I LOVED this attraction so much! I was so angry when they replaced it with that abominable "Stitch" replacement--so much so that I refused to go on it once it was no longer "Extra TERRORestrial. Disney can't hold onto anything good these days. I'm not denying that it traumatized young children. But guess what, parents? It comes down to a little something called DISCRETION. If there are warning signs up the wazoo, don't take your kids on the damn ride!

Great article but Alien encounters was a terrible attraction, I was 12 when I went on it and thought it was extremely poor and just not well put together! Seeing the clamps that press against your shoulders before the lights went out made it impossible to suspend disbelief ie thinking it was an alien entity behind you! I was looking forward to Alien Encounters as it looked amazing but was such a let down, no wonder it didn't last, I'm actually surprised it held up for 8 years! I preferred the Stitch ride years later as I'm a big fan of the lil blue Terror it was still poorly developed but at least it didn't have the misguided pretense of being scary like the original ride! On a different note its extremely ironic that Roy Disney saved Disneyland as Walt hated his nephew with a passion and made his brother promise never to let Roy have anything to do with the Disney empire! Walt would also be rolling in his grave seeing the disgusting corporate entity the Disney name has become recently! Rest in peace Walt if you can Brother ✌?

I LOVED LOVED LOVED this ride!! Seriously one of the best rides ever at a Disney park. I was soooo disappointed that they got rid of it, and (as the article points out) to add insult to injury, that they replaced it with the totally lame Stitch ride.

I’m coming in very late to this, but just found your very interesting and informative site. I’ve really enjoyed what I’ve read so far, but I must disagree here. Although I have never actually experienced the attraction, “Stitch” really doesn’t sound all that bad, certainly not enough to deserve all the hate you have for it. Near as I can tell, the attraction’s worst failing for you is that it replaced “Alien Encounter,” which you obviously considered to be the most best-est attraction ever! You’ve managed to sing its praises in nearly every post on this site, relevant or not. Got it, you’re mad they took it out. But there have been other attractions that were much, much worse than “Stitch” seems to be.
I have to agree with the many people who considered “Alien Encounter” to not be appropriate for a Disney park. It was bleak, violent and gory. There’s a huge difference between scary and shocking, and I’m at a loss how you consider puns and flatulence more offensive than death screams and spurting blood. Yes, there were numerous “warnings,” but this is a Disney park, with grim grinning ghosts and pirates who only pillage food. They warned riders that the witch in “Snow White” might be too scary, so what were people going to expect?
To be fair, “Alien Encounter” was not something I would seek out at any park. I knew what to expect going in so I put my hands above my shoulders to keep the restraint from compressing my spine, and ultimately didn’t find the show scary so much as stupid and pointless, not unlike your assessment of “Stitch.” But it didn’t belong at Disney.

I experienced the Attraction in all forms from Flight to the Moon,Mission to Mars, Alien Encounter, to Stitch's Great Escape....

A simple ride Flight to the Moon, and Mission to Mars held a certain appeal and created an experience enjoyed....

Alien Encounter was mostly a dark room with recorded screaming.

It was not scary, unless you were a child, and what you could see was very limited.

It was all about the fear of the dark, and held little entertainment value.

In looking for a reason to close the Attraction, it would fall more into the category of being a Non-experience, more so then a scary one.

Interesting that it cost so much money to create something about nothing.

I never experienced this attraction, but I think it's interesting to see how many people insist that it did feature the Xenomorph from Alien, possibly at the soft open. As far as I can tell it didn't. But I thought I'd remembered advertisements that did imply this, and, yes, apparently there were some (possibly made at an earlier stage in the development of the show).

And, of course, there's an Alien segment in The Great Movie Ride, which is probably another source of confusion.

