Journey to Star Wars Land: The History

Star Wars Land: The History

If you haven't heard yet (where have you been?!?), both Disneyland and Walt Disney World are currently building a Star Wars Land. Also if you didn't know, Star Wars is my favorite movie series of all-time so I'm quite excited about the changes coming to DHS.

(above) Land clearing of the Streets of America

(above) Concept art of Star Wars Land

The original Start Tours ride was incredible opening in January of 1987, and quite expensive at roughly 33 million dollars to make. (Disneyland itself cost around 18 million to make). The ride would be a flight simulator designed to look like a space craft, which  housed the 30-some person theater. Overseeing the special effects would be Industrial Light and Magic (Lucas' own special effects company that was ironically created for the first Star Wars movie) and George Lucas himself.

 In 1995, Disneyland shortened the Jungle Cruise to open a brand new attraction, the first of it's kind, the Indiana Jones Adventure (Temple of the Forbidden Eye), and it is still to this day one of my favorite rides.

With the Star Wars trilogy being one of the biggest fanbases, and the financial success of the movies, and success of the Star Tours attraction in Disneyland, it was a no-brainer to include the ride at Disney's planned third gate, the Disney MGM-Studios (now Disney's Hollywood Studios) which was to celebrate not only the movies, but of 1930's Hollywood. By the time Disney had decided to include Star Tours in the parks plans, it was too close to opening which meant that Star Tours would be a delayed opening of 6 months. Finally Star Tours opened in Florida in December of 1989.

(credit JSpence; above) The brand new Star Tours at MGM Studios had a AT-AT walker shooting at guests as they walked into the queue

The first time I rode Star Tars was around 1995, and I was amazed! I could finally join the Rebel Alliance and be in that universe. When I was that young I was actually pretty afraid of thrill rides but I for sure overcame a few childhood fears, but I digress.

From there, Lucasfilm took a bigger presence in the parks, especially at Disney's Hollywood Studios. From 1997 (the 25th anniversary of Star Wars/Re-Release into theaters) to 2015, Disney would host Star Wars Weekends which really took over the park every weekend in May. I actually was at the first one in 1997 and got to meet Darth Vader and C-3PO for the first time!

The next change really didn't happen until 2011, when both the Disneyland and Walt Disney World Versions of Star Tours opened brand new as Star Tours:The Adventures Continue. The additions included 3D, C-3PO was your new captain (poor Rex is now in the queue) and 50 new adventures! It was a cool concept but for some reason the time period was chosen in-between Episodes 3-4 which meant everything looked like the awful prequels and no of the "adventures" really had any heart to it. For a time when the Force Awakens was released there was a pretty cool Jakku scene, but even a casual Star Wars knows that you had to time travel during your journey. Hopefully there will be another rehab soon!

As to the changes, both parks had to close some attractions to make way for the opening of Star Wars Land. Disneyland closed the Big Thunder Ranch and petting zoo, and  has closed everything on the Rivers of America until construction is complete. Hollywood Studios closed Streets of America (which meant the closure of the Osborne Family Spectacle of Dancing Lights), Honey, I Shrunk the Kids movie playset, and Lights! Motors! Action!

Just announced last month, Star Wars Land is set to open in 2019 at both Disneyland and Walt Disney World, and I cannot wait. The concept looks amazing and there are some structures coming up like the two AT-AT walkers.

This is the structures coming up as of March 2017

Thanks for reading!