilot (spaceflight)|pilot]] [[droid]] of the ship, [[minor droids in Star Wars#RX-24|RX-24]] or Rex (voiced by [[Paul Reubens]]), chats up the guests about the trip as he sets up. All goes well until a slight mistake on Rex's part sends the ship down the wrong tunnel and plummetting down into a maintenance yard, just managing to escape to open space before a giant mechanical appendage crushes the ship. That same scene features a tribute to the "[[Adventure Thru Inner Space]]" attraction: The "Mighty Microscope" is clearly visible to the right of the screen after the appendage sweeps by. Once in space, Rex puts the ship into [[speed of light|light speed]], but pulls out too late to catch the ship's intended destination, instead getting caught inside a [[comet]] field. The ship gets trapped inside one of the larger comets and has to maze its way out. Just when all the trouble seems to be over, the ship encounters a [[Star Destroyer]]. The ship gets caught in its tractor beam, but manages to get loose when a rebel [[X-wing]] fighter (possibly [[Wedge Antilles]]) provides assistance. Soon the ship accompanies the Rebellion on a massive assault on a [[Death Star]]. Rex uses the StarSpeeder's lasers to eliminate [[TIE fighter|TIE fighters]] while a rebel destroys the Death Star in the same manner as [[Luke Skywalker]] did in ''[[Star Wars Episode IV: A New Hope]]''. A final light speed jump sends the StarSpeeder back where it started, but not before a near collision with a fuel truck in the spaceport.

[[File:Star Tours Entrance DLR.jpg|thumb|250px|Attraction at Disneyland]]

The ride that became ''Star Tours'' first saw light as a proposal for an attraction based on the 1979 Disney live-action film ''[[The Black Hole (1979 film)|The Black Hole]]''. It would have been an interactive ride-simulator attraction where guests would have had the ability to choose the route.<ref>{{cite web |title=Disney's Black Hole Attraction: Never Built Disneyland Part 3 |date=March 24, 2020 |url=https://www.themeparksandentertainment.com/2020/03/disneys-black-hole-attraction-never.html |access-date=October 28, 2022}}</ref> However, after preliminary planning, the ''Black Hole'' attraction was shelved due to its enormous cost as well as the unpopularity of the film itself.<ref>{{Cite web |title=The History of Space in Disney World |url=https://worldofwalt.com/the-history-of-space-in-disney-world.html |access-date=November 18, 2022 |website=World Of Walt |date=April 3, 2019 |language=en-US}}</ref>

Instead of completely dismissing the idea of a simulator, the company decided to make use of a partnership between [[Disney]] and [[George Lucas]], the creator of ''Star Wars'', that began in 1986 with the opening of ''[[Captain EO]]'' (a [[3D film|3-D]] [[musical film]] starring [[Michael Jackson]]) at the California park. Disney then approached Lucas with the idea for ''Star Tours''. With Lucas's approval, Disney [[Walt Disney Imagineering|Imagineers]] purchased four military-grade flight simulators<ref>{{Cite web |title=The Secret History of Disney Rides: Star Tours |url=https://www.undercovertourist.com/blog/secret-history-star-tours/ |access-date=October 31, 2022 |website=www.undercovertourist.com}}</ref> at a cost of $500,000 each and designed the ride structure.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Harness • |first=Jill |title=Neatorama Facts: Star Tours |url=https://www.neatorama.com/2011/07/27/neatorama-facts-star-tours/ |access-date=October 31, 2022 |website=Neatorama |date=July 27, 2011 |language=en}}</ref>

Technically speaking, the intense shaking that the passengers feel should not be there. Most Star Wars [[starships]] are equipped with [[inertial compensator]]s, which ideally would negate shaking and bouncing around. These compensators, although built primarily for [[starfighter]]s, would probably also be present on passenger [[starship]]s as well. Since the passengers feel shaking and bouncing, one can assume that the inertial compensators are either faulty or nonexistent, which is probabbly a breach of some public safety law. But it is a [[theme park]] ride, after all. However, several ships in the ''[[Star Wars]]'' films are seen shaking during flight, such as the ''[[Millennium Falcon]]'' and the [[X-wing]] fighters, though the inertial compensators are primarily intended to comfort the rider, not the vehicle.