You might be intrested to know that a ride with a similar story is now traveling on german funfairs. its called encounter and is basicly a copy of alien encounter. im not sure if i am allowed to post links to youtube, but here is a onride of it: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UYwvbHQoyN4

The ride I miss the most is the Adventure into Inner space. You sat in what looked like "Doom Buggies" from the Haunted Mansion, only not painted black, and in your trip through the ride (on a track similar to the Haunted Mansion), you were miniaturized in a microscope and could explore things on a molecular level. I loved the snowflakes.

I went on the stitch ride a couple years ago. I had no idea of the history behind it, or that there was a previous ride in the same place. When in the stitch ride, I could not help but feel that it was out of place somehow. But reading everything here, now I know why.

The Stitch ride does fit with Disney and Magic Kingdom much better. I agree that the Alien one would've done better in Disneyland, but Stitch, as far as themes go, works best in Disney World. What they should do is put the Alien Encounter back in to Disneyland and that way people get both things. i remember when I was a kid and they switched it to Stitch, i was very excited for stitch. Reading this now, i think I could handle the ride now that I'm 19, but I think that for a park where almost every ride is designed to be ridden by every person of all ages, Stitch works way better than Alien Encounters ever would've. Bring it to Disneyland, okay, cool. i'll take that over the very poorly made Indianna Jones ride, which was a HUGE disappointment since it had many mechanical issues and went to fast in the dark for you to get a feel for anything, so yeah, Alien should go to Disneyland, and Stitch should stay at Disney World.

Wow, that a terrifically written article! Thorough and well researched, thanks! I remember how exciting and with what sense of dread this ride produced. I always wanted to sit in the back row, which added to the effect because I could imaging the alien behind me, instead of other park guests. The Stitch ride was an understandable attempt to salvage the $$ plunked into the theater effects but unfortunately a snoozer and not something you'd want to ride multiple times. I wish they would bring back the mission to Mars, but they won't because they have the puke-inducing Mission Space now in EPCOT (which makes me REALLY miss Horizons).
Park attractions I really miss?
Mr. Toads Wild-Ride
The swan boat rides around Cinderella's castle (in the moat, they were only open during holidays and you got to see mosaics under the bridges around the castle) in the DisneyWorld Magic Kingdom
Horizons in EPCOT
SeaBase Alpha in the Living Seas in EPCOT (yes, Nemo has revitalized an attraction that had been under supported after United Technology pulled out, but I do miss the "Deluge" movie and the hydrolators.)
Captain EO - yeah it was cheesy but it worked on so many levels and the music was great!!
I like Ellen's energy adventure in EPCOT, but I do miss the old Energy song from the original ride.

I noticed a mistake early in this article. Near the beginning, you mentioned that Roy O. Disney was Walt Disney's nephew. This is incorrect: Roy O Disney was Walt's brother. Roy E Disney was his nephew, (the E stands for Elias, which was Walt's middle name as well.) No disrespect meant, but I thought you should know. Have a great day!

The first time I rode Alien Encounter I couldn't stop laughing! THey expected you to be terrified on the ride? I certainly wasn't. I thought it was cheesy and boring and NOT SCARY! Though I do love Stitch his replacement in the ride was even worse. Went this year with the family and mom asked if we should go on the Stitch ride and I told her no. That it was terrible and that they wouldn't like it.

I remember going on this with my dad in the 90s. It was terrifying, but we loved it. We couldn't stop talking about the special effects afterward. I wish it still existed at Disney.

I vividly remember this ride. In true Disney-esque style, this was spectacular theatre of the mind.

The story - from the moment you get in line - triggered your sense of curious apprehension. By the time the alien was standing behind me breathing down my neck, I was completely immersed in the moment. People were screaming their heads off, a was I. There was this sense of safely torturous fear because you were strapped in your seat and had to just sit there and feel this thing touching you and breathing on you.

Admittedly, there were little kids in there who were terrified out of their heads. But as a young adult, I loved every moment. I've never been on a ride that pulled me in and played with my mind and senses so terrifyingly perfect. It was the one ride I looked forward to going on again when I returned a few years later. And sadly, it was gone at that point. Too bad Disney wasn't able to make this ride work. It was epic.

