Credit: Trepany HouseOne of the most divisive attractions in Disney theme park history is being resurrected in a new way that will see audiences drenched in blood. Yes, 21 years after closing down at Magic Kingdom Park, ExtraTERRORestrial Alien Encounter is being brought back to life.
What was ExtraTERRORestrial Alien Encounter at Walt Disney World Resort?
ExtraTERRORestrial Alien Encounter was one of the boldest and most controversial attractions ever to land in Magic Kingdom’s Tomorrowland. Opening on June 20, 1995, this dark, sci-fi experience took guests into the world of X-S Tech, a futuristic company conducting a teleportation demonstration.
What started as a cutting-edge experiment quickly turned into a nightmare when a menacing alien creature was accidentally transported into the theater, leaving guests trapped in the dark as the creature moved around them, using groundbreaking sensory effects.
Designed by the Walt Disney Imagineering department with input from Star Wars icon George Lucas, the attraction pushed boundaries with its suspense, realistic sound design, and horror elements that left some guests exhilarated and others terrified. Magic Kingdom Park—a place for all the family—was seemingly not the best place for a horror-themed attraction.
From the start, Alien Encounter was met with a mixed reaction. Though some guests praised the ride for its intense atmosphere and impressive special effects, many others felt it was simply too scary, especially in a park known for its family-friendly attractions.
Parents often complained that the experience was unsuitable for young children, and over time, Disney realized the attraction didn’t align with the broader tone of Magic Kingdom. After eight years of polarizing guests, Alien Encounter closed on October 12, 2003, eventually replaced by the more lighthearted Stitch’s Great Escape, which repurposed much of the original ride’s structure.
That said, Stitch’s Great Escape has been closed since 2018, following its 14-year run in the Tomorrowland location. The building remains vacant and is often used for a Stitch meet-and-greet or trick-or-treat location during the annual Mickey’s Not-So-Scary Halloween Party at the Disney park.
Despite its closure, Alien Encounter has gained a cult following, with many fans still reminiscing about the chilling, immersive experience it offered. It’s remembered as a daring departure from the typical Disney formula, proving that even the “Most Magical Place on Earth” could deliver a thrill that left an impact—whether good or bad.
Alien vs. Predator Land at Major Theme Park
News surfaced recently regarding a plan to make the Xenomorphs (and the Predators) even more prominent in the world of the theme park industry. Originally titled 20th Century Fox World Malaysia, the Genting SkyWorlds theme park was set to feature Alien vs. Predator land, which Disney later killed.
Resurfaced information revealed that the e-ticket or flagship attraction for the land was set to be a coaster called AvP: Descent into Darkness, which would find guests face-to-face with the Alien Queen.
ExtraTERRORestrial Alien Encounter Resurrected 21 Years Later
21 years after ExtraTERRORestrial Alien Encounter shuttered its doors in the Magic Kingdom, a new experience based on the attraction has been born.
From Trepany House, Alien Encounter, Sponsored by Titmouse, will play at the Titmouse Warehouse in Los Angeles, California, on select nights from October 11 through October 31.
Alien Encounter was created by Adam Franklin and Amit Itelman. The show’s press release warns audience members to dress accordingly, as they will get covered in blood, via Variety. “They will experience 25 minutes of being face to face with a ferocious flesh-eating extra-terrestrial whose only instinct is to release carnage upon this planet Earth,” Itelman said.
“The ideas and drama that play out seem to want to burst out of the stage. They might be too ambitious for the scale they are presented with. I guess that is true with much of the theater I am involved in,” the creator added. “I usually try to go beyond my means and land somewhere that feels comfortable.”
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Established as a parody of the original Disney park experience, Itelman went on to say:
“We just love the insanity of what Disney attempted, and their concept was so fun. It was so totally inappropriate for Disney Parks, but so very appropriate for Trepany House.” While Alien Encounter is in part a resurrection of the ExtraTERRORestrial Alien Encounter from Magic Kingdom’s Tomorrowland, the Trepany House production is “an original production and a total retelling of the original concept.”
Tickets for Trepany House’s Alien Encounter can be purchased here.
The Alien Franchise Endures
It is interesting that such a niche part of Walt Disney World Resort history is the cornerstone for a new theatrical experience. The power of the Alien franchise is a quiet one; in a world of Star Wars and the Marvel Cinematic Universe, the world of the Alien and Predator just keeps on giving.
Recently, Dan Trachtenberg gave the Predator franchise fresh life with his 2022 movie Prey. This year, the Xenomorphs returned in Alien: Romulus (2024). The latest chapter in the Alien franchise received generally positive reviews and took an impressive $347 million at the box office on a modest $80 million budget.
Related: Will Disney Make the ‘Alien’ Franchise More Family-Friendly?
Alien: Romulus is yet to join the rest of the franchise movies—Alien (1979), Aliens (1986), Alien 3 (1992), Alien Resurrection (1997), Alien vs. Predator (2004), Alien vs. Predator: Requiem (2007), Prometheus (2012), and Alien: Covenant (2017)—on Disney+ or Hulu, depending on territory.
How do you feel about Disney’s Alien attraction being brought back to life in this new way? Let Inside the Magic know in the comments down below!