Meanwhile, Lucas and his team of [[special effect]]s technicians at [[Industrial Light & Magic]] produced the first-person perspective film that would be projected inside the simulators. When both simulator and film were completed, a [[programmer]] then sat inside and used a joystick to synchronize the movement of the simulator with the apparent movement on screen.<ref>{{Cite web |date=January 9, 2022 |title=Looking Back on the History and Impact of the Original Star Tours 35 Years Later - WDW News Today |url=https://wdwnt.com/2022/01/looking-back-on-the-history-and-impact-of-the-original-star-tours-35-years-later/ |access-date=October 31, 2022 |website=wdwnt.com |language=en-US}}</ref> On January 9, 1987, at a final cost of $32 million,<ref name=":0" /> the ride opened to throngs of patrons, many of whom dressed up as ''Star Wars'' characters for the occasion. In celebration, Disneyland remained open for a 60-hour marathon from January 9 at 10 a.m. to January 11 at 10 p.m.<ref name=":0">{{Cite web |title=WDW Chronicles: New Star Tours Opening Ceremony |url=https://allears.net/wdw-chronicles-new-star-tours-opening-ceremony/ |access-date=October 31, 2022 |website=AllEars.Net |language=en-US}}</ref>

== Cast ==

===Closing===

*Anthony Daniels .... C-3PO (attraction queue area) (voice) (uncredited)

On August 14, 2010, [[Disney's Hollywood Studios]] hosted the "Last Tour To Endor" event exclusively for [[Star Wars Celebration|Celebration V]] attendees at Disney's Hollywood Studios from 8pm to 1am.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://marquee.blogs.cnn.com/2010/05/06/star-tours-gets-ready-to-make-final-flights-to-endor/|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100509191154/http://marquee.blogs.cnn.com/2010/05/06/star-tours-gets-ready-to-make-final-flights-to-endor/|url-status=dead|archive-date=May 9, 2010|title=Star Tours gets ready to make final flights to Endor}}</ref> Entertainment features and events at "Last Tour To Endor" included [[George Lucas]], character appearances, [[Star Wars Weekends#Attractions|Jedi Training Academy]], Death Star Disco, Bespin Stage Dance Party, ''[[Indiana Jones Epic Stunt Spectacular!|Raiders Of The Lost Jedi Temple of Doom: A Fan Film of Epic Proportions]]'' live show, [[Star Wars Weekends#Events|Hyperspace Hoopla]], ''Symphony in the Stars'' fireworks, and the ''Star Tours'' shutdown ceremony. The Star Tours shutdown ceremony was a live show with characters [[C-3PO]], [[R2-D2]], [[Boba Fett]], [[Darth Vader]], and a few [[Stormtrooper (Star Wars)|Stormtroopers]], culminating in the official power-down of the original Disney World ''Star Tours'' attraction. However, instead of R2-D2 simply shutting it down, Boba Fett destroyed the ride's power supply using a thermal detonator (achieved using pyrotechnics). The ride was still open after the shutdown ceremony until September 7, 2010, when the attraction held its "Final Flight to Endor" exclusive to [[D23 (Disney)|D23]] members.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://disneyparks.disney.go.com/blog/2010/09/star-wars-fans-take-last-tour-to-endor-aboard-star-tours/|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100908092517/http://disneyparks.disney.go.com/blog/2010/09/star-wars-fans-take-last-tour-to-endor-aboard-star-tours/|url-status=dead|archive-date=September 8, 2010|title=Star Wars Fans Take Last Tour to Endor Aboard Star Tours|date=September 7, 2010 }}</ref>

*Ira Keeler .... Man who ducks under desk at the end of the ride (uncredited)

*Paul Reubens .... REX (voice) (uncredited)

