2017

Jennifer Lucas

Issue #1

11/19/2017

The New and the Old About Disney World

STEP BACK IN TIME

by Joan L. Feder AllEars® Contributor

We hunt through our archives for this

monthly featurette, which looks at the

history of Walt Disney World and The

Walt Disney Company. This month we

take a long look back at Stitch's Great

Escape! and

the other

attractions

that once sat

on that same

location.

Yes, Stitch's

Great Escape!

is the fourth

attraction to

occupy the

site at the entrance of Tomorrowland.

The first, Flight to the Moon, opened on

December 24, 1971. After a pre-show,

guests would learn about their flight and

Mission Control from Mr. Tom Morrow

(an audio-animatronic figure).

Passengers then took their seats on the

Lunar Transport that would "fly" them to

the moon. This theater-in-the-round had

large viewing screens in the center of

the floor and ceiling as well as on the

walls. During the experience, seats

would be lowered and raised, simulating

G-forces caused by acceleration and

weightlessness, respectively. Upon

reaching the moon, guests watched an

interview with an astronaut, and visited

the dark side. The trip was interrupted

by a meteoroid shower, which set off

blaring alarms, flickering lights, and

bobbing seats before the return to Earth.

Flight to the Moon was obsolete before

it opened. Four moon landings had

already taken place before its debut at

the Magic Kingdom. The ride closed in

under four years on April 15, 1975.

Stitch's Great Escape! opened a little

more than a year later on November 18,

2004. The same theater space and

seats were reused. Many of Alien

Encounter's animatronics and other

show elements remained, albeit in a

less scary and purportedly more

comedic way. Guests were trainees at

an intergalactic prison, and were shown

how to handle a Level 1 criminal.

Unexpectedly, the recruits are ordered

to help transport an extraordinarily

dangerous Level 3 prisoner. They

proceeded to the high security

teleportation chamber where they were

harnessed into their seats for safety.

The tube in the middle of the room filled

with smoke, receiving the prisoner,

which turned out to be an audio-

animatronic Stitch. Spitting into the

cannons meant to contain him, Stitch

caused them to misfire and shorted out

the system. The lights flashed, and the

room went black. Guests could hear and

feel the escaped Stitch running around

misbehaving. Eventually power was

restored, just as Stitch transported

himself to a place called Floor-ee-dah.

The screens showed cartoon Stitch

climbing Cinderella Castle and running

amok, as the training came to an end.

Stitch's Great Escape! was not a

success. It was not terrifying enough for

teens, yet it was too scary for little kids.

Many felt the story was weak and not

very funny or charming. In October last

year it became a seasonally operated

attraction and, on September 30, 2017,

the sign was changed to read "Stitch's

Alien Encounter Character Greeting."

Right now, Stitch's Great Escape! is still

included as an attraction on Disney's

website, but no hours of operation are

listed. There were rumors that a Wreck-

It Ralph virtual reality experience was in

the works, but that has not been

confirmed. Hopefully it won't be long

before we know more.

MAGICAL MOMENTS

Each month, we like to share a few

heart-warming Magical Moments

brought to us by the amazing Disney

cast members!

Ben Sargent: It was a hot day at Animal

Kingdom, so to take a break from the

heat/sweat/crying we ventured on the

train to Rafiki's Planet Watch. Upon

arrival the two little ones had calmed

after the train ride and we ventured

inside. Once we entered, our 3-year-old

couldn't believe his eyes. It was Doc

McStuffins! We got several pictures and

everyone was ecstatic! But as we

ventured through the building, Doc kept

coming back to our 3-year-old! The two

of them winked, high-fived, and hugged

for a good 10 minutes as the rest of our

party checked everything out. We've

been home for almost a month and our

3-year-old still talks about it. Thanks,

Doc!

Lori DeWall: Back in March, my two

daughters and I went on a last-minute

trip to Disney World over spring break.

