Hello. I am Kevin Perjurer
and welcome to the first video in my new series
Defunctland; where I will be creating my very own amusement park using attractions that are no longer operating.
For background/context on this series, please visit theperj.com with the link below.
Today we will be attempting to resurrect Disney World's past attraction,
"ExtraTERRORestrial Alien Encounter".
This show, found exclusively in Magic Kingdom's Tomorrowland from 1994 to 2003 has a long and fascinating backstory.
So let's get right into it.
When Michael Eisner became the CEO of Disney in 1984, he wanted to be more personal than the company's past executives.
He attempted to do this by beginning his transition with a tour of Disney's parks.
He invited his teenage son, Breck, to come along with him.
After a tour of Disneyland, Breck expressed the sentiment that the park lacked a "cool factor".
This worried Eisner, and he began conducting exit surveys to determine if the parks were failing teenagers.
The consensus was that Disney lacked thrill rides;
but instead of going a typical approach of adding rollercoasters,
he decided that he wanted to add exciting and intense shows to the parks.
This is when the George Lucas that everyone loves, not the George Lucas that everyone hates, enters the picture.
He began collaborating with Eisner to add attractions like Star Tours and the Indiana Jones Stunt Spectacular.
This gave Eisner the idea to Incorporate another sci-fi movie into the parks:
Ridley Scott's "Alien".
Because I know when I think of Disney, I think of this:
(Distressed yelling)
(Alien chestburster screeching)
(Scream)
(Screaming continues while "When You Wish Upon A Star" plays)
It's safe to say that this was an unorthodox choice for an attraction at a Disney Park.
The concept was, believe it or not, more terrifying than the theme.
The Alien ride was to be like Buzz Lightyear Space Ranger Spin,
but instead of shooting laser beams at Zurg, you're in pitch-black darkness shooting shotguns at murderous aliens.
The head Imagineers were appalled by the idea; and they convinced Eisner that this would be a horrific addition to Tomorrowland.
This angered him, but he decided to give up on the ride.
However, a small group of young Imagineers weren't ready to let the idea go, and they found a solid excuse to pitch it again.
An attraction called "Mission to Mars" was in dire need of retooling.
Mission to Mars opened in 1975, replacing the similar attraction, "Flight to the Moon".
Flight to the Moon, originally named "Rocket to the Moon", was one of the original Disneyland attractions,
and all three variations of the show were very basic.
Guests would enter the theater, which had a circular design, with screens on the floor and the ceiling, simulating a trip to outer space.
By the 1990s, it was viewed by guests as quite boring.
The new Imagineers hoped that they could replace Mission to Mars with the show starring Xenomorph, the alien from Alien.
Eisner loved the idea, but the head Imagineers did not.
The head Imagineers decided to go to George Lucas, who agreed that Alien was not a good fit for the park.
Although it could have just been the fact that he was jealous of the film's success.
You know he gets like that sometimes.
George Lucas: There's no way to know what's gonna happen. You know we're never going to beat Titanic, nobody can.
Narrator: So Lucas convinced Eisner that he should drop the Alien tie-in and make the attraction less frightening.
Eisner told the small team of Imagineers to continue with the attraction with the help of Lucas,
but without the use of the franchise.
This original attraction would be called:
ExtraTERRORestrial Alien Encounter.
In 1994, test audiences experienced the show for the first time, and they were horrified.
Many complained that it was too scary, but Eisner didn't agree.
He was concerned with small flaws in the show, such as plot points and timing
were holding it back from being as scary as it could be.
The attraction closed after a few weeks of testing for adjustments,
but Eisner essentially gave up on the project six months into the retooling for unknown reasons.
Nevertheless, he allowed ExtraTERRORestrial Alien Encounter to open.
Advertisement Voice over: Scott, the Magic Kingdom has a whole new land for you to visit, it's the all-new Tomorrowland.
Hold on to your seat as Scott gets set for a chilling visit with an extraterrestrial.
Scott: Fear not, people of the future. We are simply visitors from your past.
We are friendly... hi ... and we come looking for scary attractions. We do!
Narrator: I miss when Disney World promos were hosted by drunk dads instead of annoying kids.
Scott: Hey, where are you from?
Steven: London, England.
All right so you are an alien!-Ha yes!
Narrator: Man, this guy is trashed!
Scott: I know you're all a little nervous, but I'm sure there's nothing to worry about.
(Yelling)
It's Alright!
Just-Just part of the chair.
Hopefully.
All right, everybody, here comes Mr. Alien.
Woman: Where is it?
I can't see it!
(Screaming)
Male: Ha- Watch out
(More Screaming)
Scott: Not good. I mean it's, you know, it's great but, it's-it's not good.
There's something loose in here!
(Screaming continues)
Scott: It's over there!
Ohh, sorry its over there!
No, no, I'm not going to tell you what happened, but you don't want to miss it.
Because it's... not going to miss you.
Anybody seen my shoe?
Narrator: So the attraction was broken into three parts.
