Walt Disney World With Kids (Fodor's, 2012) - Fodor's [70]
You’re grouped into teams of four and each person is given a crew position—Commander, Navigator, Pilot, or Engineer—and assigned the tasks that go along with their role. Once you board your pod, everything happens fast. If you’ve opted for the spinning version of the ride, the motion is so rapid that it really feels like flight. The sustained g-forces during the launch are by far the most intense part of the ride. And before you fully recover, you’re required to take on your crew role and push a few buttons (made somewhat more difficult by the gravitational pull of the ship’s movement) as directed by mission control. (These “tasks” engage the kids, especially if they’re a bit nervous about flying, but if you mess up, not to worry. You’ll land safely back in Orlando just the same.)
The Scare Factor
There was tremendous concern over Mission: SPACE after two people died on the ride shortly after it debuted. It was ultimately shown that the victims had preexisting conditions, and the ride was not to blame, but Disney decided to offer a tamer—in other words, non-spinning—version of the ride for younger children and anyone with health concerns. As you approach the attraction, signs direct you toward either the orange team who boards the spinning capsules or the green team, who boards the non-spinning capsules. If you opt not to spin you have the same engaging preshow and postshow, and the same visual effects; the main difference is you don’t feel the dramatic g-forces during the liftoff portion of the ride. That said, there’s a fair amount of bouncing around in both sets of capsules.
The height requirement is 44 inches for either version. Take Disney’s safety recommendations seriously: no pregnant women, children under 7, or anyone with high blood pressure or back, neck, or motion-sickness problems, especially on the spinning version of the ride.
In motion simulators, you can avoid motion sickness by looking away from the screen, but on the spinning version of Mission: SPACE, where your cabin is actually moving, the opposite is true. If you begin to feel queasy, keep your head back against the seat and focus intently on the screen. Shutting your eyes is the worst thing you can do.
As you exit, there’s a small Space Base crawl area for younger kids and a cool competitive group game called Space Race for older kids.
Universe of Energy
The Universe of Energy preshow features Ellen DeGeneres, Alex Trebek, and Jamie Lee Curtis. Ellen has a dream in which she’s a contestant on the game show Jeopardy!, and when she’s thoroughly skunked by smarty-pants Jamie Lee, she realizes she needs to know a lot more about energy. Luckily for her, neighbor Bill Nye the Science Guy is happy to help.
The Disney twist comes when the 97-seat theater begins to break apart in sections that align themselves in sequence and form a train. A curtain lifts and you begin to move through a prehistoric scene that carries you back to the era when coal deposits first formed on Earth. All around you are those darn dinosaurs, among the largest Audio-Animatronics figures Disney has ever created. After your train has once more morphed into a theater, there’s a final film segment in which a newly educated Ellen gets her Jeopardy! revenge. Note: The Universe of Energy is often closed in the off-season, and there are rumors that it might close permanently.
Time-Saving Tip
When entering the Universe of Energy, ask the attendant how long it is until the next show begins, or check the digital clock. Don’t enter sooner than 10 minutes before showtime; this is a 30-minute presentation, and there’s no point in wearing out the kids before you begin. The theater can seat many people, so there’s rarely a reason to line up and wait.
Despite its proximity to the front gate, Universe of Energy isn’t a good choice for the morning; save it for