Does anyone know the REAL reason they changed Alien Encounters?

[remmy_7]

I always thought it was because one of the actors (Jeffrey Jones) featured in the ride was arrested for possesion of child pornography, and eventually guests began complaining to Disney wanting the ride changed so he'd no longer be featured. This is what I always thought because it's the only thing that makes sense to me. Because it was a very popular ride. I can remember going on it as a kid and being so scared that I was in tears.

But anyway, does anyone know if this is in fact the reason it closed?

ps-sorry if this questioned has already been addressed.

 

[bicker]

I wouldn't put much stock in such rumors. Disney keeps rides open/closes them based on how much they cost to operate, how much they affect attendance (i.e., attract revenue), and how much they affect secondary sales (souveniers).

 

[erikthewise]

I won't claim to know the REAL reason. The reason most often stated is that it simply was too frightening for young children, and often even adults and older children would either be put off or just plain "not get it".

I thought it was a clever attraction attraction and enjoyed it, but it wasn't for everybody; it required a certain appreciation of dark humor to make it worthwhile. Just imagine coming from a tour of Fantasyland and then hitting Alien Encounter. Too many people weren't able to make the transition, or just didn't want to. It should have had a big "PG-13" sign in flashing neon outside.

As for the actor, I think only a very small percentage of guests would have known about him being involved in child pornography. In spite of being a active reader of DIS and other Disney news sources, I wasn't aware of it.

 

[jann1033]

funny i was just wondering the same thing. i assumed it's due to me being one of the few who liked it and there probably 'isn't that much of a souvie market for smushed skulls with teeth marks in MK ( universal maybe) sorry my computer is weird so i can't get the caps right

 

[Bill From PA]

The Jeffrey Jones case was known to me the last time I did this attraction so I doubt this had anything to do with it. With Disney's expertise in film, how difficult would it have been to just edit him out and insert another actor, as opposed to re-doing the entire senario? I enjoyed Alien, but after few viewings, the surprise is gone. An attracton like this has a short shelf life.

Bill From PA

 

[noladave]

FWIW - a CM at Buzz told us that Alien was the most frightening attraction/ride ever produced at WDW, and that the president of WDW thought that is was not in the mode of "Disney", and that it didn't belong in Magic Kingdom.

His words, not mine.

 

[lclark0621]

Because it sucked.

Ok, ok, I know a lot of people liked it. I know a lot of people thought it was incredibly scary.

DH & I thought it just plain sucked. Never got scared, never got excited. We were just bored with it.

 

[fakereadhed]

Our towncar driver told us that it was so scary that kids would wet their pants and have nightmares after they left WDW. Some parents were threatening to sue for post traumatic stress. A rumor only, but an interesting one.

 

[JRawkSteady]

Alien Encounter was not so scary. I think Dinosaur is a LOT scarier because a giant dino is breathing at your face AND you see him.

 

[patsal]

I just didn't get it, I am terrified of Dinosaur, but Alien was really wimpy IMHO, I didn't get scared, didn't feel the rush of adrenline. Personally I agree this kind of ride has a short shelf life since it is sensory thriller fueled mostly by imagination alone.

 

[AJKMOM]

I think they changed it to feature Stitch, wasn't the movie out shortly before it was re-habbed?

 

[TDC Nala]

They saw an opportunity to allow more access for children to the attraction and to feature the hugely popular Stitch. I don't think Jeffrey Jones was much of a consideration, or they would have changed the film earlier. A lot of people had never even heard of him (pretty much just those who remembered "Amadeus" or "Beetlejuice" or "Ferris Bueller")

 

[WHIT1]

The Jeffrey Jones case was known to me the last time I did this attraction so I doubt this had anything to do with it. With Disney's expertise in film, how difficult would it have been to just edit him out and insert another actor, as opposed to re-doing the entire senario? I enjoyed Alien, but after few viewings, the surprise is gone. An attracton like this has a short shelf life.

Bill From PA

i just sent you a pm and i hope you got it.

 

[remmy_7]

With Disney's expertise in film, how difficult would it have been to just edit him out and insert another actor, as opposed to re-doing the entire senario?

yeah, that thought had crossed my mind too, because it would have been easy to just change the beginning sequence and simply cut him out.


But I suppose it WAS too scary, although the Jeffrey Jones thing always had me wondering.

 

[bishop1989]

Beacuse it was the WORST attraction in WDW!!!!!!!
It was a Huge waste of time. Sit down turn out the lights and have air
puffed on your neck. Thanks for coming.
Now, where do I even start on the sequal-STITCH?
Disney spent money designing these rides?

 

[Markstudy]

I read that Disney thought Stitch was a Icon Character and they thougth they finally had another Micky Mouse, Donald Duck, Goofy, Plouto..... so they added Stich to many items that featured the other Icon Characters. Even the Monorails got Stitch paint jobs on their noses.

Disney made a mistake. Stitch started out strong but has fizzled as a Icon.
Many items with Stitch aren't selling. And items that include the other main Disney caracters are being re-made without Stitch this time.

Disney seems to have jumped the gun on how important Stitch would be in the future. Oh-well... back to the drawing board.

(saw all this in a story by Disney media news letter guy? Can't remember his name...want to say "Jim?")

 

[Twende]

It was closed because I complained that it scared the crap out of me!

I wish I had that kind of power!

But it did scare the crap out of me. Dinosaur does not scare me that much because you see them but in AE your imagination was far worse than anything that is real!

I went in it one time. I know I was the first person out of there and I know I was in tears!

DH and I have a running arguement about how you were restrained in this attraction.

Can someone describe the seats and how your body was "contained"?

 

[liamsaunt]

DH and I have a running arguement about how you were restrained in this attraction.

Can someone describe the seats and how your body was "contained"?

The seats are the same in Stitch as they were for Alien Encounter. There is a restraint that you pull down to your shoulders.

 

[Sylvester McBean]

I've seen as many kids freaking out on stitch as there were AE. so if toning down the attraction was the goal, they've failed. AE was awesome.

 

[MyGoofy26]

I always thought it was a 2-part reason. That children were too scared and that wasn't the image of "Magic Kingdom" they wanted kids walking away with, and that Tomorrowland was getting outdated too quickly so they decided to take more attractions and theme them to Disney movies so that it wouldn't outdate itself and need upgrade so quickly.