== Canonicity Attraction==

Advertised as "The Ultimate ''Star Wars'' Adventure!", Star Tours puts the guest in the role of a [[space tourism|space tourist]] en route to the [[Forest Moon of Endor]], the site of the climactic battle of ''[[Return of the Jedi]]'', via the Star Tours travel agency. Much was made of this throughout the ride queue, which was designed to look like a spaceship boarding terminal: posters advertised voyages to different planets, and a giant screen informed riders of the benefits of going to Endor. This area was stocked with [[Audio-Animatronics|Audio-Animatronic]] characters that seemed to speak to the ride patrons (including [[C-3PO]] and [[R2-D2]]), as well as a life-size mock-up of a StarSpeeder 3000, the fictional [[spacecraft]] which riders were about to board. According to the book ''Disneyland Detective'' by Kendra Trahan, the figures of C-3PO and R2-D2 in the Disneyland attraction were actual props from the original trilogy, modified to operate via Audio-Animatronics.<ref>{{Cite book |last=Trahan |first=Kendra |title=Disneyland Detective: An Independent Guide to Discovering Disney's Legend, Lore, and Magic |publisher=Permagrin Publishing |year=2004 |language=English}}</ref>

Guests then enter a maintenance area where an apparently underproductive G2 [[droid (Star Wars)|droid]] performs repairs on another droid while being distracted by the observing guests, and another droid inadvertently points out all the supposed flaws of the StarSpeeder 3000 and its RX pilots. A ride attendant escorts guests to one of several loading stations where they wait for their turn to ride.{{Citation needed|date=October 2022}}

As with the majority of ''Star Wars'' fiction, Lucasfilm has attempted to fit the general events of ''Star Tours'' into the official ''Star Wars'' canon. The Death Star seen in the ride video is considered the Death Star prototype, as explored in the [[Kevin J. Anderson]] novels ''[[The Jedi Academy trilogy#Jedi Search|Jedi Search]]'' and ''[[The Jedi Academy trilogy#Champions of the Force|Champions of the Force]]''. The destruction of the Death Star prototype, also seen in the ride video, is considered a depiction of its destruction at [[The Maw]], as described in the previously mentioned novels.

A television screen above the queue displays a countdown to take-off time and shows images of the StarSpeeder 3000 spacecraft being serviced. As launch time approaches, a safety video is shown featuring ''Star Wars'' aliens, Disney Imagineers, and their families. It instructs guests how to fasten their seat belts and where to place belongings. Once the doors to the starspeeder open, guests walk across bridges into one of the several starspeeder cabins. As the doors close, the bumbling [[pilot (spaceflight)|pilot]] [[droid (Star Wars)|droid]] of the ship, RX-24 or Rex (voiced by [[Paul Reubens]]), appears on the side screen and chats to the guests about the trip as R2-D2 is loaded onto the spacecraft.{{Citation needed|date=October 2022}}

Also, the [[minor vehicles in Star Wars#StarSpeeder 3000|StarSpeeder 3000]], which is the "vehicle" that the riders are placed in during the ride, has been referenced and seen in-universe in the computer game ''[[Star Wars: TIE Fighter|TIE Fighter]]'', as well as in [[Timothy Zahn]]'s novel ''[[Vision of the Future]]''.

Rex lowers the cockpit shield, and the hangar crew activate the flight platform. All goes well until a slight mistake on Captain Rex's part sends the starspeeder crashing into the maintenance bay doors and plummeting into the maintenance yard. They barely crash into the control room and nearly collide with a giant mechanical arm. Once in space, Rex asks R2-D2 to make the jump to [[speed of light|lightspeed]]. However, the ship accidentally passes the Endor moon and instead gets caught inside a [[comet]] cluster. The ship gets hit by several comets before getting trapped in one of the larger comets. The StarSpeeder weaves its way through the comet and escapes by crashing through one of the walls. Upon escaping the comet, however, the ship encounters a [[Star Destroyer]] of the Imperial remnant.{{Citation needed|date=October 2022}}

