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The unmissable addition to Disneyland’s Star Tours ride? Space whales

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Disneyland’s Star Tours: The Adventures Continue has proved to be one of the theme park’s most versatile attractions.

Though perhaps no longer the groundbreaking technological marvel that it was when it debuted in 1987, the flight simulator ride has shifted with the franchise, withstanding cultural trends and aligning with whichever version of “Star Wars” is popular at the moment — or in need of a marketing boost.

The latest update to Star Tours brings the ride into the Disney+ era, with nods to series such as “The Mandalorian,” “Ahsoka” and “Andor.” More noteworthy, at least for Disneyland guests, is that the centerpiece of the latest upgrades is a scene that provides a slight tonal shift for the attraction, one focused, albeit briefly, on slowing down and giving so-called starspeeder riders a look at one of “Star Wars’” more majestic creatures. Star Tours will now rocket guests straight to a moment that boasts a close-up with the purrgil, essentially large, mysterious space whales that move with a galactic grace.

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For the 3-D attraction, it’s a moment that provides a breather. The motion simulator lingers for a few seconds, and our makeshift animatronic captain, the golden droid C-3PO, turns to face riders. C-3PO shifts into tour guide mode, appearing in awe of the purrgil and commenting on how serene the animals are.

“This will be different from other sequences, to have a moment,” said Tom Fitzgerald, a senior creative executive with Walt Disney Imagineering, the company’s secretive arm devoted to theme park attractions, when asked about taking a patient approach to the scene. “You don’t get many moments. It’s so compact. But it’s a moment to let people look at the beauty of this, and the 3-D gives you the scale of those creatures.”

The additions to Star Tours are arguably the centerpiece of Disneyland’s all-things- “Star Wars” promotion Season of the Force , which debuted this past weekend and runs through June 2. The “Star Wars” festival also sees new droids making their way to Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge through the duration of the event, as well as the return of Space Mountain overlay Hyperspace Mountain and a new free scavenger hunt that aims to get players to pay close attention to the minute details of Galaxy’s Edge.

Fitzgerald has been with Star Tours since the ride’s beginning, and oversaw the latest Star Tours additions, which further deviate the attraction from any strict “Star Wars” timeline and instead focus it on being a sort of “greatest hits” for the brand. The purrgil scene also features Rosario Dawson’s Ahsoka Tano and the character’s svelte, fast-rotating starship above the planet of Seatos. Tano’s ship inspired Imagineers to see if they could add some new tricks to the attraction, mainly in the way the simulator can move. When Tano’s vessel twists and spins, for instance, the starspeeder attempts to mimic it, endeavoring to create the feeling of a 360-barrel roll. At other times, the starspeeder glides among the purrgil.

Key to Star Tours’ longevity, and what makes it the rare motion simulator that doesn’t feel rooted in the 1980s, is its ability to create new sensations via its movements. The ride now has more than 250 storyline variations, and when adding to the attraction, Imagineers are looking for ways to heighten the contrast among its various scenes, both tonally and in its maneuvers. Though Star Tours is typically randomized — for the foreseeable future, and definitely throughout Disneyland’s spring Season of the Force promotion — all riders are guaranteed to visit the new location and receive an early-flight transmission from one of the recently added characters.

“How do we make each of the places we go have a different color palette?” says Fitzgerald, who then recalls different “Star Wars” planets that can be featured in the attraction’s random programming. “Mustafar is all lava. Kashyyyk is all green jungle. So they feel very different when you get the combos. And then motion-based. Could we do a barrel roll? That’s the fun of doing it, and programming it and trying it. And we needed something else. What have we not done? So with the purrgils, what if we do skiing through the tentacles? We had never done that. So those are the two big motion changes.”

The attraction is also livened up by appearances from Dawson’s Tano, Diego Luna’s Cassian Andor and a masked Din Djarin from “The Mandalorian.” While the latter is played and portrayed by Pedro Pascal on the Disney+ series, many have noted that the Djarin on “Star Tours” features a slightly different vocal cadence than Pascal, and an Imagineering spokesperson says the company is not revealing its voice actors for the attraction. Nevertheless, “The Mandalorian” moment features some comic relief — and clever 3-D usage — courtesy of Grogu, colloquially refered to as “baby Yoda,” and his penchant to use Force powers to toy with and eat frogs.

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The three appear as transmissions that help define the suddenly urgent narrative of Star Tours. “Each one is different,” Fitzgerald says. “Mando and Grogu we played for comedy. And Andor is mysterious. You don’t see his face. You see this thing coming toward you. Is that a friend or foe? And then he pulls his hood and the music changes.” Tano, meanwhile, arrives like an old friend who knows C-3PO and fellow droid R2-D2. Riders are advised to pay close attention to the opening cinematic in a ship’s hangar, as there is a new randomized opening that features Tano in a lightsaber battle with Stormtroopers.

As for why the new additions perhaps lean a bit more heavily on “Ahsoka,” as it is that series that features the planet of Seatos and the purrgil, Fitzgerald had a simple answer: Yes, it’s the space whales.

With access to early scripts from Lucasfilm, Fitzgerald says he singled out the purrgil scenes. “Reading about that, not knowing what they looked like initially, I was going, that’s going to be really cool.” And, at least for a few seconds, relatively calming.

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We Rode Disney’s NEW and Improved Star Tours Ride — Check It Out With Us!

A galaxy far, far away just got a little bit bigger!

Few attractions offer the kind of unique ride experience that Disneyland’s Star Tours — The Adventures Continue offers. First majorly updated in 2010, the ride was once again updated in 2015, 2017, and 2019 to include 700 different ride experiences.  Now in 2024, the ride is once again getting another update!

Star Tours — The Adventures continue at Disneyland, Disney’s Hollywood Studios , and Disneyland Paris all received an update on April 5th, 2024 to reflect new  Star Wars  Disney+ media and we were invited to get a FIRSTHAND LOOK! Check it out!

The new adventures include characters and locations from  Ahsoka, Andor,  and  The Mandalorian.  We got to experience these new adventures and we were absolutely blown away!

The pre-show was the same as usual. Also, our first scene was pod-racing on Tatooine — a scene we have experienced before.

Then came the exciting part — new characters! Din Djarin and Grogu sent a transmission with  The Mandalorian  theme song playing. Grogu snatched a flying frog while Djarin was giving us important intel which made for a fun 3D moment.

