Credit: Disney, ABCTake a trip down memory lane with one of Disney’s most bizarre theme park attractions.
Related: Loungefly Unveils Spooky New’ Nightmare Before Christmas’ Collection You Won’t Want to Miss!
Due to the size and age of Walt Disney World, the resort has an extensive history of attraction closures. In fact, some of Disney’s most cherished theme park experiences include now-defunct attractions such as EPCOT’s Horizons and World of Motion, Magic Kingdom’s Snow White’s Scary Adventures, and Animal Kingdom’s soon-to-be-extinct DINOSAUR.
However, Disney’s Hollywood Studios features one defunct attraction that may be better left forgotten.
Sounds Dangerous… and Weird…
Related: Disney Executive Officially Resigns Amid Bob Iger’s 2026 Succession Drama
While Hollywood Studios features a variety of adrenaline-pumping action in the form of thrill rides like Rock ‘n’ Roller Coaster and The Twilight Zone Tower of Terror, Sounds Dangerous was a bold departure for The Walt Disney Company.
Sounds Dangerous opened at Disney’s Hollywood Studios (then called MGM Studios) on April 22, 1999, in a space that had previously been home to other sound-based shows. Guests were equipped with headphones to listen in to a reality show called Undercover Live starring Drew Carey.
Instead of having guests strap in for a fast-paced roller coaster or dark ride, Sounds Dangerous let users create their own magic, planting them in a pitch-black theater.
“Ready to go undercover with a television detective?” reads the original attraction description.
“Check out what happens when Drew Carey takes to the small screen as an actor playing a gumshoe who bungles his first on-camera case. When the hidden camera in his tie gets damaged, the video disappears, and the theater is plunged into total darkness—leaving you to listen in as the hilarious mystery unfolds.”
Related: Disney Introduces Enhanced Security Measures: New Entry Policies To Affect Millions of Guests
In the attraction’s story, guests were given the opportunity to listen in to a pilot of a new Drew Carey show, which saw, or rather “heard” the comedy icon get himself into some precarious scenarios and situations.
Yesterland, a website dedicated to preserving the memory of closed Disney rides and attractions, states that guests were told, “nothing is rehearsed” before the attraction started. “There is no script. We don’t know what will happen, but we do know one thing. You’ll be there—Undercover Live!”
The attraction certainly did not see the same popularity as other Disney offerings like Space Mountain, Haunted Mansion, or Pirates of the Caribbean, but Sounds Dangerous was a bold attempt to create a unique experience unlike anything seen inside the Disney parks.
Despite its creativity, Sounds Dangerous was never all that popular and was often criticized for its lackluster presentation and flimsy story.
Twitter/X user Parkeology shared a post that summarized how most guests felt about the attraction.
A visual representation of what it was like to experience Drew Carey’s Sounds Dangerous at Disney’s Hollywood Studios. A 10-minute show of which 8 took place in total blackness. At the time, it was reviled as the WORST attraction at Walt Disney World. Fair or not?
A visual representation of what it was like to experience Drew Carey’s Sounds Dangerous at Disney’s Hollywood Studios. A 10-minute show of which 8 took place in total blackness. At the time, it was reviled as the WORST attraction at Walt Disney World. Fair or not? pic.twitter.com/zOrZZ8Niex
— Parkeology (@Parkeology) October 3, 2024
Sounds Dangerous eventually entered seasonal operation before closing permanently in 2012. The attraction was replaced by Star Wars: Path of the Jedi. This experience was tailored to Star Wars fans, playing a montage of assorted clips from all of the franchise’s films. Path of the Jedi also eventually closed, shutting its doors for good in 2019.
Now, the theater that once housed these two former attractions features a short film called Vacation Fun, an original animated short film featuring Mickey and Minnie. “Take your seat at the Mickey Shorts Theater for an original animated short starring Mickey and Minnie Mouse,” states Disney on the attraction’s webpage.
Vacation Fun ties nicely into Mickey & Minnie’s Runaway Railway, one of the newest attractions to open at Disney’s Hollywood Studios.
Did you get to experience Sounds Dangerous?