== Development ==

The StarSpeeder gets caught in its [[tractor beam]], but manages to get loose when a New Republic [[X-wing]] fighter provides assistance by destroying the tractor beam generator. Soon the StarSpeeder accompanies the Republic fleet on an assault on the [[Death Star|Death Star III]] (later revealed by [[Leland Chee]] in 2013 to be a habitation sphere disguised as a Death Star in a plot by an Imperial warlord to distract the New Republic). Rex uses the StarSpeeder's lasers to eliminate several [[TIE fighter]]s while a Republic pilot destroys the Death Star in the same manner as [[Luke Skywalker]] by firing two proton torpedoes into the exhaust port. The X-wings jump to lightspeed as the Death Star explodes, and a final lightspeed jump sends the StarSpeeder back to the spaceport, nearly colliding with a fuel truck in the hangar and sending a Star Tours employee ducking under his desk. As the cockpit shield raises and cuts off Rex as he apologizes for the near-fatal flight, C-3PO instructs the passengers on the exit procedure and thanks them, oblivious to the perils they had faced. The exit doors opposite the entrance then open and the passengers proceed across another set of bridges into the exit hall towards the Star Trader gift shop.{{Citation needed|date=October 2022}}

[[Image:Star_tours.06.jpeg|thumb|right|@50px|Another poster from ''Star Tours''.]]

The ride that became Star Tours first saw light as a proposal for an attraction based on the [[1979]] Disney live-action flop ''[[The Black Hole]]''. It would have been an interactive ride simulator attraction, where guests would have had the ability to choose the ride car's route, but after preliminary planning, the ''Black Hole'' attraction was shelved due to its enormous cost&mdash;approximately $50 million USD&mdash;as well as the unpopularity of the film itself. But instead of completely dismissing the idea of a simulator, the company decided to make use of a partnership between Disney and George Lucas, the creator of Star Wars, that began in [[1986]] with the opening of [[Captain EO]] (a [[3-D film|3-D]] [[musical film|musical]] film starring [[Michael Jackson]]) at the California park. Disneyland then approached Lucas with the idea for the Star Tours amusement ride, he approved.

===Cast===

With his approval, Disney [[Walt Disney Imagineering|Imagineers]] purchased four large military flight simulators at a cost of $500,000 each and designed the ride structure. Meanwhile, Lucas and his team of [[special effect]]s technicians at [[Industrial Light and Magic]] worked on the first-person perspective film that would be projected inside the simulators. When both simulator and film were completed, a [[programmer]] then sat inside and, with the aid of a joystick, manually synchronized the movement of the simulator with the apparent movement on the film. On January 9, 1987, at a final cost of $32 million, almost twice the cost of building the entire park in 1955, the ride finally opened to throngs of patrons, many of whom dressed up as ''Star Wars'' characters for the occasion. In celebration, Disneyland remained open for a special 60 hour marathon from January 9, 1987 at 10am to January 11, 1987 at 10pm.

====English====

== Attraction facts ==

*[[Anthony Daniels]] – [[C-3PO]] (voice and action)

*[[Ben Burtt]] – [[R2-D2]]

*[[Paul Reubens]] – Captain RX-24, a.k.a. Rex (voice)<ref name="Star Tours with Paul Reubens" />

*[[Brian Cummings]] – Vid-Screen Announcer (planetary destinations) (voice)

*Stephanie Taylor – Safety Instructor

*[[Steve Gawley]] – cameo as Red Leader (onboard video)

*[[Warwick Davis]] – cameo as [[Wicket W. Warrick|Wicket]] the [[Ewok]]

====Japanese dub====

[[Image:StarTours.jpg|right]]

* [[Yūji Mitsuya]] – Captain RX-24, a.k.a. Rex (voice)

*'''Grand Opening:'''

**Disneyland: [[January 9]], [[1987]]

**Tokyo Disneyland: [[July 12]], [[1989]]

**Disney-MGM Studios: [[December 15]], [[1989]]

**Disneyland Paris: [[April 12]], [[1992]] (Opened with Disneyland Paris)

*'''Designer:''' [[Walt Disney Imagineering]], [[Industrial Light and Magic]]

*'''Simulators:''' 4

*'''Height Requirement:''' 40" (102cm)

*'''Sponsors (Disneyland):''' [[Energizer Holdings|Energizer]] ([[1998]]-current), [[M&M's]] ([[1987]]-[[1998]])

