40 Disney Attractions: 29

"If something can't be done with X-S, then it shouldn't be done at all."



29. ExtraTERRORestrial Alien Encounter

To your farthest right upon entering the Magic Kingdom is Tomorrowland is, quite obviously, a world of tomorrow. Not a true future, but the idealized future we all knew as children. A world of flying cars and daily trips to the furthest reaches of outer space. Walt Disney World's Tomorrowland is, visually, most inspired by the pre-World War 2 retrofuturism seen in works like Buck Rogers and Flash Gordon. In keeping with the imagery, Tomorrowland is ostensibly presented as a huge spaceport, complete with conference centers and a metroliner looping around the entire area.

A former sponsor of the Tomorrowland convention center, X-S Tech once presented a demonstration of their new transportation technology. You're given a quick example of what's to come in the pre-show as the Simulated Intelligence Robots(you may call him SIR) shows off the teleporter with the help of a cutesy little alien named Skippy. Of course, once Skippy emerges from the other side, he's completely charred to a crisp and disoriented, so maybe a few bugs need to be worked out.

Entering the main hall(with the towering teleportation tube sitting in the middle), visitors are strapped into their chairs with harnesses and are presented with a live feed from across the galaxy to X-S Tech. Here, chairman L.C. Clench and two employees, Spinlok and Dr. Femus, plan to present their new technology by transporting a single guest to X-S HQ. At least until Clench has the idea that, instead of transporting one person to meet them, he'll transport himself to meet everyone in Tomorrowland. Between the change of plans and the testy Clench's general lack of patience, the signal is WHOOPS accidentally diverted to a different planet, sooooooooooooooooooooo instead of Clench coming down, now it's a massive, winged HR Giger wet dream(although legally different from HR Giger's works and a completely original creation).

Almost predictably, the lights start to freak out until quick flashes of light reveal a shattered and completely empty teleportation tube. The monster is loose in the theater and, judging by how it handled that maintenance worker(as in pulling him into the air ducts and spilling his blood on you), it's not a vegan. But before you're made into an alien's lunch, Spinlok and Femus somehow get the beast to return to his home planet. You're freed from your harnesses as the two technicians continue their search for the now missing Clench.

With positional audio, the use of hot, moist air and the seats actually pressing down on you, the ride uses fairly simple effects to simulate everything from the alien breathing down your neck to slapping you in the head to even licking you. Futurehorror where you're tortured by an alien and you can't even move. For a Disney ride, this is dark as all get out.