Alien encounter rumour About This Page:

[chezp]

I've just found this on Screamscape:

As the work on Philharmagic is quickly approaching completion, it seems that work on the proposed Stitch Encounter attraction is starting to gear up. According to a few sources, work could start by the end of the year and reopen in time for Spring Break if the park is willing to close down Alien Encounter before the busy holiday season. Planning is also in full swing for a redo of Mickey’s Star Traders to allow for the second theater to dump into the gift shop in the same way that the other theater exits into the Merchant of Venus shop next door.

This sounds like great news, as it might mean the rehab is done by our next visit. I've never been on Alien Encounter, but I might do if it's got the lovable Stitch in it. [img]images/icons/grin.gif[/img]

[stretch2864]

I would like to see Alien Encounter redone with Stitch theme. As is it is very scary and quite un-Disney like compared to most other rides and attractions.

[KimandMark]

I guess it is a little un-MK but I love it the way it is!

[angelina]

I have never been on AE, because I don't like scary stuff [img]images/icons/shocked.gif[/img] But I would love to see Stich here, he's such a great character!

[DisneyDoll]

That's great for WDW. What about doing one here at DL? They have been toying around with adding AE for ages and it never gets done. Tmmorowland in CA is in a pretty sorry state. [img]graemlins/cry2.gif[/img]

[infinity&beyond]

Would they keep Skippy? He's one of my favorites!

[Ahira]

I rode AE on my trip last week and was expecting this terrifying expirence from all the posts. My wife wouldn't even ride it cause I said it was scary. I laughed through the whole thing. I thought It's Tough to be a Bug was more scary than this attraction. [img]images/icons/grin.gif[/img]

But I do agree it really doesn't have a very Disneyish theme to it.

[WillCAD]

I agree with Ben, I think AE is not scary at all but a riotously funny satire. Kathy Nijimy, Jeffery Jones, and even Tim Curry as S.I.R. (That is, Simulated Intelligence Robotics, but you may call him Sir), all do a fantastic job portraying the characters, and the one liners are some of the best in WDW.

"Oh, shut up Skippy, you're not burned, you've just got a helathy glow!"

"Spinlock, I've been Siezed!"
"Somthing you ate, sir?"

"Profit is simply an unexpected byproduct that we've learned to live with."

"It looks like my mother-in-law!"

"My mouth was open!"

I do think the attraction is more suited to Epcot's Future World than Magic Kingdom's Tomorrowland, but I would much rather see the whole thing picked up and moved to Epcot and a whole new Stitch attraction built in MK than to have the original Ex-Terror-estrial Alien Encounter butchered to make way for a new cobbled-together half-n-half attraction.

Remember what happened when they 'improved' Jouney Into Imagination?

[LanieLovesDisney]

It would be soooo much better with my cute little Stitch!!!

[StephanieS]

My bf went on Alien Encounter for the first time last month and he screamed the entired time! A cm in front of the attraction said it would be closing in October. -Steph

[mattjs]

Yeah, looks like it'll probly go down next month or early October. Other rumors confirm the Screamscape timeline too...supposedly about 10 weeks to do the whole thing.

[SleepingBeauty]

oh man, my brother is going to be SO mad- it's his favorite ride in all four parks. I think he's going in November so he'll miss it then, but at least we all got to go this summer.

[Shell_of_the_South]

Both www.wdwmagic.com and www.screamscape.com are reporting a rumor that AE will close in October for the Stitch rehab, which may take as long as 10 months. Screamscape stated that the attraction may be toned down to be more kid friendly. Click here and scroll down the page to "Stitch Encounter" to read more about it.

[mattjs]

Thanks Michelle. This way Bob and everybody else down there this month can get it on thier list for one last show. I'm glad we did it again last year.

Not too many details around on the changes. The rumors I've seen so far say the underlying story is changing. New premise to be some kinda alien detention facility with SIR in more of alien cop role. In the pre-show, Skippy supposedly stays in the first tube, but never makes it to the second tube...Stitch appears instead. Supposedly there'll still be a very similar kind of show in the main "chamber" room (with the glass still breaking) but the intensity level (noise, storyline, etc) reduced. No details yet on the main show story line. I'd guess Stitch is in there too though.

[ 09-05-2003, 11:04 AM: Message edited by: mattjs ]

[mattjs]

Well now I see screascape has almost the same details as posted by someone over at wdwmagic so that probly settles the underlying storyline (detention facility) thing. Interesting that Lance is suggesting it could turn out to be a 10 month rehab. As he suggested, I think that's probly just a typo from his source though who knows. Looking back at the wdwmagic post which predates the Screamscape info, the same 10 month "typo" was made by the original poster. The rehab length was never clarified in the discussion over there. I wonder if that was Lance's source?

As for the change, ya know, the more I think about it the more I kinda like it. I really liked AE, but this Stitch thing has potential. They'll probly have to make the dialogue even funnier to make up for loss of the scare. Which is great. The one thing it does make me realize though, is I wouldn't mind seeing something happen with the Speedway around the corner (I'm all over the place this morning).

Forget stitch, I'd like to see a real redo of the Speedway. Not a takeout cause the things so damned popular with the little guys, but just a redo with seriously enhanced theming and new (quieter) cars. It just feels so outdated and a little out of place to me these days.

That and a a truly adventurous e-ticket in adventureland. Looking at those pictures of TDS again...there's more than a few things there that'd be awfully nice over here. I'd love to see that Indy Temple in Adventureland.

[ 09-05-2003, 11:54 AM: Message edited by: mattjs ]