Then we made it to a planet featured in Ahsoka.  There, Ahsoka showed up to help us in battle with Purrgil (space whales). Beware — you may almost get eaten by one! We weren’t allowed to grab footage, but we love these new additions to the ride. We only saw the scenes from  Ahsoka  and  The Mandalorian —  we did not get  Andor  on our ride.

Accompanying the new Star Tours update at Disneyland is “Season of the Force” a Star Wars- themed event that will run from April 5th through June 2nd, 2024 . “Season of the Force” will include limited-time  Star Wars- themed food and merchandise as well as Fire of the Rising Moons (a NEW way to view the Disneyland fireworks from Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge), Hyperspace Mountain overlay for Space Mountain , Seek and Find at The Star Trader, and Disneyland After Dark:  Star Wars Nite events.

We’ll keep you posted on any updates during this event as well as on all things Disneyland, so be sure to stay tuned here at AllEars for all the latest!

Disney Announces 6 NEW Treats Coming to Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge!

Which new addition to Star Tours gets you the most hyped? Share your pick and tell us why in the comments below!

Disclosure: We were invited by Disney to attend the media preview for Disneyland’s Season of the Force. This did not affect our reporting of the event — our opinions are our own.

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Star Tours - The Adventures Continue

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Visit a Galaxy Far, Far Away

When your Starspeeder accidentally starts up without a pilot, tour guide C-3PO takes the controls. Suddenly, the ship is intercepted by menacing Imperial—or First Order—forces searching for a Rebel spy. To avoid capture, you’ll take off on a thrilling, unpredictable flight that rockets you to the farthest reaches of the galaxy.

Starting April 5, 2024, embark on exciting new Star Wars adventures featuring characters and locations from some of your favorite Disney+ series. Hold on tight as urgent transmissions from Ahsoka Tano, Cassian Andor, the Mandalorian and Grogu may soon be part of your next Starspeeder flight.

With these additions, you’ll have the opportunity to experience one of more than 250 storyline variations, including a visit to the planet Seatos from Ahsoka .

Star Tours Takes Flight

On January 9, 1987, George Lucas and Walt Disney Imagineering brought the Star Wars galaxy to life at Disneyland Park .

The original Star Tours attraction blasted off to Endor. In the years since, the experience has been updated with new worlds and iconic characters from Star Wars: The Force Awakens , Star Wars: The Last Jedi and Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker .

The attraction now features state-of-the-art technology—including a flight simulator, digital 3D video, Audio-Animatronics characters and “in-cockpit” special effects and music.

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The New Star Tours Update: Everything You Need, and Want, to Know

Before Disney bought Star Wars, the two brands began their courtship with a ride . Star Tours opened in 1987 and has seen many new upgrades and additions over the years . This week, for its Season of the Force event , Disney gave the ride another refresh. And this time, for the first time, it’s with characters from Disney+.

So, starting today, if you are at Disneyland, Walt Disney World, or Disneyland Paris, Star Tours now features characters from Ahsoka, Andor and The Mandalorian. But what’s new? How does it work? io9 was among a group of journalists Disney invited to an early preview of the new Star Tours at Disneyland in Anaheim, so we’ll explain.

How many new Star Tours locations are there?

Though you may have assumed otherwise, only one new, full planet has been added to Star Tours this time around: Seatos from Ahsoka. However, there are three different variations going into that. One featuring Ahsoka (with Rosario Dawson reprising the role), one featuring Cassian Andor (with Diego Luna reprising), and one featuring both the Mandalorian and Grogu.

What can happen on the new Star Tours?

So, you get on the ride and start to pull out of the spaceport. Here’s where, potentially, your first new change will be. In the past, riders would usually see the Millennium Falcon sitting there as the ship was stopped by Darth Vader, Kylo Ren, or a Probe Droid. And while that’s still more likely to happen than not, if you happen to see a new ship there, you know exactly where this particular ride will take you.

Yes, in some Star Tours rides not only is Ahsoka Tano’s T-6 Jedi Shuttle in the first scene, you can see Ahsoka herself there in the frame. She’s talking to Stormtroopers and, when they discover the Rebel spy, Ahsoka turns on her lightsabers and battles off the troopers before jumping in the ship.

If you see that, you can impress your friends and tell them what’s going to happen next. After you visit one of many, many planets that were previously on the ride (I did it twice on Friday and both times it was podracing on Tatooine from Episode I), you’ll then get one of the three new transmissions. However, if you got Ahsoka’s ship at the start, you are guaranteed to get Ahsoka in this moment. She’ll say “Hi” to C-3PO, and be excited to see her friend R2-D2 again, before asking to deliver a very important person—the Rebel spy. As she’s talking, we see Chopper and Huyang in the background, getting into shenanigans.

What are the two other transmissions?

These transmissions is the part of this new Star Tours that will be the most random. If you don’t get Ahsoka, maybe you’ll get the Mandalorian and Grogu. As Mando (who does not sound like it’s Pedro Pascal but we’ve asked Disney for confirmation) talks about a dangerous mission and fight, Grogu is eating one of his frogs. He then spits it out and it floats toward your face in 3D. It’s very cute and funny and just as the one-eyed creature gets close enough to almost touch it, Grogu sucks him back in. “This is the way,” Mando says, and you’re off to the final part of your mission.

Note: unfortunately, we didn’t get to see Cassian’s transmission but, from what we were told, it’s very different tonally than the other two, on purpose. While Ahsoka’s is friendly and Mando’s is funny, Cassian’s is mysterious. He comes out in a hood, lurking in a shadow, then reveals himself to the audience and asks for help with the spy. The key was that each one feels completely unique.

What happens on Seatos?

No matter what transmission you get though, everything is the same after that. Star Tours is off to Seatos, the planet from the final episodes of Ahsoka where they showdown with Thrawn. You arrive in some kind of shadow, only to emerge from the clouds flying among the majestic Purrgil (aka Space Whales). Ahsoka hails you on the side monitor and asks for help with the two ships attacking her, which R2 is more than happy to do. You fly up and around the Purrgil, along their backs, weaving in and out of its fins, and at one point almost even getting sucked in and eaten. Finally, there’s a perfect moment, which R2 uses to land the perfect shot and save the day. Ashoka thanks you, has a special goodbye for her old pal R2, and it’s back home.