I couldn't have been more than 8 or 12 years old when I went on this ride with my parents. They used the Alien from the Alien movies. I didn't make the relationship between the two until years later when I was old enough to see the alien movies (Oh the irony). I feel so relieved after reading other posts, to know I wasn't the only young girl going through the scariest moment of her entire life. I wish they still had the ride. I'd love to go back and re experience, the thrill, now in my 30's. Knowing what to expect would make it more fun.

I remember being on a ride in Tomorrowland during the late 70s or early 80s that scared me as small child. It was in a round room with 3 or 4 levels of tiered flooring. There were lots of loud banging noises during the "ride" and everyone was sitting on the floor. It must have been Mission to Mars. Were there always chairs in that room? One of the old pictures from this article looks like the room I remember if the chairs were gone. I was just wondering if anyone knows.

I went to Disney world when I was 9 years old in 1994-1995. I remember anticipating being scared on Alien encounter but at the end of it appreciating the cool effects and experience. Maybe I got the watered down version. I also remember going to the sound stage as well and experiencing the haircut sequence. All pretty awesome. I'm glad I was able to go on this attraction, also relieved I missed the stitch escape version. Only when the attraction closed did I even know it was changed. I would like to know more about the people mover and the rocket rods demise at Disneyland. I went on the rocket rods once in 7th grade. I waited forever, and it was a blast. I didn't know it had so many mechanical issues. I have been disappointed that the people mover track sat there for the longest time occupying space but I recently heard they are taking it down. I love Disney and glad I got so many opportunities to go to the theme parks.

I experienced the Alien Encounter for the first and only time in summer of 01. When I went back in 05 w my fam, I couldn't wait to show them. Not even paying attention to the name change, stitch, anything, we got in the non-existent line. When I started to realize the stitch references, I thought maybe same concept- but now they will use stitch to cash in on the latest Disney movie. It was horrible!! I felt trapped w no where to go. Pure torture. In the times I've been back since, I stay far away from this "ride" and advise everyone else to too.

My family and I were in the very first test audience group in '94. A monorail conductor told us that they were opening it that day and to go and wait at a certain time in the afternoon. And so we did. And they told us it wasn't opening, but we waited anyway. They finally let us in. I was around 12 at the time. To this day I tell all of my friends about the scariest event of my life (I'm now 32). They were using the alien from the movie Alien at the time. I can fully remember the strobe lite views of it as it ran across the room eating people. We were interviewed before and after the experience. I remember being nervous going into the ride. And the nice lady CM told me that it was all sound. So if I got scared to lean forward and it would all go away because the speakers were behind every chair. This was not the case! With those darn shoulder things you could not lean forward much and the sounds was so loud anyway I could still hear the alien breathing its two mouths on my neck!!

scariest thing ever!!!

However, I do really wish I bought a Skippy plush

I definitely agree with everything you said about stitch i do think that Disney could have put out a full out warning that it wasnt age appropriate for kids to take all the confusion out of it they could have told people age appropriate for adults and we may still have one of the best atttactions that Disney has added after1990

Capt. Nemo Submarine in magic Kingdom
King Kong in Universal
Back to the future universal
Jaws Universal

The more I read, the more I got interested in reading the next page. I worked at Disney at the time it opened and it was also my first attempt at pursuing acting. I'm not sure if Disney put the call out or my agent, but I remember being one of the people in the audience for the commercial. I could swear they used the Fox Alien at the time, but I could be wrong. We were there early in the morning and walked through all the external parts of the ride, which I think were still under construction, straight to the seats where they strapped us in and told us what to expect and do. The ride was very uneventful with the lights up and all effects off. You saw everything and were cued when to scream. The lighting was on for filming and made it difficult to figure out what would be so scary. Later I went when it was open and did the ride, loved it, but had a pretty good idea what was going to happen (or not happen), but it was fun hearing the people around scream and also imagine the "what if?" and want to go with the flow. I did find it odd it being there at the Magic Kingdom and thought the Studios would have been a better place. I actually liked Mission to Mars, but that could be from memories of being a kid and always wanting to go in, pretending I was Captain Kirk heading on shuttle to a port there on Mars. I'd then imagine Tomorrowland as that port. I left Disney shortly after Alien Encounter opened and never experienced the ride again, wish I had. Would love to set it up in my living room now and get my film buddies together and make a movie around it. Or terrorize the kids at Halloween. :-)

