1
Michael Jackson was at the height of his fame during the 1980s. With smash hit after smash hit, the King of Pop was everywhere, including the Disney Parks.
From the mid-1980s to the late 1990s, Michael Jackson starred in his very own attraction in Disneyland, Walt Disney World, Tokyo Disneyland, and Disneyland Paris. The ride was more of a 4-D short film that Guests were able to sit and enjoy while taking a break from the heat or the long day of walking.
Captain EO was written and produced by George Lucas (yes, that George Lucas), and told the story of Captain EO and his crew from space. They’re working on a mission to deliver a gift to the evil Supreme Leader, who Captain EO fights and eventually helps transform into a beautiful woman alongside transforming her disgusting planet into a paradise. The show utilized 3-D effects to immerse the audience into the story, two original songs sung by Jackson, and was merchandized into stuffed toys, comic books, apparel, and accessories.
Near the end of the 1990s, the attraction was closed and replaced in all four Parks by Honey, I Shrunk the Audience. When Jackson died in 2009, Captain EO replaced Honey, I Shrunk the Audience, again in all four Parks, making it the first and only Disney attraction to replace the ride that it itself was replaced by.
To this day, Disney Guests and fans are nostalgic for Captain EO, even those that never got a chance to ride it. The special effects, outer space theme, and Michael Jackson as the star make a combination that is so quintessentially 80s, that fans can’t help but feel nostalgic for it. Even a decade after its official closure, fans are still begging for it to return to the Parks in some capacity one day.
Did you ever ride Captain EO? Tell us your experience!