Are the new additions to Star Tours good?

Yes and no. Yes, because anytime you can get to sit down and experience a new piece of Star Wars, especially on a ride that’s been around for almost 40 years, that’s a good thing. However, do I think Seatos as a planet is one of the better destinations in the ride? No. In fact, it may be one of my least favorites. It’s drastically lacking in drama compared to, say, Geonosis, Coruscant, or Naboo. But Ahsoka is great and it’s fun to follow a different ship around.

Oh, and the new transmissions (at least the ones we saw) were phenomenal. Much more detailed and eventful than the previous ones.

How long is the new ride happening?

“For a limited time” everyone who boards Star Tours will get the new planet of Seatos every time, as well as one of the new transmissions. Whether or not that’s just through the Season of the Force event or longer is unclear, and Disney wouldn’t commit to specifics. It might be a park to park decision. But, for at least a few weeks or months, if you go on Star Tours, you’ll get the new stuff.

Then, eventually, the three new transmissions and one new planet will be slotted into the ride’s randomizer. When that happens, it takes the number of possible combinations up to over 250.

Why Seatos over anything else?

In the last few years, thanks to Disney+, Star Wars has seen more new planets, characters, and creatures than ever. So why Seatos and the Purrgil? Well, Tom Fitzgerald, one of Star Tours’ original Imagineers—who also worked on this one —said it was all about picking a planet that was different from all the others. Something unique. Maybe that’s colors or maybe, in this case, it’s a unique creature. So by choosing Seatos, not only do you get to see these massive, new, unique creatures, but those creatures allow the ride to do moves it’s never done before. That’s how we get the first barrel roll ever in Star Tours as well as a sequence he refers to as the “slalom ski run.”

How long did the new upgrade take?

Fitzgerald said he and his team first started working on these new additions sometime between 18 months and two years ago.

Could another ride get this treatment?

Since Disney bought Lucasfilm in 2012, Star Tours has been updated about every two or three years. This update is the first since 2019 though—so it makes you wonder, what’s next? And, will it even be Star Tours?

When Galaxy’s Edge opened in 2019, Disney said that the Millennium Falcon ride, Smugglers Run, was designed in a similar fashion to Star Tours and that the actual visuals in the ride could be changed to take guests on new adventures. But now, that ride has been the same for five years. Could a change be coming? Unfortunately, no one from Imagineering or Lucasfilm would comment, confirm, or deny—but, fingers crossed.

The Ahsoka, Andor and Mandalorian additions to Star Tours: The Adventures Continue are now running at Disneyland, Hollywood Studios, and Disneyland Paris as part of the Season of the Force event. For more on that, check out this link.

Want more io9 news? Check out when to expect the latest Marvel , Star Wars , and Star Trek releases, what’s next for the DC Universe on film and TV , and everything you need to know about the future of Doctor Who .

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Star Wars at Disney Parks

‘Here We Go Again!’ Exciting Updates to Star Tours — The Adventures Continue

by Tom Fitzgerald , Portfolio Creative Executive, Walt Disney Imagineering

Since the launch of Star Tours – The Adventures Continue , we’ve had a great time partnering with Lucasfilm and Industrial Light & Magic to update the attraction with new and exciting destinations. Passengers who board the Starspeeder 1000 never know where in the galaxy their pilot C-3PO and navigator R2-D2 will take them. We’ve added flights to Jakku, Crait and even Batuu!  Along the way, we’ve encountered many of our favorite characters from the Skywalker saga.

I know that many of you are as excited as I am about the December 20th film launch of Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker . Today I’m equally excited to announce that on the same December date, Star Tours – The Adventures Continue will be adding new destinations inspired by the latest episode of the Star Wars saga … at Disneyland Resort, Walt Disney World Resort, Disneyland Paris and Tokyo Disney Resort.

In the trailers for Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker , you caught glimpses of the ocean moon Kef Bir. All I can say at this point is that Starspeeders will be heading there soon!

We’ll be sharing more details in the future, but for now I just wanted to say how super-excited we are that Star Tours – The Adventures Continue is continuing to live up to its name. As C-3PO would say, “Here we go again!”

Topics: Star Wars at Disney Parks

I agree with Terrill. My last 2 visits my family rode it 7 times and we got the same 2 new scenes every time (where it ends on Batuu/Galaxys Edge). I’m sure it’s no coincidence and they were hyping the opening of Galaxys Edge, which I understand. But I would LOVE to see it go back to random scenes, as soon as possible.

I too love this ride and go on it every time I visit Disneyland. My only negative comment is that the random selection of scenes seems to be skewed; of the last 13 times I have gone on the ride its been the exact same video sequence 9 of those times.

We LOVE this ride and go on it multiple times during the day to enjoy the many backdrops!

By any chance, is there going to be a Galactic Night or any special event for “The Rise of the Skywalker” release?

Comments are closed.

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Disney's Star Tours - The Adventures Continue

Disney's Star Tours - The Adventures Continue improves on the original attraction in every way—and sets a new standard for motion simulator rides. What had become a slightly tired trip to a Star Wars galaxy far, far away is now a giddy jaunt to... well, half the fun is you never know where in hyperspace the ride will whisk you.

• Thrill Scale (0=Wimpy, 10=Yikes): 4.5. Relatively mild motion simulator thrills. Those prone to motion sickness may experience discomfort (although closing your eyes should quell any queasiness). The ride also offers Star Wars -style action. It makes our list of Disneyland's most thrilling rides .
• Location: Disneyland , Disney's Hollywood Studios at Disney World , Disneyland Paris and Tokyo Disneyland.
• Height requirement: 40 inches

Disney Raises Its Own Bar

When it debuted at Disneyland in 1987, the original Star Tours was the first major motion simulator attraction at a theme park, and the newfangled virtual reality concept ushered in a new era for park attractions. If theme parks are about escaping from the everyday world, motion simulators offer an ideal means of escape. Using seats that move in sync with filmed action projected onto a screen, the destinations are only limited by the imagination of the attraction's designers. Star Tours was also a bold departure for Disney which, up until that point, had used its own content as the basis for its attractions.

Since the ride film made its debut, developers have added Omnimax screens (such as The Simpsons Ride ), roving motion base vehicles (such as Transformers: The Ride 3D ), and other features to enhance the you-are-there experience. The movie ride space cowboys at Walt Disney Imagineering, Lucasfilm, and Industrial Light & Magic (Lucasfilm's visual effects mavens), have upped their own ante with a retooled version of the attraction that launched in 2011.