I remember riding Alien Encounter when it first opened in 1995. I was 8 years old at the time and it was by far the most terrifying experience of my life. As I grew older and continued to ride it, I found myself appreciating the ride more and more and it soon became one of my favorites. When I found out they were getting rid of it, I was devastated. It was so different than any of the other rides Disney had to offer. It was thrilling, exciting and most importantly terrifying. The children had Peter Pan and Dumbo and the adults had Alien Encounter. The fact that they replaced it with Stitch is an insult to it's predecessor. My hope is that Disney will revive this ride and find a new home for it in one of the many Disney Parks around the world. I think guests would be more open to a truly scary ride now than they were 20 years ago. Guess we'll just have to wait and see.

Great read! I was dragged to Disney World, not much of a fan of these things. My kid was around nine years old, and his 2 cousins, ten and twelve, teased him a lot. A LOT. That kind of teasing that had just a little cruelty under the "good natured" label. The ride was every bit as terrifying as described, but it was leavened slightly with some dark comedy, as well. When the lights went on, I asked my son what he thought. "Awesome!" We looked over at his cousins. One was staring off in space, catatonic. The other was crying, curled up in a fetal position. And he wet himself. BEST RIDE EVER.

This is a great read, but I believe it may not have given Michael Eisner the credit he deserves; he was responsible for resurrecting the New Amsterdam theater in New York and turning the Disney brand into a string of hit Broadway musicals.

i loved this. I was 13 when I did this with my family and my friend.
As it started I admit I was a bit scared, but then my friend started screaming something terrible and shouting for her brother so I spent the rest of the show crying with laughter. When the lights came back on she was all twisted and stuck with one arm up through the harness as she tried to escape. I still cry with laughter when I think about it

What I find interesting is that the movie Alien does have a place in a Disney World attraction. There is a part of the Great Movie Ride where it goes through a spaceship and the xenomorph pops down. So, it did get through in a small way. Not sure if I missed that being mentioned in this article, but it is something that I remember because it is something that sticks out as being very different atmospherically from anything else at Disney World. Well, it wasn't as dark as Alien Encounter, just a small moment, but I remember the spaceship really evoking the feel of the movie. I haven't been there in years though and my memory could be wrong.

Thanks for the great read! I remember this ride - I believe I rode it when I was in middle school! It was amazing! I don't remember being scared, I remember being shocked and awed with how great it was done. The special effects, sound, story all was so wonderful! We walked out just amazed with how Disney was so creative to think up such a unique way to tell a story!!! Wish it was still around to enjoy again! Love your articles! Keep them coming!

I LOVED this attraction and would totally go on it again if they brought it back sometime. I thought it was a nice jolt from the other relatively tame stuff at Magic Kingdom. Thanks for the article (and the video links)! Takes me back!

I grew up in Florida and was not, and am still not a fan of horror or anything too suspenseful for that matter. But I LOVEED Alien Encounter. In fact, I have very fond memories of that attraction. But now I hate the Stitch ride. It's just plain bad. I skip it every time I'm in the park.

On a side note. I have very vague memories of a canoe ride that was in the lake at Frontier Land. Groups of people got to paddle large canoes around the lake with a gide. The guides would have races with their respective canoes. It was so much fun. Did I imagine that ride or did it really exist?

My kids and I loved the Alien Encounter ride. we were just talking about it the other day it is the one ride when they were young that we all loved and still remember.

