Mission: SPACE at a glance
- About Guide Rating (0=Yich!, 10=Wow!): 10
- Thrill Scale (0=Wimpy!, 10=Yikes!): 7.5
The sustained G-forces can be unnerving; the simulated liftoff and flight is very realistic; the capsule is quite confining. - Attraction Type: Motion simulator using centrifuge technology
- Height Requirements: 44 inches
- Tips: Use Fastpass for this popular attraction. Also consider using the single-rider line for faster boarding.
If you are prone to motion sickness, consider taking Dramamine.
If you think Dramamine won't do the trick, or you're just too freaked-out to even consider riding in a centrifuge (although you should buck it up and give it a whirl if you're on the line), Mission: SPACE does offer some non-spinning pods. The effect isn't nearly as wild, but you'll at least get a sense of the attraction.
Spaced-Out Story
If Pirates of the Caribbean and the Haunted Mansion represent the epitome of classic Disney theme park attractions, Mission: SPACE is their new-age successor. It transports guests to an alternate reality for a captivating, magical experience. From the moment you see the sleek façade with its metallic hues, curved lines, and the planetary orbs that line its courtyard, you're swept into the immersive attraction and its promise to launch you into orbit.Here's the story: You've arrived at the International Space Training Center (ISTC) in the year 2036 (apparently, NASA and Russia's Aerospace Agency will merge in the not-too-distant future), and deep-space flight has become commonplace. Your mission is to join a team of fellow trainees, and learn how to pilot a spacecraft to Mars.
The storytelling gets a bit muddled. Most of the time Mission: SPACE reinforces the theme that guests are recruits preparing for an earthbound training exercise; occasionally, the attraction seems to imply that trainees will actually launch into space and travel to Mars. I guess the explanation for the lapse in continuity could be that ISTC's training program wants to make the experience as realistic as possible.
Big Bucks? Roger.
At the entrance to the attraction, guests can choose the standby, single-rider, or Fastpass queues. Mission: SPACE is one of the first attractions expressly designed to accommodate Disney's line management options. If guests are riding alone, or if they're willing to break up their parties, the single-rider queue can significantly reduce the wait time at the popular attraction.Just inside the entrance, a model of the XT training capsule shows guests what's in store. Around the corner in the Space Simulation Lab, an enormous gravity wheel slowly spins. Evoking 2001: A Space Odyssey, the wheel includes a dining galley, sleeping quarters, an exercise room, and other areas to help trainees adjust to a weightless environment. The sheer scale of the structure shows the lavish budget (estimated at $100 million) Disney showered on the landmark Mission: SPACE. Other set pieces in the lab include an actual Lunar Rover courtesy of the Smithsonian.
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Next page: G-Whiz: The Mission: SPACE Experience
