The Walt Disney World of today seems to have seriously lost its way. The Streets of America, Muppet*Vision 3-D, The Rivers of America, Tom Sawyer Island, Splash Mountain, The Fountain of Nations, and many other beloved attractions and areas have all been bulldozed in the name of "progress". Yes, yes...to live in the modern day and to think about Walt Disney World is to feel a pit open up in the bottom of your stomach. So, why not travel back to a better time for the parks?
A time when Walt Disney World was the big cheese in Orlando and wasn't afraid to innovate and take risks. A time we call THE 90's. So precious little of the Walt Disney World of that era remains today, but that doesn't mean, with the help of some imagination, we can't rewind the years and take a fond look back at those halcyon years. Today, we travel back to the distant year of 1994 to examine one of the riskiest and scariest attractions Walt Disney World ever created: The ExtraTERRORestrial Alien Encounter.
Michael Eisner and Frank Wells became the CEOs of The Walt Disney Company in September, 1984. Both would oversee a period of rejuvenation for the company's animation and theme parks divisions. In the late 80s and early 90s, Eisner began to grow worried about the public perception of Walt Disney World and Disneyland. He feared that most saw the Disney parks as a place for children, leaving teens to avoid the theme parks.
It didn't help that Eisner's teenage son, Breck, seemed to agree that the parks were "lame". In an effort to revitalize the brand, Eisner and the Disney Imagineers began to toy with concepts for an older teen demographic. A partnership between Disney and George Lucas birthed Star Tours; a motion-simulator themed around the Star Wars films. Star Tours would quickly become massively popular, leading it to be cloned for The Disney MGM Studios theme park in Orlando, Florida.
Hoping to recreate the success of Star Tours, Michael Eisner set the Imagineers, the team of Lucas, Senior Vice president of Theme Park Productions Tom Fitzgerald, and Senior VP in charge of Creative Development Eric Jacobson to the task of creating a frightening attraction for the Tomorrowland in Disneyland (apparently George Lucas was barely involved in the creation of the attraction, only attending a grand total of one brainstorming meeting.). Eventually, the idea would be moved to Walt Disney World. One rumor is that originally the attraction was meant to be a shooter dark ride aboard the Nostromo from Alien. While this was a blue sky concept, according to Imagineers this was a separate idea unrelated to Alien Encounter. Meanwhile, over at Magic Kingdom's Tomorrowland, the old Mission to Mars attraction was badly in need of updating. This theater-in-the-round show took guests on a brief flight to Mars.
The theater featured screens on the sides of the theater and in the center on the bottom of the floor. The attraction had originally opened on December 24, 1971 as Flight to the Moon. Flight to the Moon closed on April 15, 1975 and would re-open on March 21, 1975 as Mission to Mars. Clearly, Mission to Mars had aged greatly over the course of its decade-plus operation. It was badly in need of a re-tool and re-imagining.
The Alien Encounter team saw the aging attraction as the perfect spot for their next horrifying creation. In 1987, Tom Fitzgerald delivered the first pitch for the attraction that would go on to become Alien Encounter. Tom Mission to Mars would close on November 2, 1992 for something a little more out-of-this-world. The ExtraTERRORestrial Alien Encounter would soft open on December 16, 1994. Sadly, Eisner's business partner Frank Wells wouldn't live to see Spielberg's, Lucas' and the Imagineers thrilling new addition. Wells would tragically die in a helicopter crash on April 3, 1994.
Even with the soft opening, The ExtraTERRORestrial Alien Encounter was far from out of the weeds. During a preview of the attraction, Michael Eisner walked out less-than-pleased. Some things needed fine-tuning. The pre-show featuring the peppy sales robot The X-S 2000 Technobotic Presentation Unit (voiced by Phil Hartman) was...how do we put this...too NICE...too cheery. In short, his demeanor wasn't adequately preparing guests for the scares of the main show. (I've read from various different sources that the official name for the 1994 robot is the Technobotic Oratorical Mechanism 2000, but every recording of the original version I've found the robot only refers to itself as The X-S 2000 Technobotic Presentation Unit.). The figure itself was a rebuild of Mr. Johnson from Mission to Mars (apparently half of the figure was the old Mr. Johnson).
