When Disney announced they would be expanding the Star Wars imprint in their parks with the opening of themed lands that would come to be known as Galaxy’s Edge, one of my first thoughts was about Star Tours. The Disney Parks attraction was nearly the company’s first theme park collaboration with George Lucas (the first being Captain EO in 1986), and selfishly, Star Tours was my first exposure to Star Wars.
The ride first opened in Disneyland in 1987 and was updated with a new story after a few decades in operation and became Star Tours – The Adventures Continue in 2011. The makeover updated the single narrative of the motion simulator ride and added in an array of destinations with different introductions, mid-flight messages, and endings for hundreds of possible combinations–including relatively new destinations including The Force Awakens, The Last Jedi, and even Galaxy’s Edge. And happily, Star Tours won’t be going anywhere or changing when the new Star Wars land opens.
Images: Disney Parks, Lucasfilm
Amy Ratcliffe is the Managing Editor for Nerdist and author of Star Wars: Women of the Galaxy. Follow her on Twitter and Instagram.