I still think SIR was one of the best AAs Disney has ever done. Such fluidity, and animated with such character.

Nice article! They must have continued tweaking it for a while, because the version I attended seems to post-date the videos linked; during the more intense, scary moments in the darkness, voiceovers masquerading as the voices of fellow guests make whimsical comments, such as a man comparing the alien to his mother-in-law.

When I was little and visited Disney World for the first time we went to a water park that I seem to recall used water from the lake. I would be interested to read more about the watermark, its history, and what the area is used for now (if anything). This was a great article, very enjoyable read.

Gad I loved AE, and I am definitely NOT a fan of horror, or even the Alien franchise. I just loved that fact that Disney finally had an edgy ride that truly scared the bejezus out of people.... While Snow White's witch was scary and It seems to me that the Haunted house used to have more skeletons jumping up in the graveyard that actually screamed like the traditional Haunted houses in other amusement parks, AE was truly scream inducing.

I was lucky enough to be able to go on this this ride when I was 9 during our annual summer trip in 2003, its final year of operation. Everyone in my family was taking turns going on a new attraction we had never been on before, and my sister was interested in the idea of coming face-to-face with an alien. Although my parents were aware of how easily I got scared, and of how young I was, despite the warnings, I had to go on as it was only fair. My only memories of the ride were of the darkness and of people screaming their heads off. By the time we got off, my parents were just as traumatized as I was. My sister was pretty much the only one who had a good time. Afterwards, my parents were like, "We're so sorry we made go on that. Let's do something to make it up to you" I think they bought me some souvenirs or an ice cream or something to ease my pain.

Looking back, I am very glad my sister made us go on that ride, as it is now a piece of Disney history that is gone forever. As an adult, I think I would very much enjoy this ride today. I like the idea of the effects being based off of what you cannot see. This was a very great article to read and it brought back so many fond memories of the great times I've had at Disney World. Thanks!

Good article ,while your reviewing closed rides a cover on 20000 leagues under the sea would be nice, loved the ride

Great article! Rode this when I was 12, scared the pants off me. But it didn't scar me as much as the movie Pinocchio when the boys turn into donkeys.
Another commenter mentioned Mr Toads Wild Ride. I'd love to read a walk-thru of that, because I rode it when I was seven and closed my eyes for the entire "thunderous" ending. (In case you can't tell, I have a very low fear threshold). But it remains a mystery to me to this day. What happened?!

One additional minor, but relevant detail: Jeffrey jones (clench) was arrested on child pornography charges in 2003, and disney closed the attraction shortly after his arrest.

There is speculation that his arrest may have been a contributing factor (or perhaps sealed the fate of the attraction as they probably were into discussion at that point).

Since he played a large role and disney is always conscious of their image, it's not unreasonable to assume there might be a connection.

I was in middle school when I last went to Disney World and we were lucky enough to experience Alien Encounter. I remember being shocked and how truly scary and effective it was -- it was legitimately terrifying, and amazing! The point where the creature breathes on your neck felt so realistic I can still remember it. It was so refreshing to see a ride that used such incredible theming, creativity, and emphasis on imagination yet for a more mature, even adult ride. Thanks for this great, well-researched article, complete with insider knowledge about what Disney enthusiasts revere and despise -- I opened so many more tabs while reading this article to look everything up.

This ride was one of the most intense things that I ever did as a child. I grew up in Florida and regularly went to the parks, and I was absolutely terrified of Disney for so many years. Finally working up the nerve to ride Alien Encounter was one of the moments that truly opened up the parks for me, I felt a little braver afterwards and I could handle going on anything. It became the ride that I had to ride early (with the People Mover being first, of course.) in order to get my anxiety out of the way and truly enjoy the atmosphere.

