Star Tours Thread - Waves 1-3

[JediMAC]

(Click HERE for the discussion on Wave 4...  )



So the Official Site has finally shown off the final 3 figures in the Star Tours line.  I really think that when they hit the stores in a few months, they'll be on the Saga card backs, rather than the former POTJ ones, which would be kind of a bummer since they won't look like one nice complete, and uniform, set when all placed together.  So what do you guys think of them?

The R5-D4 looks pretty good, though his blast mark is a tad big.  I really hope his head is articulated, as it's hard to tell from the picture.  I'd like to get a comparison shot of this one with the ANH version, to see how they compare.

This SK-Z38 "bird" figure is frankly a huge disappointment, and flat-out dumb IMO.  A bird?  C'mon...  

Finally, the G2-9T is just a repaint of the earlier droid of the same make.  Disappointing too, though we knew this one was coming.

Oh well, not too thrilling overall - especially after all the build up in recent months, though I'll be snatching them all.  The R5 has some nice potential, but I'd like to see one in person before I really judge it.  I just hope that another R5 droid is eventually released in the regular line, so we can customize armies of them for half the (Disney) price...

[Angry Ewok]

First off, the bird is insane. Whoever thought this thing up was doing some bad drugs... Anyway, that's my opinion and I'm sure many people will think it's neat. I'm awaiting Kris' opinion.

G2 is just a re-paint, but not a horrible one. No real love or hate for this thing....

Now, to the droid I have been most interested in ->

The R5 is nice, I like it, but the blast mark is too much. I think this R5 is more accurate to the R5 that was blasted off of Queen Amidalla's ship, which would explain the blast mark being huge, than the R5 in ANH.

You can clearly see that the R5 in ANH did not have that blast mark.

I deeply hope that this is released in Saga, or a more correct version.

What do ya think, Kris?

[CyberScout]

Good points you guys have mentioned.I was really looking forward to these but I am disappointed this is what shows up.Besides the fact of maybe not being on POTJ cards the figures are not all that great IMO.

Of the bunch I look forward to R5-D4 the most despite the uncalled for blast mark.Not real sure what to think of the bird thing and the rehash gets a thumbs down.

I'll still have to get them though to make the set complete.

[BigDumbWookiee]

I guess it all depends on how you look at it.

R5D4 is hands down a perfect facsimile of the R5D4 at Star Tours, as are the other two droids. I guess I can understand if you don't like what they are based on anyway though. But strictly from a Star Tours figure point of view, these are all right on the money, and are the spitting image of their counterparts from Star Tours. Other than the Star Wars theme, none of these droids actually have bases in the movies (except R2 and 3PO), and actually, Star Tours has never named any of their droids (the closest are the G droids, since they have the serial number on their head which inspired the name). The only problem I have with them is that they aren't named differently (specifically R5D4 and R4M9 which differ from their movie counterpart namesakes).

Edit: According to the Star Wars website, R5D4 does have a background story which supposedly reveals his past, etc. So I guess it does have a basis in the movie, although I've been told by many people at Star Tours Disney World that these werent designed to try and be characters from the movies (aside from C3PO and R2D2).

[JediMAC]

Yes, that's definitely true Adam, and something to keep in mind when reviewing these figures.  That said though, I think a bird is still a bird and a rehash is still a rehash unfortunately...  I've never actually seen that bird myself, despite having been on the Star Tours ride a good 50+ times, I'm sure.  Just a poor character choice IMO.  They had a pretty cool Gonk droid in the line area that would've been much cooler, and more "Star Warsy".

As for the R5, some folks know that the head of the droid in the ride is a bit different than the one in the movie, but the vast majority were probably really hoping this was going to turn out as a spot on match to the one in ANH, mostly due to the fact that everyone wants a resculpted, more accurate R5-D4 than that rocket launching one version from back in the day.    But Adam's right - this is NOT that droid, nor was it meant to be.

Hopefully Hasbro will still put out a nice ANH accurate R5-D4 at some point in the future, that we can scoop up by the truck load for customizing at a much cheaper price.  I think it'll happen eventually, since this one from Star Tours doesn't really qualify.  R5-D4 was initially scheduled to be in the POTJ line, but was replaced by the R4-M9 droid.  So it would seem to me that Hasbro's got that figure under consideration.  A simple repaint and a new head for the ST version might just do the trick for them, when they finally get around to it.  Here's to hoping anyways...  

[BigDumbWookiee]

Im confident that Hasbro will hear the fans and give us a true R5D4 (Hey, I want one too! ) Like you said, it wouldnt take a lot of work.

Is the scoring -just- paint, or is their molded damage? It's so black I cant tell. In the Star Tours droid there is a big gaping hole where some of his panels were removed.

As far as the skeezee bird, while I like it, I do admit it would have been one of my last choices. If it were to be another droid, the gonk would have been great. There are a few other droids as well; I would have even prefered the red version of the R2 unit already made.

I cant speak for any other locations, but I do know that the skeezee bird is at Star Tours in MGM Florida (or at least the last time I visited which was about a year ago). He sits at the top of a doorway, out of easy view, and bows back and forth. Because of his being a bird originally, he still has the programmed bird movements (but no sqwaking). He was placed atop a doorway (or entryway, whatever you want to call it) as a subtle reference to other birds in Disney rides that sit looking over the ride entrance (The Tiki Room (when it still existed), Pirates of the Caribbean and The Haunted Mansion also all have "guard" birds, as well as a lot of other rides).

