I'm ready to post my in-depth spoiler filled review of Star Tours 2. If you don't want anything spoiled for you...please, don't read any further.
Ok, so I arrived at the Star Tours terminal to find the line was out the door. Unfortunately, it was 90 degrees outside and most of the waiting was done in the extended Endor queue, so I was a puddle of sweat by the time I finally made it inside.
Anyways, I can't begin to describe how refreshing the cool air inside was once I finally made it in. The first room looks brand spankin new, with a shiny new starspeeder, and a jaw dropping HD screen that acts as both a terminal sign and a place to view ads for Star Tours. It also has a new lighting scheme that gives the whole area a nice cool blue hue. Back in this area is R2 and C-3PO. They spout out new pieces of dialogue along with old (possibly re-recorded) dialogue, working on the starspeeder in front of us and taking time out to comment on the ads we view. It's a nice mixture of new and old, sure to please both new and returning guests.
The next room used to be a droid repair room, but has been redesigned as a security terminal. The same 2 droids are back and have been all polished up. they are both shiny and, if I didn't know any better, I could swear look brand new (want proof they aren't??? The one checking luggage still has webbed feet!!!!). The first thing any fan of the original Star Tours will notice is our rookie pilot RX, labeled defective. he sparks occasionally and spits out dialogue that we've all heard him say in the original version. (I must say, I do miss good old RX). The next item you will encounter is the luggage scanner droid and the neat little effect that accompanies him. Pieces of luggage are stopped, scanned, and then the droid takes a few seconds to comment on what he observes. I caught a toy Ewok, some items that looked like blasters (according to the droid they were hair dryers), and storm trooper helmets. As you move on from this area you will pass under a window where the silhouettes of characters pass by, be sure to take a few seconds to watch this effect as you'll never know who you'll see or what you'll witness. After passing the window you'll encounter the body scanner droid. He'll scan you (look at the monitor he stands above...it really does scan your body!!!) and make some (pre-recorded) comments. One comment I remember was him telling us not to watch the scanner, cuz that's his job. I also remember him shuffling us along into the next area.
After the Security Terminal you'll pass thru an arch (for lack of a better word) of sorts (similar to what can be found in MIB and the old Body Wars attraction). Beyond the arch is a diagram of the Starspeeder 10k. Shortly after passing this you will be directed to your departure gate. This is also where you pick up those cool looking 3-D shades.
WARNING: MAJOR SPOILRS LIE AHEAD!!!! IF YOU DO NOT WANT ANYTHING SPOILED FOR YOU PLEASE STOP READING NOW
While waiting for your starspeeder we get a glimpse as droids prep our starspeeder for takeoff. While we are, watching C-3PO bumbles his way into the cabin. It would appear that both ACE and our Staspeeder require a few last second repairs. After Ace leaves and C-3PO takes a seat in the captain's chair, the Shield window closes, trapping C-3PO inside. After this, a quick safety video plays ( be sure to keep an eye out for a passenger that resembles the original spokeswoman for Star Tours) and our Starspeeder is lifted into the loading gate. Shortly after this, the gate doors fly open and we are ushered to our seats.
I'm not sure, but I believe that our Starspeeder is the same one from before...only it's been polished up quite a bit. It looks BRAND NEW!!!!
Once our seatbelts are buckled, the starspeeder doors close and we begin our journey. A small screen to the right of the shield window comes on showing C-3PO. A voice comes on over the intercom telling us that we are ready to depart and that the captain should prepare the speeder. C-3PO panics, saying that we cannot take off because our captain is not back yet. Since C-3PO fails to comply with orders an automatic start-up is initiated and our shield window slides down, revealing the C-3PO full motion animatronic and the Star Tours departure port in glorious 3-D. The screen isn't really hi-def but does have a crystal clear quality that the original ride lacked. It never feels like we are watching a screen, but instead that we are looking out a window. It gives you a YOU-ARE-THERE feeling and I can happily report that the 3-D never utilizes any cheap tricks that are usually so common in theme park shows that utilize this common technology.
The opening sequence I received was the Vader one. A Terminal droid guides our starspeeder up and around a corner. C-3PO tells R2 that he is not designed to captain a ship and to turn us around before something bad happens. As if on cue, Vader glides into view, accompanied by a whole battalion of Stormtroopers. He stops our ship and tells us that he has received intel that a rebel spy is on board and that he intends to board our ship so he can retrieve him/her/them. R2 tries to hi-tail us out of there but Vader doesn't take too kindly to this and force grabs our ship, moving us around in what has got to be one of the coolest effects I've ever witnessed (I seriously crapped my jeans). R2 deploys our blaster cannons and takes aim at Vader, as he deflects the shots with his lightsaber R2 accelerates us back and out of the Star Tours terminal where we shoot down some Tie Fighters. After this he warps us to lightspeed (another cool effect as we tilt backwards).
