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Mistersh0w
02-25-2005, 01:22 PM
Ok I know threads like this appear all the time, but I think It's about time for another one! Let me try to make this short..

Star Wars Episode 3: Revenge of the Sith is coming out VERY soon (May 19th of this year, to be exact). I think it's as good a time as any to update Star Tours, and here's why I feel if they don't do it soon, they may not have another chance...

Let's assume (cough) that Episode 3 is gonna suck....Sorry, I had to say it, Episode 1 and 2 sucked...So unless Lucas sold his soul to the devil again, I doubt it's going to be any better than the first two...The buzz surrounding the final installment of the saga will reach it's height in the coming months. After that, I doubt "Star Wars Fever" will hit as hard as it did in the 80's, and for the re-release in the 90's. So let's assume again, that Star Wars will have had it's day, so to speak, around the release of Episode 3.

Now, with all of that in mind, and Eisner leaving "soon", don't you think that it would be best to start planning an update, like now!? I have a bad feeling that if it isnt in future plans for Tommorowland's roster, then it won't be at all...Now don't get me wrong, I love Star Tours! But I'm seeing a grim future for the beloved simulator if Episode 3 isnt a big hit...And if it isnt, you can bet your asteroids that the Star Wars "buzz" will die down pretty quick after 2005...

Arnie
02-25-2005, 02:12 PM
I think it depends on how you define a hit movie, while episodes 1 and 2 were not as good as the original they made huge amounts of money. The buzz for Star Wars will die down after Episode 3 hit or not since there is not going to be any more movies. There is a rumored TV show with no indication on the time line it would follow.

I do think Star Tours could use some updated films to help refresh the ride and extend it's life in the parks. A new film seems like it would be a fairly inexpensive way to update an attraction in all of the parks it exsists in. Assuming all that needs to be done is put in the new film and update simulator movements.

Mistersh0w
02-25-2005, 02:25 PM
Well, they were all "hits" your right, in the sense that they were all huge money making films...But they werent hits amongst the fans, in fact, for the fans they were complete misses!

Anyway, I agree. It would be fairly cheap for them to update the film and simulator movements, way cheaper than what it cost to build "Buzz Lightyear's Astro Blasters", and i'm assuming it would be cheaper than the Submarine Voyage/Finding Nemo Project budget...

And wasn't the main problem between Eisner and Lucas? The whole THX certified theater thing, where Lucas wanted to update the ride with THX audio certification, and put in a new film? I heard they were all ready for it, but Eisner didnt want to front the cash...

Mistersh0w
02-25-2005, 02:28 PM
and while on the subject of cheap enhancements....Why not just update the screen and original film!? Make it a HD transfer with a nice large plazma screen! Even add busted up pipes that shoot smoke and sparks! Make the cabin react more to the effects on the screen...With those small additions, it may even stand up to the likes of Soarin'! ok, maybe not...but still!! it would be welcome additions!

ToursbabeC3po
02-25-2005, 02:39 PM
All this cost money and last I heard Energizer was going to pull their sponsorship.
Disney cares about making money and attractions cost money. If they are going to build anything it would be restrant or a store their. What you are saying makes sense and I thought they were going to put in the new films after episode 3 but they would have to replace the simulators first they are falling a part.
Enjoy your flight!
Toursbabe

olegc
02-25-2005, 02:50 PM
the whole "content ownership" thing. Just because a new SW movie comes out that does not mean that DLR gets to automagically update their attraction. It depends on money, yes, but first and foremost would Lucas even ALLOW Disney to get a smidge of any digital footage to use for their benefit.

Probably not - I have not seen any "good" announcements between Lucas and Disney in any form ever since the ride came out. Unless Lucas is going to get the better end of the deal you can probably kiss this goodbye - or until Eisner keels over.

as a sidebar - toursbabe needs a vacation ;-)

kennyhues
02-25-2005, 03:10 PM
Is there any possibility that the rehab of the Star Tours in Orlando - which is cosmetic only, I understand - might be an indicator of thawing relations between LFL and DIS? They've dismantled the AT-AT for a refurb, and somewhere I read that the outdoor parts of the queue are being spruced up, upgraded, etc. Lucasfilm would want to know about this, I assume, and probably Disney would have asked them for help if they need additional "stuff" to add to the outside queue area.

