Great ideas at Walt Disney Imagineering have a way of finding their way around the world. When WDI was given an opportunity to work flight simulator technology into an attraction, they came up with Star Tours, an attraction that first opened at DISNEYLAND.
A carbon copy was set to go in at Florida's Magic Kingdom, but when Disney's Studio theme park in Orlando opened with a slim lineup of attractions and huge crowds, Disney quickly shoehorned the attraction into that park to beef up its attraction count.
Tokyo Disneyland received a copy of DISNEYLAND's Star Tours in its Tomorrowland.
The same simulator technology was used across the street from Disney-MGM Studios at EPCOT Center for an attraction called Body Wars. The Body Wars attraction was eventually closed, though it remains intact. It is rumored that it is used by WDI to test new or changed ride films.
Star Tours in Disneyland Paris was placed in its version of Tomorrowland- Discoveryland and given a more elaborate entrance. However, the ride is still (as of this date) only going to Endor. The conversion to the newer version of the attraction is scheduled for this year.
Hong Kong Disneyland opened without a Star Tours, but it will be using the technology for an Iron Man attraction, creating a first of its kind Disney Theme Park attraction based on a Marvel property.