Once out of Lightspeed I found that we had arrived at Hoth, where a full fledged AT-AT battle with the Rebel Alliance was under way. we dodge shots from AT-ATs, but before we can make it out of there R2 reports to C-3PO that we have lost power to our thrusters, to which C-3PO replies: "Are those important?" We find ourselves gliding dangerously close to an AT-AT which takes aim at us, we are hit by one of the blasts and manage to barely glide under one of his feet (It almost crushes us) as we hit the ground and continue forward and up a slope where we come to a halt. We are teetering over a deep ledge (Our starspeeder is leaning forward...another cool effect). C-3PO tells us not to move. We begin to fall and he tells us that he meant everybody move, LEAN BACK!!! It's too late though as we go completely over the ledge and into a short toboggan run. C-3PO yells at R2 to DO SOMETHING. R2 steers us up a side of the valley we are in, our speeder shoots up the side and into the air where we regain our thrusters and R2 accelerates us back out into space. We receive a transmission from Yoda, after which we go into Lightspeed once again.
After coming out of Lightspeed for the 2nd time, I found that we had arrived at the planet Geonosis. Our Starspeeder flies towards the planet and gets caught in it's rings (consisting of large astroids). It is at this point that Bobba Fett (in his ship) appears. C-3PO comments: A Bounty Hunter!!! He says something like: You cannot hide from me and then starts firing at us. C-3PO guides our starspeeder, dodging the blasts from Bobba Fett while R2 deploys our blaster cannons and our speeder fires off at the asteroids that lay in our path. We eventually make it out of Geonosis' rings only to fly directly into Vader's path. Vader says the CLASSIC line: I have you now and C-3PO takes evasive action, diving our Starspeeder deep into the Death Star. Once in it's core C-3PO says: Hang on, I'm getting us out of here!!! R2 makes a comment and C-3PO retorts saying that he knows what he's doing. He takes us into the flight bay for the Death Star and we narrowly avoid hitting some stormtroopers (who dive for cover) as we escape out of the flight bay only to be halted by bobba once again. He tells us: Prepare to die, rebel spy. and shoots out a supersonic bomb at us. R2 shoots it before it can hit us. Bobba Fett fires off another one and R2 shoots it while it's near Bobba, sending Bobba flying sideways, our Starspeeder is thrust backwards from the explosion (It's MASSIVE) and while Bobba is distracted by the balst C-3PO order R2 to send us into Lightspeed again. We escape and arrive at a Rebel aircraft, Admiral Ackbar comes in on the small screen and welcomes us, saying they were beginning to worry. They ask if the spy is all right and C-3Po says that the spy is fine, but may be a little bit shaken. We land in the flight bay for the craft and a bunch of rebels gather around our vehicle and applaud us. C-3PO tells us to be careful out there because the empire is watching.
Our Starspeeder lowers back to the loading platform and the shield window rises back into place...the last thing we hear C-3PO say is: Can anyone tell us the way back to a Star Tours Flight Terminal??"
And that's it!!!! My whole first flight on Star Tours 2. I got to ride it again later on in the day, getting the same beginning and ending, but with a pit stop to Tattoine (Was pretty cool, but I feel didn't really seem to fit into the ride's story. C-3PO basically enters us into a pod race where we encounter a bufferer; I think that's what he called him; and get stuck to someone's thrusters, giving us enough boost to win the race), and we received a new transmission from Leia (WHICH WAS AWESOME!!!! It was funny to see C-3PO's awed reaction to her. After this R2 says that he's going to follow the co-ordinates that she sent him and C-3PO complains saying: We will do no such thing but R2 takes over snd sends us to the co-ordinates nontheless).
So, overall I think that Star Tours 2 is a VAST improvement over Star Tours. the 3-D doesn't feel gimmicky at all and gives the whole experience a YOU-ARE-THERE vibe.. not to mention I felt like a bad-ass with those shades on. The queue has basically been re-themed and it feels really nice to travel thru it. The ride itself is also something else....All I could say once I got off was: WOOOOOOOW. All-In-All Star Tours 2 is not only a superior ( and smooth, the movements of the sim fit the screen PERFECTLY) simulator experience, it's also one of the best rides in the park.
So next time you're in DHS be sure to book a flight with Star Tours, you won't regret it!!
Feel free to add this review to the main page, I would be honored to be included in the Star Tours 3D review section. THANKS!!
Expect a few pics and A LOT of vids to be posted once they finish downloading :thumbs:
