Star Tours 2 coming to Hong Kong Disneyland Tomorrowland !

UPDATE June 14 2012: Unfortunately i'm sorry to say that the coming of Star Tours 2 at HKDL Tomorrowland has apparently been canceled, or strongly delayed as HKDL is working on different projects. More news about this when i will have some but for now don't count on ST2 in a near future at HKDL. Below, my previous text.

Although it's not totally official yet, i have a great news for all HKDL fans: Star Tours 2 is coming to HKDL Tomorrowland and you can expect it probably the year after Mystic Manor opening, i.e in 2014 or 2015 the latest, and certainly before Shanghaî Disneyland opening. Although it's not official yet there has been recently some leaks and The Standard.com in its report last friday said that "The park reportedly plans to build an artificial lake and another amusement facility with a theme similar to Star Wars".

Personally i knew it since a while from my personal source and i think that Star Tours 2 will be a major addition to HKDL Tomorrowland. With the opening of four major attractions/land between now and 2015 Hong Kong Disneyland will be ready to face Shanghaî Disneyland opening. By the way, there is a kind of logic in all this: If you follow the expansion plan of Hong Kong Disneyland, Autopia was opened in Tomorrowland in 2006, Animation Academy opened in Main Street in 2007, It's a Small World and Toy Story Land were the expansion for Fantasyland in 2008 and 2011, and Grizzly Gulch and Mystic Manor will be the expansion for Adventureland in 2012 and 2013. If you trace HKDL move, you'll understand that their next expansion plan should be back to Tomorrowland, and that's exactly what it's gonna be.



Star Tours 2 will also fit perfectly with the original theme of HKDL Tomorrowland which, i remind you, is supposed to be a “spaceport”. But where exactly in Tomorrowland will they build ST 2, you ask? Well, although HKDL Tomorrowland looks like the smallest of all Tomorrowland and already pretty packed they still have some land available beyond the rail track between Autopia and behind Buzz Lightyear, and that's where HKDL intend to build Star Tours 2. Have a look at the picture below on which i show the future Star Tours 2 area.



With the opening of ST2 at HKDL and also at Tokyo disneyland as it was announced recently, Disneyland Paris will be the last one to don't have updated its Star Tours attraction. Now that they've received a new credit line from the WDC will they do it? Honestly, the chances are probably 50 / 50. The cost of Star Tours 2 is such that DLP execs think that they can have a brand new dark ride for this price and they're probably still hesitating...we'll see in the future but i don't see the park staying with the old Star Tours version for years and years!

Pictures: copyright Disney - Lucas Film

Don't miss the HKDL Wallpapers application for iPhone and iPad with gorgeous pictures of the park, you'll find it on the iTunes Appstore! See article here
Direct iTunes link HERE!

Star Tours 2 : The Adventures Continue Coming to Tokyo Disneyland Spring 2013

You were the first to learn about it when i've announced it last month on my Disney and more web site and today it's officially confirmed by Oriental Land: Star Tours 2 is coming to Tokyo Disneyland and will open Spring 2013! Here is the official press release.

(November 16, 2011) Tokyo Disneyland Park announced that its attraction Star Tours in Tomorrowland will be revamped, reopening with the new title, Star Tours: The Adventures Continue. The new version of the attraction will open in spring 2013. The current Star Tours is an immersive motion-based adventure that lets guests experience the thrills of space travel in the world of the Star Wars film series. The attraction opened at Tokyo Disneyland in 1989, and now after more than 20 years, it still remains popular among guests of all ages.

The main feature of the revamped attraction is that guests can enjoy the thrills of a new and unpredictable experience with every ride. The ride is comprised of several scenes, each with multiple scenarios for each scene that are selected at random. This means that guests never know what they will encounter out of the more than 50 possible story combinations for every ride. The attraction will also feature 3-D images for the first time, allowing guests to feel like they’ve truly entered into the world of the Star Warsfilm series.

