The fate of Star Tours?

[Goofyernmost]

I know this ship has sailed but I wish creative could have been more "creative" in the beginning to try and keep Star Tours tied to Star Wars land. After all the ride is about passengers on a fight to a destination from a space port. I envisioned this ride as being sort of a third entrance to the land. This is how I would imagineer it if money were no object.

Beginning wait and cue mostly the same but with travel posters and departure times like an airport. Get on ride with whole new movie showing our trip to Galaxy's Edge. When the ride ends you exit to the terminal of a space port at Galaxy's Edge onto a moving walkway like at real airports. Off to your side you would see a terminal with airline gates with actual set pieces of seats, gate kiosks and other props populated with various alien life forms both static and some movement sitting in the seats waiting for their flights and maybe robotic trash cans or baggage carts moving about. Beyond that you would see the window looking down on the tarmac but instead it would be screens showing ships taxiing, landing and taking off. You would continue on your walkway following the signs like a real airport to "exit to Galaxy's Edge" and be there.

I admit I don't know based on its location it could have been done or how they could theme the outside so its location makes sense but I think it would have been a lot of fun.

I see what you are saying, but, by doing so you just created two problems. First, you have funneled the entire SWL crowd through a narrow and slow passage to a land. The extra downside of that move, other then the massive crowd that would be at the Star Tours location, would be the isolation and of the Muppets attraction to the point of oblivion. A traffic flow nightmare would result. Second, it would force people to continue on to TSL and prevent those that are coming from TSL of the experience that you are describing. Even if the Muppets didn't exist, the time that it would take to get people into Galaxy's edge, one that I expect to be massive demand. It couldn't work properly even if the attraction and the land were side by side.

 

[JCoppola]

I understand, I did not envision it to be the main entrance to the land, just another. And, if people were waiting in line there maybe the other entrances would be less crowded. I agree if such an attraction did exist the wait times would be unbearable for several years probably.

 

[GlacierGlacier]

I know this ship has sailed but I wish creative could have been more "creative" in the beginning to try and keep Star Tours tied to Star Wars land. After all the ride is about passengers on a fight to a destination from a space port. I envisioned this ride as being sort of a third entrance to the land. This is how I would imagineer it if money were no object.

Beginning wait and cue mostly the same but with travel posters and departure times like an airport. Get on ride with whole new movie showing our trip to Galaxy's Edge. When the ride ends you exit to the terminal of a space port at Galaxy's Edge onto a moving walkway like at real airports. Off to your side you would see a terminal with airline gates with actual set pieces of seats, gate kiosks and other props populated with various alien life forms both static and some movement sitting in the seats waiting for their flights and maybe robotic trash cans or baggage carts moving about. Beyond that you would see the window looking down on the tarmac but instead it would be screens showing ships taxiing, landing and taking off. You would continue on your walkway following the signs like a real airport to "exit to Galaxy's Edge" and be there.

I admit I don't know based on its location it could have been done or how they could theme the outside so its location makes sense but I think it would have been a lot of fun.

That would be an amazing addition. Just funnel the exit for guests back behind the muppets stuff and enter Galaxy's Edge by Alcatraz. It's probably more money and effort than disney would put into it, but it's still such a cool idea.

 

[danlb_2000]

I know this ship has sailed but I wish creative could have been more "creative" in the beginning to try and keep Star Tours tied to Star Wars land. After all the ride is about passengers on a fight to a destination from a space port. I envisioned this ride as being sort of a third entrance to the land. This is how I would imagineer it if money were no object.

Beginning wait and cue mostly the same but with travel posters and departure times like an airport. Get on ride with whole new movie showing our trip to Galaxy's Edge. When the ride ends you exit to the terminal of a space port at Galaxy's Edge onto a moving walkway like at real airports. Off to your side you would see a terminal with airline gates with actual set pieces of seats, gate kiosks and other props populated with various alien life forms both static and some movement sitting in the seats waiting for their flights and maybe robotic trash cans or baggage carts moving about. Beyond that you would see the window looking down on the tarmac but instead it would be screens showing ships taxiing, landing and taking off. You would continue on your walkway following the signs like a real airport to "exit to Galaxy's Edge" and be there.

I admit I don't know based on its location it could have been done or how they could theme the outside so its location makes sense but I think it would have been a lot of fun.

This idea has come up many times in the past. I don't think the lack of a connection between Star Tours and Galaxy's Edge has anything to do with not being able to come up with a way to do it, I think it was a choice.

