35 years ago today Star Tours opened at Disneyland. On Jan. 9, 1987 guests first hopped aboard Starspeeders for an out-of-this-world adventure. RX-24 then took people on his first flight that ended up being full of adventure and featured iconic Star Wars locations and moments as they make their way to Endor… with a bit of a detour.
Star Tours was the result of a collaboration between Walt Disney Imagineering, George Lucas, and Industrial Light & Magic (ILM). It was the first time that guests could experience Star Wars in a Disney Park. Over the last 35 years, it has become apparent that this was just the first step of many for Star Wars in the Disney Parks. For now guests can fly the Millennium Falcon, fight the First Order, and soon be able to go on a cruise through the galaxy aboard the Halcyon. Star Wars: Galactic Starcruiser will debut at Walt Disney World Resort on March 1, 2022.
The official opening of Star Tours was a multi-day event. Disneyland held a 60-hour party to celebrate the attraction’s opening and allow guests to share their excitement. The opening ceremony itself included Disney Chairman and CEO Michael Eisner, George Lucas, Mickey Mouse, and Minnie Mouse. They were joined by Princess Leia, Luke Skywalker, Han Solo, Chewbacca, some Ewoks, Darth Vader, and also Imperial stormtroopers.
In 2011, Star Tours received an upgrade. Star Tours – The Adventures Continue debuted with upgraded technology and new adventures and destinations for guests to experience. Since the upgrade in 2011, Disney has continued to add more adventures and destinations to the attractions. Each ride about Star Tours has multiple combinations for guests to experience. Today, there are over 100 different ride combinations, keeping the attraction unpredictable for guests ready for a new adventure. The most recent upgrade added scenes from Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker.
While Star Tours opened at Disneyland on this day 35 years ago today, it has since opened in other locations as well. Guests visiting Disney’s Hollywood Studios in Florida, Tokyo Disneyland, and Disneyland Paris can now all go on Star Wars adventures aboard Star Tours as well.
Star Tours was also featured in the Disney+ series Behind the Attraction. In the third episode of the series, fans got a behind-the-scenes look at how Star Tours came to be. This beloved attraction continues to thrill guests young and old visiting Tomorrowland at Disneyland today as they see Star Wars come to life while aboard their Starspeeder. The Force has been strong with this attraction and the adventures continue on!
What is your favorite part of Star Tours? What destination would you like to go to aboard it? What do you think of this beloved attraction? Share your thoughts and opinions in the comments below!
