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The Hollywood Studios Star Tours attraction is well over 34 years old at this point. The ride has undergone many changes over the years, but it has consistently remained a staple attraction for Walt Disney World. Star Tours was shut down and updated back in 2010, just before Disney officially purchased Lucasfilm, leaving many modern fans with no memory of the vintage ride. Original Star Tours fans on social media have been reminiscing about the first outing of the Star Wars simulator recently, with one fan actually uploading the first footage of the Star Tours attraction as it existed at launch. The adventure through the Star Wars universe has changed quite a bit since then, but Guests can’t help but remember its initial inception. Check out the footage of the ride as it existed on day one below.
Credit” Disney
How the Original Star Tours has Changed Since Launch
Hollywood Studios was a much different place when Star Tours first launched. The Disney Park was known as MGM Studios back then, and there was no such thing as Galaxy’s Edge and other Walt Disney Imagineering creations centered around the galaxy far, far away.
One fan on Reddit has actually uploaded the initial footage of Star Tours as it existed back when it first launched at Walt Disney World. Commenters have noted that they much prefer the original as it captured the spirit of the franchise in a much more wholesome way.
Paul Reubens, best known as Pee-wee Herman, served as the original Captain Rex guide for the ride. Guests were sent on a mission to Endor, only to be thrown into famous scenes out of the Star Wars movie franchise. It was a simple premise, and the footage is mainly made up of miniatures and practical effects that the modern ride drops for CGI footage.
Nowadays, Star Tours incorporates the Disney trilogy that has little influence from George Lucas. It still features C3-PO and R2-D2 in prominent roles, but Star Wars Launch Bay is the definitive place to see iconic characters today. Captain Rex has actually found a place as the DJ in the Galaxy’s Edge cantina, however.
Credit: Disney
Galaxy’s Edge has grown quite popular since its launch, and Star Tours exists in an odd spot in the Park. Your Disney vacation should still include a stop at Star Tours, but it’s nice to see what the original Star Tours ride gave fans. The adventure continues in a much broader fashion via new rides such as Rise of the Resistance, though the classics still have their charm. Disney Imagineers who designed the original Star Tours likely did not fathom what attractions would become in the modern day.
