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3. Dinosaur – Confronting the Carnotaurus

Image: Disney

Dinosaur used to have that far-more-awesome name Countdown to Extinction, which more accurately describes the experience guests have on-board this intense enhanced-motion attraction. “Dinosaur” evokes a relaxing ride surrounded by slow-moving and graceful species of some of the most fascinating creatures ever to walk this earth. “Countdown to Extinction” sets the stage for a race against the clock with the highest stakes imaginable.

Why this matters is that the ride is framed such that you, the guest, must make it back to the present in a certain amount of time or face death by either an asteroid, an enormous dinosaur, or both. Leaving the fact that you're literally completing this journey in a time machine, making the “countdown” aspect somewhat dubious, the ticking clock adds a level of tension to the entire experience.

And so, with the clock nearly reaching zero (spoiler alert!), and with the deadly Carnotaurus bearing down on you, it should surprise no one reading this to learn that this attraction's climax is as scary as they come.

But I'm going to give you a special bonus version!

If, for whatever reason, the ride vehicles fall out of sync (usually due to a guest needing extra assistance boarding or disembarking a ride vehicle) the ride scenes can either play on a slight delay or completely shut down for a moment or two. On one of my most recent times on this attraction, that happened just before the climactic showdown with the clock and the Carnotaurus, resulting in a brief pause in the action as we sat completely still in the pitch-black darkness. After sitting a few seconds in the dark, without warning, the attraction started up again, launching us directly toward the jaws of the dino and toward our possible asteroid-fueled demise. I screamed louder than I have ever screamed on a ride before.

I cannot recommend such an occurrence enough. It was easily the most terrifying experience I've ever had at a Disney park.

2. Mission: Space – the Moment Before Launch


Image © Disney
Much like the Haunted Mansion, Mission: Space uses its queue to prepare you emotionally for the trip you'll be embarking on. Unlike the Haunted Mansion, however, Mission: Space does this largely by reading a series of increasingly-intimidating legal notices to you, in a transparent attempt by Disney to avoid any possible legal action that might arise following your enjoyment of the attraction.

That is … disconcerting at best.

Now, I love Mission: Space. I do. While it has its flaws, I think it's a dramatically underrated attraction. However, a repeating warning that amounts to little more than, “please, no matter what happens, don't sue us” doesn't exactly make you feel super comfortable before you ride. If anything, it creates an illusion that doesn't exist on other Disney attractions: That, yes, you really should be scared.

And so, once the 10,000 pre-shows are over and you're finally being loaded into your enclosed dark space capsule, you have a moment of silence just before the ride itself begins. You're sitting there, probably not talking much, amazed at the level of detail of the cockpit in front of you. It seems almost peaceful, except for the fact that Disney has spent the past 40 minutes preparing you for this moment by saying to you, in no uncertain terms, do not close your eyes.

Of course, once the ride takes off, it's all gravy from there. But that moment's pause before the ride starts, where its just you and your imagination going through the myriad attraction warnings again and again, is really quite scary – even though it's all in your head.

1. Tower of Terror – the Drop Sequence

Tower of Terror exterior

What if you were to take everything I just described – the creepily-themed queues, the foreboding exterior architecture, the physical thrills, the darkness, the possibility of legal action – and rolled it all into one attraction. What would you get? The Twilight Zone Tower of Terror.

And, specifically, you'd get the drop sequence.

What's particularly funny about this scary moment is that Disney does pretty much everything in its power to tell you it's coming. It's right there on the box – as you approach the attraction, you can see and hear guests being flung about on the haunted elevator. And, even once you're on the ride, the abrupt shift from the climate-controlled portions of the attraction into the hot-and-humid drop section is as obvious a telegraph as you'll find on any Disney ride.

And yet, no matter what, that first moment when you're flung into the air inside your service elevator car will freak you out – whether it's your first time or your 100th time.

How? Well, the same way everything else does: With fantastic theming, excellent cast members, and a compelling story that engrosses you so much, you forget exactly what it was that drew you toward that attraction in the first place.

Well, you forget until – very quickly – you remember. Unfortunately, that usually happens while you're screaming your face off.

 
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In reply to by Ashley (not verified)

Yes!! The Great Movie Ride is already pretty terrifying but I especially remember the Alien sequence when it first opened. Even though I was already 8 or 9 it was still really scary.

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