The retooled Star Tours attraction at Disney’s Hollywood Studios represents a spectacular leap in the technology of simulator experiences.
For many years, I enjoyed the original Star Tours, in which you’d fly the same harrowing, out-of-control route to the Moon of Endor. The refurbished attraction provides over 50 random combinations of journeys throughout the Star Wars Universe! This renders the sighting of Hidden Mickeys on the ride (and several folks have spotted at least one possible Hidden Mickey image) a bit difficult to capture and describe. I didn’t experience the specific sequence that these folks did, and I saw no Hidden Mickey images during my several trips through the galaxies.
I was delighted to discover that one of my favorite Hidden Mickeys anywhere is still in place (thank you, Imagineers!). About halfway along the outside winding queue, a white classic Mickey is high on a tree trunk, just below the walkway platform for the Ewok village above. It’s on the huge central tree, directly across from the Imperial Walker.
Another classic Hidden Mickey still in place is in the gift shop at the ride exit. On the right side of the shop, near the exit doors from the shop, a Mickey image is on a front right panel of a counter. It’s formed by bullet holes with surrounding black burn marks as the “ears” and a center raised circle as the “head.”
An interesting image in the gift shop is a collection of tiny creatures (Jawas) peering out from “windows” on the upper corners at both ends of a long counter on the left side of the shop.
Alas, a few Hidden Images are no more. Kermit the Frog, made from tubes and robot parts, no longer sits along the inside entrance queue. The pre-boarding instructional video has changed, and the Ewok who carries a plush Mickey Mouse has vanished.
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Read more about Steve’s Hidden Mickey finds on AllEars.net
Steve maintains a Catalog of Hidden Mickeys on the Hidden Mickeys Guide.
per the star tours ride…in the queue as you go around c3po there is a “scanner” that is x-raying bags…the x-ray light creates a classic mickey as it “scans” one of the bags going through…upper left corner of the bag…about every ten bags or so.
I’m relatively sure the new diagnostic panel that C3-P0 stands in front of contains a mickey formed with the diagnostic gauges at the bottom. I do not have a photo unfortunately, I caught it last second as we passed through the room. Can any one confirm?
In the new 3D Star Tours ride queue, watch the animated display of Star Wars character silhouettes walking on the other side of a frosted window. In less than 60 seconds after the Twi’lek female character walks halfway across, spins around, then continues walking you will see an R2 unit come across and briefly unveil his hidden Mickey ears before continuing off screen.