In a galaxy not so far away, Star Tours is preparing to embark on brand-new journeys in 2024. The classic Disney theme park attraction, which immerses guests in the Star Wars universe through a wild motion simulator experience, will soon add new destinations and characters inspired by popular Disney+ series like Ahsoka, Andor, and The Mandalorian. Beginning April 5, 2024, guests visiting Disneyland, Disney’s Hollywood Studios, and Disneyland Paris will be able to experience these all-new Star Tours adventures. While full details are still largely under wraps, we know the new ride sequences will feature locations and faces from the latest Star Wars stories.
Fans can expect to encounter Ahsoka Tano, the former Jedi Padawan who stars in her own upcoming live-action series. There are also strong hints that the gritty spy thriller Andor and the beloved Disney+ hit The Mandalorian, featuring Din Djarin and Grogu (aka Baby Yoda), will be represented. These new additions will join the already impressive lineup of Star Wars planets and personalities featured in the current version of Star Tours. Let’s take a look at where this iconic attraction has been, and where it may be headed next.
Star Tours: A Brief History
Star Tours was the very first attraction based on the Star Wars universe when it debuted at Disneyland in 1987. It opened just four years after Return of the Jedi hit theaters, at a time when Star Wars fandom was still riding high from the original trilogy’s incredible success. The original ride sent guests on a disastrous tour aboard a Starspeeder cruise ship bound for the forest moon of Endor. The inexperienced droid pilot C-3PO was supposed to be handling maintenance, but ended up trapped in the cockpit and forced to fly the ship.
With R2-D2’s help, guests experienced a wild trip through an Imperial blockade run and a harrowing plunge into the Death Star before crash landing on Endor. Star Tours proved immensely popular, leading to versions opening at Disney’s Hollywood Studios (1989), Tokyo Disneyland (1992), and Disneyland Paris (1992) over the next few years. The attraction closed in 2010 to receive a major technological overhaul. In 2011, Star Tours re-opened as Star Tours – The Adventures Continue at Disneyland and Disney’s Hollywood Studios.
This new version featured eye-popping 3D video, an updated randomized ride experience, and characters from the prequel trilogy films. Instead of just one possible journey, the new Star Tours utilized a complex algorithm to create an ever-changing array of destinations and scenarios. Guests could find themselves fleeing Imperial forces on Coruscant, battling Battle Droids on Geonosis, racing through the forests of Kashyyyk, or even crashing into the Death Star’s still-under-construction superlaser.
As new Star Wars films were released, Star Tours was updated to include locations like Jakku from The Force Awakens, the mineral planet Crait from The Last Jedi, and the ocean moon Kef Bir from The Rise of Skywalker. With the Skywalker Saga complete, Star Tours is now setting course for the next era of Star Wars storytelling on Disney+.
Exploring New Frontiers with Ahsoka, Andor, and The Mandalorian
While plot details are still tightly under wraps, we do know some of the Disney+ series that will be inspiring the new Star Tours adventures in 2024. At the top of the list is Ahsoka, the upcoming limited series starring Rosario Dawson as the former Jedi Ahsoka Tano. The highly-anticipated show promises to explore Ahsoka’s journey in the years after Return of the Jedi as she hunts for the evil Grand Admiral Thrawn. It‘s a safe bet that the lush planet Tython, where Ahsoka is rumored to begin her quest, could make an appearance on Star Tours.
Fans may also get to visit harsh worlds like the mining colony Kadavo or the oceanic Navarro, if the show’s reported connections to The Mandalorian and Rebels characters hold true. Speaking of The Mandalorian, the hit Disney+ series centered on bounty hunter Din Djarin and his adopted son Grogu is also expected to lend locations and characters to the new Star Tours adventures. Perhaps guests will get to experience the lava-drenched Mustafar from season 3, or take a spin through the living waters of Mandalore as Din attempts to restore his homeworld.
A run-in with Moff Gideon’s Imperial remnant forces also seems likely. The gritty spy thriller Andor, which explores the early days of the Rebellion prior to Rogue One, is another strong candidate to be featured. Imagine blasting off from the industrial world of Ferrix or the oceanic Niamos before being caught up in a daring heist on Aldhani or Narkina 5.
With Andor’s second season expected to jump closer to the events of Rogue One, a stop on the harsh beach planet Scarif, site of the pivotal battle to steal the Death Star plans, could also be in the cards. Of course, Star Tours is known for throwing in a few surprises, so other Disney+ shows like The Bad Batch, Obi-Wan Kenobi, or the upcoming Skeleton Crew can’t be ruled out either. Fans will just have to experience the new adventures for themselves when they launch in April 2024.
Looking Ahead to the Future of Star Tours
As Star Tours continues to evolve alongside Star Wars’ expanding universe of stories, there’s no telling where this classic attraction may venture next. The randomized, multi-path format allows for endless possibilities. With new Star Wars films and shows being developed all the time, Star Tours has a wealth of potential new destinations to explore in the years ahead.
From the High Republic era to the far future legacy of the Skywalkers, any corner of the galaxy could become the next stop. Perhaps we’ll get to walk the ancient streets of Jedha from Rogue One, or visit the shimmering, cosmopolitan world of Hosnian Prime before its tragic destruction in The Force Awakens. An encounter with the sinister Grysk aliens that menaced the galaxy’s Outer Rim in the Thrawn novels could also make for a thrilling ride sequence.
The Star Wars universe is more vast than ever, filled with infinite frontiers waiting to be experienced. Thanks to the magic of Star Tours, that incredible galaxy will keep getting closer and closer with each new adventure added. So strap in and prepare for a turbulent flight through hyperspace. Because when it comes to Star Tours, the greatest rides are still ahead, in a galaxy far, far away…