The events of the pre-show (and even most of the robot's dialogue) would remain the same, but Tim Curry would be re-cast in the role and The X-S 2000 Technobotic Presentation Unit would be re-named to Simulated Intelligence Robotics, S.I.R for short. S.I.R, with the help of Curry's pitch-perfect line delivery added just the right sinister tone of menace that Eisner was looking for. The main show itself was too serious, too dark. It also would need some tweaking. The main show would retain it's dark edge, but some sardonic wit would be inserted, the middle portion featuring an unlucky engineer would be slightly lengthened (in the new version, the overhead screens would be utilized, giving the guests a short reprieve from the terrors of the dark), and the ending would be changed from retrieving the unhappy chairman to focusing on inadvertently exploding the alien menace. Finally, The ExtraTERRORestrial Alien Encounter would officially be unleashed upon an unsuspecting public on June 20, 1995.
The story for the attraction was one of the most well-developed in the history of the Disney parks. With me as your guide, let's take a stroll through The ExtraTERRORestrial Alien Encounter. Heavy spoilers lie ahead. In a corner of Tomorrowland sits The Tomorrowland Interplanetary Convention Center, where various companies from across the galaxy showcase their latest products and inventions. The one currently occupying the space has something special to show you, something that might just change your life. Allow me to be the first to welcome you, weary travelers, to the great, big universe of X-S!
X-S Tech is the galaxy's leader in innovative high technology and sophisticated technology. X-S Tech started as one small manufacturing plant on a planet far from Earth (80 light years from Earth, or 469 trillion 255 billion 680 million miles) and has now grown into the largest consumer-oriented research and development company in the universe. X-S Tech is number one in Electro Robotics, Cryo Cybernetics, Techno Surveillance, Planetary Restructuring, Genetic Engineering, and Hyperspatial Transport. L.C. Clench (Jeffrey Jones) is the current chairman of the company. His favorite motto is this: "If something can't be done with X-S, then it shouldn't be done at all." X-S Tech's official slogan is "We're Seizing the Future".
X-S has arrived at The Tomorrowland Interplanetary Convention Center to demonstrate their newest technological invention: The X-S Series 1000, the first in a complete line of personal and commercial teleportation systems. Needless to say, X-S Tech isn't quite as beneficent as it would have us believe it is. In truth, X-S is a company that puts profits over people and safety. The name of the company itself (Excess tech) literally means too much technology and the attraction pokes fun at the way corporations think and operate. In the first room, guests are treated to a brief corporate video introducing them to X-S tech and what lies in store for them in the rooms ahead.
In the second-room, guests/future consumers are given a short demonstration of X-S teleportation technology by S.I.R and "lower life form"/adorable innocent alien Skippy (the official name of his species is a Floof McGoon Cliffhanger). In the original pre-show, the X-S 2000 Technobotic Presentation Unit chooses to continually up the power of the X-S Series 1000 in order to bean Skippy from one teleportation tube to the other, resulting in poor Skippy getting fried/burned (though remaining alive). In the second version of the pre-show, Skippy gets fried/burned purely from some fault with the process. S.I.R has a much harsher demeanor towards Skippy, and after the botched demonstration S.I.R indefinitely suspends Skippy's molecules (meaning poor Skippy is essentially killed).
In the main chamber, guests take their seats and are introduced to X-S Management Supervisor Spidlock (Kevin Pollack) and his assistant Dr. Feemis (Kathy Najimy). Much like the old Mission to Mars attraction, this is a theater-in-the-round show. On the walls are two large screens where Spidlock and Feemis broadcast a live tele-feed/Hyperlink from the X-S tech home planet to Earth. In the center of the room is a large and intimidating metallic glass tube. This is the teleportation tube.
As our two hosts bicker, overhead restraints lower over our heads. This is where and how the magic happens. The ExtraTERRORestrial Alien Encounter was an attraction that mainly used binaural audio and some physical special effects (like water to simulate breaking glass and spit, warm air to stand in for the alien's breath, and a bouncing head restraint meant to mimic the Alien landing on top of you) all of which occur in near-total darkness. The overhead restraint and chair you sit in house the binaural audio and above-stated physical effects.
X-S Tech's idea is to scan the audience for a guest who has the right biology for transportation. Said guest would then be transported to X-S Tech's home planet where Spidlock, Feemis, and Clench would subject them to a sales pitch. Before the unlucky guest can be teleported, though, Chairman Clench barges in demanding the demonstration be halted (much to the relief of Dr. Feemis, who is well-aware of the X-S Series 1000 limitations and malfunctions. She is the only one with any morals or ethics whatsoever). Clench had been "seized" with a new idea: Why not teleport himself down to Earth instead, so he can give his sales pitch to the entire theater. Before Dr. Feemis can lock-on to the tube's coordinates on Earth and panicked Spidlock responds to the impatient chairman by initiating the teleportation process. Unfortunately for everyone, a rogue planet gets in the way of the transmission path, resulting in Chairman Clench getting lost.