Guests enter the "Tomorrowland Interplanetary Convention Center",
greeted by a video showcasing some upcoming showcases at the center.
These are quite humorous.
"Mission to Mars: History or Hoax?" Referencing the previous attraction, Mission to Mars, while also taking a shot at NASA truthers.
"Championship Pet Show", with the tagline: "Because when it comes to your space pet, what goes down must not come up."
and "The Walt Disney Company's Pan Galactic Stockholders Meeting".
Then, "X-S Tech" is introduced as the current holder of the convention space.
The video has an introduction by the company's president, L.C. Clench, portrayed by Jeffrey Jones.
That detail becomes quite important later.
Clench: After all, if something can't be done with X-S, then it shouldn't be done at all.
Narrator: This video is quite eerie, and white noise is pumped into the room to add to the effect.
The next area is a demo hosted by a robot named S.I.R., short for Simulated Intelligence Robotic.
He shows the audience an example of X-S Tech's teleportation technology;
the focus of the main show they are about to see.
(alien speaking another language)
S.I.R: No, you may not get out.
You're our lucky volunteer.
Narrator: During the six months in between the soft open and the grand opening,
some parts of the pre-show were tweaked to be more sinister and attempt to scare children away before the real horror.
This is most likely done in this section.
S.I.R decides to test the technology on a cute alien named Skippy.
S.I.R tells Skippy that he is going to teleport him across the room.
This has some pretty gruesome results.
S.I.R: Phase one of the process has begun.
Disintegration into molecular components.
And here's the little Skipper now.
Oh, shut up, scruffy, you're not burned, you've just got a healthy glow.
Narrator: Now comes time for the main show, which is difficult to describe.
Special restraints were added to the Mission to Mars seats that enhance the experience.
The restraints lower and a video begins on the screen attached to the walls around the room.
Two X-S Tech employees begin to introduce the demonstration, but are interrupted by Clench,
still voiced by Jeffrey Jones, still important later,
who claims that he doesn't want to teleport someone in the audience,
but instead himself.
Spinlok: Yes, very.
Clench: Hello, everyone.
I have recalculated our plan. You see, if-if we bring one of you here, well, ha.
I just get to meet one of you. However, if I'm teleported to Earth, I can meet all of you.
Shake each hand and personally answer all your questions about the wonders of X-S. I'll be with you in just a moment.
Prepare yourselves for an unforgettable encounter.
Narrator: During the process however, a mistake is made and an alien from a foreign planet is transported into the room instead.
The alien breaks out of the teleportation tube and the power surge causes the lights to go black.
Certain special effects enhance the attractions experience.
For one, each chair has surrounded sound speakers that assist in visualizing the location of the alien in the dark.
Also, water is misted on the audience to simulate the creature's saliva, or excess blood, as he eats the employees.
The final main show has some more changes that weren't in the original version.
For instance, many audiences didn't realize that the alien had the ability to fly,
so dialogue was added to make it more clear.
Dr. Femus: Uhh, Spinlok. Since when does Clench have wings?
Spinlok: Wings?
Narrator: Also, Eisner noticed that the audience was screaming over integral plot details,
so the rides pace was changed and this line was added.
Spinlok: People of Earth, quiet! Listen to me please! Don't scream! If you remain perfectly quiet, it probably won't eat you.
Narrator: The experience ends with the alien being captured, appearing in the tube one final time before the shield's barricade it in.
The house lights come on, and guests exit the area.
And that was ExtraTERRORestrial Alien Encounter.
So what is there now? Well in 2004, it was replaced by "Stitch's Great Escape";
essentially a kid-friendly version of Alien Encounter.
Instead of the alien licking you and eating people, Stitch burps in your face.
Many fans of the Alien Encounter despised this ride,
and it never became truly popular among anyone.
In fact, in September 2016, it was announced that the attraction would become seasonal only,
as opposed to daily as it had been for 12 years.
So why was it closed? Well, no one really knows but there are some good guesses out there.
Most obviously, the experience was absolutely terrifying and many guests complained that it was inappropriate for the Magic Kingdom.
Also "Lilo & Stitch" was a huge hit in 2002,
so the change makes sense from a marketing standpoint,
when you consider that Alien encounter didn't have a movie tie-in,
and there had recently been a welcome addition of a cartoon alien to Disney's character lineup.
Perhaps the most interesting reason for closure is Jeffrey Jones. Yes, now that is important.
He stars in the footage throughout the attraction as Clench.
In 2002, one year before Alien Encounter's closure,
Jones was arrested for child pornography and luring and photographing an underage boy.
This is a huge no-no for Disney. They don't like to be involved with sex offenders, and I don't blame them.
This is speculated as one of the reasons Alien Encounter was nixed.
So that is the history of ExtraTERRORestrial Alien Encounter.
Click on the link below if you're interested in learning where the remains of Alien Encounter are today,
how I'm going to get them back, and where I will place it in Defunctland.
Otherwise, thank you for watching and don't forget to comment, share, and subscribe.