ExtraTERRORestrial Alien Encounter
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| ExtraTERRORestrial Alien Encounter | |
| Magic Kingdom | |
| Land | Tomorrowland |
| Designer | Walt Disney Imagineering |
| Attraction type | Sit-Down Theater with harnessed special effects seats |
| Theme | An alien encounter |
| Soft opening date | December 16, 1994 |
| Opening date | June 20, 1995 |
| Closing date | October 12, 2003 |
| Hosted by | Spinlok and Dr. Femus |
| Music | Seize the Future & original score by Richard Bellis [1] |
| Ride duration | 18:00 minutes |
| Height requirements | 48" (122 cm) |
| Audio-animatronics | 1 (2 more in pre-show) |
| Seating | 162 |
| Replaced | Mission to Mars |
| Replaced by | Stitch's Great Escape! |
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The ExtraTERRORestrial Alien Encounter (often abbreviated Alien Encounter) is a former Tomorrowland "theater-in-the-round" attraction in the Magic Kingdom theme park at Walt Disney World Resort. It was a darkly humorous science-fiction experience that used binaural sound to achieve many of its effects.
A warning outside the attraction's entrance alerted guests that it was very intense; small children were recommended to avoid it.
It opened briefly for previews on December 16, 1994 on the site of the former Mission to Mars attraction, but was ordered closed for retooling by then-Disney CEO Michael Eisner in January 1995. It opened officially on June 20, 1995 as part of the New Tomorrowland and closed permanently on October 12, 2003. It was replaced by Stitch's Great Escape!, which uses much of the same technology and set pieces.
While the attraction was short-lived, it developed a cult following among Disney fans. Some praise it for its sophisticated tone, a sharp contrast to most rides and shows at Disney's theme parks.
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[edit] Synopsis
Guests are ushered into the "Tomorrowland Interplanetary Convention Center" for a demonstration of new technology from an alien corporation known as X-S Tech. The company's chairman, L.C. Clench (Jeffrey Jones), sets the attraction's subtly sinister tone with a welcome that includes his corporate philosophy — If something can't be done with X-S [excess], then it shouldn't be done at all.
Next, guests proceed into a second area where an X-S robot known as S.I.R. demonstrates the company's "practically painless" teleportation technology using a cute little alien named Skippy. The creature's charred and disoriented appearance after being teleported a short distance across the room suggests that the technology is flawed.
Finally, guests are seated in harnesses within a circular chamber surrounding a teleportation tube. Clench and two X-S Tech employees, Spinlok (Kevin Pollak) and Dr. Femus (Kathy Najimy), communicate "live" from across the galaxy via video screens. Initially, a single guest is to be teleported out of the chamber for a meeting with Clench. Instead, Clench is "seized" by inspiration and decides to have himself teleported into the chamber to meet the entire group.
Clench's impatience and the change of plans cause the teleportation signal to be diverted through an unknown planet. As a result, a towering winged, carnivorous alien is beamed into the tube by mistake and quickly escapes. A power outage plunges the chamber into total darkness as guests sit helplessly restrained by their seat harnesses.
During the portions of the attraction that take place in darkness, binaural sound effects suggest that the alien is moving through the chamber, menacing the guests and even devours a maintenance man. In-seat effects contribute to the illusion, with the alien appearing to be breathing and at one point licking the guests.
With assistance from the two X-S Tech technicians, the ravenous alien is ultimately driven back into the broken teleportation device and destroyed. Guests are then released from their seats.
[edit] Disneyland
Alien Encounter was proposed for Disneyland for the project "Tomorrowland 2055", as part of the "Disney Decade", started by Michael Eisner. It was to land in the place that was Mission to Mars. Also proposed to join "Tomorrowland 2055" were The Timekeeper, which was to take over Circlevision 360, and also Plectu's Fantastic Intergalactic Revue, a musical revue which was to land where America Sings once was. Due to budget cuts from the Disneyland Paris opening, "Tomorrowland 2055" was scrapped.
[edit] Trivia
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Trivia sections are discouraged under Wikipedia guidelines. The article could be improved by integrating relevant items and removing inappropriate ones. |
- The attraction's binaural sound effects were developed by Walt Disney Imagineering in collaboration with George Lucas.
- Tyra Banks played the female alien who greets guests in the first preshow video, although her lines were voiced by another actress.
- Tim Curry voiced the Audio-Animatronic robot S.I.R. (Simulated Intelligence Robotics) in the second preshow area. In the original version, the character was voiced by Phil Hartman.
- Some of the other events in pre-show included a "Mission to Mars: History or Hoax", Championship Pet Show, and The Walt Disney Company Pan Galactic Stock Holders Meeting with a holographic transmission from Lunar Disneyland - The Happiest Place Off Earth.
- According to Internet reports, the attraction was originally going to feature the title creature from the 1979 movie Alien, but it was decided that the character was too scary. However, the creature is featured in a scene from Alien as part of The Great Movie Ride at Disney's Hollywood Studios.
- A game within the DisneyQuest indoor interactive theme park at the Walt Disney World Resort called Invasion! An ExtraTERRORestrial Alien Encounter features some of the X-S Tech mythology, although its game play bears no resemblance to the Tomorrowland attraction.
- In honor of co-creator George Lucas, a brief image of Darth Vader could be seen while the guests were being "scanned".
- Although the attraction closed down on October 12, 2003, the small alien Skippy (who was used in the first demonstration) still resides in the preshow chamber of Stitch's Great Escape.
- The term X-S in the ride is a pun. (Living your life with excess.)
- The audio-animatronic robot S.I.R in the preshow uses the same animatronic body that was Mr Johnson / Tom Morrow in the former Flight To The Moon / Mission to Mars attraction.
