ExtraTERRORestrial Alien Encounter!

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 one of my favorite attractions! It was a darkly humorous science-fiction experience that used binaural sound to achieve many of its effects- and yes, it scared the pee out of most kids (and some adults!).

A warning outside the attraction's entrance alerted guests that it was very intense; parents were recommended to not bring small children into the attraction. They were WARNED!!!!!!

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 praised it for its sophisticated tone, a sharp contrast to a lot of the attractions at Disney's theme parks. It was like an adult escape within the attraction. Many people who love Disneyquest also know that there is an Alien Encounter interactive attraction in that building that opened at the same time. If you have not played that- it is fun!

The Ride Went Like This:

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 the Simulated Intelligence Robotics (Tim Curry), or S.I.R. for short, 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. Spatters of blood were simulated by the spraying of water.

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.

I bet you didn't know:

* 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.

Now Experience It for Yourself in this Video!