Star Tours: The Adventures Continue promises manifold fun and thrills for guests of all ages – for fans of the Star Wars series as well as those unfamiliar with the film. The attraction will create a whole new world of excitement in space travel at Tokyo Disneyland.

Attraction Facts

Opening date: Spring 2013
Duration: About 4 minutes 30 seconds
Capacity: 40 seats per cabin
Number of cabins: 6 cabins
Investment: About 7 billion yen
Note: In preparation for this renewal, Star Tours will close as of April 2, 2012.

As you may know the original Star Tours pre-show decor at TDL have some differences with the one at Anaheim, Orlando or Paris. As a matter of fact, and although the Starspeeder exist in the Starspeeder - C3P0 room TDL has another one, the one you can see on the picture below. There is no doubt that this pre-show scene will be updated too and i'm curious to see how will be the changes. Anyway, TDL fans can be happy as they will be able to enjoy ST2 in a year and a half from now.



Now, the only Disney theme park which is still waiting for its Star Tours 2 update is Disneyland Paris and i'm afraid we might have to wait a bit more to get it. I'll let you know when i will hear anything new for DLP!

Picture: copyright Disney or Daniel Rous

Two New Star Tours 2 Full Ride Videos - Hoth / Death Star, Kashyyyk / Coruscant Sequences !

Here is two new Star Tours 2 "full ride" videos - with also some footage showing the pre-show. The first one is showing a different beginning than the other full ride video embedded two days ago in a previous article - here it's the Storm Troopers beginning instead of the Darth Vader one. The first destination" is also Hoth but the second destination is different - it's the Death Star sequence with the Boba Fett chase - and the ending is different too. We also see more shots of C3PO as Starspeeder pilot!

As usual a big spoiler warning: no need to say that the full ride video is a giant spoiler and if you prefer to keep the surprise you definitely must NOT watch the video, or at least the ride part. That said, you're all big enough to make your own decision! And, as it is a HD video, if you decide to watch it, watch it full screen!




The second video is showing the Kashyyyk and Coruscant sequences, with the Storm Troopers beginning and a new different ending. The sound, though, is not as good as on the video above and of course there is the same spoilers warning!




Videos by JediEmpire66 and BigBubbaB - copyright Disney-Lucas Film Ltd

Star Tours 2 High-Res "Wallpaper" Pictures

Disney released a selection of gorgeous Star Tours 2 high-res pictures. Let's begin by the one showing the decor of the Starspeeder room, Captain Rex and one of the AA droids of the second room.













The next series of pictures is showing the different Star Tours 2 destinations: Hoth, Naboo, Coruscant, Kashyyyk, Tatooine, the Death Star - and the Darth Vader sequence at the beginning of the ride.

Star Tours 2 Queue Decor and Pre Show Videos

Here is a selection of videos showing the Star Tours 2 queue and pre-show decor, audio-animatronics and movies. Warning: like most of the ST2 videos there is plenty of spoilers! That said, let's begin by two videos showing some of the "Star Tours promo" movies that guests can see on the big HD screen located in the Starspeeder room. The first one below is the Naboo Destination promo video, the second is the one about Tatooine.







Inside the Magic also did a great video showing the queue decor, animatronics droids, and the full pre-show video - the one you see just before getting inside your Starspeeder.




Don't forget to go to Inside the Magic to see more of their reports on Star Tours 2!

Disneyland Star Tours 2 "Early Departure" Event ! Star Tours 2 Full Ride HD Video !

Star Tours 2 will have its grand opening in Disneyland on June 3 but yesterday DL fans had the pleasure to discover it during a specail day called "Star Tours 2 early departure". Hundreds of them were there for this soft opening!



Here is a Disney Parks video showing the Disneyland fans reactions at the exit of the ride.






Yesterday Disney released the first official video showing the Star Tours queue decor and animatronics as well as clips for each ST 2 destination! And it looks fantastic!




Attractions Magazine also did a great walk-through video showing the DHS ST2 pre-show and AAs, plus official clips of the ride movies. More pics on Attractions Magazine web site HERE.