The impetus for the re-imagined ride dates back to the late 1990s when Episode 1 of the Star Wars prequel trilogy was being filmed. According to Tom Fitzgerald, executive vice president and senior creative executive at Walt Disney Imagineering , "George Lucas contacted us and said the pod racing scene in the movie would be perfect for Star Tours." Anyone who has seen the movie would agree; the largely point-of-view sequence, with the hover vehicles tearing through a desert course, seems tailor-made for a park ride. So what took so long? "We needed to raise the bar," says Fitzgerald. Thankfully, the bar has indeed been raised.​

3-D Without the Gimmicks

The infrastructure of the attraction remains essentially unchanged. Guests still make their way through a mythology-packed "spaceport" en route to their Starspeeder 1000 boarding gate and an allegedly uneventful journey to some friendly planet. Star Wars stalwarts R2-D2 and C-3PO are on hand to help ready the vehicles (and entertain riders stuck in line). After some pre-flight safety instructions, guests enter the familiar Starspeeder cabins and buckle up for a bumpy ride.

Once the ride begins, however, it's clear that this is not the same Endor-bound Star Tours that lurched ad nauseam through the cosmos for 24 years. Speaking of clear, the super high-def clarity of the digitally projected film is remarkably crisper than the original ride. And by adding 3-D to the mix, the attraction offers a vivid sense of depth, while the dorky 3-D goggles don't noticeably dim the alluring brightness of the images.

Unlike the gotcha gimmickry of most 3-D park rides, the extra dimension of the spiffed-up Star Tours is more understated. With its easy availability at the local cineplex, the novelty of 3-D has long since worn off. Wisely, the Imagineers have seamlessly incorporated the effect in a largely unself-conscious and elegant way that helps bring Lucas' alternate-universe to life.

You Are There. But You Never Know Where.

The most compelling improvement over Star Tours 1.0 is the ride's random sequence generator. By slicing together many different destinations and transition scenes, Disney says that there are over 50 possible story combinations. No two rides, therefore, would likely be the same (unless uber-fans boarded Star Tours a lot ). That keeps the attraction fresh and makes it eminently re-rideable. It also makes other motion simulator attractions, with their fixed been-there, done-that plots, seem so 20th century.

Like the original Star Tours (and nearly every other motion simulator ride), what all versions of the attraction have in common is that things very quickly go horribly wrong. Rookie pilots R2-D2 and C-3PO are unexpectedly drafted into action, rebel spies are discovered lurking among the passengers, and the Starspeeders must periodically engage in evasive maneuvers and travel to distant planets to avoid certain calamity. Other destinations include the ice planet of Hoth, Naboo, and the ominous Death Star.

It's quite impressive to experience the attraction more than once and be treated to an entirely unique story arc each time. Different characters (which might include, among others, Boba Fett, Yoda, Princess Leia, and supreme baddie Darth Vader), different missions, different locations, and even different gags will have you marveling at the audacity of the ride. "It was a challenge to sync everything," says Spiegel, referring to the on-the-fly nature of the stitched-together film, the corresponding motion sequences, and the in-cabin effects. “We wanted to be able to take guests to many places in the Star Wars universe. And now we can."

Even More Places to Visit

Because it is screen-based, Disney has the ability to add sequences and make updates to the attraction, which it periodically does. For example, in late 2019, the parks introduced new scenes inspired by Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker , the latest installment in the movie franchise. Among the places added to the Starspeeders' itineraries was the ocean moon Kef Bir.

Since the introduction of Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge , the groundbreaking lands at Disneyland and Disney’s Hollywood Studios, it has been a bit disconcerting to have Star Tours exist outside of the contained Black Spire Outpost, the trading port on the planet Batuu. It is especially strange at the Disney World park, where Star Tours is just a couple of blocks away from Galaxy’s Edge. Disney has explained the disconnect by saying that the Star Tours attractions pay homage to the movies and mythology while Galaxy’s Edge represents the “real” Star Wars lands.

It may be some time before we actually have the technology to fly off to faraway stars. Until then, the mighty impressive technology that fuels Star Tours - The Adventures Continue can virtually transport us, if only for a few minutes at a time, to places that were previously unthinkable.

As is common in the travel industry, the writer was provided with complimentary services for review purposes. While it has not influenced this review, TripSavvy believes in full disclosure of all potential conflicts of interest. For more information, see our  Ethics Policy .

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• The Inventory

The New Star Tours Update: Everything You Need, and Want, to Know

Characters from the mandalorian, ahsoka, and andor are now part of the legendary disney attraction..

Before Disney bought Star Wars , the two brands began their courtship with a ride . Star Tours opened in 1987 and has seen many new upgrades and additions over the years . This week, for its Season of the Force event , Disney gave the ride another refresh. And this time, for the first time, it’s with characters from Disney+.

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So, starting today, if you are at Disneyland, Walt Disney World, or Disneyland Paris, Star Tours now features characters from Ahsoka, Andor and The Mandalorian . But what’s new? How does it work? io9 was among a group of journalists Disney invited to an early preview of the new Star Tours at Disneyland in Anaheim, so we’ll explain.

How many new Star Tours locations are there?

Though you may have assumed otherwise, only one new, full planet has been added to Star Tours this time around: Seatos from Ahsoka. However, there are three different variations going into that. One featuring Ahsoka (with Rosario Dawson reprising the role), one featuring Cassian Andor (with Diego Luna reprising), and one featuring both the Mandalorian and Grogu.

What can happen on the new Star Tours ?

So, you get on the ride and start to pull out of the spaceport. Here’s where, potentially, your first new change will be. In the past, riders would usually see the Millennium Falcon sitting there as the ship was stopped by Darth Vader, Kylo Ren, or a Probe Droid. And while that’s still more likely to happen than not, if you happen to see a new ship there, you know exactly where this particular ride will take you.

Yes, in some Star Tours rides not only is Ahsoka Tano’s T-6 Jedi Shuttle in the first scene, you can see Ahsoka herself there in the frame. She’s talking to Stormtroopers and, when they discover the Rebel spy, Ahsoka turns on her lightsabers and battles off the troopers before jumping in the ship.

