Star Wars’ Next Big Star Tours Update Is Seemingly Proof That Disney Is All-In On Where The Franchise Is Headed
Of all the attractions that populate the various theme park locations under Disney Parks’ purview, Star Tours is easily one of the most iconic. The original ride amazed park attendees for decades, and visitors of all ages are still thrilled by the ride’s successor, The Adventures Continue (which even Chewbaccca can’t resist). Considering this enduring popularity, it’s only natural that the company would continue to make alterations to it, and that’s exactly what’s about to happen. It was confirmed during this year’s Star Wars Celebration that it’s getting a sweet update, and it seemingly proves that Disney is all-in on where the franchise is headed.
What Is Disney Parks Planning For Star Tours?
Walt Disney Imagineering took to the stage at Star Wars Celebration in London, where it confirmed that new planets will be added to the ride in 2024, per LaughingPlace.com. That’s exciting enough, but said locations are also said to be places that have yet to be featured in any production the franchise has released thus far. And if you’re hoping the creatives dropped a hint or two on that front, then you're out of luck. You can, however, still take comfort in knowing that the changes will be applied to the venues present at Disney’s Hollywood Studios, Disneyland and Disneyland Paris.
Those who’ve been on the attraction before surely know that a major reason why it’s so re-rideable is because it provides folks with one of multiple experiences. On one occasion, fans can explore the jungles of Kashyyyk while, on another, they can pay a visit to the ice planet of Hoth. This wouldn’t mark the first time that a change has been made to Star Tours in the past several years. Back in 2017, around the release of The Last Jedi, the ride added an adventure set on the salt-covered planet of Crait.
It’s fair to assume that fans are going to be doing some heavy speculation when it comes to the new planets being thrown into the mix. On that note, we may be able to make a good guess as to where they could come into play. But more immediately, we need to discuss how this is a major move on Disney’s part.
Disney Is Apparently Getting Ahead Of The Game By Not Letting Pre-Released Content Dictate Its Moves
To put it frankly, Disney is incredibly masterful when it comes to drawing attention to its IPs, specifically by way of merchandising. But usually, when it comes to this area of business the company likes to test out a property’s popularity before releasing a plethora of products. And this is definitely true when it comes to the Star Wars brand. Sometimes there can be special factors that affect strategies - like in-story spoilers. (Many probably remember that merch surrounding Grogu/Baby Yoda didn’t drop right away for that reason.)
The fact that Disney Parks has already opted to use planets that the public is unfamiliar with at the moment is a testament to just how confident it is in these newest creations from the galaxy far, far away. This shrewd move also means that the powers that be are less likely to move away from the plan, considering that everything’s currently in motion already. It’s a ballsy choice as well as a refreshing one amid a long stretch of time that’s seen Star Wars movies get axed after they’re reported to be in development.
As for these new planets, if they’re to appear before the Star Tours update, it’s possible that they’ll make their respective debuts on TV shows like The Mandalorian, Ahsoka or The Acolyte (which are or will be streamable with a Disney+ subscription). None of the franchise’s new movies, after all, are slated to be released before the ride shares its changes with the public. All in all, this is an incredibly exciting turn of events and may serve as an indication of how Lucasfilm and Disney as a whole might operate from a marketing/merchandising standpoint moving forward.