I remember lining up for this ride and being super excited! The movie Aliens was always a favorite of mine and I could not wait! An important side note would be that Alien and Alien 3 scared the crap out of me... Anyway... I remember being so excited to see the alien! My dad told me ahead of time that apparently water drips on you during the ride, which is suppose to be the aliens mouth drool I guess... Well once the ride started I started get scared... And the mount the lights when off and the alien appeared I was super scared... And then it broke out... OMG!!! I was terrified... I curled into a tiny ball, fetal position to be more exact, laying side ways on my chair. I was so small when I was younger I could easily escape any harness that came down on me and would have ran out of that ride if I wasn't so scared the alien would get me... So I just ended up laying in the fetal position with my eyes more wide than an owls (O.O) trying to see the alien before it could get me... Aliens can't attack you if you are looking at them... same with the boggyman... And way... The drop of water missed me... but then another one hit me in my arm... It scared me... Part of me wanted to cry... But soon the ride was over... I really wish I could go on it one more time...

LOVE this article!!! So fascinating. Great observation of turning an E-ticket to a C-ticket. Others I'd love to hear you chat about:
Horizons
World of Motion
(Old) Spaceship Earth
America Sings

There's a random spot, Gurgi's Munchies and Crunchies. I don't know if there's much to say about it, but I'm a big fan of The Black Cauldron and it's had so few representations in the park. A quick service stand that ran on busy days that became Mrs. Pott's and is now Friar Tuck's?

Great article. I was terrified as a child of Alien Encounter but I think I would like it now. Although I like Buzz Lightyear and MILF, I miss the tomorrow land city. I'm surprised you didn't mention the arrest of Jeffrey Jones as a contribution to the closing. It was big news at the time. Even then, I thought that was why they closed it.

This is a great read, especially for someone like me who never got to experience such an interesting attraction.

For those that want to experience something based on Alien Encounter today look up Nemesis: Sub-terra at Alton Towers. While not executed to the same standards as Disney they have added a dramatic ride element into the mix.

Bryan,

This was an excellent article. I thoroughly enjoyed the level of detail and investigation you must have put in to writing this. I greatly look forward to the rest of the retrospective series.

I was fortunate enough to ride AE during the original soft opening in Dec of 1994. I was 9 at the time. I was terrified, and I loved every minute of it. Living in Orlando, I would frequent the parks. I would be sure to go out of my way to ride it on any visit, and did so all the way up to when it closed.

When I was a kid, I had heard rumors of the developments involving the Xenomorph from the Alien series before I got to go on, and was elated that they were making an attraction based on the franchise. I have always been a huge fan of the films, games, and comics. I also had a habit of collecting the actions figures throughout childhood. I became slightly disappointed to see the Xenomorph had been replaced with something original. I had thought that the original rumors were all false. So, I came to appreciate it for what it was (but still wanted an Alien based attraction). I was elated to read in your article about all of the back and forth this attraction had with the Fox franchise in development. It kind of gave me a sense of long awaited closure for that 9 year old who wanted to see a Xenomorph in that tube.

Curious though, would there be a way to find any original script drafts, or concept art for the Alien attractions, the "shooter ride through" or the Alien encounter versions? I would love to see any information on it.

Great Article. I enjoyed the ride many times. Was always amazed by the people complaining that it was too scary. Only about 15 or so signs telling them that prior to the entrance. I was saddened when it left. Was truly one of a handful that excited me.

Great read, thanks for this!

Hey, did the earlier version where XS are the bad guys ever actually make it to show? I could swear I remember seeing that version, then going back a few months later and seeing the final version described in detail here. Or it could be a false memory, I suppose... anyone know for sure? Thanks!

Having lived in Orlando from Disneyworld's opening day until 2005, I want to thank you for a wonderful walk down memory lane. Somehow I totally missed Alien Encounter and just reading your description gave me the heebeejeebees! But I am the parent of a son (now adult) who never even made it through the Haunted Mansion, so I think he would have had to be institutionalized after AE. LOL My OTHER child, however, would have loved it!
MY favorite ride for thrill factor was Mr. Toad's Wild Ride. My heart skips a beat just remembering the thunderous ending! All their roller coasters are good, but surprise just makes things better.
And as to Frozen... although some (mostly adults) are beyond tired of it, there is a huge segment of tweens and below who will come to the park and want to ride nothing but that, over and over and over .....