If you see that, you can impress your friends and tell them what’s going to happen next. After you visit one of many, many planets that were previously on the ride (I did it twice on Friday and both times it was podracing on Tatooine from Episode I ), you’ll then get one of the three new transmissions. However, if you got Ahsoka’s ship at the start, you are guaranteed to get Ahsoka in this moment. She’ll say “Hi” to C-3PO, and be excited to see her friend R2-D2 again, before asking to deliver a very important person—the Rebel spy. As she’s talking, we see Chopper and Huyang in the background, getting into shenanigans.

What are the two other transmissions?

These transmissions is the part of this new Star Tours that will be the most random. If you don’t get Ahsoka, maybe you’ll get the Mandalorian and Grogu. As Mando (who does not sound like it’s Pedro Pascal but we’ve asked Disney for confirmation) talks about a dangerous mission and fight, Grogu is eating one of his frogs. He then spits it out and it floats toward your face in 3D. It’s very cute and funny and just as the one-eyed creature gets close enough to almost touch it, Grogu sucks him back in. “This is the way,” Mando says, and you’re off to the final part of your mission.

Note: unfortunately, we didn’t get to see Cassian’s transmission but, from what we were told, it’s very different tonally than the other two, on purpose. While Ahsoka’s is friendly and Mando’s is funny, Cassian’s is mysterious. He comes out in a hood, lurking in a shadow, then reveals himself to the audience and asks for help with the spy. The key was that each one feels completely unique.

What happens on Seatos?

No matter what transmission you get though, everything is the same after that. Star Tours is off to Seatos, the planet from the final episodes of Ahsoka where they showdown with Thrawn. You arrive in some kind of shadow, only to emerge from the clouds flying among the majestic Purrgil (aka Space Whales). Ahsoka hails you on the side monitor and asks for help with the two ships attacking her, which R2 is more than happy to do. You fly up and around the Purrgil, along their backs, weaving in and out of its fins, and at one point almost even getting sucked in and eaten. Finally, there’s a perfect moment, which R2 uses to land the perfect shot and save the day. Ashoka thanks you, has a special goodbye for her old pal R2, and it’s back home.

Are the new additions to Star Tours good?

Yes and no. Yes, because anytime you can get to sit down and experience a new piece of Star Wars , especially on a ride that’s been around for almost 40 years, that’s a good thing. However, do I think Seatos as a planet is one of the better destinations in the ride? No. In fact, it may be one of my least favorites. It’s drastically lacking in drama compared to, say, Geonosis, Coruscant, or Naboo. But Ahsoka is great and it’s fun to follow a different ship around.

Oh, and the new transmissions (at least the ones we saw) were phenomenal. Much more detailed and eventful than the previous ones.

How long is the new ride happening?

“For a limited time” everyone who boards Star Tours will get the new planet of Seatos every time, as well as one of the new transmissions. Whether or not that’s just through the Season of the Force event or longer is unclear, and Disney wouldn’t commit to specifics. It might be a park to park decision. But, for at least a few weeks or months, if you go on Star Tours , you’ll get the new stuff.

Then, eventually, the three new transmissions and one new planet will be slotted into the ride’s randomizer. When that happens, it takes the number of possible combinations up to over 250.

Why Seatos over anything else?

In the last few years, thanks to Disney+, Star Wars has seen more new planets, characters, and creatures than ever. So why Seatos and the Purrgil? Well, Tom Fitzgerald, one of Star Tours ’ original Imagineers—who also worked on this one —said it was all about picking a planet that was different from all the others. Something unique. Maybe that’s colors or maybe, in this case, it’s a unique creature. So by choosing Seatos, not only do you get to see these massive, new, unique creatures, but those creatures allow the ride to do moves it’s never done before. That’s how we get the first barrel roll ever in Star Tours as well as a sequence he refers to as the “slalom ski run.”

How long did the new upgrade take?

Fitzgerald said he and his team first started working on these new additions sometime between 18 months and two years ago.

Could another ride get this treatment?

Since Disney bought Lucasfilm in 2012, Star Tours has been updated about every two or three years. This update is the first since 2019 though—so it makes you wonder, what’s next? And, will it even be Star Tours ?

When Galaxy’s Edge opened in 2019, Disney said that the Millennium Falcon ride, Smugglers Run , was designed in a similar fashion to Star Tours and that the actual visuals in the ride could be changed to take guests on new adventures. But now, that ride has been the same for five years. Could a change be coming? Unfortunately, no one from Imagineering or Lucasfilm would comment, confirm, or deny—but, fingers crossed.

The Ahsoka, Andor and Mandalorian additions to Star Tours: The Adventures Continue are now running at Disneyland, Hollywood Studios, and Disneyland Paris as part of the Season of the Force event. For more on that, check out this link.

Want more io9 news? Check out when to expect the latest Marvel , Star Wars , and Star Trek releases, what’s next for the DC Universe on film and TV , and everything you need to know about the future of Doctor Who .

Star Tours – The Adventures Continue

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Explore a Galaxy Far, Far Away

Board your Starspeeder 1000 and prepare for takeoff! When a series of mishaps unwittingly causes your starship to launch too soon, protocol droid C-3PO takes the controls.

Suddenly, the ship is intercepted by Imperial—or First Order—forces searching for a Rebel spy. To avoid capture, you’ll embark on a thrilling, unpredictable flight that rockets you to the farthest reaches of the galaxy.

Featuring a flight simulator, digital 3D video, Audio-Animatronics characters and “in-cockpit” special effects and music, this attraction immerses you in the Star Wars mythology for an unforgettable intergalactic adventure.

Will your Starspeeder elude capture and make it back to the base? May the Force be with you—always.

Featuring Favorite Star Wars Characters

Always a new adventure.

Hold on tight as urgent transmissions from Ahsoka Tano, Cassian Andor, the Mandalorian and Grogu may soon be part of your next Starspeeder flight.

Starting April 5, 2024, embark on exciting new Star Wars adventures featuring characters and locations from some of your favorite Disney+ series. With these additions, you’ll have the opportunity to experience one of more than 250 storyline variations, including a visit to the planet Seatos from Ahsoka . Because the many story twists are random, you never know where you’ll go or who you may encounter along the way!

©Disney/Lucasfilm Ltd.

