PDA

View Full Version : Soarin' over Star Tours



jerhow
09-16-2003, 04:49 PM
Someone in another thread mentioned that a new Star Tours ride is in the works. Now personally, I don't really believe that for one second considering Eisner completely alienated Lucas over the whole Pixar issue.

But anyway, Star Tours is obviously in major need of a change. Has anyone else ever though that a combination of Star Tours with the Soarin' ride experience would create an incredibly thrilling attraction?

After riding Soarin' for the first time, I came away thinking it was a nice pleasant experience, but what a waste of a new technology. Put to proper use as a thrilling E-Ticket, and it could have been a ride I would return to DCA to go on time and time again.

And while riding it a second time, I imagined what it would be like to see that vast starscape on the colossal screen in the middle of a Star Wars dogfight as opposed to swooping over a golf course.

Thoughts?

merlinjones
09-16-2003, 05:07 PM
I'd like to see the Soaring technology used for an Aladdin ride. Imagine soaring on flying carpets over Agrabah and into the Cave of Wonders (in real cartoon animation please, not CGI).

They did something like this on a much smaller scale at DisneyQuest. It was great.

Cadaverous Pallor
09-16-2003, 05:15 PM
Originally posted by jerhow
And while riding it a second time, I imagined what it would be like to see that vast starscape on the colossal screen in the middle of a Star Wars dogfight as opposed to swooping over a golf course.<drool>

Yeah. That would be goooood. :D

Captain Josh
09-16-2003, 05:16 PM
...I'm just wondering how they'd fix IMAX screens and Soarin' technology in that tiny, tiny Star Tours Building....

gliterrboy
09-16-2003, 07:50 PM
It would take SOOOOOO much money to re-do the Star Tours space, but I think it would be WELL worth it!!! I also LOVE the Aladdin ride idea! You guys always come up with awesome ideas, why aren't any of you trying to take over the company from within and change it all??? Hahahahahaha.

I love Soarin' and would gladly go on any ride with the same technology!

mrscoach
09-17-2003, 08:03 AM
I like Soarin' more than Star Tours. I'm pretty sure I'm alone on this one, I know.
Don't get me wrong, Star Tours rocks. But Soarin' is a nice, feel-good ride, with a bit of a thrill, because anytime your feet aren't touching the ground, it's a little nerve-wracking. My husband hates to fly, and Soarin' pulls him in like a tractor-beam. He can't stay away from it.
And I love the way they have the orange smell during the orange grove part, and the aircraft carriers - I always get choked up when I see them, since my Dad spent many months on one years ago. And the flight over Disneyland. It's so warm and fuzzy!:)

jerhow
09-17-2003, 09:20 AM
Originally posted by mrscoach
And the flight over Disneyland. It's so warm and fuzzy!:)

Except did they really need to add Tinkerbell? Granted, there's no real storyline to pull you into the ride anyway, but talk about taking you completely out of the moment. That's ironic - by adding that moment of fantasy, they take us out of the fantasy.

I agree with your post about enjoying the ride for it's passive calm experience. But for me, personally it's the "edge" to a ride that makes me want to keep coming back. Soarin's lightly themed cue and lack of story and passive movie-watching experience makes it a ride I don't necessarily need to go on during a trip to Disney.

Now compare that to, say, Indy - a cue that can't get more detailed, an immersive storyline, and a ride that is exciting by Disney standards - now that is something I return to Disney for.

Of course, I also don't have little ones that accompany me on these rides, so it's easy for me to say. Although I went on Space Mountain when I was very young and loved it!

Captain Josh
09-17-2003, 09:24 AM
The only drawback I find in Soarin' is a personal one. I've only gotten into the front row once. The rest of the time I find myself shuttled into the third row. I am sure any one of you can vouch that the front row is something that once you've experienced, it's hard to go back to anything else. I mean it's a huge difference to me when you look straight down and see scenery, instead of floor.

MammaSilva
09-17-2003, 09:29 AM
We love Soaring!!!!!! The 'best' seat is Section B, row 1, middle of the row!

timl33
09-17-2003, 09:42 AM
Just ask for the front row. If you have to wait, so be it.


Originally posted by G-Hawk
The only drawback I find in Soarin' is a personal one. I've only gotten into the front row once. The rest of the time I find myself shuttled into the third row. I am sure any one of you can vouch that the front row is something that once you've experienced, it's hard to go back to anything else. I mean it's a huge difference to me when you look straight down and see scenery, instead of floor.

Captain Josh
09-17-2003, 09:44 AM
Originally posted by timl33
Just ask for the front row. If you have to wait, so be it.

