Extraterrestrial Alien Encounter
When Disney bought the Alien franchise, they began work on a new attraction that would be located in the heart of Walt Disney World’s Tomorrowland. The Imagineering team worked with George Lucas, the creator of Star Wars, to create a terrifying “theater-in-the-round” attraction about what would happen if aliens took over the world.
When it was finished, Disney CEO Michael Eisner ordered it to be shut down since the lighthearted pre-show didn’t fit the scary and frightening ride. It first opened in 1995 and closed in 2003, when Stitch’s Great Escape! took its place.
Extraterrestrial Alien Encounter
The Great Movie Ride
When The Great Movie Ride announced that it would be closing, many Walt Disney World fans were devastated. It was part of Disney-MGM Studios from 1989 to 2017, but was removed to make way for a new attraction called Mickey and Minnie’s Runaway Railway.
The rollercoaster took guests on a meandering journey through film history, featuring animatronic figures from films like The Wizard of Oz, Gone with the Wind, and Alien. It was one of the longer rides, lasting around 30 minutes and featuring several different routes.
The Great Movie Ride