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Meet the Star Tours Creators Through Interviews, Autographs

Table of contents, star tours: the ride that took us to a galaxy far far away, lorne peterson, george giordano, orlando ferrante, selwyn eddy iii, michael eisner, warwick davis, kenny baker, fred tatasciore, paul reubens, lynette eklund & terri hardin, imagineering star tours, directed by , writing credits (in alphabetical order)  , produced by , sound department , special effects by , visual effects by , camera and electrical department , music department .

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I have incredible respect and admiration for the creative individuals behind one of Disney’s most iconic rides—Star Tours. I thought it would be fun to reach out to them to find out a little more about the Star Wars inspired ride and to request autographs from some of the people who made the joint project between Lucasfilm and Disney a reality. In doing so, I earned a renewed respect for how multi-faceted and interesting the rides’ production was. I was about five years old when I first visited Disneyland in 1992. I remember a lot about that experience, but what most sticks out in my mind about visiting the park was the original Star Tours ride. Similar to how it is today, upon first entering Star Tours’ loading area, you found yourself in a galaxy far far away. The Starspeeder 3000 was there at full scale with R2-D2 aboard and C-3PO there to greet the attendees. You would wind your way through droids and creatures until you made it to the converted flight simulators that were the ride itself. Everything about Star Tours, from the very experience of waiting in line to the ride itself took teams of talented individuals to create a first of its kind immersive experience. As it was a joint project between Lucasfilm and Disney, talent was pulled from both Industrial Light and Magic (ILM), the people who brought Star Wars to life, and Disney’s Imagineers, the craftsmen in charge of designing the Magic Kingdom.

There was a division of labor between ILM and the Imagineers. For the ride itself, ILM was in charge of creating the ride film, while the Imagineers had the difficult task of making the riders feel like they were experiencing it through the use of a meticulously coordinated flight simulator. Despite how multi-faceted the project was, all of the pieces fell together to create a ride experience that in many ways rivaled the theatrical experience of the Star Wars films that had come before it.

Star Tours Cast and Crew

David carson.

David Carson was the art director and storyboard artist for Star Tours. He also took over for longtime Star Wars veteran Dennis Muren in order to lead the ILM production of the ride film while Muren and his wife had their first child. I was able to reach out to Carson and in addition to signing a few index cards for me, he was kind enough to answer my questions.

TFTC: How did you get the job of storyboard artist on Star Tours? It seems to be the only time you’ve been credited with that role in IMDb . Carson: I was hired at ILM into the model shop on Empire Strikes Back. But shortly after being hired a large number of background plates were approved which meant that many storyboards needed to be up-dated to match. Joe Johnston found out that I had done some storyboarding before coming to ILM and he asked the model shop if he could borrow me for a while to help with the new boards. After that, I did a number of boards for Empire. I did some storyboards on Dragonslayer, though the film had a dedicated storyboard artist. And, I did a lot of storyboarding on Jedi with Joe and Nilo. The reason I’m not credited as storyboard artists is because my primary role was something else. Often the Visual Effects Art Director will also do storyboards. I got the job on Star Tours because I had been working with Dennis Muren a lot, and he was chosen as the Visual Effects Supervisor on the project. He asked me to be Visual Effects Art Director.

TFTC: The ride film had to be made to match the capabilities of the ride vehicle. How did that come into play during the storyboard phase? Carson: Very early in the project a number of us both from Disney and ILM flew to England to see the Simulators in action. We rode it a number of times and got a sense of what it was capable of, and what it was weak at. Mostly we learned that it could do acceleration very well, but needed a few seconds to set up for the move. The one thing it couldn’t do was drop quickly. It just couldn’t dump that much hydraulic fluid that fast. We kept all this in mind as we designed and storyboarded the ‘shots’

TFTC: How did your work on Return of the Jedi inform Star Tours?  Carson: I had gotten pretty familiar with storyboarding the interaction between space ships, walkers, snow speeders, etc. The challenge with Star Tours is that there are no visible cuts. So I worked out that the only way you could emulate a new situation was to have the ship turn. So for instance when it was time for the first TIE Fighters to show up, I had the ship make a turn to reveal them. Once I worked that out it was pretty straight forward. The other challenge was that action needed to be coordinated between the screen, the robot driving, and R2 on the side screen. I created a storyboard format that included all three elements. I’ll attach a copy if I can find one.

TFTC: Your career spanned a transitional period when practical effects shifted to computer generated ones. What was it like acquiring new skills and transitioning from a job like model maker to digital effects artist? Carson: I became interested in computers as soon as they started showing up. I got a home computer early-on, and began to learn programming. So as the computer began to become one of our Visuals tools, I was on-board. I was one of the first people to make the transition from ILM to the new Computer Department (on Hook). I stayed there a while working on a number of films including Jurassic Park.

@talesfromthecollection Star Wars SFX artist Dave Carson. ##fanmail ##autograph ##starwars ##starwarsautographs ##sfx ##ttm ##ttmsuccess ♬ original sound – Tales From The Collection

Brian Cummings

Brian Cummings provided the voice for the Vid-Screen Announcer (planetary destinations). Upon entering the ride, there would be mock advertisements for tours to far off Star Wars destinations like Hoth or Tatooine. Cummings provided the voiceover work for those.

TFTC: How were you chosen for the role of Planetary Destinations Announcer? Cummings: I had worked for Disney on a number of projects and the people who headed the project liked the sound of a previous job that was just a normal announcer. They wanted that kind of straighter believable sound. Sometimes we love to do wild, fun, or strange voices, but here, believably was their choice and I’m grateful they chose me. TFTC: What was your experience like working with Disney and Lucasfilm? Cummings: Like two people who work together who have different perspectives, these giants of the magic of our most memorable media have powerful insights. To me, it’s like a gamer’s love of the game. I needed to get the vision from both and try to satisfy both. The challenge makes it exciting! It also is satisfying that they both knew when we hit the mark. Loved it! TFTC: If you’ve had the chance to experience it, what did you think of the updated ride, Star Tours—The Adventures Continue? Cummings: Things that are just good enough or dated get replaced. Great things evolve. There are also times when creative teams change, but no matter, creativity is a process and not a destination. I loved doing the original Duck Tales! It isn’t as fun that they’ve evolved for me, as an actor, but it’s remarkable and satisfying to see a great concept reaching new fans. When it goes on, the innovations make the craft better and also the experience as well. I began as a fan, then actor, now a fan again.

