Originally Posted By Doobie Screens on the sides and above? Wow, now we're talkin! I'd take that over variations. In cabin effects really depends on what they were and how well they were executed. Sometimes they're too gimmicky and that wouldn't be good. But Star Tours + CircleVision 360 - that sounds good! Doobie.
Originally Posted By EPCOT Explorer >>>True Dave, but like the HM refurb we get an enhanced Star Tours with multiple variations. Not just one or two but fifty-four.<<< Bull. It's 2 x 3 x 3. Two beginnings, three middles, 3 endings. Total of 18 combos. They spuuuuuuun that one in the PR dept, huh?
Originally Posted By Doobie You're leaving out the messengers. That's 18 X 3 = 54. You can argue, I guess, whether or not it should count as a variation, but I think it should. It certainly gives a different feel to the ride depending on who it is.
Originally Posted By HokieSkipper <<I think it's safe to say that it is a new and improved version of what was there before. It's not FJ at WWoHP.>> And yet the fanbois are still spouting off that this is one of the greatest rides on the planet. I think it'll be a great upgrade...but let's be real people.
Originally Posted By SpokkerJones "There are many fanbois proclaiming Star Tours as the greatest thing since sliced bread." Because the ride is tailor made for fan boys, both Disney and Star Wars. The fan service in this attraction is off the charts. The fact that SPOILER C3P0 is the pilot is just the start of it all. Rather than create a great new character as in the first one, here comes an existing character and his wacky hijinks. Then they find any excuse to put classic Star Wars characters in front of you. The sequence I saw include Darth Vader stopping the entire vehicle, Jar Jar's father(?) waving to everyone and a hologram of Admiral Ackbar (I'm surprised he didn't say, it's a trap!). My girlfriend has been on it twice and on her ride they ran over Chewbaca and princess Leia was the hologram. And this is all designed to give the foamingness of the foamers big ol' Star Tours boners. It's kind of ridiculous when you consider the lengths at which we will shamelessly pander with 3D and "thousands of variations oh my Lord go buy an annual pass right now" in this day and age rather than create the definitive Star Tours story.
Originally Posted By EPCOT Explorer >>>You're leaving out the messengers. That's 18 X 3 = 54. You can argue, I guess, whether or not it should count as a variation, but I think it should. It certainly gives a different feel to the ride depending on who it is.<<<< I guess it's a variable, but it's not a destination. Which is what they've been touting. PR spin.
Originally Posted By leobloom >> Screens on the sides and above? Wow, now we're talkin! I'd take that over variations. In cabin effects really depends on what they were and how well they were executed. Sometimes they're too gimmicky and that wouldn't be good. But Star Tours + CircleVision 360 - that sounds good! Doobie. << I thought the surround-screen effect was discussed at some point, but maybe it wasn't. I'm not someone who is going to ride ST a million times, so the multiple destinations isn't such a big deal to me. I'd rather have an A+ film/ride that is the same everytime than a B+ film/ride that has variations. I find the whole concept of "reridability" that has been touted with Star Tours to be a little overblown. Mansion and Pirates and all the classic E-tickets have managed to be "reridable" for many years despite the lack of variation in their ride experiences.
Originally Posted By xrayvision My girlfriend has been on it twice and on her ride they ran over Chewbaca ***SPOILER ALERT*** You don't actually run over Chewy, he ends up on your Starspeeder's windshield and slides down. It's kinda funny the way that it happens. While I'll agree it was a shameless character plug, the Chewy windshield incident made me chuckle. I like Star Tours 2.0, including the classic character cameo appearances (except for the hand gesturing Jar Jar because it made no sense to me why he was standing there...and Jar Jar is one of my least favorite movie characters).
Originally Posted By Doobie <<< I guess it's a variable, but it's not a destination. Which is what they've been touting. PR spin. >>> I know they've been touting multiple destinations but I only recall the number 54 coming up in relation to variations, not destinations. <<< I thought the surround-screen effect was discussed at some point, but maybe it wasn't. I'm not someone who is going to ride ST a million times, so the multiple destinations isn't such a big deal to me. I'd rather have an A+ film/ride that is the same everytime than a B+ film/ride that has variations. I find the whole concept of "reridability" that has been touted with Star Tours to be a little overblown. Mansion and Pirates and all the classic E-tickets have managed to be "reridable" for many years despite the lack of variation in their ride experiences. >>> I don't disagree, but I believe they have created a great ride. I think any one of the 54 variations makes for a great attraction so the fact that I don't know exactly what I'm going to get is just a plus, kind of like the random Tower of Terror drop sequences. Even Mansion has a very little bit of that with the hitchhiking ghost (though you can see the other ones in the there cars). Maybe I'm a little wacky on this one - but the fact that Mansion, Pirates and all dark rides go through separate sets means they do have a little variation each time. The speed and timing of the Pirates boat changes how you experience each scene and what's said in the Madame Loeta room certainly is different depending on timing. A movie-based attraction by it's nature lacks that subtle variability and this is a good way to build some in - again assuming it's a good ride anyway which I think this is. But I need to think about that more, I could be way off ... it's late. Doobie.