I know, I know, but I always feel like I'm violating some rule when I do....:rolleyes:

mrscoach
09-17-2003, 10:03 AM
Originally posted by jerhow
I agree with your post about enjoying the ride for it's passive calm experience. But for me, personally it's the "edge" to a ride that makes me want to keep coming back. Soarin's lightly themed cue and lack of story and passive movie-watching experience makes it a ride I don't necessarily need to go on during a trip to Disney.


I know - I actually liken the experience to Fantasmic at the end, with the whole "feelgood-Mickey-saves-the-day" theme, or the parade of stars. It's not really a ride, per say. But I love it. I do really enjoy Star Tours too - but as you said, that's an exciting, action adventure, and there is a story, whereas Soarin' is kinda "cut-and-pasted" lovely scenes. But that's what they were going for, right?

Captain Josh
09-17-2003, 10:14 AM
As much as I'd like to experience something else, like Star Tours on the Soarin' apparatus, I just don't think it could work, thematically speaking.

Star Tours is the way it is, for a reason. It's an immersive ride. From the little lights on the ceiling of the cabin that look like they came from a 747, to the secondary monitors on the right side of the viewing screen. And, even that you have Pee-Wee Herman in robot form as a pilot (complete with a tag attached to him reading "remove before flight", hehe). Where exactly would all these things fit in, if you had the Soarin' seats instead?

Sure, it would make for a more interesting ride experience, but I just think that Star Tours could use a new movie, NOT an entire redux of how the ride works.

Tref
09-17-2003, 10:20 AM
Originally pondered by merlinjones
I'd like to see the Soaring technology used for an Aladdin ride. Imagine soaring on flying carpets over Agrabah and into the Cave of Wonders (in real cartoon animation please, not CGI).

They did something like this on a much smaller scale at DisneyQuest. It was great.

Great idea, though I can't imagine it being effective using animation ...

yeo_foxe
09-17-2003, 10:47 AM
Originally posted by merlinjones
I'd like to see the Soaring technology used for an Aladdin ride. Imagine soaring on flying carpets over Agrabah and into the Cave of Wonders (in real cartoon animation please, not CGI).



CGI was used in the move tho...

hefferdude
09-17-2003, 11:28 AM
Star Tours is the way it is, for a reason. It's an immersive ride. From the little lights on the ceiling of the cabin that look like they came from a 747, to the secondary monitors on the right side of the viewing screen.

And it happened to fit nicely in the then existing Monsanto attraction.

Anyway just thinking about a Star Tours / Soarin' Hybrid.
In an Imax style theater.
Two seat main choices. Bottom or suspended 4 axis (pitch / roll / yaw / height )
Bottom - Imperial Force speeder bikes
Suspended - Ewok hang gliders.
Movie - chase sceen thru forest.

A simpler non-hybrid second idea.
Existing Star Tour cars changed to interior of Millenium Falcon.
Movie - the escape from the death star chase through the asteroid belt.

RickW
09-17-2003, 12:32 PM
I think that E.T. is again available for a theme park ride. How about E.T. on the Soarin' mechanism?

jerhow
09-17-2003, 02:03 PM
Originally posted by G-Hawk
Star Tours is the way it is, for a reason. It's an immersive ride. From the little lights on the ceiling of the cabin that look like they came from a 747, to the secondary monitors on the right side of the viewing screen.

Sure, it would make for a more interesting ride experience, but I just think that Star Tours could use a new movie, NOT an entire redux of how the ride works.

Star Tours is by the far the best simulator ride on the planet to this day - burying Back to the Future or that Star Trek simulator ride in Vegas. Why? Because they filmed actual footage as opposed to having us fly through a computer-generated world.

BTTF: The Ride had an amazing setup, and as soon as the ride began, the believability was instantly eliminated because everything looked computer-generated.

That being said, I think just adding a new movie to the existing ride may not be enough to generate a huge buzz about the ride. It would be a cheaper solution, certainly. But I don't know if the average public would flock to Disneyland to go on the same Star Tours with a new movie.

But if they re-envision the ride to give us the same experience we had when we went on Star Tours the first time, then wow!

I know, I know - money issues. Don't remind me please.

Captain Josh
09-17-2003, 02:03 PM
An idea my friend has been tossing around is Star Tours: Destination Tattooine.

We just think it'd be nice to have the Star Wars Inspired ride have some influences from the prequels. And besides, who DOESN'T want to see how Cap'n Rex would do if he drifted into a Pod Race? :D

Captain Josh
09-17-2003, 02:14 PM
Well, what exactly WOULD bring back a buzz to a 16 year old ride, really?

Unless some crazy protestors complained that the pilot was derogatory to someone, and had to make it so that he had food in his hand while piloting, *cough*PotC*cough*, there's not much anyone can do with Star Tours, other than making a new ride scenario, and maybe updating the dialogue in the queue, which is pretty much ignored nowadays, due to the fact that like Indy, no one actually waits IN the intended line queue anymore...