Whatever Happened to the Star Tours Refurb?

[DopeyDancer87]

Hey eveyone,

I know this is extremely random, but a few years ago, cast member confirmed to me and my dad that there was going to be a major change to Star Tours, including a new theme and movie. They even told us that that was why they redid the entire facade of the ride. Since then, we have been checking back to see if anything has been done, but it seems like they don't plan on doing anything more to it. Anyone know the story behind this?

[mattj4226]

There are still some rumors floating around about a change sometime this year.

[StitchFan23]

Hopefully, it won't center around The Phantom Menace. Don't get me wrong. My opinion on that episode? Love it. But look at the critics comparing TPM to other classic episodes. If they turned it into The Phantom Menace, popularity of the ride would sink.


My guess is the ride will go deeper into the Original Star Wars storyline. Rex could possibly make a cameo in the queue, but an animatronic Luke Skywalker will fly this ship. Is he still doing a tour? Well....Yes and no. You guys are new pilots. Luke is sent on 2 missions: to destroy the Dreaded Death Star, and to show you how the ship works. The ride gets hectic when Ol' Vader pops up.


After the ride, guests will see a theater presentation about the History of Star Wars. (Don't worry...if Grandpa snoozes throughout, he can leave the theater.) The exiting queue has animatronic Ewoks celebrating the defeat of the Empire.

Pretty cool, huh?

[mattj4226]

Thats a good idea, only if you have the option to opt out (kind of like Norway).

It wouldn't bother me if they just left the story line alone, just clean up the movie and everything else.

[StitchFan23]

Don't worry, you can opt out.

[DopeyDancer87]

The rumor I had heard awhile ago was that they were going to turn it into some sort of a racing ride (simulator as it is now) through the dessert (sorry if it has another name, I'm not a Star Wars junkie, and if it weren't for the fact that the ride is pretty cool, I probably wouldn't care to ride it).

[HiddenMick]

They were probably planning on it but George Lucas probably keeps changing his mind. Do you remember how long it took to make Indy 4???

[mritty]

Hey eveyone,

I know this is extremely random, but a few years ago, cast member confirmed to me and my dad that there was going to be a major change to Star Tours, including a new theme and movie. They even told us that that was why they redid the entire facade of the ride. Since then, we have been checking back to see if anything has been done, but it seems like they don't plan on doing anything more to it. Anyone know the story behind this?

As much as some might like to think so, just because a Cast Member says it, doesn't mean it's true. Cast Members hear rumors from other cast members, from management, etc. Then they repeat them as fact.

Basically, as long as it's a random CM telling you something, it's rumor. Period. It's only a fact when an authorized Disney press agent tells you.

(The bus drivers are the worst at this, by the way. They're almost *constantly* spouting off information as though it's concrete fact, and almost never is)

The Star Tours refurb rumor has been making the rounds since at least 2005, when I first started paying attention. Neither Disney nor Lucas has ever officially announced it.

[YpsiWilly]

I think the current storyline is pretty old if you've seen it more that twice. I thought I heard somewhere that they were testing Star Tours 2.0 in the old Body Wars simulator thingy. I don't know though. Maybe it's wishful thinking.

I think it should be interactive or something. I mean, with all the other interactive stuff, it'd be cool to see, like, Ewoks or Yoda or somebody talking to people. That would be awesome.

[GirlStar613]

if they were to change the story i would hope it wouldn't be too drastic...i have seen all the new star wars but i wasn't really a big fan so i probably wouldn't really get a story line based too heavily on the newer movies.

[mattj4226]

^ Agreed. The new movies aren't real Star Wars movies, in my opinion, so I hope that if they do change it, they will stick to the current story line.

[HiddenMick]

Yeah, the Original Trilogy is WAY better.

[Justin M]

It's pretty challenging task to ask for things to change while remaining the same . . .

[BamaJenn]

As much as some might like to think so, just because a Cast Member says it, doesn't mean it's true. Cast Members hear rumors from other cast members, from management, etc. Then they repeat them as fact.

Basically, as long as it's a random CM telling you something, it's rumor. Period. It's only a fact when an authorized Disney press agent tells you.

(The bus drivers are the worst at this, by the way. They're almost *constantly* spouting off information as though it's concrete fact, and almost never is)

The Star Tours refurb rumor has been making the rounds since at least 2005, when I first started paying attention. Neither Disney nor Lucas has ever officially announced it.

Took the words right from my fingers! If every rumor I had been told by a CM ended up true, the parks would be a very different place. All over these forums you'll find threads that say "CM Confirmed X" and yet they've sat for a couple years and those things haven't happened. CMs are just as prone to the rumor mill as guests. WDI won't let something randomly leak to a CM like that so I think it's fair to say that like itty said, until you hear it in a press release, don't consider it fact.