We are DVC members and I was able to

get a room at Old Key West Resort. My

oldest daughter was about to graduate

from high school, and had enlisted in the

US Marine Corps. She was leaving for

boot camp at the end of June, so we

don't know when the next trip together

will be. I mentioned this during a phone

call, and when we checked in, the cast

member said that they would do

something special for her. The next day

after a full day at the parks, we arrived

back in our room to find a beautifully

packaged certificate signed by Mickey

Mouse (the CEO -- Chief Ear Officer)

and a medal celebrating her

"Commitment to our Country." The gift

was signed from "Your Old Key West

Family." My 18-year-old daughter said

that it was the coolest thing she'd ever

seen! As our family enters a new

chapter in our lives, it's nice to see that

Disney recognizes and appreciates the

military. The three of us had a fantastic

trip together, and I am so thankful that

we were able to spend this time

together. This was a very special

memory that we will all treasure.

ADDITIONAL STAR WARS:

GALACTIC NIGHTS DETAILS

ANNOUNCED

November 19, 2017

Additional information about Star Wars:

Galactic Nights, the special ticketed

event to be held at Disney's Hollywood

Studios on Dec. 16, has been

announced. Actors Warwick Davis

(best-known as Wicket the Ewok,

among other Star Wars characters) and

David Collins will be on hand for special

appearances during the event, which

will also feature a panel that will include

Imagineers Scott Trowbridge, Robin

Reardon, and Chris Beatty, as well as

Doug Chiang, VP/Creative Director at

Lucasfilm, who will give guests an inside

look at the making of the Star Wars:

Galaxy's Edge lands currently under

construction. Star Wars: Galactic Nights

will run from 7 p.m.-midnight.

CHRISTMAS IN DISNEY!

Merry holiday moments from Disney

theme parks around the world and a

star-studded cast of entertainers will

launch a “25 Days of Christmas”

countdown when

“The Wonderful World of Disney:

Magical Holiday Celebration” airs

Thursday, Nov. 30, 2017, from 9:00–

11:00 p.m. EST on The ABC Television

Network.

The magical two-hour event will be

hosted by Emmy® Award-winner

Julianne Hough, multiplatinum recording

artist and television personality Nick

Lachey, and sports star, broadcast

correspondent and commentator Jesse

Palmer. The show will give viewers a

front-row seat to a Disney Christmas

party like no other – a family holiday

tradition brimming with colorful lights,

snow flurries, memorable music and

more. From the Cinderella Castle stage

at Magic Kingdom Park at Walt Disney

World Resort in Florida, Hough and

Lachey will perform a spectacular

opening number named for the

primetime special.

NEW PROJECTS AT DISNEY??

From the edge of the galaxy “to infinity

and beyond,” viewers will discover

Andy’s world in the new

Toy Story Land to open next year at

Disney’s Hollywood Studios at Walt

Disney World Resort in Florida. The new

family-friendly Slinky Dog Dash roller

coaster and the Alien Swirling Saucers

attraction will join the original Toy Story

Midway Mania! attraction to give Woody,

Buzz and Andy’s entire toy collection a

backyard play land scaled to render

park guests seemingly toy-sized.

DISNEY PHOTOPASS

OPPORTUNITIES AVAILABLE

EXCLUSIVELY DURING MICKEY’S

VERY MERRY CHRISTMAS PARTY

Don your merriest attire and dash,

dance or prance to Magic Kingdom Park

during Mickey's special party for festive

photo opportunities!

While you go a-wassailing around the

park during Mickey’s Very Merry

Christmas Party, you can unwrap

yuletide treasures from Disney

PhotoPass Service. These photo

opportunities are sweeter than a sugar

plum and the perfect way to deck the

halls – or your social media accounts –

with jolly memories of your visit.

“When you wish upon a star”

Walt Disney

REFERENCES

http://allears.net/ae/ae.htm http://land.allears.net/blogs/dnews/