I attempted to see this when it was just a month old in July 95 but it broke during the show. I finally got to see it in 96 and it was worth the wait. I always thought it would have made a great tie in movie. Folks, there were plenty of warnings. If it terrified your kids, it's your own fault.

I really appreciated this article having thoroughly enjoyed the attraction. I liked that you listed the actors that played the different roles however there was a glaring omission. L C Clench was played by Jeffrey Jones of Ferris Bueller and Beetlejuice fame. But still amazing article look forward to more.

Many articles on themeparktourist.com leave me wishing the author had done their homework. I find articles telling of things in areas where I worked, giving information that I know to be false.

This article is not any of that. Brian, this is a fantastic article. It has lots of information, it's well written, it's well-researched, the facts that you have here are either in areas that I don't know about or they match up to information I have seen. When I read this article I was able to imagine being back on ExtraTERRORestrial Alien Encounter, complete with the snide comments from the one "guest" talking about how that thing in the tube is his mother-in-law.

So often articles will only talk about the positives or the negatives of Eisner, but not both. Thank you for being very fair in the way you described him. While I didn't like a lot of things he did, there would be no Walt Disney World Resort today had it not been for him and his actions... or if it was, the Magic Kingdom would be owned by one company, Epcot someone else, and so on. Thank you for portraying both sides of him.

I'll be reading any article you put out.

Kongfrontation
Jaws
Triceratop Encounter
Mr. Toad's Wild Ride
Dreamflight
Body Wars
Horizons
Kitchen Cabaret/Food Rocks
World of Motion
Sounds Dangerous
Backlot Tour/Catastrophe Canyon
Timekeeper
Legend of the Lion King
Snow White's Scary Adventures
The Living Seas
Journey Into the Imagination
Maelstrom

Thank you so much for this article. I LOVED this attraction and was so deeply saddened when I experienced the replacement. For me, it gave the Magic Kingdom one much needed thrill. I'm sad every time I walk by that area. Now, it seems as if Tomorrowland is just an extension of Fantasyland's kiddie rides. The only thrilling adventure is Space Mountain. I love Tomorrowland at Disneyland. You have both Space Mt. and Star Tours. . . THEY NEED TO BRING THIS RIDE BACK TO WDW!!!!!! Please start a campaign. . . thanks. . . again, AMAZING ARTICLE.

Great job on this retrospective for a ride that I and my screaming children will always fondly remember.

Of the three attractions in this location, Alien Encounter was by far the best. Mission to Mars was incredibly lame. You just watched a movie on the floor and occasionally the seats shook. Lilo and Stitch is (as this article pointed out) far too juvenile for anyone over eight to enjoy and too scary for very small kids. My only complaint about Alien Encounter was that the "blood" or "saliva" drips were too cold, so they just felt like what they were: water. If they had warmed it first, it would have been perfect. I hope they eventually bring it back, but I am not going to get my hopes up. For now, we just skip it entirely.

WORST attraction ever!!!! Should of been rated PG13. No one under 13 yes to be admitted! Was not what I thought the attraction would of been,especially from the pre show! My children were horrified!!!!! Every time we go back brings back bad memories even though my children are older now, we still LOVE DISNEY!

I loved Alien Encounter. Stitch was silly, but it was interesting to see how they incorporated many of the same effects. Bring back Alien Encounter.

The story I always heard was that when Eisner first experienced the attraction he complained that it wasn't intense enough and so they modified it to ramp up the scare factor. Is this not true? The article says his complaints were about plot holes and the story being too complex.

This was a very enjoyable read. I look forward to more articles in this series.

I love the video because it's night vision so you can see how the ride works which would be the same idea for stich!