Originally Posted By DlandDug >>They all liked it. No one loved it.<< Add me among those who loved it. Great update of a classic attraction-- granted, nothing that raises the bar-- but I loved it. And my 16 y/o will be all over it, I guarantee! >>But it sure isn't setting a bar higher or creating a new level of experience (see: WWoHP).<< Why? Why "see WWoHP?" What does that have to do with the refreshing of an existing attraction? >>I guess it's a variable, but it's not a destination. Which is what they've been touting. PR spin.<< how me anywhere that Disney has been claiming 54 destinations. The message has been quite consistent: 6 new destinations, 54 variations.
Originally Posted By SpokkerJones Criticism of the overreaching of the marketing department is not a knock against the attraction itself. It's more of a critique against ad people who unreasonably hype everything up. However, Star Tours 3D does feel like an attraction designed by committee. I cannot detect a vision except to throw Star Wars characters up on the screen. It's sort of like porn but for Star Wars fans.
Originally Posted By DlandDug I am more inclined to typify it as Star Tours for the short attention span generation. Rather than a single, linear, immersive experience, we have a series of quickly defined sequences stitched together with recognizable characters, with an added fillup of randomness. It's not inherently better or worse, it's just new and improved.
Originally Posted By Jim in Merced CA And new and improved is a good thing. Not every addition or 'new' thing has to be a 'knock-it-outa-da-park' Harry Potter, E-Ticket attraction.
Originally Posted By SpokkerJones "Rather than a single, linear, immersive experience, we have a series of quickly defined sequences stitched together with recognizable characters, with an added fillup of randomness. It's not inherently better or worse, it's just new and improved." But isn't Star Tours 1.0 a single, linear immersive and impressive experience, and Star Tours 2.0 the stitched together mess? Both are absolutely fun, but one experience is more fulfilling than the other.
Originally Posted By HokieSkipper <<Not every addition or 'new' thing has to be a 'knock-it-outa-da-park' Harry Potter, E-Ticket attraction.>> Not at all. Star Tours isn't and that's completely cool. Doesn't stop people from falsely proclaiming that it actually is though.
Originally Posted By dshyates "So ... how about a Sci Fi dining review?" OK, we arrived a 5 after 11. They had just opened and we walk up and to our surprise they said they could take us right away. We were seated promptly and our server was right there to give us menus and get the drink order. I had the Black & Blue Salad ($16). I thought it was great because instead of a tossed salad with steak strips on top. This was a Iceberg Wedge with blue cheese dressing, bacon and tomatoes with sliced steak on the side. I love wedge salads and this is really exactly what I was looking for. It was very tasty, but I thought $16 was a little steep for a salad. I paid $16 last month at Emeril's Orlando for a Fried Chicken Dinner with Collard Greens, and a Sweet Potato Biscuit with Praline Butter.
Originally Posted By SpokkerJones "Not at all. Star Tours isn't and that's completely cool. Doesn't stop people from falsely proclaiming that it actually is though." The problem is that while Disney focuses on remakes and fixing rides that aren't broken (Small World), areas of the park that have long been dormant continue to collect dust.
Originally Posted By dshyates Oh, I forgot to say about the Sci-Fi. The service was good, the food was tasty, and the restaurant look to be in good shape. All in all I have to say that Sci-Fi is my 2nd favorite place to eat at DHS.
Originally Posted By Jim in Merced CA <The problem is that while Disney focuses on remakes and fixing rides that aren't broken (Small World), areas of the park that have long been dormant continue to collect dust.> True. Very true.
Originally Posted By DlandDug >>But isn't Star Tours 1.0 a single, linear immersive and impressive experience, and Star Tours 2.0 the stitched together mess?<< In your opinion, obviously. But clearly not everyone in the world has your intelligence and good taste.
