Alien Encounter fans discuss

[KidAtHeart1]

My last trip to Disney World was in '00 and one of my favorite attractions was Alien Encounter. I was sad to hear that it was replaced by the more "friendly" Stitch:-( I remember how intense this attraction was. It was dark, loud and those effects made it seem as if the alien was right behind you. I haven't done Stitch so I can not compare the two, but from what I hear it is nowhere near as intense as Alien. Take a trip down memory lane and discuss this great attraction.....

 

[Wazzo]

I loved it too! I remember the first time I rode it, my friends and I were all teenagers, and we had a great time. The picture in the park map showed an alien hand reaching out to you, so we were so hyped up! I think our anticipation was what made it so great. I guess it wasn't very Disney-like though, so I could see why they changed it.

 

[thewishfire]

I adored that ride! It was always a favorite with my family. I was sad to hear that it's gone now. I guess I'll just have to see about this Stitch ride when I go in November.

 

[Meriweather]

I loved it too....but Stitch really isn't that bad....still dark and can be scary....and noises and smells too

 

[wvjovifan]

We loved AE, the first time my DD's went on they were 6 and 8 and it scared the devil out of them!! They still talk about it!! (they are now 21 & 23) When we did Stitch on our last trip, they were very disappointed! We still have our memories of our youngest grabbing my hand and screaming "Mommy this isn't fun anymore ahhhhhhhhhhhh" When we got off, she loved it!!! Stitch is pretty lame compared to AE.

 

[AlDubya]

I thought AE was pretty good and, as is the case with much of what Disney does, I wasn't shocked when they changed it.

I'm still entirely disappointed that they changed the lighting in Space Mountain. When I used to go to Disney when I was 14, 15, and 16, the SM ride used to be pitch black. You could not see the tracks in front of you even if you were in the first seat. However, to make the ride more 'predictable' and, I guess, seemingly more tame, they made it a bit lighter in there so it's easy to see which way you are turning next. Rubbish

 

[Ride Junkie]

I loved the part where you could feel the alien breathing down your neck. Still gives me the shivers!! I miss it too. DH and I refuse to even try Stitch...besides, I hear too many people complaining about how gross the smell is (he burps up enchiladas or something?). Gaaack.

 

[Robo]

DH and I refuse to even try Stitch...

In the scientific community, this would be considered a "failure to observe" or an "untested assumption".

Translated, it means, not bothering to see for yourself.

And speaking of "unscientific research"...
AE was, without a doubt, (when it was open) THE most-despised, most-reviled, most-complained-about attraction on this and any other Disney board from the day it opened.

The AE-lovers were certainly in HIDING back then.

I have vivid memories of the hundreds (it seemed) of threads back then that demanded Disney remove the vile AE from the park!

I liked AE, but most people I talked to did NOT.
I still find Stitch to be so SIMILAR to AE that the biggest difference I can put my finger on (other than its STITCH in the tube) is that S.I.R. is no longer in the PRE-show (and poor "SKIPPY" is all the better for it!)

I'll bet you probably won't like Stitch, but I can't believe you won't TRY it.
There are a couple of things at WDW that I won't do again, but I can tell you WHY I didn't like them... when I was THERE.

 

[BYC]

We loved it, and are disappointed that it won't be there for our December trip. My daughter was 9 when we went on it in '00. She cried!...but as soon as it was over, she begged to do it again! I think we went on it 4 or 5 times that trip! My boys were a bit older, and they loved it too. I will try Stitch, but I have convinced myself I won't like it as much!

 

[Silvite]

AE was good, liked it. Mum did not, she ducked when the shoulder straps came down so was in a bad position whole time ... refuse to go back on Stitch.

Stitch is cute.

 

[SimbaNoodle]

I really miss it. I know it was cheesy, but it was a fun cheesy.

 

[Tinkerbell_Girl]

I really liked AE. The Stitch ride is okay.

 

[apirateslifeforme]

Am I the only one that laughed my butt off through AE?

 

[HesATramp]

I was acutally kind of yawning throughout the ride, and most rides that in the dark petrify me, as I'm not really fond of the dark...I thought it was lame, so I can just IMAGINE what I'm going to think of Stitch. But I will try the Stitch version.

 

[luvpoohbear]

DH and I loved AE! The first time I we went on it, I was so scared that I was cracking up laughing!! (Doesn't make sense does it?) I guess you couldn't call it "petrified" scared or "run for your life" scared, but just the kind of scared when things make you jump, I guess you would say it was "unexpected" scared.

Anyway, we were real sorry to see it go. Stitch on the other hand.....well we DID try it because I think Stitch the character is so cute and I wanted to give the attraction the benefit of the doubt. That "burp" smell was so nasty that it stayed with me for the rest of the day. I could not get the smell out of my nose until later that night when I sat in the Ghiradelli shop in DTD for a little while smelling the chocolate!

Needless to say, I have no desire to go on Stitch's Great Escape again!

I agree that AE did not really belong in MK, but they could have moved it to the Studios. It would have probably fit in better there!

 

[ChrisFL]

AE was great, but being at the MK it just wasn't family friendly enough...sadly. So while I really enjoyed it, I can understand why they took it out...but I cant understand why they put stitch in there like that.

 

[CR Resort Fan 4 Life]

For all Alien Encounter fans who will be at Walt Disney World on Tuesday August 15th. WDW is releasing thier monthly Piece Of History limited edition 2500 pin of Alien Encounter. I will be getting a few, so this is a great way to remember the ride. So if your going to be at WDW that day I suggest you get it because it's going to sell out very very fast, so for those that can not get it you will have to try your luck with finding it on Ebay.

 

[CR Resort Fan 4 Life]

Here is all the information about the pin. http://eventservices.disney.go.com/pintrading/pin?id=18476

 

[njchris]

Am I the only one that laughed my butt off through AE?

I did. In a fun way. I thought the presentation was fun!!!

If something can't be done with XS, then it shouldn't be done at all!



I'm sad it is gone and was replaced with sophmoric/toilet humor.

 

[WillCAD]

I was never in hiding. I've always been very vocal in my adoration for Alien Encounter, for its wonderful parody of corporate greed, it's razor-sharp dialogue, and its terrific cast. I didn't think it was too intense for MK - after all, MK is not supposed to be a park full of nothing but kiddie rides, it's supposed to be a park that parents and kids can all enjoy together.

Disney's reasons for the change seem to be twofold - first, they wanted to make the attraction more kid-friendly, since kids 4 and under seemed to be universally frightened of AE. And second, they had a terrific hit on their hands with Buzz Lightyear's Space Ranger Spin, and wanted to apply another popular character to a Tomorrowland attraction.

Well, the second part certainly seemed to work; kids see Stitch on the park map and instantly want to go see him. But the attraction is still dark, noisy, and scary, and no more kid-friendly than before. But it is misleading, to a certain extent: "Oh, it's Stitch, that must be appropriate for a 2-year old!" WRONG!

AE was the best attraction in Tomorrowland, IMHO, and it was gutted and ruined to achieve goals that were never met. It would have been far better for WDW if they had moved AE, lock, stock and barrel, to Epcot's Future World, and built an entirely new kid-friendly Stitch attraction in the old AE building.

I've been siezed!

Something you ate?

The only way to sieze the future is to grasp the present!