The late Ira keeler got his movie making start in the early 1980’s while working on Star Wars: Episode VI – Return of the Jedi as a model maker at ILM. He worked on several other films leading up to Star Tours, as well as Captain EO, which was ILM and Disney’s first collaboration. In addition to making models for the ride film, Keeler also made a cameo as well.

TFTC: Were there particular models that you worked on for Star Tours or did you have a part in a little bit of everything? Keeler: I built speeder craft models, the Death Star’s surface, and the set for the hyperspace shot [as well as] the model of the control room. I am the guy at the end of the ride in the control room. Go on a computer and search for the original Star Tours Ride and you will see me at the end . TFTC: Disney Parks are known for their hidden secrets and there are plenty in the rides themselves. Were you able to include any in the work that you did? Keeler: They sent us a model spacewship from the ride we replaced. (Note: Star Tours replaced the ride Adventure Thru Inner Space.) TFTC: What were your impressions of the ride’s updated version Star Tours—The Adventures Continue? Keeler: I have not seen the new ride.

Richard Bellis

Richard Bellis is the creative force behind the scores for many of Disney’s popular theme park attractions. His music has provided the backdrop for tons of rides to include: Star Tours, Alien Encounter, and the Twilight Zone Tower of Terror. He’s an Emmy Award-winning composer whose work for The Walt Disney Company spans across decades and parks all around the world, including Disneyland Paris and Tokyo Disneyland.

TFTC: How did John Williams’ score influence your own? Bellis:  There were two separate jobs on Star Tours.  First, the ride portion which involved choosing the sections of JW scores from Star Wars, figuring out how to edit them together (musically) into a score for the ride video as well as how the ride physically affected the audience.  Then re-recording that music in the edited format. Second, the pre-show music which involved the “Droid’s Room” and several travel videos on the “Status Board” not to mention the “Announce Chime” was my original music.  I think everything I composed had to be influenced by JW in some form or fashion.  The “Droid’s Room” was obviously influenced by the Cantina Band cue from the film.  Interestingly, the “Announce Chime” was influenced by Close Encounters of the Third Kind (communication with the Mother Ship), another John Williams score.  The Status Board videos were supposed to sound like advertisements for trips to Endor, Hoth, etc. The Droid’s Room was supposed to be a workshop with droids repairing droid pilots but in the end, the music was playing out of a “boom box” where a single droid was working on a repair. We also re-recorded more JW music for the exit area. TFTC: Did you have to keep the motions of the ride in mind as you were composing or was it completely based on what occurs on screen? Bellis: Ha! Well above I referred to this.  The short answer is “Yes”.  Both were important.  A group of us were treated to a test ride at the Imagineering campus in the early stages of development which allowed us to watch the flight simulator from the outside before riding inside.  Very cool.  I would get a copy of the film to work with but, with Disney ride attractions, we learned that even a camera strapped to the ride vehicle, you couldn’t FEEL the ride.  That’s because the camera and the vehicle moved exactly together and when one is a passenger, one moves contrary to the bumps and dips of the vehicle. TFTC: Do you have any memories or interesting moments during your time working on the ride that you would like to share? Bellis:  Well, again, above you have one example of an extraordinary memory.  In addition, standing on the podium in a studio filled with incredible musicians, conducting JW’s fabulous music was a rare treat.  For one thing, I was not at all concerned, as I would be with my own music, if it would work or not.  Proven, beautiful orchestral music and all I had to do was give a downbeat and off it went.

One of Lorne Peterson’s lesser known roles was as ILM’s supervising model maker for the Star Tours ride. By 1987 when the ride debuted, Peterson was a seasoned veteran in the model shop, having worked on all three previous Star Wars films as well as Indiana Jones and E.T. Star Tours required all new footage and models to be created. It was such an undertaking that it was said to be a more difficult project than the full length Star Wars films.

George Giordano was on the Star Tours special effects crew for the ride’s footage. Giordano has a long history of working in special effects and now runs his own studio PCND/Fx .

During his 40 years at Walt Disney Imagineering (WDI), former vice president of engineering, design, and production Orlando Ferrante helped create magical Disney lands around the world. On Star Tours, Orlando aided in story development as part of the Imagineering project team.

Selwyn Eddy began his film career working at Lucasfilm as assistant cameraman in the miniature and optical effects unit on Return of the Jedi. For Star Tours, he was the effects cameraman and later went on to be a computer graphics artist for the special edition of  Star Wars, and assistant cameraman for  The Empire Strikes Back  .

This photo shows Michael Eisner, center, Disney chairman, and Star Wars creator George Lucas as they prepare to use a lightsaber to cut the ribbon to open the new Star Tours attraction at Disneyland in Anaheim, Calif., Jan. 9, 1987. Without Eisner, the ride never would have come to fruition.

For Star Tours, Warwick Davis reprised the role of the Ewok Wicket W. Warrick from Return of the Jedi.

Kenny Baker is one of the few actors from the original Star Wars trilogy to make an appearance on Star Tours. He played R2-D2 on the ride film.

Unlike Darth Vader in the original Star Wars films who was voiced by James Earl Jones, Star Tours’ Vader was voiced by Fred Tatasciore.

Paul Rubens is known for his character Pee-wee Herman. A zany character with a wildly popular kid’s show in the 80’s. His off the wall personality made him the perfect fit for the haywire pilot droid RX-24 a.k.a. Captain “Rex” in Star Tours.

Lynette Eklund and Terri Hardin both worked on Star Tours and continue to collaborate to this day. They created the Ackbar puppet used in the Tokyo Disneyland version of the ride. Lynette also did some work for Nintendo which you can check out here . Eklund is also credited with designing the “Vomit Seat” for the original Star Tours in Disneyland. It was a redesigned seat for the ride, better equipped to handle, well, vomit.

If you would like to learn more about the history of Star Tours, starwars.com did an incredible two part write up on the history of Star Tours which is worth a read as it provides an in-depth retelling of the ride’s history from inception to opening day. The first part covered the impetus of the ride and the second part covers how Star Tours was made.