Dr. Feemis scans the planet and discovers an organism that might be Clench, but before she can confirm, Spidlock re-initiates the teleportation process sending whatever the organism is into our theater. Bad news: It isn't Clench. It's a flying, carnivorous alien. Worse: It's angry. Everyone in the theater is in great danger.
The alien shatters the "unbreakable" teleportation tube, and Dr. Feemis activates a force field meant to contain the alien. Unfortunately, the X-S Series 1000 and the tech that went into crafting this theater wasn't meant to take such abuse, and the power goes out. With the power, so goes the lights and the force field, our only means of protection. The force field down, the Alien is able to escape into the theater and terrorize the guests.
A hapless mechanic is sent in to restore power to the theater and the tube. He's able to reconnect a cable, but is eaten shortly afterwards by the Alien, his blood showering down onto the guests below. The room returns to darkness, ending the brief respite from the Alien's horrors. After another minute or so of pure terror, Dr. Feemis hits upon a solution. The Alien is drawn to sound.
Power is suddenly restored (looks like the doomed mechanic managed to save the day before he became Alien chow), and Dr. Feemis screams into the theater's speakers, luring the Alien back into the tube where the force field traps it once again. With no time to lose, Dr. Feemis and Spinlock boost the power to the theater's tube so they can quickly teleport the Alien away. The Alien proves unequipped to handle so much power and explodes right as Spinlock and Dr. Feemis close the tube, but not before guests are blasted with water meant to represent the Alien's guts. In the original version of the show, the Alien is successfully teleported away and Clench is beamed into our tube where he can be heard yelling in anger as guests leave. The final version of Alien Encounter ends with the Alien exploding and the fate of Chairman Clench remains uncertain.
The video portions of The ExtraTERRORestrial Alien Encounter were directed by Jerry Rees, who also directed other Disney attractions like 'Back to Neverland' (the short starring Robin Williams that would play before guests entered The Art of Animation), 'Cranium Command', the pre-show for 'Dinosaur'/'Countdown to Extinction', 'Sounds Dangerous Starring Drew Carrey', The pre-show for 'Rockin' Roller Coaster', and 'CineMagique' for Disneyland Paris. He also directed several full-length theatrical films: 'The Brave Little Toaster', 'The Marrying Man', and 'Susie's Hope'. It is unknown who wrote the script for the attraction. Kevin Rafferty, Daniel Molitor, and Mike West acted as some of the show writers.
The ExtraTERRORestrial Alien Encounter was the scariest attraction at the Walt Disney World resort for less than a decade. Parents and regular guests lobbed complaints about the attraction's intensity, even though there were numerous signs posted outside the building blatantly stating that Alien Encounter was going to be very scary. I only got to experience it once in 2002 or 2003, and my memories of it aren't quite as clear as I would prefer. I remember some of the pre-show (mostly Skippy) and the portion of the main show featuring the unlucky mechanic. I was twelve or thirteen at the time, and the attraction had me screaming and crying in the theater. It was traumatic but memorable.
Unfortunately, The ExtraTERRORestrial Alien Encounter was never going to last forever. It's fear factor alone would inevitably seal it's fate in due time, plus it was apparently expensive to run. (not to mention Jeffrey Jones would be arrested in November 2002 on charges of possessing Child Sexual Abuse Material/Child Porn). On October 12, 2003 The ExtraTERRORestrial Alien Encounter would cease terrifying and traumatizing guests forever. It lasted close to eight years. This isn't the end of our tale, though.
On June 21, 2002 American audiences were introduced to an adorably destructive blue alien called Stitch. Disney went all-in on the Stitch hype train and would re-theme The ExtraTERRORestrial Alien Encounter to a Stitch themed show. Stitch's Great Escape would open on November 16, 2004 to even more hatred than Alien Encounter had received. The story this time involved guests entering the Galactic Federation Prisoner Teleport Center to be trained as security guards. In the middle of training, The Galactic Federation captures Stitch and beams him down for us to keep watch over him as he's processed. Stitch escapes, managing to obliterate at least half of the theater/recruits before hi-tailing it to The Magic Kingdom.