*'''Show Length:''' 4:30

*'''Ride System:''' Flight simulator with Audio-Animatronics all synced to film

*[[Image:FASTPASSAvailability.png|20px|FASTPASS Avaliable]] (All parks excluding Tokyo)

====French Sequel dub====

* Anthony Daniels – C-3PO

* Luq Hamet – voice of Captain RX-24 (Rex)

Muren, Gawley, and Keeler were all [[Industrial Light & Magic]] computer animation staff. One year earlier, Reubens had voiced the shipboard computer in the Disney film ''[[Flight of the Navigator]]'' (credited as Paul Mall), in which his character was named Max. Reubens credited this role with his being cast for the ride.<ref name="Star Tours with Paul Reubens">{{cite web|title=Star Tours with Paul Reubens|url=http://d23.disney.go.com/news/2011/08/star-tours-with-paul-reubens/|work=Interview|publisher=D23 The Official Disney Fan Club|access-date=September 19, 2012|date=August 9, 2011}}</ref>

In April 2005, at the ''Star Wars'' Celebration III, ''Star Wars'' creator George Lucas confirmed that a ''Star Tours II'' is in production. This new ride will apparently be prequel-oriented.

===Ride Trivia system===

Star Tours utilized [[hydraulic]] [[flight simulator|motion base cabin]]s featuring six degrees of freedom, including the ability to move 35 degrees in the [[Cartesian coordinate system#In three dimensions|X-Y-Z plane]].{{Citation needed|date=November 2022}} The simulator was patented as [[Advanced Technology Leisure Application Simulator]] (ATLAS), originally designed by Rediffusion Simulation<ref>{{cite news|last1=Peltz|first1=James F.|title=Hughes Agrees to Sell Flight Simulator Unit|url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1993-11-25-fi-60803-story.html|access-date=August 24, 2014|date=November 25, 1993}}</ref> in [[Sussex]], [[England]], now owned by [[Thales Training & Simulation]] (ex-[[Thomson-CSF]]).{{Citation needed|date=November 2022}} The Rediffusion 'Leisure' simulator was originally developed for a much simpler show in Canada called "Tour of the Universe", where it featured a single entrance/exit door in the rear of the cabin and a video projector. The film was front-projected onto the screen from a [[70 mm film]] projector located beneath the cockpit barrier.{{Citation needed|date=November 2022}} The [[Disneyland]] original had four simulators, while the [[Tokyo Disneyland]], [[Disneyland Park (Paris)|Disneyland Paris]], and [[Disney's Hollywood Studios]] versions each had six motion bases.{{Citation needed|date=November 2022}}

{{Clear}}

[[Image:StarToursEntrance96 wb.jpg|thumb|Disneyland Star Tours entrance in 1996 before Tomorrowland makeover.]]

[[Image:StarToursEntrance98 wb.jpg|thumb|Disneyland Star Tours entrance in 1998 after makeover.]]

*At Disneyland in Anaheim, California, Star Tours replaced an attraction known as "[[Adventure Thru Inner Space]]," in which guests were notionally shrunk to microscopic size for travel through a snowflake. Exiting the first scene during the Star Tours film, the Mighty Microscope from "Adventure Thru Inner Space" can be seen.

<!--*While waiting in line, a voice announcement calls out for an illegally parked speeder license number THX-1138.

*Another announcement asks for the owner of a speeder with the license plate number "THX1138," which is the name of the first film made for commercial distribution by George Lucas.-->

*While waiting in line, a voice announcement calls out for an illegally parked speeder license number [[THX 1138|THX-1138]], which is the name of the first film made for commercial distribution by George Lucas.

*On the PA system in the waiting area, a voice says, "Mr. Egroeg Sacul, Mr. Egroeg Sacul." (Try spelling the name backwards!)

<!--*Listen for an announcement looking for a Mr. Egroeg Sacul; then spell it backwards. -->

*On Rex, the robotic pilot of the StarSpeeder 3000, a bright red tag can be seen attached to his torso. The tag says "Warning! Remove before Flight".

*On the PA system in the waiting area, a voice says a message for "Mr. Tom Morrow," who was a character in [[Mission to Mars (attraction)|Mission to Mars]], which closed in [[1992]] and later became an actual character for the attraction [[Innoventions]], which opened in [[1998]].