Or maybe the rehab is an small gesture on Disney's part to mend fences? "Look, George, we fixed up the falling-apart AT-AT. . ." :rolleyes:

ToursbabeC3po
02-25-2005, 03:25 PM
toursbabe needs a vacation

I am on a permanent vacation I was part of the big terminations that happened last month. But thanks for the advise.

Orlando WOULD get a new film before us because Orlando gets everything before DLR. We had a big rehab last year new carpet, paint, flooring, show paint (simulators) and one simulator went down at a time to rehab some things but that is because people were calling it "Getto tours" it looked so bad.
Toursbabe

itig
02-25-2005, 03:26 PM
I have not seen any "good" announcements between Lucas and Disney in any form ever since the ride came out.

What about the Indy ride/callaboration? Was that more speilberg than lucas? Anyway, if you go to the star wars site and search on disney, looks like they had star wars weekends in '04, but I don't know about '05.

http://www.starwars.com/community/news/2004/05/news20040517.html

Also, they recently did a piece on the disney/indy event on indianajones.com

http://www.indianajones.com/community/news/news20041201.html

olegc
02-25-2005, 03:40 PM
What about the Indy ride/callaboration? Was that more speilberg than lucas? Anyway, if you go to the star wars site and search on disney, looks like they had star wars weekends in '04, but I don't know about '05.

yes, Orlando does StarWars Days - but it's an annual promotion without anything NEW implemented (ride, shows, etc.)

indanajones.com is a fan site. Nothing official.

If you notice at the indiana jones event - all the merchandise has NO connection to indiana jones himself - just the ride. No fedoras, no jackets, no figurines, no art or lithographs. Nothing. Just the fab 3, Mara, and skeletons and snakes.

The ride went through some recent upgrades (I like the snake more now) but nothing NEW. This is what I am talking about - as long as the attraction elements are the same as in the original agreement Lucas (and Spielberg most likely) don't care. Something brand spanking new? not gonna happen in the near future.

Mistersh0w
02-25-2005, 04:23 PM
whether or not Lucas is thinking about an upgrade for Star Tours, I belive it would be in Disney's best interest to upgrade the ride...After all, hasn't Disney been known to "cash in" on as much property as they possibly can?! (HACK COUGH PIXAR HACK COUGH!) And with the Star Wars film franchise comes to a staggering halt, I would belive disney to scoop up some of the INSANE amount of cash it's likely to pull in...for the time being...

merlinjones
02-25-2005, 04:46 PM
Seriously though, would you base any revamp of Star Tours on these awful new films - - or on the classic trilogy. Seems there are still plenty of locales from the good films to use...

Cancer Norm
02-25-2005, 04:47 PM
For God's sake, leave it alone. The more they try to change it, the worse it is....Look what they did to POTC. :eek:

Mistersh0w
02-25-2005, 04:56 PM
they haven't done anything to DLR's Pirates yet have they?

And, i'm not saying they should base an upgrade of the ride on the new trilogy, but just to update the ride in the light of the inevitable cash success of the new trilogy. Fans would still come and fill up Tommorowland for a classic trilogy style upgrade. Hell, i bet they'd be pleased with a clone of the AT-AT and Ewok Village area in our Tommorowland. Though, i doubt it would fit the color scheme now....even though "Buzz" is gonna be bright green...

Mistersh0w
02-25-2005, 04:57 PM
....Look what they did to POTC. :eek:

oh ok, the whole "pc" gun-less changes?

cstephens
02-25-2005, 04:59 PM
This is what I am talking about - as long as the attraction elements are the same as in the original agreement Lucas (and Spielberg most likely) don't care.

As I recall, Lucasfilm owns the Indy character, so Spielberg has no say - he was basically just a hired gun.


And, i'm not saying they should base an upgrade of the ride on the new trilogy, but just to update the ride in the light of the inevitable cash success of the new trilogy. Fans would still come and fill up Tommorowland for a classic trilogy style upgrade. Hell, i bet they'd be pleased with a clone of the AT-AT and Ewok Village area in our Tommorowland.

But what others have pointed out and what you seem to not be getting is that the property does not belong to Disney, so they can't make any changes without permission from Lucasfilm. I expect that the contract makes very clear what the license is for, and if they want to do something else, they'd have to negotiate for it.

