Star Tours / Rebel Spy

[Twinkledust]

My daughters absolute favorite ride at Disneyland is Star Tours. She insisted on riding it multiple times while we there celebrating her 5th birthday this past week. She is obsessed with getting to be the "rebel spy". My husband and I were discussing it with friends and none of us can ever remember seeing a female "rebel spy". Please DIS'ers....tell me that I'm wrong here.

 

[skiingfast]

Sex has nothing to do with who is chosen.

Sit down and face forward. Do not put your 3D glasses on.

 

[longtimedisneylurker]

Never fear, they do in fact pick females as well as males. We have ridden Star Tours at least ten times now and seen females chosen several times. Our last ride during our Thanksgiving week trip was pretty funny since the rebel spy was a nun in the front row.

I don't know how they choose the spy, but I suspect it can't hurt to make yourself look interesting. DS10 was chosen last week the time he was wearing his big, fuzzy, Dale face hat. DS10 was also picked once during our summer trip without the silly hat.

 

[lulubelle]

I was chosen as the rebel spy! My friend sitting next to me screamed out loud when they showed my picuture. I was in the last seat in the second row. I purposely watched the next time and it wasn't the person in the last seat in the second row, so I don't know how they select the spy.

Happy belated birthday to your DD.

 

[Twinkledust]

Thank you! I knew I would get a fast response from this board! Now....can you tell me how to get an overly excited 5 yr old to face forward (and possibly sit still)???

 

[skiingfast]

can you tell me how to get an overly excited 5 yr old to face forward (and possibly sit still)???

That really is the tricky part and probably why adults tend to be chosen.

Maybe to tell them to look for a hidden spot in the front middle will get them concentrating for 10 seconds.

 

[BlueBayou]

The person chosen the only time I rode was a young girl - and I think she was celebrating her birthday.

 

[Heymy]

Funny we rode it at least 3 times a day for 4 days last week and each and every time the spy was a girl. I was hoping that was going in our favor to get one DD picked...but not this time. Just means we'll have to ride it more often next trip.

 

[DTDkettleCORNfan]

My DD 7 was chosen earlier this week. It was on our first ride since the re-do, and we hadn't heard of the rebel spy. She was in the second row. On a ride later in the day, her 7 year old friend (boy) was chosen. He was also in the second row. This was probably just a coincidence....

 

[chai]

We rode it 5 times last week and saw female spies the majority of the time, but my dh was chosen on our last ride! I think his Bubba Gump t-shirt helped.

I'll tell you the one thing we haven't seen yet, and that's any ending other than that of the city of Coruscant.

 

[JillyBean77]

I was also trying to figure out a system they might use when we were there last week -- on our first ride, my DS4 was the rebel spy (sitting in the back row), and the next day my DS8 was chosen (sitting in the front row).... we rode it about five more times after that and each time my middle son was hoping that it would be his turn to be chosen, but he never was (however, he was chosen for Jedi Training, so he wasn't too heartbroken over the rebel spy situation) I do remember that a few girls (grown up) were chosen. We had so much fun on that ride, and seeing our kids as the rebel spies was an added thrill

 

[Eeee-va]

For what it's worth, I saw female spies I think 4 of the 5 times I rode, including at least one female for each of the 3 transitions/pleas for help between scenes--so I don't think it's a gender thing. Possibly a sit still thing, as they did tend to be adults.

 

[DisneyMomma81]

DS & I were both RS when we visited the parks over Thanksgiving weekend...

 

[elaw]

As far as I know, the "Rebel Spy" is chosen by the ride operator after everyone has been seated.

 

[AquaDame]

I am female and was chosen as the rebel spy on my first ride! It might have helped that I was in the front row wearing a Mickey shirt... When I got off there was a Dad who commented to his boys to watch out for the 'spy' and I turned around with my finger to my lips and shuuuushed at them, they were having a ball.

 

[ArchOwl]

A tip I received was not to have your "flight glasses" perched on top of your head. The glasses can't be on or in the picture at all. And they tend to pick people who are looking straight ahead. So get in, sit down quickly, have your glasses in your hand not on your head, and look straight ahead. Good luck!

 

[WebmasterMaryJo]

I've been chosen twice as a rebel spy (surprising since I've only ridden it three times!). I was chosen one time when I was in the fourth row in the middle, and I was chosen one time when I was in the second room, third from the far end.

I hope she gets chosen. It's great fun, and surprising when your pic gets up on the screen.

 

[jetskigrl]

Both me and my DD's BFF were chosen to be the rebel spy (plus we have seen many other females).

As others have said, when you are seated, stay facing forward and keep your glasses in your lap. I have not seen this myself but my DD said that she saw a peak of a console outside the simulator next to us (while we were waiting to be seated) that they took a picture of the entire group. Then they zoomed in on (or cut and pasted) a person that meets the requirements(is looking forward, no glasses, etc). So the seat location is totally random. I'm not sure if they look for anything else (someone celebrating a birthday, etc) but they might if the person who took the picture can see a birthday button. DD said it happened so fast and was done before she really realized what she was seeing, LOL, so I'm not sure the CM really takes the time to look for special occasions.

Oh, my DD's BFF was wearing a Jack Skellington Face beanie-type cap when she was selected. I wasn't wearing anything that would call me out. So I'm pretty sure it is all just luck as to which person the CM picks.

 

[KrazyKat4DIS]

I was chosen as the Rebel Spy! I was sooo excited!

I have to say that I didn't do anything special, or was wearing anything particularly flashy or Disney-ish. Also, it was just me and DBF so it wasn't that our group had an influence (on our previous flights, people with big groups were chosen and I thought it was to get a good reaction from the crowd when the pic comes up). I just had a big smile on my face and was looking forward at the CM. I was in the second row, probably 4th sit in.

 

[the donut]

Both I (female) and my daughter have been chosen as the rebel spy on different occasions so women can definitely be chosen. I was sitting in the back row and had the glasses on top of my head. My daughter was sitting in the 4th row and had her glasses on! I guess it can happen to anyone. I was actually smiling, but most of the time the people have a pretty silly expression on their faces.

I do think the gender of the rebel spy affects who appears in the holograms. I've never seen Yoda appear when a man is selected, and he uses female pronouns in his speech.

Good luck!