And, we knew it had to happen, that from day one ST2 videos will appear on Youtube and here is the first one, filmed by Asianjma123 at Disneyland. Not only you will discover the new pre-show in the Starspeeder room but also the full ride video of one of the ST2 destinations.

A big spoiler warning: no need to say that the full ride video is a giant spoiler and if you prefer to keep the surprise you definitely must NOT watch the video, or at least the ride part. That said, we're in a democracy so it's up to you to make your own decision! And as it is a HD video, if you decide to watch it, watch it full screen!





Video by Asianjma123, copyright Disney - Lucas Film Ltd

Disney's Hollywood Studios Star Tours 2 Grand Opening !

This is it, Star Tours 2 had its Grand Opening today at WDW Disney's Hollywood Studios and George Lucas and Bob Iger were there with Darth Vader, dozens of Storm Troopers, R2D2, C3P0, Anthony Daniels and many more to declare open one of the most awaited attraction of the year.







The great guys of Inside the Magic who did a fantastic job with their ST2 reports were there too and filmed the opening ceremony!




A great processional happenend after the ceremony and here is high-res pictures and a video of it, also filmed by Inside the Magic.









Inside the Magic also did interviews of George Lucas and Bob Iger as well as Anthony Daniels and even went on ride with Iger and Lucas!




Don't forget to go to Inside the Magic to see more of their reports on Star Tours 2!

And, finally, here is the WDW press release celbrating ST2 opening!

LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla. (May 20, 2011) Star Wars creator George Lucas and Disney President and CEO Bob Iger wielded lightsabers amid a legion of stormtroopers Friday to open “Star Tours – The Adventures Continue,” a new 3-D adventure at Walt Disney World Resort.

A cast of hundreds of Star Wars characters and performers – including Anthony Daniels, who has played the golden droid C-3PO since the first film debuted in 1977 – converged on Disney’s Hollywood Studios for the launch of the attraction destined to send millions of guests on virtual journeys throughout the Star Wars galaxy.

Fittingly, the launch of Star Tours anchored the opening day of Star Wars Weekends, a popular event in the park celebrating the Star Wars legacy with special shows, presentations, motorcades and memorabilia. Star Wars Weekends continue each Friday-Sunday now through June 12, 2011.

And on June 3, 2011, “Star Tours – The Adventures Continue” will open at Disneyland Resort in California.

“Star Tours immerses guests into the Star Wars universe like never before,” Iger said. “The innovative technology and storytelling take guests on thrilling new adventures, bringing George Lucas’ iconic characters and locations to life in a completely new way.”

With eye-popping digital video leveraging Dolby 3-D to deliver a vivid and realistic visual experience, a dramatic musical score and motion simulator-based technology, guests are immersed in a Star Wars adventure like never before on a theme park attraction. Walt Disney Imagineering worked with Lucasfilm, Ltd. and Industrial Light & Magic – the groundbreaking visual effects division of Lucasfilm – to bring the out-of-this-world attraction to life.

Star Tours, which had thrilled Disney guests since the 1980s, was “powered down” in 2010 so Disney’s Imagineers could begin work on the new attraction.

In “Star Tours – The Adventures Continue,” there are more than 50 story combinations, so guests can find new adventures each time they experience the attraction.

Utilizing the random story combinations, the Starspeeder spacecraft embarks on a wild adventure, visiting several planets made famous in the Star Wars films. Among the locations that might provide haven from the Empire’s pursuit are the icy planet of Hoth, the lush jungles of Kashyyyk and the underwater Gungan world on Naboo.

And along the way guests may encounter Star Wars characters that offer to help (or hinder) their journey, including Yoda, Admiral Ackbar, Darth Vader and Boba Fett. “Skytroopers,” a legion of stormtroopers created just for the Star Tours attraction story, might even join in the chase.

In fact, guests will never know where the Force will take them. Flights are now departing during regular operating hours at Disney’s Hollywood Studios."

Video: copyright Inside the Magic, Disney - Lucas Film Ltd