Also, according to some older Disney collectibles magazines as well as some conversations with Disney product purchasers, not only is this line supposed to be carded on the blue Saga cards, but also Series 1 and 2 are due to be recarded. The recarding is still up in the air though. Ultimately, they want their displays to match and think green and blue cards are going to throw off the casual customer, thus they want to take everything over to blue (which ties it to Star Wars right now)

[BigDumbWookiee]

Im really hoping they decide to continue the line. They have a lot of good Star Tours and Star Wars characters to make. They could make Mon Calamari figures, Ewoks and other aliens, Chewie, R2, 3PO and most importantly, Teek! Probably the only chance we'd ever have at getting an Ewoks movie figure

[JediMAC]

Also, according to some older Disney collectibles magazines as well as some conversations with Disney product purchasers, not only is this line supposed to be carded on the blue Saga cards, but also Series 1 and 2 are due to be recarded. The recarding is still up in the air though. Ultimately, they want their displays to match and think green and blue cards are going to throw off the casual customer, thus they want to take everything over to blue (which ties it to Star Wars right now)

Oh dear Lord, I hope you're not right there Adam.    That's a painful punch to absorb to any carded collector completists out there, considering they've already snagged the first 6 on the POTJ cardback for nearly $11 a pop.  Ideally, they just stick with POTJ cards through wave 3 so everything matches.  End of story.

But I suppose if they did want to consider adding further waves of new ST figures into the line, then the Saga cardback would be the only way to go.  I suppose it wouldn't be too difficult to recall all the current ST figures, rip 'em all open, and slap the figures on new Saga cards.  Well, since the loose figure pix have finally been released, the carded pictures shouldn't be too far down the line.  We soon shall see...

[dustrho]

Well, I'm not too fond of these except for the R5 droid, but it looks like you're going to have to go out again (Matt) and hook me up with some MOMC Star Tours Droids (again).

                           

[DSJ™]

Same here. Get ready to go hunting Matt.  

[krisvds]

ok as Star Tours expert:

these figs are to due in MAY, samewith the Star Wars Weekends

and Wave 3 wil be at Green cards (90 % sure) and a rerelease later on blue ones (new likenes, with Star Tours on the left), possible trough more places to buy them (possible Fan club) tough the blue cards are only MINOR rumours...

and if you use comon sense, they designed a special card for the Star Tours Line, why change it

 

[Angry Ewok]

But Adam's right - this is NOT that droid, nor was it meant to be.

Well, StarWars.com says :

R5-D4 is a down-on-his luck astromech that is first seen in A New Hope with an explosively faulty motivator. While he has gotten away from the Jawas, the carbon scoring on his shell reveals he's still working a hard existence. This edition of R5-D4, true to its theme park incarnation, features a unique head design.

So basically this is R5D4, except it has a new head design, and more scoring... I guess this would fall into the EU category.

[JediMAC]

it looks like you're going to have to go out again (Matt) and hook me up with some MOMC Star Tours Droids (again).

Same here. Get ready to go hunting Matt.

Oh boy...  Round 2, huh?!    I'll see what I can do fellas!  That goes for Mike and Jim too, I'd imagine...

...and if you use comon sense...

Sorry Kris, but I ain't got no common sense!      'Bout time you finally chimed in here!  We've been waiting on pins and needles for the opinion of the biggest ST fan out there on these things (which you still haven't really given us)!  But in regards to card changes, well - Hasbro does 'em all the time.  If the Star Tours line stays on green, that would give us 5 different cards just this year alone!    But I hope you're right, and they just stick with the old POTJ green ones, as I'd greatly prefer the uniformity...

So basically this is R5D4, except it has a new head design, and more scoring... I guess this would fall into the EU category.

Good point Brad.  So R5 blew his motivator, and got a new noggin...  Interesting!  So kinda the same droid, but not really...  

[BigDumbWookiee]

Well Im going to have to disagree with the blue cards being "minor rumors". I have talked to a couple of Disney execs very high up in the preverbial "food chain" of product purchasing, and they all had to say that it was very likely Series 3 would be on blue cards. Im not saying that means its guaranteed, but much more than just a minor rumor. Also, Tomarts Disneyana Collecting magazine has featured these toys and has also "confirmed" from their sources that Series 3 will be on blue cards. So please don't try to imply Im not using my common sense, because my common sense leads me to believe what Im told by reputable sources

As for the Star Wars description of R5D4, I'll just jump on my highhorse again, and say that his Star Tours doppleganger wasn't originally -intended- to be based on his seeming movie counterpart, and while it seems that they are one in the same, he wasn't named as such until many years after he had been made. Although, I guess a lot of the characters even from the movie never really had names until their toy release, so its all a matter of semantics

[JediMAC]

After looking at a few more reference pictures of R5-D4 from ANH, I've also noticed that the movie version has a number of blue and silver highlights throughout it's body, that the ST version is missing (to go along with the already noted differences in the head and "eyes").  And am I mistaken, or is the ST version colored red, whereas the ANH version is orange?  Check it out:




Despite that OS write up, the Star Tours R5 ain't the real R5-D4 to me.  Oh well...