Credit: DisneyDisney World fans have watched many familiar attractions disappear over the past several years. Entire lands have changed themes, classic rides have vanished, and longtime EPCOT fans especially have seen the park move further away from its original identity in favor of movie franchises and recognizable characters.
Now, one attraction keeps popping up in conversations about what Disney could target next.
For years, EPCOT guests have debated whether this particular ride still fits inside the modern version of the park. Some people love the intensity. Others avoid it completely. But lately, more fans have started openly asking whether Disney should finally move on from the attraction altogether.
And with one massive sci-fi movie suddenly becoming a global hit, plenty of Disney fans already think they know exactly what should replace it.
Disney Keeps Replacing Original Concepts With IP
Disney has already shown that almost no original attraction concept is truly safe anymore if the company believes a major franchise can draw bigger crowds.
EPCOT alone has undergone major transformations over the last decade. Maelstrom disappeared and became Frozen Ever After after Disney realized just how massive Frozen (2013) had become. Universe of Energy eventually closed to make room for Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind.
Magic Kingdom has seen similar changes. Splash Mountain officially became Tiana’s Bayou Adventure after Disney decided to rework the attraction around The Princess and the Frog (2009). Over at Disney’s Hollywood Studios, Muppet*Vision 3D permanently closed to help clear the way for the upcoming Monstropolis expansion.
Then there is Disney’s Animal Kingdom, where DinoLand U.S.A. is now gone as Disney prepares for the Tropical Americas overhaul featuring Encanto (2021) and Indiana Jones.
Disney wants attractions tied directly to characters and stories modern audiences already recognize. If executives believe an older concept no longer connects strongly enough with guests, the company has shown it is more than willing to make major changes.
That is exactly why many fans believe Mission: SPACE could eventually end up on the chopping block as well.
Mission: SPACE Remains One of EPCOT’s Most Divisive Attractions
Mission: SPACE has always been one of the strangest rides at Walt Disney World.
When Disney first introduced the attraction back in 2003, the company marketed it as one of the most intense rides ever created. Guests board training capsules and prepare for a simulated mission to Mars while massive centrifuges spin riders to create the sensation of launch forces.
Even today, Disney still posts multiple warning signs outside the attraction because of how physically intense it can feel.
The ride itself splits into two versions. The Orange Mission delivers the full spinning experience, while the Green Mission offers a milder version with reduced motion. Even with those adjustments, Mission: SPACE still carries a reputation many Disney guests cannot get past.
For some fans, the attraction feels thrilling and unique. For others, it feels more like a ride they regret boarding halfway through.
Fans Barely Wait for Mission: SPACE Anymore
One major problem for Mission: SPACE is how easy it has become to ride.
While Disney World guests routinely wait over an hour for attractions like Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind, Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance, Flight of Passage, and TRON Lightcycle / Run, Mission: SPACE regularly posts wait times closer to five or ten minutes.
That low demand has become a huge talking point among EPCOT fans online. Many people argue that the attraction simply does not have the same draw it once had, especially compared to the rest of Disney’s modern lineup.
Some guests complain that the ride feels outdated compared to newer Disney technology. Others say the attraction focuses too much on making riders uncomfortable rather than delivering actual fun. Complaints about nausea, headaches, dizziness, claustrophobia, and overly aggressive motion continue to follow Mission: SPACE more than two decades after opening.
That combination has created an unusual situation in which one of EPCOT’s largest attractions often has almost no line.
And now, fans think they may have found the perfect replacement concept.
Ryan Gosling’s Project Hail Mary Suddenly Entered the Conversation
A lot of Disney fans recently started connecting Mission: SPACE to Ryan Gosling’s newest sci-fi success, Project Hail Mary (2026).
The film became one of the year’s biggest surprises, earning nearly $680 million globally while building a strong fan following. Critics embraced the movie as well, with the film landing a 94% score on Rotten Tomatoes.
The movie follows Ryland Grace, played by Gosling, as he attempts to save humanity during a dangerous deep-space mission. Along the way, audiences also meet Rocky, the beloved alien engineer who quickly became one of the film’s breakout characters.
For Disney fans already frustrated with Mission: SPACE, the similarities felt almost too obvious to ignore.
Fans Already Have Their Pitch Ready
Across Reddit and Disney forums, fans have started openly pitching full Mission: SPACE overhauls themed around Project Hail Mary.
One fan wrote, “Back up a truck full of money to Amazon for the license to Project Hail Mary and call it Mission to Erid.”
Many fans believe Ryland Grace and Rocky could guide guests through new missions while Disney introduces updated ride systems that feel less physically punishing than the current attraction.
Several fans also pointed out how impressive Disney’s recent animatronic technology has become. Some now want Disney to create a free-roaming Rocky character who can interact directly with guests in EPCOT.
For many people, that possibility sounds far more exciting than the current version of Mission: SPACE.
Disney Has Not Announced Any Plans Yet
Right now, Disney has not announced any plans to close, retheme, or overhaul Mission: SPACE.
Still, the conversation itself says a lot about where Disney fans think the parks are heading.
Disney has already proven it will replace original concepts with major movie franchises if the company believes the newer version can generate stronger guest demand. EPCOT has experienced that transformation more than almost any other Disney park.
Mission: SPACE now finds itself in a strange position: the attraction still exists, but many guests barely prioritize it.
Whether Disney ever actually touches the attraction remains unknown. But if the company eventually decides to rethink Mission: SPACE, fans clearly already have one replacement idea ready to launch.