<!--*Yet another announcement asks for Mr. Tom Morrow, which was the name of the Audio-Animatronic "operations director" host of the old Flight to the Moon attraction in the Magic Kingdom. -->

*The G2 repair droids in the queue line are actually the skeletons of two goose animatronics from [[America Sings]]. They were removed from the show for this attraction during the last 2 years of its run.

*REX "has a very bad feeling about this" when the ship flies into one of the comets. This a [[running gag]] in the ''Star Wars'' films. See: [[Notable lines in the Star Wars series]].

*The fuel tanker that the StarSpeeder 3000 almost runs into at the end has on its side a hazardous materials sign and registration number. The registration number is Lucasfilm's old office phone number.

*Rex's voice belongs to Paul "Pee-Wee Herman" Ruebens.

*The baskets of parts in the Droidnostics Center in the queue for Star Tours at Disneyland and Disney-MGM Studios have hidden initials and birth dates of WDI and ILM team members who worked on the attraction.

*Look closely at the pre-boarding video. The passengers are not actors but Imagineers and their families.

*The work crews shown in the docking bays and control rooms of the film are actually members of the Industrial Light & Magic model shop staff. In fact, ILM Visual Effects Supervisor Dennis Muren and his crew can be seen diving out of the way when Rex accidentally steers the StarSpeeder 3000 toward the control room on the right.

*Who was that horrified the guy in the landing bay who ducks in terror as Rex nearly crash into him with the StarSpeeder 3000 at the end of the flight? Contrary to popular belief it's not George Lucas, but in fact an ILM modelmaker named Ira Keeler.

*During the ride, Rex says that he's always wanted to do this. In the Star Wars book "Tales from the Mos Eisley Cantina," it states that there was a droid at the Death Star who "announced it had always wanted to do this."

*The [[List of Star Wars vehicles#StarSpeeder 3000|StarSpeeder 3000]] has several blast marks, one of which appears to resemble a [[Mickey Mouse]] head.

*Several aliens from the ''Star Wars'' theatrical films and offshoot productions make appearances in the opening safety video. Examples include a [[Wookiee]] (from the theatrical films) and [[List of minor Star Wars characters#Teek|Teek]] (from the TV film ''[[Ewoks: The Battle for Endor]]'').

== External linksSuccessor ==

{{Main|Star Tours – The Adventures Continue}}

The successor attraction, [[Star Tours – The Adventures Continue]], opened in [[Disney's Hollywood Studios]] on May 20, 2011, and at [[Disneyland]] on June 3, 2011, replacing the parks' original Star Tours attractions. It features an updated ride system, consisting of a new [[high-definition video]], a [[Dolby 3D]] [[3-D film|high-definition]] screen, improved [[motion simulator]]s, and several new special effects and [[Audio-animatronics]].

The attraction is set at an earlier point in the ''Star Wars'' timeline<ref name="DPB Starspeeder 1000 ">{{cite web|last=Trujillo|first=Dara|title=Sneak Preview: Starspeeder 1000 Collectible Exclusively at Star Wars Celebration V|url=http://disneyparks.disney.go.com/blog/2010/07/sneak-preview-starspeeder-1000-exclusively-at-disneys-star-wars-celebration-v/|publisher=Disney Parks Blog|access-date=September 25, 2010|date=July 30, 2010|archive-date=September 15, 2010|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100915112515/http://disneyparks.disney.go.com/blog/2010/07/sneak-preview-starspeeder-1000-exclusively-at-disneys-star-wars-celebration-v/|url-status=dead}}</ref> (between ''[[Star Wars: Episode III – Revenge of the Sith|Revenge of the Sith]]'' and ''[[Star Wars (film)|A New Hope]]'') and is piloted by [[C-3PO]].<ref name="DPB C-3PO to Pilot Star Tours">{{cite web|last=Fitzgerald|first=Tom|title=Who's Flying This Thing!?|url=http://disneyparks.disney.go.com/blog/2010/10/whos-flying-this-thing/#more-14270|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101028041840/http://disneyparks.disney.go.com/blog/2010/10/whos-flying-this-thing/#more-14270|url-status=dead|archive-date=October 28, 2010|publisher=Disney Parks Blog|access-date=October 26, 2010|date=October 26, 2010}}</ref> Rex appears as a newly-delivered droid in the queue of The Adventures Continue, and as the house DJ of Oga's Cantina in [[Star Wars: Galaxy's Edge|''Star Wars'': Galaxy's Edge]], with the latter considered official ''Star Wars'' [[Canon (fiction)|canon]] and set roughly 3 decades after the events of the original Star Tours.