 

[RSoxNo1]

I see what you are saying, but, by doing so you just created two problems. First, you have funneled the entire SWL crowd through a narrow and slow passage to a land. The extra downside of that move, other then the massive crowd that would be at the Star Tours location, would be the isolation and of the Muppets attraction to the point of oblivion. A traffic flow nightmare would result. Second, it would force people to continue on to TSL and prevent those that are coming from TSL of the experience that you are describing. Even if the Muppets didn't exist, the time that it would take to get people into Galaxy's edge, one that I expect to be massive demand. It couldn't work properly even if the attraction and the land were side by side.

Actually, if this is one of three entrances it wouldn't be the bottleneck you're saying it would be.

 

[Goofyernmost]

Actually, if this is one of three entrances it wouldn't be the bottleneck you're saying it would be.

If it were set up as a travel point to Galaxy's Edge why wouldn't everyone want to enter that way? It's not that other possibilities don't exist, but, how many would want to miss out on that part of the journey. So, indeed it would create an unnecessary bottle neck and have nothing but hassle for Disney attached to it. In other words, even at best, it wouldn't have happened. Those coming from the Star Tours side would want to experience it and those coming from the TSL side would be upset because the same experience wasn't available to them. There is no way it could be done without a whole lot of problems. Think about it!

 

[AEfx]

If it were set up as a travel point to Galaxy's Edge why wouldn't everyone want to enter that way? It's not that other possibilities don't exist, but, how many would want to miss out on that part of the journey.

Seems to work fine over at Universal and Harry Potter.

 

[No Name]

Guests have to exit near their strollers. I don't love the idea anyway.

Seems to work fine over at Universal and Harry Potter.

The demand for Hogwarts Express is severely limited by the fact that most guests don't have park hopper passes. Most guests are unable to ride. I don't see a comparison.

 

[Goofyernmost]

Seems to work fine over at Universal and Harry Potter.

Not really the same thing and for those that want to use the train at Uni, the capacity for each trip is much higher. On top of that you go from one park to another and complete a circle without actually missing anything along the way. Just not the same at all, plus Uni requires you to park hop to use that particular path. Nothing really gets bypassed.

 

[RSoxNo1]

If it were set up as a travel point to Galaxy's Edge why wouldn't everyone want to enter that way? It's not that other possibilities don't exist, but, how many would want to miss out on that part of the journey. So, indeed it would create an unnecessary bottle neck and have nothing but hassle for Disney attached to it. In other words, even at best, it wouldn't have happened. Those coming from the Star Tours side would want to experience it and those coming from the TSL side would be upset because the same experience wasn't available to them. There is no way it could be done without a whole lot of problems. Think about it!

First off, Star Tours isn't for everyone (makes my wife sick, has a height requirement, etc). Beyond that, from strictly a throughput standpoint having the option to not get there through Star Tours is just operationally logical. Either way, it's not happening.

 

[RSoxNo1]

Not really the same thing and for those that want to use the train at Uni, the capacity for each trip is much higher. On top of that you go from one park to another and complete a circle without actually missing anything along the way. Just not the same at all, plus Uni requires you to park hop to use that particular path. Nothing really gets bypassed.

I don't believe one leg of the train has a higher capacity than Star Tours, but I could be mistaken.

 

[AEfx]

I understand, I did not envision it to be the main entrance to the land, just. And, if people were waiting in line there maybe the other entrances would be less crowded. I agree if such an attraction did exist the wait times would be unbearable for several years probably.

Regardless of if they attempted to connect them initially or not, I just don't think there is any worry about Star Tours actually going anywhere. I would never doubt the veracity of Martin's information - I am sure right now that very well is the plan. However, given how astronomically popular we know that SWL is going to be, the more I think about it the more I just cannot see it happening.

When the park is overrun with Star Wars fans wanting Star Wars, I just don't see any way they will be able to close a relatively decent capacity ride, which can be infinitely updated, has multiple experiences so people will want to ride it multiple times, etc. that expands the Star Wars experience. Especially when, as most of us have been speculating, they are going to be having a lot of ticketed events, they can sell more ticket capacity with three rides versus two.

I just can't see them actually going through with it and closing it down. I can see them eventually expanding SWL to encase it, as well.

 

[Pixieish]

Regardless of if they attempted to connect them initially or not, I just don't think there is any worry about Star Tours actually going anywhere. I would never doubt the veracity of Martin's information - I am sure right now that very well is the plan. However, given how astronomically popular we know that SWL is going to be, the more I think about it the more I just cannot see it happening.

When the park is overrun with Star Wars fans wanting Star Wars, I just don't see any way they will be able to close a relatively decent capacity ride, which can be infinitely updated, has multiple experiences so people will want to ride it multiple times, etc. that expands the Star Wars experience. Especially when, as most of us have been speculating, they are going to be having a lot of ticketed events, they can sell more ticket capacity with three rides versus two.