Star Tours Credits

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Star Tours theme

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The Star Tours theme is a musical theme composed for the first of Disney's Star Tours theme park attractions by Richard Bellis . According to Bellis, he saw the music as the work of an in-universe advertising agent creating a commercial jingle for the travel agency. [1]

• 3 Notes and references
• 4 External links

Commercials and video segments advertising the Star Tours travel agency played in the Star Tours ride queue included this theme, with some variations. [3] The commercial for the Trek to Tatooine for example included a brief, new arrangement of the Cantina Band song from Star Wars : Episode IV A New Hope . [4] That version was first played over the credits of George Lucas' Star Tours , the short film promoting the ride on ABC , [2] aired December 28 1986 [5] just days before the ride first opened at Disneyland . [6]

The song included variations of the announcement chime heard over the public address system in the queue. [1] New variations of the theme later appeared in the revamped Star Tours: The Adventures Continue attraction, opened in 2011 . [7] The ride segments of the attractions used re-edited versions of John Williams ' Star Wars film scores. [3] [7]

The Trek to Tatooine version of the theme was released on several Disney theme park soundtrack albums as part of a longer Star Tours track featuring music from the entire attraction.

Sources [ ]

Notes and references [ ]

• ↑ 2.0 2.1 George Lucas' Star Tours
• ↑ 3.0 3.1 Star Tours

• ↑ The Star Tours Christmas Special on Progress City, U.S.A. (archived from the original on May 20 , 2019 )

• ↑ 7.0 7.1 Star Tours: The Adventures Continue

External links [ ]

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New Die-Cast Star Tours Starspeeder 1000 Figure at Walt Disney World

A new die-cast figure of the Starspeeder 1000 from Star Tours is available at Disney’s Hollywood Studios.

Die-Cast Starspeeder 1000 – $17.99

The die-cast vehicle includes a black plastic stand featuring the Star Tours logo. The ship is a burnt orange color with white stripes down the side and black on the bottom. This die-cast model is larger than the usual model of Starspeeder 1000 that’s been sold in gift shops for years.

A version of the triangular Star Tours logo without the name is on the hood of the ship. Below the logo is “Starspeeder 1000.”

The Starspeeder 1000 “replaced” the Starpseeder 3000 when Star Tours became Star Tours: The Adventure Continues in 2011. The 3000 model was identical in shape but white with blue stripes.

The toy is available in Tatooine Traders , the exit shop of Star Tours.

Disney is celebrating “Star Wars” in the lead-up to May the 4th, a.k.a. Star Wars Day. Other new “Star Wars” merchandise includes the artist series by Will Gay , the Sands of Tatooine collection , and more Star Tours-inspired items . A month before May the 4th, the ride received new scenes featuring Ahsoka Tano, Cassian Andor, Din Djarin, and Grogu .

For the latest Disney Parks news and info, follow WDW News Today on  Twitter ,  Facebook , and  Instagram .

The post New Die-Cast Star Tours Starspeeder 1000 Figure at Walt Disney World appeared first on WDW News Today .

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May These 4 ‘Star Wars’-Themed Homes Be With You

“Star Wars” was released in 1977—and nearly 50 years later, fans still long to travel to a galaxy far, far away.

The passion for the film franchise and the extended universe built over the decades has spilled out of the cineplex and into the homes of the most devoted followers.

It’s common for devotees to collect memorabilia and exclaim “May the fourth be with you!” on May 4.

But the owners of these fantastic homes take fandom a step further, dedicating entire rooms to the interstellar franchise.

(Getty Images)

What better way to celebrate Star Wars Day than with a peek inside homes that would be a perfect fit for a rebel alliance?

On this May Fourth, we salute this quartet of “Star Wars”-themed homes on the market right now.

1121 Grand Traverse Pkwy, Reunion, FL

Price: $4,799,000

Sleep on Tatooine: This nine-bedroom, 10,541-square-foot mansion looks like a typical upscale family home, but it’s far from the norm. It is located in a resort and master-planned community near Walt Disney World. Many of the homes in the area are high-end vacation rentals for Disney visitors.

To distinguish themselves, many of these elaborate vacation rentals have been turned into mini theme parks of their own. Quite a few have followed the Force.

In this huge home, there’s a bunk room where kids can crash in “Star Wars” vehicle beds, plus a media/game room that looks like a starship flight deck. For the adults, there are plenty of elegant rooms that show no trace of cinematic themes.

(Realtor.com)

6170 High Seas Dr, Orlando, FL

Price: $1,799,990

The Force is fashionable: This luxe home is part of the Paradiso Grande Resort, a community close to Orlando ‘s most popular attractions. Also designed for vacationers, it boasts 3,819 square feet of living space and plenty of themed rooms.

You will find modern furnishings and tasteful decor, but entertainment is the highlight: The “Star Wars” theme is prominent in the state-of-the-art theater room and lobby.

Then there are bedrooms that celebrate other cinematic blockbusters such as “Frozen,” “Harry Potter,” and “Jurassic Park.”

This house comes with a pool and spa. Community amenities include a fitness center, clubhouse, and lazy river.

14802 Oxford Ave, Lubbock, TX

Price: $1,856,000

True fan: This gorgeous contemporary home was not built with vacationers in mind. It boasts a themed basement with memorabilia constructed by the homeowner.

The space is highlighted by a home theater designed to look like a starship, and a cavelike den looks like it’s from another planet.

Less than a year old, the 4,950-square-foot home spans two lots and has four bedrooms. It features floor-to-ceiling windows, unique lighting, and an impressive custom fireplace.

The kitchen has a butler’s pantry and a built-in TV, so you don’t have to miss a minute of “The Mandalorian.”

Out back, there’s an outdoor kitchen, a lounging area, a basketball court, a koi pond, and a bonus room.

7802 Palmilla Ct, Reunion, FL

Price: $2,987,000

Grogu gorgeous: Many homes in the Orlando area have themed rooms, but this one rockets to the top.

The exterior of the 7,000-square-foot mansion looks unassuming. But inside, there are two galactic-themed bunk rooms (each with a full bathroom). One bedroom has four bunk beds, plus a karaoke stage where the scene of Han Solo frozen in carbonite is re-created in exact detail.

The other bedroom has six bunk beds and is highlighted by Grogu animatronics, a life-sized IG-11 droid, and a multiple-player target shooting game based on the Mandalorian and Bounty Hunters.

The rest of the nine-bedroom home is gorgeous as well, but “Star Wars” enthusiasts probably won’t see much of it.

Lisa Johnson Mandell is an award-winning writer who covers lifestyle, entertainment, real estate, design, and travel. Find her on ReallyRather.com

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