WDW Disney's Hollywood Studios Discussion Thread

[Hercules]

^ I still have no clue what you are trying to say other than you don't want it to be changed completely.

 

I am definitely not a Star Wars fan, but I thought Star Tours really sucked. I'm interested to see what an updated version would be like.

[djbrcace1234]

^

 

Ehh, forget what I said, then. I'll get over it .

[gisco]

I think the party would be a lot of fun. Wished I lived on the other coast so I could attend and get one of the last rides. I will have to check into see what they are doing in California.

[Wes]

Sorry if it is worded bad, or some matter of that, but basically what I'm saying is I don't see why the whole ride experience is to be changed. I would rather see the old film projected to be replaced, if anything. I don't like how Star Tours is going to get a complete overhaul. In the past, these types of overhauls have not been as great as the original. In all, the new 3-d experience/ "new" look of the star speeders does nothing to attract me to riding it now.

 

Hopefully this clarifies the previous post.

 

What I don't get from your statements is that it's still going to be essentially the same concept, but with a new film and 3D glasses. The "new" look of the Star Speeders is pretty much just a paint job, like if your favorite roller coaster went from red cars to blue cars. Actually, it's even less than that because the Star Tours simulator cabins don't even really look exactly like the Star Speeders they are presented as. With the exception the prop one in the queue, and whichever ones appear in the film, I don't know what you'd be complaining about.

[timfreeman]

I'll be there with my son. With the characters dressed in Star Wars garb, the stunt show, and Star Wars themed fireworks, I couldn't pass it up. It's the closest I'll get to Star Wars Weekend, possibly better with the new show. I don't care about the autographs, so they can keep that at the Celebration in the convention center.

[SLUSHIE]

I sorta don't like this project as it's not going to be as drastic of a change as it should be. I'm sure the whole queue will be updated, still keeping the airport theme but hopefully much more modern. If it sin't completly torn apart and new layout made I'll be disappointed. A giant window looking out to the... runway area with ships taking off and landing would be cool.

 

The lack of change in the vehicles doesn't bug me too much, as to hold as many people as it does it would have to retain its box shape anyways, but I hope the motion platform its on receives a major update to have a more full rage of motion rather than the forward/backward, left/right motion of the current simulator. Since the ride is supposed to travel to different locations I'd also like to see separate gates instead of just the line of simulators but I know that's not going to happen.

[Mechanic]

I remember riding Star Tours the year after it opened. My girlfriend at the time, who is now my wife, had her clip-on earrings fall off during the ride and claimed it to be one the most realistic ride experiences she'd ever had. It was awesome then, but has grown somewhat stale 20-something years later. I still ride it each time we visit the park, but I certainly won't mind it getting a makeover.

[jedimaster1227]

I have updated the previous post (the one with all of the event info) to include some more newly released information, including a little more of a teaser for the Indiana Jones/Star Wars crossover show.

[testtrack321]

Same can be said for orlando.

 

They are also getting the new star tours, and the monsters inc ride at the disney studios park. The magic kingdom is getting a huge remodel of fantasyland with a bunch of new attractions like the little mermaid. There is a strong rumor that epcot will be adding another country soon, as well as the continued additios to animal kingdom.

 

Now if they could only do something about pleasure island.......

 

Woah, hold on there kiddo.

 

1.) Monsters Inc ride is close to being approved, but it has been for at least a year or two. They're sitting on it, and the location where it was to be installed currently has offices in it for the NEXGEN initiative.

 

2.) Name the new rides in FLE besides Little Mermaid. Also, check our Lutz's new article this week.

 

3.) This is pure speculation that happens all the time. Wishful thinking. Same for AK.

 

There are always projects just waiting to be approved, but thanks to TDO being lazy I don't think anything will get added unless they are forced to.

[window]

So is only Star Tours at WDW being replaced?

 

Is there any info regarding what is happening at DLC and DLP?

[Wes]

^ Disneyland and Walt Disney World are both getting the upgrade next year, and I think Tokyo and Paris in 2012.

[djbrcace1234]

Forget anything I have said in this. I sounded stupid; however, I found this online today:

 

http://disneyparks.disney.go.com/blog/2010/08/new-star-tours-video-makes-us-ask-where-will-the-new-star-tours-attraction-take-us/

 

Its a video of 'proposed' flights. Looks nice.

[neovortex2k]

It looks cool!

I'm so bummed after soent $1500 on a three week trip to Orlando i'm gonna miss all this by one week!

I would have loved to gone to the good bye party and happily paid the money.

Also the disney website says Star Tours isn't closed till sept 8th. Does anyonwe know which is correct Sept 8th or August 14th?

[davidmorton]

Video of the "Raiders of the Lost Jedi Temple of Doom - Star Wars Celebration V Disney Last Tour to Endor"

 

[adeuce02]

Star tours at hollywood studios closes on sept 8th. The one in disneyland closes in august i think.

[Foxy Roxy]

I got one last ride on Star Tours before they closed it, I'm happy. Let's pray for better air conditioning.

[looperdooper]

I would like to see a mash up of Cars and Finding Nemo.

 

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Edited August 24, 2010 by cfc

[jedimaster1227]

http://disneyparks.disney.go.com/blog/2010/09/these-are-the-droids-you’re-looking-for/

 

Since everything we do at Imagineering starts with the story, it probably comes as no surprise that one of the first things we set out to do with the new Star Tours show was to figure out when our story should take place within the Star Wars timeline.

