Disney’s first Star Wars ride is getting a big update and new star power
Since the 2019 opening of Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge at Walt Disney World and Disneyland, all eyes have been on the immersive new land and its attractions. But Disney hasn’t turned its back on its very first Star Wars ride, Star Tours, which opened in 1987 at Disneyland Park and 1989 at Disney’s Hollywood Studios (then Disney-MGM Studios) at Walt Disney World.
Disney announced that starting April 5, 2024, “Star Tours: The Adventures Continue” at Walt Disney World, Disneyland and Disneyland Paris will introduce characters and locations from the Disney+ series “Ahsoka,” “Andor” and “The Mandalorian.”
The 3D flight simulator ride puts guests aboard a Starspeeder ship, piloted by C-3PO and navigated by R2-D2, that travels to multiple destinations during four randomized main scenes. This means passengers never know where they’re headed, what sort of trouble they could run into during the flight or who might desperately need their help.
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Beginning April 5, Star Tours flights could include an “urgent transmission” from Ahsoka Tano, Cassian Andor, or Din Djarin and Grogu, aka “Baby Yoda.”
Flights may also include a visit to a new destination — the planet Peridea from “Ahsoka.” Disney shared a sneak peek at the scene, in which the Starspeeder flies amongst Purrgil, giant space whales first introduced in the animated series “Star Wars Rebels,” and debuting in live-action in “Ahsoka.” Ahsoka’s T-6 Jedi Shuttle also appears in the footage, shown in the video below posted by Disney Parks:
With the addition of these new scenes, there are now more than 250 possible storyline variations one could experience during the ride, Walt Disney Imagineering portfolio creative executive Scott Trowbridge said in an announcement on the Disney Parks Blog.
Star Tours received its first update in 2011, relaunching as “Star Tours: The Adventures Continue,” and destinations and characters have continued to be added throughout the years in conjunction with the release of new films from the sequel trilogy and ahead of the opening of “Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge.”
Trowbridge first officially announced the new adventures at Star Wars Celebration 2023 in London last April. An update from Disney’s Destination D23 last September confirmed that “Ahsoka” would be part of the forthcoming new adventures.
The April 5 debut coincides with the launch of Season of the Force at Disneyland. From April 5 through June 2, 2024, the park will offer limited-time themed food, beverages and merchandise, a Star Wars-themed overlay of Space Mountain as Hyperspace Mountain and the Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge Nighttime Experience fireworks display.
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