Last year I launched the Star Tours Pop Quiz to determine a fan’s ultimate version of the Disney parks ride. With 54 possible combinations of tour destinations, every fan will find one (or two or three!) that matches their Star Wars passion.
This year I asked fangirls Ashley Eckstein, founder of Her Universe and the voice of Ahsoka Tano on The Clone Wars, Teresa Delgado, co-host of the Star Wars Bookworms podcast, and Bethany Blanton, co-host of the Star Wars Report podcast, to take the quiz.
Star Tours Pop Quiz
What’s your favorite trilogy?
1. OT
2. PT
3. Do I have to choose?
What’s the Star Wars line you’d most like to say?
1. “It’s a trap!”
2. “You’re my only hope.”
3. “Do or do not. There is no try.”
Pick your favorite Star Wars furry friend:
1. Wookiee
2. Tauntaun
3. Bantha
Pick your side:
1. Rebel
2. Imperial
Now let’s see what Ashley, Bethany, and Teresa answered!
The last question determines which of the two scenarios – flee with the Millennium Falcon or face-off with Darth Vader – is your best opener.
Ashley: Rebel all the way! I like to stay far away from the dark side!
Teresa: Imperial. I’m saying this purely because I love the Imperial cog. I think I would probably be a Rebel – actually, I definitely would – but come on, I can pretend that I could be on the Imperial side. In my imagination I could be evil enough.
Bethany: Rebels. They are the noble cause, after all, and the underdog. That and I would prefer fighting on the same side of the Skywalker twins. Though, a red lightsaber would be tempting…
It looks like there’s more Rebel than Imperial in this group. The bonus of fleeing with the Falcon is that there’s a little glimpse of Han (shooting first, of course) if you stare past the droid’s introduction of the Rebel spy. Then again, the Vader opening has TIE fighters in 3D!
For the second phase of the ride, fans hyperspace jump to one of three locations – the Wookiee homeworld of Kashyyyk to battle clones on speeder bikes, the desert planet Tatooine for a podrace, or Hoth for some old school snowspeeder action. I used the corresponding animals from those planets to decide which option would fit our quiz-takers.
Ashley: Wookiee. Even though we went head to head in the March Madness competition, I would definitely say “Let the Wookiee the win!” with this answer!
Teresa: Tauntaun, but only because there is no Ewok to choose. I think the Tauntaun is a really cool animal, and I would love to have one as a pet. I have a sleeping bag version, but it’s just not the same. If I had one it would not smell bad because it would get baths all the time and it would be the prettiest tauntaun out there.
Bethany: Wookiees, obviously! Tauntauns smell, and Banthas aren’t exactly great for friends (and you have to deal with Bantha poodoo).
Ashley and Bethany might have taken the safest course on this answer. It’s rarely wise to mess with a Wookiee. The best part of the Kashyyyk version is the riders’ screams when one of the giants gets up close and personal with the Starspeeder. It’s okay for first-timers who jump; we’ve all been there. I’m going to have to say, Teresa picked tauntaun, which corresponds with my all-time favorite part of the ride. Zipping around AT-ATs with snowspeeders is – in the words of my nephew – AWESOME!
Once finished with your adventures on your first-visited planet, one of three Star Wars favorites – Princess Leia, Yoda, or Admiral Ackbar – delivers a secret message to your ship.
Ashley: “Do or do not. There is no try.” This is one of my all time favorite inspirational quotes!
Teresa: “Do or do not. There is no try.” This is my life motto. When I was teaching it was the quote that was all over my walls. It just makes so much sense for everything in life. So when I say I will try, I always have to sit and correct myself even if just in my own head. I will either do it or not do it!
Bethany: “Do or do not. There is no try.” Such a classic, but for Star Wars fans this line can also be rather cliche. For me though, this has always embodied a philosophy I “try” to adhere to: To give something your best, and approach life with a positive, can do attitude. This line and the wisdom behind it is one reason I like the character of Yoda, and it’s had enough of an impact on me to cause me to write about, and teach a class on, it.
Who can argue with wanting to see Yoda? Approves of their decision, the wise Jedi Master does.
After receiving orders to protect the Rebel spy, C-3PO and R2-D2 send the Starspeeder 1000 back into hyperspace, headed for one of three final destinations. Here’s where I had to take some liberties with the question, because the ride does, too. For Original Trilogy fans, the Geonosis ending is probably the one for you. Although the sequence starts at a Prequel Trilogy planet, you get to duel with Boba Fett’s Slave I, make a run on the Death Star, and conclude with the Rebel fleet. For Prequel Trilogy fans, the Naboo ending fits the bill. This is the one segment that utilizes 3D sight gags; everyone jumping in surprise adds to the fun. Finally, dropping into orbit for the Coruscant ending, the visuals harken back to the epic fleet battles from Return of the Jedi and Revenge of the Sith that should satisfy fans of both trilogies. This Triple Zero ending also pays homage to the original Star Tours ride as it comes to a close.
Ashley: Do I have to choose? I have favorite parts in every movie!
Teresa: Do I have to choose? I love Ewoks and Podraces equally. I grew up watching the OT on VHS, but the PT was my first trilogy I got to see at midnight showings, and that’s how I met so many cool Star Wars fans. They are both precious to me and I simply can’t choose a favorite.
Bethany: Do I have to choose? My two favorite Star Wars movies are The Empire Strikes Back and Revenge of the Sith. When I watched the movies for the first time as a teen, I saw them in a mixed order, watching PT and OT movies at random. I’ve always really liked parts of both, partially because of that.
Consensus once again from our fangirls. But Coruscant is a great ending to the ride, for sure!
Let’s recap the Star Tours versions that might fit each fangirl’s taste:
Ashley: Falcon opening – Kashyyyk – Yoda message – Coruscant ending
Teresa: Vader opening – Hoth – Yoda message – Coruscant ending
Bethany: Falcon opening – Kashyyyk – Yoda message – Coruscant ending
Thanks to Ashley, Teresa, and Bethany for playing! You can catch Ashley Eckstein all four weeks at Star Wars Weekends, which she co-hosts with James Arnold Taylor. Her stage show Behind the Force features voice actors from The Clone Wars, and at Darth’s Mall some awesome new additions to Ashley’s fangirl merchandise line from Her Universe are available. Teresa already attended Week 1 and will be back in the following weeks. Be sure to follow her on Twitter. Bethany is looking forward to her chance to report back on the quiz; she can be heard weekly on The Star Wars Report.
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