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Credit: DisneyThe Disney parks have always been family-oriented resort destinations, offering the chance to immerse ourselves in classic Disney movies and entertainment properties we’ve all come to know and love over the years. Disney aims to not just entertain but inspire, creating some of the most well-known and family-friendly theme park attractions in the world.
In the mid-’90s, however, one Disney World attraction shattered this design philosophy completely.
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Although there is a long list of closed attractions at the Disney parks, none compares to Alien Encounter’s story.
For those brave enough to strap in and pull down the “safety” bars, ExtraTERRORestrial Alien Encounter offered a thrilling, spine-tingling experience that allowed guests to come face-to-face with a massive alien animatronic. The story was simple: an evil alien corporation known as XS-Tech (get it?) was showcasing its brand-new teleportation technology.
Those in the audience were encouraged to sit and strap in for a demonstration where XS-Tech’s president would be teleported and have a meet-and-greet with guests.
Predictably, things did not go to plan, and a huge, bug-like alien with wings and creepy spider-like legs was teleported instead, putting everyone in the room in grave danger. The attraction was, in every sense of the word, terrifying.
There aren’t many places in any of the four parks at the Walt Disney World Resort that offer scares like the ones seen inside Alien Encounter.
Even during the brief early previews of the attraction in 1994, guests frequently complained about the violence and overall scare factor of the attraction. During the show, people would even scream so much to the point where crucial dialogue was inaudible, reportedly forcing Imagineers to edit and re-record certain audio cues to ensure guests could keep up with the story.
After years of chills and thrills (and numerous complaints), the attraction officially closed in 2003. While the exact reason Alien Encounter shut down is unknown, many assume it was simply too scary for a place like Magic Kingdom. Parents reportedly flooded guest services with complaints about Alien Encounter despite Disney providing multiple warnings about the attraction ahead of time.
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Even more terrifying was the attraction’s initial concept. Based on the 1979 film Alien, it would place guests on the famous Nostromo spaceship where Ripley (Sigourney Weaver) fought off the iconic nightmare-inducing Xenomorph alien.
At the time, Disney had already acquired the rights to Alien, but Disney Imagineering was split on the idea. The newer designers wanted to bring in this exciting and fresh property, while the older Imagineers wished to keep the parks free of R-rated properties.
Ironically, Ripley, the Xenomorph, and Nostromo would be represented in a Disney park when The Great Movie Ride opened at Disney’s Hollywood Studios, then called Disney’s MGM Studios in 1989.
Although nothing has been said about more representation of the Alien Franchise in Disney parks, with Disney’s acquisition of Twentieth Century Fox, now called Twentieth Century Studios, the company could seemingly do anything they wanted to with the film series.
Alien Encounter easily stands as one of Disney’s most unique and terrifying theme park creations. In the years since its closure, the attraction has developed a cult status among fans, with some even hoping to see it return to the Disney parks.
While unlikely, Alien Encounter did feel ahead of its time, with modern-day audiences probably better equipped to deal with the attraction than in 1995.
Do you think there is a place for scary rides in Disney World? What rides at Disney World are scary to you? Let us know in the comments!