S.I.R, Skippy, and Scruffy remained for the pre-show, but S.I.R was given a make-over and a fat-suit being turned into the useless SARGE who was supposed to over-see our training until Stitch requires a change in plans. Luckily, Skippy and Scruffy make it out to see the next day in this downgrade.The main theater remains mostly unchanged. There's still the teleportation tube in the middle with screens placed around the theater. There's still the lowering head restraints. There's still warm air to simulate breath, water to simulate spit, and the head restraints still bounce to simulate Stitch jumping on us.
Added are two impressive-looking cannons which swivel around the theater and inadvertently blast at guests/recruits due to Stitch's mayhem, as well as an incredibly unpleasant chili dog burp scent which was foul enough to make any one sick to their stomach. In a weird way, Stitch's Great Escape was much meaner and crueler than The ExtraTERRORestrial Alien Encounter ever was. Stitch's Great Escape used Stitch to lure unsuspecting families in, only to confront them with Experiment 626, who's main goal is to murder those assigned to keep watch over him (He spits on recruits so the cannons will gun them down). True, Stitch's Great Escape was heavily watered down in an attempt to cater towards families but most of the show still took place in near-total darkness. Those in charge would eventually have to shorten the portions that took place in the dark, but it still wasn't enough for families not to be terrified. For most, this cheap re-tooling amounted to a mean-spirited bait-and-switch.
I am gifted to be able to say I am a part of the history of The ExtraTERRORestrial Alien Encounter, albeit tangentially so. In August 2015, I was hired by Walt Disney World to work three attractions in Tomorrowland: The Astro Orbiter, The Peoplemover, and Stitch's Great Escape. A decent amount of Alien Encounter remained for Stitch. I already listed some remnants in the previous paragraph, but here are some others I saw for myself: X-S Tech branding can still clearly be seen in the hallway leading to the main theaters and on the teleportation tube in the main theater, the covers for seats that are broken bear an X-S logo and say Temporarily Seized (yes, these seat covers were originally used for Alien Encounter), the ambient noise that plays in the main theater before the start of a show is a direct left-over from Alien Encounter, as is the wires leading to the teleportation tube shaking as Stitch is teleported to us. Having worked the show for a good three months, I can say with confidence that Stitch's Great Escape sucked.
When all the technical elements were working as they were supposed to (which wasn't often), the show could be visually appealing. The two cannons swinging wildly around the theater while firing at guests always looked cool. The use of bursts of fog was also a cool element. The Stitch AA was also far more realistic and impressive than the AA for the Alien ever was. Stitch's Great Escape was always a production that was better to sit back and watch than it was to get strapped in and experience for yourself. Most agree it was a failure. I would have to concur. Luckily, Stitch would be forced to cease his antics for good on January 6, 2018. This means Stitch would go uncaptured for close to fourteen years, outliving Alien Encounter by around six years. How unfair.
Today, the building that housed The ExtraTERRORestrial Alien Encounter and Stitch's Great Escape sits unused. The large, intimidating silver doors still stand, waiting to open once again for a new attraction. A Cast Member station stands near-by, covered up. This is where Cast Members would voice announcements and safety spiels for both attractions, as well as control when those doors would open and etc. It's too much to hope for a new take on Alien Encounter. The Disney of today is very risk-averse and has fully embraced their agreed upon perception as a place for kids.
Never again will we see a truly frightening attraction like Alien Encounter, or even something along those lines. I'm not even sure what could realistically go into that space today. There were rumors of a Wreck-It-Ralph attraction replacing Stitch, but that speculation has died away. The sad reality is that building may remain empty forever. A sad waste of what could be very good space.
The least they could do is put up some posters advertising The Tomorrowland Interplanetary Convention Center, maybe showcase some fictional past exhibits (including X-S Tech's botched teleportation demonstration) as well as never-to-be future exhibits. The only issue with this it might get guests excited for the building to re-open, which it likely never will. The ExtraTERRORestrial Alien Encounter remains the scariest attraction ever brought to life. Those who were lucky enough to experience Alien Encounter first-hand, as well as those fortunate enough to have worked the attraction (and Stitch as well), will carry with them the memories of the screams of frightened children forever.
Here is a link to an article by Jim Hill on the History of Alien Encounter if you still want to know more: The ExtraTERRORestrial Files - Jim Hill Media