 

The existing Star Tours show we internally refer to as “6.5,” since it takes place time-wise after Episode VI Return of the Jedi. Story development for the new show began “a long time ago,” back in 1998, and a story treatment from that year carries the title “Episode 7 – A Star Tours Classic” – referring to the Boonta Classic race that was to be the main feature of the show.

 

But by the time Episode I hit the screens, we were all anxious to know what would surface in Episode III that we might build on for the show. Naturally, we were then curious how Episode III would complete the series. In the end, after numerous discussions, we decided to place our storyline between the two sets of Star Wars trilogies, giving the project the working title “Star Tours 3.5.”

 

This time period gave our show team the ability to tap into the very best of the Star Wars characters and adventures. But turning the clock back also required some interesting changes for the Star Tours show. The Starspeeder 3000 would need to be an earlier model, the Starspeeder 1000, with a new pilot (especially since Rex, the original pilot, opens the original show saying it’s his first flight!)

 

Our design team created a new Tour Droid for the show, an AC Series pilot we dubbed “Ace,” with a personality as different from Rex as you can imagine.

 

We also created a new “spokesbot” for Star Tours, modeled after the WA-7 “Waitress Droid” from the Attack of the Clones. George Lucas suggested the name “Aly San San,” in reference to Allison Janney, the wonderful actress who provides the voice for this new character. We had a terrific time with Allison in the recording sessions for the show – she brought a lot of warmth and humor to the part.

 

These are just two of the droids you can expect to see in Star Tours “The Adventures Continue” next year. And in our next blog, I’ll tell you about a droid who really steals the show in the new attraction!

Ace

Aly San San

[jedimaster1227]

http://disneyparks.disney.go.com/blog/2010/10/on-the-set-of-star-tours-with-c-3po/

 

Things are very busy in the world of Star Tours, both here in California and in Florida as well!

 

A few weeks ago I shared a first look at two new characters joining Star Tours, and today, I want to take you behind the scenes and show you what we were working on back in April 2009. We occupied a large soundstage in Hollywood to film a key sequence of the new show. Anthony Daniels flew in from London to bring C-3PO to life on the stage, as well as workshop the script with our writer Steve Spiegel.

 

I spoke with Anthony Daniels the other day about what it felt like to be back working on Star Tours. “Wow! Back in the gold suit for the first time since ‘Revenge of the Sith,’” was Anthony’s reply. “But on this occasion in front of a beloved Starspeeder, a bit like the one R2 and I’d repaired every day since Disneyland first opened the Star Tours Spaceport all those years ago. I’d enjoyed being a part of the original Star Tours, one of the most wonderful jobs I ever had. I’d been alerted that amazing things were in store for passengers on the new Starspeeder – and for me too – and so here I was again, working with many of the same creative teams, with even more spin and excitement than the first time.”

 

On the immense soundstage, our production team re-created – full size – a portion of the Starspeeder 1000, so we could film it from multiple angles. Later, the effects wizards at ILM, under the direction of Bill George, completed the scene, adding in a whole range of droids and characters, and expanding the scale and scope of the scene.

 

Here, for the first time, are some photos from that soundstage shoot. More on Threepio in our next post.

[Hilltopper39]

AM I the only one that is really not excited at all about the updated version of Star Tours? I mean unless they are able to really improve the ride system, then its just gonna be a crappy simulator with a new video. I wish they would have just gutted the building and attempted to make some kind of unique dark ride attraction.

[jedimaster1227]

http://disneyparks.disney.go.com/blog/2010/10/whos-flying-this-thing/

 

It was great to read your comments about the pilots of Star Tours on my last post. Some people really want to see Rex again in the new show. Others are excited about the introduction of the new character “Ace.” And then there are those who are speculating about a bigger role for Threepio. So, I thought it was time we set the story straight about just who will be in the cockpit in the new show. And guess what? You’re all right!

 

As explained earlier, all Star Tours Starspeeder 1000s are flown using the latest AC-series Tour Droids. And in fact, our initial plans were for our flight to be piloted by AC-38 better known as “Ace.” However, in discussions with George Lucas during the course of our production, we decided to take the story in a very different direction.

 

So…while AC-38 is supposed to be our pilot, by the time we actually take off, the droid sitting in the pilot’s seat will be none other than…C-3PO!

 

It’s one of the biggest changes and surprises in the new show. “Professional grit stopped me from yelling the glorious new storyline from the rooftops,” said Anthony Daniels recently. “It’s fun having secrets like this, waiting to share them at the right time.”

 

You’ll see just how Threepio becomes our pilot when the adventures continue next year.

 

This week, our Imagineering team begins installation of the Audio-Animatronics figures into the Starspeeder cabins at Disneyland park, and next month at Disney’s Hollywood Studios.

 

Oh, and for all you Rex fans, don’t worry – we have a spot for him in the new show!

[gforce532]

So the tin can who hates space travel is going to be flying the ship. Even Rex would be a better pilot.

[J man]

I really like C-3PO. He was always my favorite Star Wars character. But this news makes me a little nervous. I'll reserve final judgement until I've been on the new ride a few times, but I don't think this is a good idea at all.

 

I am glad to hear that there will be a place for Captain Rex somewhere.

[DBJ]

I think it makes sense to have C-3PO because guests will have a emotional connection to him from the movies, whereas Rex would not have the same appeal. In an attraction based on Star Wars, it's more logical to feature characters from the film & tv series, rather than new creations.

[SenseOFone]

^But Rex grew on his riders. He became just as much an icon to the ride as the Starspeeders themselves. It almost feels more coporate, for I feel they're going the "safe" route with this. I hope not, but, as a jedi once said, "I have a bad feeling about this"