An episode of '''"The Mandalorian," ''' a Star Wars series featured on the Disney+ streaming platform, featured a group of RX-series Droids.

=== Official links ===

==Gallery==

*[http://disneyland.disney.go.com/disneyland/en_US/parks/attractions/detail?name=StarToursAttractionPage Disneyland: Star Tours]

<gallery>

*[http://disneyworld.disney.go.com/wdw/parks/attractionDetail?id=StarToursAttractionPage&bhcp=1 Walt Disney World's Disney-MGM Studios: Star Tours]

File:Star Tours Queue.jpg|An [[Audio-animatronic]] [[Mon Calamari (fictional race)|Mon Calamari]] can be seen in the control booth.

*[http://www.starwars.com/hyperspace/member/kessel/f20040618/index.html An extensive starwars.com article covering all major aspects of the ride's development, story, and popularity. Article available only to Hyperspace members.]

File:Star_Tours_Queue_Line_facing_Starspeeder.jpg|The queue showing the Starspeeder 3000

*[http://www.starwars.com/hyperspace/member/audiocast/ The complete audio to the ride from starwars.com. Another hyperspace exclusive.]

File:Star_Tours_Loading_Area.jpg|Loading Area

*[http://visionsfantastic.com/main.php?page=st Another Disney website, containing video clips from the ride.]

File:MGM - Star Tours.jpg|Disney's Hollywood Studios' entrance

File:StarToursEntrance98 wb.jpg|Disneyland's entrance in 1998 after the Tomorrowland makeover

File:StarToursEntrance96 wb.jpg|Disneyland's entrance in 1996 before Tomorrowland makeover

File:Tomorrowland TDL.jpg|Tokyo Disneyland's entrance

</gallery>

==See also==

=== Unofficial links ===

{{Portal|Speculative fiction|Film}}

* [[List of former Disneyland attractions]]

* [[Disney's Hollywood Studios attraction and entertainment history]]

* [[List of amusement rides based on film franchises]]

==References==

*[http://www.newgrounds.com/portal/view/51974 Link to a fan's flash-recreation of the ride.]

{{Reflist|30em}}

*[http://www.blueharvest.net/video/original.shtml Link to download a low-quality clip of C-3PO's safety video from the ride.]

*[http://web.archive.org/web/20000229034013/disneylandsource.com/st/index.html Original Star Tours home page.]

*[http://web.archive.org/web/20000305021315/disneylandsource.com/tom/innerspace.html Original homepage of ''Adventure Thru Inner Space'', a ride that once was housed in the same building as ''Star Tours''.]

*[http://www.swstartours.net/ SWStarTours.net: A fansite dedicated to the ride.]

*[http://www.geocities.com/Area51/Station/1741/ Another fansite dedicated to the ride.]

==External links==

{{Star Wars}}

*[http://disneyland.disney.go.com/disneyland/en_US/parks/attractions/detail?name=StarToursAttractionPage Disneyland: Star Tours]

{{Disneyrides}}

*[https://web.archive.org/web/20050215125941/http://disneyworld.disney.go.com/wdw/parks/attractionDetail?id=StarToursAttractionPage&bhcp=1 Walt Disney World's Disney's Hollywood Studios: Star Tours]

* {{IMDb title|qid=Q121543369|id=tt0094029|title=Star Tours}}

*[http://www.endorexpress.net EndorExpress.net (formerly SWStarTours.net) a comprehensive Star Tours site]

*[http://www.newgrounds.com/portal/view/51974 Flash recreation of the ride]

{{Star Wars}}

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