Tokyo Disneyland will revamp its attraction based on the "Star Wars" film series, with a 3-D version to launch in the spring of 2013, the operator of the theme park said Wednesday. Oriental Land Co. (4661) plans to spend roughly 7 billion yen on the first overhaul of Star Tours since the ride debuted in 1989.
Star Tours offers simulated space travel by having riders board a cabin that moves in line with the video being shown. The 3-D version will run for 4 minutes and 30 seconds, the same duration as the existing ride, but will feature more than 50 story variations in an aim to attract repeat customers. The current Star Tours ride is slated to end on April 1. At Tokyo Disneyland, 3-D video technologies are currently being used in Captain EO, which features the late singer Michael Jackson, and Mickey's PhilharMagic.