[Question] So when is Star Tours closing for refurb?

[pineapplewhipaddict]

I know it's "Coming to Your Galaxy in 2011", but I don't remember if anyone clarified when the current attraction would actually go down for refurbishment/enhancements...

Anyone know?

[Casey Jr]

Re: So when is Star Tours closing for refurb?

December, 2010

[dmtnt55]

Re: So when is Star Tours closing for refurb?

Late next year I heard.

[disneyDragon923]

Re: So when is Star Tours closing for refurb?

I asked a cast member this one... the last flight Star Tours is going to be taking is in October of 2010 and re-opening sonetime in the Spring of 2011

[disneylandfan95]

Re: So when is Star Tours closing for refurb?

I asked a cast member this one... the last flight Star Tours is going to be taking is in October of 2010 and re-opening sonetime in the Spring of 2011

At the D23 Expo, they said that it will close October 2010, but I am surprised that it will open as soon as Spring 2011!! That is great and look forward to seeing the much needed upgrade.

[Casey Jr]

Re: So when is Star Tours closing for refurb?

in that case, I guess we can just expect a new screen, new movie, repainted vehicles. Disney is incredibly slow with this kind of stuff. I think it is more likely that it will re-open in Fall of '11, and close fall of '10. They need a year probably, moving at their pace, to do it properly.

[disneyDragon923]

Re: So when is Star Tours closing for refurb?

in that case, I guess we can just expect a new screen, new movie, repainted vehicles. Disney is incredibly slow with this kind of stuff. I think it is more likely that it will re-open in Fall of '11, and close fall of '10. They need a year probably, moving at their pace, to do it properly.

Everything I've read and heard from Cast Members who work on the Star Tours attraction points to it being opened in Spring 2011 and refurbed starting in October 2010, but you do make some good points. They expect to add a new movie and all the 3D effects, change the quene lines and repaint by then. Either Disney is expecting there workers to work double time and overtime or they got an ace up there sleeve. But I do agree that it's about time Star Tours got a much needed and a LONG overdo make over.

[Wally]

Re: So when is Star Tours closing for refurb?

Remember too that the 'movie' is apparently already shot and completed. That's a huge timesaver right there.

[goldenstate5]

Re: So when is Star Tours closing for refurb?

The last flight is October 2010 (bad timing, since the promotion will not only fight with Halloween Time, but create a massive bottleneck in Tomorrowland w/ Ghost Galaxy returning, Labor Day should've been their choice), but I highly doubt it will be open in spring 2011. More likely is June/July 2011, since they have to install new simulators and totally renovate the huge queue area, not to mention gloss the Star Trader and the exterior with a fresh new look. I just can't see this being done within four to five months...

[AlohaStitch]

Re: So when is Star Tours closing for refurb?

I just know that I was at the original Opening Ceremony for Star Tours and am planning on being at the one for the re-opening.

[Tomorrowland_1967]

Re: So when is Star Tours closing for refurb?

A construction time from Oct. to April the next year .. does not sound so unrealistic. Much of the "show" is contained within the simulators .. and who says construction of new simulators has not already started, off site somewhere. (?).

Some may recall a refurb in the early ... maybe mid 90s that involved 4 new simulators that were crane lifted .. and installed into their perspective "bays".

So .. aside from air or crane lifted simulators lowered into place.... Minor to moderate changes to the queue .... 6 months sounds fairly reasonable.

[Mr. Gaston]

Re: So when is Star Tours closing for refurb?

If there is one trace of Gungan in that freakin' ride, I'm not going to be a happy camper lol.

[disneyfann121]

Re: So when is Star Tours closing for refurb?

It's not a refurbishment at all. It's a completely new and high tech sequel to the original, with an entirely different film and technologically light years (so to speak) ahead of Star Tours.

[villagecreator]

Re: So when is Star Tours closing for refurb?

A little off topic, anyone know what is involved in the somewhat long refurb of next door Starcade in the Spring? Maybe reopening the 2nd floor?

[Wally]

Re: So when is Star Tours closing for refurb?

A little off topic, anyone know what is involved in the somewhat long refurb of next door Starcade in the Spring? Maybe reopening the 2nd floor?

Don't know. Just speculation, but would not be surprised if Starcade and Star Trader got fixed up before Star Tours 2 given all the extra attention the area will get, and will probably have re-theming to bring it closer in line with the Star Tours 2 storyline. Just my humble guess.

[Tomorrowland_1967]

Re: So when is Star Tours closing for refurb?

It's not a refurbishment at all. It's a completely new and high tech sequel to the original, with an entirely different film and technologically light years (so to speak) ahead of Star Tours.

The word "refurbishment" can mean many things in the English language. It could be something as simple as a "rehab" .. like the annual rehabs all Disneyland rides go through .. to repaint, clean up, replace worn parts, etc. It can also mean renovation too. And in a sense ... Star Tours IS going through a renovation. Almost a complete overhaul. But not quite. The word "overhaul" was used for Tomorrowland back in 1967. They did whole-sale demolishen across the board! And struck up brand new buildings in it's place. They are not tearing down the entire Star Tours building .. and erecting a totally different experience in it's place. It's still the basic premise - motion-based "flight" similator. It's a new journey with some new 21st Century tricks.

[Tomorrowland_1967]

Re: So when is Star Tours closing for refurb?

A little off topic, anyone know what is involved in the somewhat long refurb of next door Starcade in the Spring? Maybe reopening the 2nd floor?

Is Starcade listed as going down for refurb next year? Or the next?

And why would they bother .. with a pending over-all plan to renovate the entire land? Which is slated sometime in the early part of the next decade.

[disneyfann121]

Re: So when is Star Tours closing for refurb?

The word "refurbishment" can mean many things in the English language. It could be something as simple as a "rehab" .. like the annual rehabs all Disneyland rides go through .. to repaint, clean up, replace worn parts, etc. It can also mean renovation too. And in a sense ... Star Tours IS going through a renovation. Almost a complete overhaul. But not quite. The word "overhaul" was used for Tomorrowland back in 1967. They did whole-sale demolishen across the board! And struck up brand new buildings in it's place. They are not tearing down the entire Star Tours building .. and erecting a totally different experience in it's place. It's still the basic premise - motion-based "flight" similator. It's a new journey with some new 21st Century tricks.

It's a sequel, with completely upgraded technology. That's not a refurb by any stretch of the definition. Was it a "refurb" when Universal replaced Back to the Future with the Simpsons ride?

[Bill]

Re: So when is Star Tours closing for refurb?

Call me crazy, but who said anything about getting new simulators?

[BiggestDisneyFan]

Re: So when is Star Tours closing for refurb?

Wow... An argument over the semantics of the word 'Refurb' or 'Refurbishment' and whether it only applies to sprucing up a ride or also to upgrading a ride's parts and mechanisms. Only in MC, folks!

Anywho... I think that a six month time frame is pretty reasonable for upgrading Star Tours. As others have already pointed out, since it is a simulator, much of the moving parts can be built off-site, and the 'movie' portion has largely already been (or is currently in the process of being) filmed. Also, I'm willing to bet that building or re-building something like a simulator, which moves up and down (etc.) on pneumatic or hydraulic actuators, but doesn't actually go anywhere, takes a lot less actual construction than tearing out and replacing tracks, aligning those tracks properly, getting the vehicles, timing and braking just right, etc.

My thoughts are that the majority of the six months will be spent on re-doing (a nice, safe verb, unlike 'refurbishing') the queue, and getting the programming of the vehicle movements, along with the timing of the movie, just right. It'll be more high-tech adjustment and less hard construction.