Star Tours Opening Day-- were you there?

[Opus1guy]

Still have my watch, but no pictures, camera’s were not as small and easy to carry around back then and film was expensive......Hard to believe that was all 20 years ago.

Same here. Hardly ever took a camera to Disneyland because I just didn't want to carry one around. Well, that and I knew somebody else in our party would probably bring one along. I did occasionally bring along a camera either just for fun or to deliberately document something. But it was pretty rare.

Looking back now, I do sorta wish I had taken more pictures in the early days of Disneyland. But even the 12 exposure rolls of film and their developing costs were rather expensive back then. Today, folks can shoot a couple of hundred digital photos in one day for next to nothing, and still be able to view and share them. Back then...that would have cost a fortune with a chemical emulsion film camera and all the related processing and printing.

For the first several years of shooting pictures at Disneyland, we had some sort of Kodak Brownie camera that used 120 film. This was roll film that had really wide film with a yellow backing on it, that you had to thread into your camera yourself. You had to "roll" the film after each exposure or you'd take another photo on top of the previous for what was called a "double-exposure." Ruined a lot of good photos forgetting to advance the film before taking another! You advanced the film by rolling a little wheel that turned the axle the film was threaded into. When the picture number printed on the back of the yellow light-protecting backing appeared in a little round red-tinted window on the back of the camera...you knew the film was positioned in a safe place to take another photo. When you were "out of pictures", you had to advance the wheel all the way until the end of the film ran off the feeding spool, and then you carefully opened the back of the camera and licking a special little tab at the end that had gummy adhesive on it, you glued that tab tight against the yellow backing, to make sure the film wouldn't unravel off the spool exposing the film to light and ruining your pictures. All this you had to do in a semi-dark place (never outdoors in daylight) to keep "light-leaks" at a minimum. What fun!

When the first "Instamatic" camera came out with with its pre-threaded, pre-loaded film in a sealed cartridge all ready to drop-in to your camera...wow...we thought we had really entered the space-age!

[Taxi3]

Although I am too young to have attended the opening day, I do have this advertisement for Star Tours that I found in an old copy of National Geographic. Enjoy!

[Blueharvest1138]

Very Cool!!!

Although I am too young to have attended the opening day, I do have this advertisement for Star Tours that I found in an old copy of National Geographic. Enjoy!

[MrTaste]

guess i had two... one is 'mint in the package', can you believe after only twenty years the batteries have gone dead? and no.. i dont think there's any way to replace them... or is there? (if anyone will let me know how to post a pic of them, i will)

[MrTaste]

well.. i just opened the package and according to the instructions.. 'once the battery has been expended, your jeweler can easily and quickly replace it for you'... so head for ebay if you want one, or let me know, cause i've got one more than i need... lol

[savanasue]

I was there for that Sunday.. It was funny, two of my friends went on the Saturday and they ..Disneyland.. gave out wristbands that were good for Sat and Sunday. Anyway, my two friends went and the one friend had to work sunday so he was able to slip his wristband off without damaging it and i was able to wear it and get in free I know, dishonest, but i was a kid then I remeber being in awe of StarTours, though . At that time it was a big deal, and great technology.

[Lex the Robot]

That National Geographic ad is VERY cool, I had never seen that artwork before. The Wookiee visible in the StarSpeeder front window closely resembles some early Ralph McQuarrie concept drawings for Chewbacca, which rumor has it will be made into an action figure next year.

By any chance, do you recall what month/issue that ad appeared in? The reason I ask is, NG is not a full-sized periodical, it's smaller than a lot of magazines. I'd be willing to bet that the same ad appeared in numerous popular magazines that same month, and if we knew what month that was, a quick trip to the library might reveal even LARGER versions of that ad in bigger magazines that were printed simultaneously.

Good to know that the watch batteries might possibly be replaceable after all!

And, yowee! We got mentioned on the main page. Not bad for my very first thread. I'm honored. Talk about making a guy feel welcome!

Lex

[Taxi3]

That National Geographic ad is VERY cool, I had never seen that artwork before. The Wookiee visible in the StarSpeeder front window closely resembles some early Ralph McQuarrie concept drawings for Chewbacca, which rumor has it will be made into an action figure next year.

By any chance, do you recall what month/issue that ad appeared in? The reason I ask is, NG is not a full-sized periodical, it's smaller than a lot of magazines. I'd be willing to bet that the same ad appeared in numerous popular magazines that same month, and if we knew what month that was, a quick trip to the library might reveal even LARGER versions of that ad in bigger magazines that were printed simultaneously.

Actually, I don't remember the exact issue the ad was from. It was an issue from 1987, I THINK, but I don't remember....

[Opus1guy]

I'd be willing to bet that the same ad appeared in numerous popular magazines that same month...

You'd win that bet.

I recall seeing that ad in several major magazines at the time. May even have spanded more than one particular month's issues.

But can't help you on more details, as all of mine are buried somewhere and out-of-reach at the moment.

[TacAlert]

Geez, has it really been 20 years already. I remember being there for the party when the park didn't for 3 days. I think we left about 5 in the morning. Wow!!! I still love this ride and it is even better taking my kids with me on it.

[Blueharvest1138]

Opening Ceremony video: (part 1 of 2)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j7DP1L62yk0

[Blueharvest1138]

Part 2 of 2
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bffca...related&search=

[Lex the Robot]

Yeah, I'm glad somebody posted that to YouTube, I've got a copy but have been too lazy to upload it.

I'm also watching someone's home movies right now of the opening festivities, including the first footage I've ever seen of the wares available at Star Traders when it first opened.

Can anyone confirm that the X-wing Fighter was not yet on display in Star Traders when Star Tours first opened?

Lex

[SusieP.]

Wasn't there opening day, but was lucky to ride during a soft opening a few weeks before. I remember us walking by and seeing the entrance open. We wondered in, not having any clue what we would experience. I remember when we exited, I told my wife it was the most fun I ever had getting sick!

Me too. I was there on a weekday for a band trip in high school and the CM in charge of coordinating us announced the soft opening when we got backstage. That was a great day!

[Kwgrlup]

I was there when it opened. I was 14, and all I remember is standing in line forever and being in aww of all the robots. My brother and I thought it was high tech... I remember wanting to go on again, but my parents refused to wait in line that long...lol. I cannot believe that it has been 20 years..... No pictures, I was not the camera freak that I am these days...lol.