Mission SPACE

Blast off on a thrilling simulated NASA-style mission to Mars—or orbit the Earth on a more gentle ride through space.

“You’re here today to train for the greatest adventure in the history of mankind: space exploration.”

If Mission: Space isn’t the most aggressive attraction on Walt Disney World property, it’s certainly in the Top Three. In fact, the ride is so intense that Disney was eventually forced to create two different queues and ride experiences: Green Side is a much calmer experience, though it still contains elements of claustrophobia and disorientation, which Orange Side is where things really let loose and pummel guests with such an overabundance of input that it’s not uncommon to see guests woozily make their way to the exits, sometimes even leaning on a friend for literal support.

The storyline is basic Disney fare with guests being assigned to one of two missions–depending on which “side” they choose. Orange Side is sent to Mars while Green Side does an orbit of Earth. Naturally, no matter which side guests choose, the missions go awry and there are moments of pure chaos and extreme gravity pushes to get back to where riders’ X-2 vehicle is supposed to be.

Behind the Schemes:

Disney had been kicking around the idea of teaming up with the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) to create a pavilion for EPCOT since at least the early 1990s. There were promotional trailers shown at Cast Member meetings that promised some sort of thrill ride, though the details were vague as they most likely hadn’t been hammered out. Once the pavilion was formally announced, a shudder ran through the spines of Disney fanatics as the addition of Mission: Space would mean replacing the fan favorite, Horizons, that sat on the very footprint Disney would be using. The leadup to the change was spread out over many years with sponsor General Electric making their exit and various show pieces being surreptitiously removed from Horizons. This change still haunts Horizons fans to this day, and the outcry has been strong enough over time for Disney to keep references to the old attraction in memory as well as on the merchandise shelves, usually as limited-edition items.

Mission: Space itself is made up of four different rooms containing multi-arm centrifuges holding 10 vehicles each. For Orange Side, the centrifuges revolve at high speeds, which allows guests to experience forces up to 2.5Gs, mostly during “liftoff.” Green Side has some motions to it but is radically slower than Orange Side and is purposely set to avoid motion sickness among riders. Each vehicle has a control panel that descends and locks guests into place (along with seat belts, of course) with a giant viewing screen in front of guests to act as the ride’s simulated view of the adventure that unfolds. Vehicles can hold up to four people, so this is another attraction that acts as a “crowd gobbler.” 

For those who are claustrophobic, some serious consideration should be taken regarding the situation before boarding. Of all of Walt Disney World’s attractions, this one arguably has the most warnings to guests regarding the ride’s intensity and very small spaces. (These pre-show warnings used to be given by award-winning actor, Gary Sinise, in his “serious mode” which doesn’t allow even the smallest smirk to cross his face. Sinise was replaced in 2017 by actress, Gina Torres.

Guests will exit through an interactive area known as the Advanced Training Lab and (surprise, surprise!) a gift shop full of items to commemorate their journey.

Reality Check:

There are multiple locations in the queue and exit area that display the Horizons logo. See if you can find them all!

Mission: Space is housed in the same building that also contains the outer space-themed restaurant, Space 220. Reservations can be made through the normal channels and are highly recommended for those who would like to dine at an actual table; those who would prefer to sit at the bar and enjoy space-themed adult beverages, you might want to make a reservation as well, though the restaurant also accommodates walk-ups when crowds aren’t at their peak.

Actress Gina Torres is best known for appearing on the television series, Firefly, as well as its big screen version, Serenity. She also had roles in the second and third installments of the Matrix film franchise. She is currently married to actor Laurence Fishburne who has appeared in Disney’s Ant-Man and the Wasp and the Disney Channel show, Moon Girl and Devil Dinosaur.

Please note: the seating and restraints of this attraction may prohibit Guests of certain body shapes or sizes from riding.