I just can't see them actually going through with it and closing it down. I can see them eventually expanding SWL to encase it, as well.

I really, REALLY hope you're right! My entire family loves Star Tours.

 

[DisneyDodo]

One of the major issues with keeping Star Tours, regardless of whether it’s connected to SWGE, is that it really handicaps Disney in terms of what they can do with the Echo Lake area. If they want to finally give the land a somewhat-immersive theme (be it Indy or something else), Star Tours will most likely have to be rethemed or replaced to make it work.

 

[Goofyernmost]

First off, Star Tours isn't for everyone (makes my wife sick, has a height requirement, etc). Beyond that, from strictly a throughput standpoint having the option to not get there through Star Tours is just operationally logical. Either way, it's not happening.

Thanks for repeating what I just said. However, designing something the is inherently connected to the land all the while being aware that they will automatically prevent some people from experiencing it, when the whole concept is totally unnecessary is border line suicide. It just would not be a good idea, and if it slows things down to the amount of time it physically has to, then before long it would hardly ever be used.

It makes far more sense to change it to something new that people can enjoy without thinking about how long it is taking to just get into a land, much less enjoy it. If as you say, it is not going to be popular enough to create any bottleneck, then why bother with it. There will be enough SW for everyone once they get inside the land on foot.

 

[Goofyernmost]

I don't believe one leg of the train has a higher capacity than Star Tours, but I could be mistaken.

If I had to guess. and I do because I didn't count the rooms and the number of cars, I would think that it was maybe three times more people, and shorter duration. Also don't lose sight of the fact that it is an upcharge at Universal. You want to ride you have to have purchased a hopper ticket for both Universal and IOA. There is also nothing about it that restricts who can ride on it.

 

[Ripken10]

First off, Star Tours isn't for everyone (makes my wife sick, has a height requirement, etc). Beyond that, from strictly a throughput standpoint having the option to not get there through Star Tours is just operationally logical. Either way, it's not happening.

Humor me here (sorry to beat a dead horse...), but if Star Tours was used as one of the entrances to the land wouldn't this create a point where they would have to close Star Tours on high attendance days to restrict people from going into SW:GE? There will be points when this land reaches capacity, and they will not be able to let others in. If, at this point, they didn't close down the ride you would be creating a "back door" into a land that has already reached capacity. So in this case, when they are required to close down the ride to restrict people from entering the land, you will now have one of the rides in HS closed with 0 ride capacity on one of the busier attendance days of the year.

 

[RSoxNo1]

If I had to guess. and I do because I didn't count the rooms and the number of cars, I would think that it was maybe three times more people, and shorter duration. Also don't lose sight of the fact that it is an upcharge at Universal. You want to ride you have to have purchased a hopper ticket for both Universal and IOA. There is also nothing about it that restricts who can ride on it.

When talking about capacity, I meant it as a "per hour" distinction, which is what's relevant here.

Hogwarts Express uses two 168 passenger trains for a total Cycle capacity of 336. The ride is ~4 minutes, and I would expect with load and unload that the actual cycle time is closer to 7 minutes. That's 2880 guests per hour total (so 1440 per leg). Admittedly these are estimates but it should at least put things in perspective.

Star Tours has six 40 passenger bays for a total Cycle capacity of 240. The ride is ~4.5 minutes and I would expect with load and unload that the actual cycle time is closer to 7.5 minutes. That's 1800 guests per hour total.

 

[THE Monorail Lime]

Indian jones ride idea!!!
So the ships are now trucks invented by one of dr jones friends. You board the truck at the new museum. Indian jones has brought a cursed idol and it transports your truck to one of the following 2 locations

-the temple of the forbidden eye
-the Grand Canyon place
-the alien cave
-mine cart track
-catacombs
And more!
Easy redoing the queue and not really the ride and not replaceing dinosaur!

 

[RSoxNo1]

Humor me here (sorry to beat a dead horse...), but if Star Tours was used as one of the entrances to the land wouldn't this create a point where they would have to close Star Tours on high attendance days to restrict people from going into SW:GE? There will be points when this land reaches capacity, and they will not be able to let others in. If, at this point, they didn't close down the ride you would be creating a "back door" into a land that has already reached capacity. So in this case, when they are required to close down the ride to restrict people from entering the land, you will now have one of the rides in HS closed with 0 ride capacity on one of the busier attendance days of the year.

In theory yes, but it could be as simple as most days they direct people one way, and have an alternate way to direct traffic. I also suspect that on such days where there is a line to enter the land, they could also regulate that line with Star Tours. Having said that, it's not happening.