Mistersh0w
02-25-2005, 05:05 PM
but wasn't Eisner the only person who had a problem with the go-ahead for the upgrade years ago? I seem to remember around the time the special editions came out, they were all set for an upgrade...but Eisner and Lucas had a falling out. I believe the contracts would have been re-negotiated at that time.

Cancer Norm
02-25-2005, 07:16 PM
And, i'm not saying they should base an upgrade of the ride on the new trilogy, but just to update the ride in the light of the inevitable cash success of the new trilogy. Fans would still come and fill up Tommorowland for a classic trilogy style upgrade. Hell, i bet they'd be pleased with a clone of the AT-AT and Ewok Village area in our Tommorowland. Though, i doubt it would fit the color scheme now....even though "Buzz" is gonna be bright green...


....This IS what I'm afraid of, it's suppose to be "Disneyland's Tommorrowland, not "StarWarsland". This place is turning into Universal Studios, which it's already slowing becoming. Ok, we have two Lucas themed rides. ...we don't need to take over DL.

.....They already runied my tomorrowland by removing Circlevision, Carousel of Progress, and People Mover, and screwing up Rocket Jets.....STOP THE MADNESS!!

Mistersh0w
02-25-2005, 09:19 PM
ok i must agree with you there, i miss the peoplemover just as much as the next guy. But the way i see it is, If there arent any good disney movies to base rides on in the first place (which lately, there hasnt been) Then why not relish in the things we have...Spruce it up a bit you know?

Flint
02-25-2005, 09:23 PM
why base rides on a movie in the first place?

bradk
02-25-2005, 10:04 PM
amen. i can understand in 55 when it was all disney really had and the movies lent themselves to the theming, but when you take a step back and look at it all, the best rides didn't come from movies. in fact, they inspired them.

waiting for space mountain the movie...

Mistersh0w
02-25-2005, 10:19 PM
ok ok, i've learned alot here. I've learned that movies shouldnt be turned into rides in the first place...Even though, Star Tours, The Indiana Jones Adventure, and Back to the Future the ride are the best movie turned rides at theme parks. So with that said, why not update the existing good rides, and make them up to par with today's technology. That's all i'm saying. Indy I think, needs the least amount of work, in fact, i don't think it needs any work at all. That ride is the perfect example of a good dark/thrill ride. But Star Tours and BTTFTR, could use some updates...that's all i'm saying. Hey, come to think of it, notice that the best movie rides are based off of really good trilogies!

wabby1
02-25-2005, 11:11 PM
The last time I rode Star Tours (in 2002), I thought it was badly in need of an update. Just my personal opinion. Get rid of the Pee Wee Hermanistic robot for one thing, and the funky hairdos for the women on the monitors.

Its not a big deal for me, however. I like Star Tours. If they leave it alone, I'm fine. I'll still go on it everytime...

sdfilmcritic
02-25-2005, 11:23 PM
The last time I rode Star Tours (in 2002), I thought it was badly in need of an update. Just my personal opinion. Get rid of the Pee Wee Hermanistic robot for one thing, and the funky hairdos for the women on the monitors.But it is Pee Wee! Don't ban Pee Wee!

WillCAD
02-26-2005, 06:21 AM
Why? Money.

Disney doesn't ever want to spend money. However, if they have a chance to spend a little and make a lot, they usually go for it (witness the Stitch's Great Escape debacle at WDW). So, I'm sure that Disney is perfectly willing to spend a few million bucks to create a new film and servo sequence for Star Tours, which would essentially get them a whole new attraction for a fraction of the price of building a new ride.

Lucas also wants money. A lot of money. And under the terms of the original contract between Lucasfilm and Disney, I'm sure that any ride changes would mean a renegotiation so that Lucasfilm would make more money from Disney. Have they tried? I dunno. But I am willing to bet that Disney has asked, and Lucasfilm probably said, "Sure you can update it! No problem! We'd love that! PAY UP!" And the cost of the update, with additional licensing fees from Lucasfilm, would then jump up so high that Disney wouldn't want to do it.

And by the by, why make rides out of movies? Because Star Tours was a ride specifically crafted for the Disney-MGM Studios theme park in WDW, a park which is all about movies (and not just Disney mnovies). The only reason you guys have ST in Tomorrowland at DLR is because you don't have a Disney Studios theme park out there, so when movie-themed attractions are duplicated on the Left Coast, they have to be sandwiched into the already overcrowded DLR parks wherever Disney can find some space.