In 1987 a great theme park attraction opened. It was the first of it's kind a motion simulator, themed to the most popular movie series of the day, it became a classic. I'm of course talking about Star Tours at Disneyland. Words cannot express how awesome it was to ride that attraction as an eight year old boy in the summer of '87 even after an hour long line that went all the way to Main Street. But as time went on the attraction lost a bit of it's luster, like a movie you'd seen many times you knew all the jokes every bit of the adventure and even the bumps. It was still great but it was old. Then after many years Lucasfilm and Disney got back together to re make the attraction. It closed down last year, and we all rode one last trip to Endor, and hoped for the best. And on June third the best was delivered, Star Tours the Adventure Continues.
I actually didn't go on the attraction on opening day, I actually went to an annual passholder preview, held on the first of June. Myself and my family got to ride it four times and it was a rare case of catching lighting in a bottle twice, it was just as awesome as that day in 1987 except the line was no where near as long. The ride is so much the same yet completely new. For the Star Wars geeks the ride takes place between Revenge of the Sith and Star Wars, which is great since it can now use the whole breadth of the Star Wars Saga and it does. The Attraction is sort of a prequel to the original Star Tours ride. Star Tours is a brand new service that has been started, and the destination board now shows all of the wonderful places Star Tours can and will take you. The queue that used to take you through the garage now takes you through security, where there are many in jokes, as well as some good airport security humor. my favourite bit is our old pilot Rex being unpacked. Then your on to the ride, and here is where the promise of Star Tours comes to. There are 54 possible "trips" that can happen with a random selection at three (I think) points of deviation, and on my rides we went to Kasshykk, Tatooine, Geonosis, and Coruscant. As well as having run ins with a few favourite characters. The story which I will not spoil basically involves an unexpected pilot, an unwanted passenger and the adventure that follows. The films are great, much like the effects work in the prequel trilogy a mix of computer and miniatures and the look splendid. And did I mention it's in 3D, the 3D is great and does not "fall apart" when you tilt your head like on those 3D simulator rides that littered Vegas in the '90s the 3D is of the Avatar "looking out a window" variety and really helps to sell the immersiveness of the ride. I really think Walt Disney Imagineering and Industrial Light and Magic did a great job, and it's definitely worth going to Disneyland for. Now if the can just get the PeopleMover working again Tomorrowland will be great again.
Photo of course (c) Walt Disney Company and Lucasfilm ltd.
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