5 Reasons We Love Mission: SPACE At Walt Disney World

Epcot is home to both Future World which celebrates technology and nature and World Showcase which features eleven pavilions each highlighting a country from around the world. Guests who head to Epcot to look for thrills definitely tend to focus on Future World as it is home to several attractions which are sure to bring guests on amazing adventures. One of those amazing and thrilling attractions in Mission: SPACE which can be found in Future World East next to Test Track Presented by Chevrolet. Guests who have always dreamed of going to space and training with the astronauts is sure to absolutely love Mission: SPACE and there are plenty of things that make the attraction so wonderful. From great theming and custom experiences to tributes and extra play time, there are many reasons why guests make sure to visit Mission: SPACE. Here are the top five reasons why guests love Mission: SPACE in Epcot’s Future World.

5. Backstory

Part of what makes Mission: SPACE so amazing is its in depth backstory which fully immerses guests in the experience. Guests are immediately drawn to the futuristic looking attraction by the large red planet and moon in the courtyard outside. As guests approach the main entrance, they realize that they are being invited into the International Space Training Center, or ISTC. The indoor portions of the queue feature plenty of real life NASA props and a control room where many different panels lay waiting for the ground team to take their positions. Guests soon realize that they have stepped into the future as they pass by a series of photographs on the walls depicting momentous occasions in the space race including the first family who traveled to space- dog and all! Once inside the preshow, guests learn that they are preparing to train for the first ever flight to space. With so many wonderful details, it is no wonder why guests find Mission: SPACE so immersive!

4. Two Experience Options

While the idea of traveling into space might appeal to most guests, some would rather do without the intense thrills that Mission: SPACE packs. Luckily, there are two versions of the attraction which allows for most guests to genuinely enjoy the experience. When entering into the queue of Mission: SPACE, guests are asked by a Cast Member whether they would like to join the Orange Team or the Green Team. The Orange Team is faced with the more intense experience where those brave enough can enjoy several Gs thanks to centrifugal force. For those who do not want to enjoy the full intensity, there is the Green Team which is more family-friendly since it’s relaunch in August 2017. The new mission takes you on an orbit around Earth to take in sites like the Hawaiian Islands, Italy’s “boot” and the Northern Lights as seen from space. End your journey by landing at the Kennedy Space Center in Florida.

3. Different Roles

Guests love to enjoy Mission: SPACE time and time again as each ride vehicle features four different roles that each have specific responsibilities on the adventure to space. Depending on where they stand, guests are assigned the roles of Engineer, Navigator, Commander, and Pilot and are tasked with crucial actions to trigger during each experience. This immersive component of Mission: SPACE makes guests feel all the more like real astronauts and they love to return time and time again to try out new roles!

2. Horizons Tribute

While Mission: SPACE may seem as though it has always been there in Epcot’s Future World, it only opened its doors in 2003. Prior to this attraction, the space used to be home to Horizons which operated from October 1983 through January 1999. Horizons brought guests on a trip into the future where they were shown all of the amazing technologies and ways of life that might someday exist under the sea, in the desert, in cities, and in space. While many guests love Mission: SPACE, they were also sad to see Horizons go and clever Imagineers placed several tributes to the extinct attraction throughout the current areas. While moving through the first room of the indoor portion of Mission: SPACE’s queue, guests can check out a massive gravity wheel which features the logo of Horizons in the center. In addition, the logo can be found again underneath the cash registers in the gift shop just before exiting the attraction back into Future World.

1. Play Area

After enjoying the experience on Mission: SPACE, guests can continue their space adventure at the Advanced Training Lab. There guests can play an interactive game where they race to see whose rocket can reach Mars first, race against time to find other astronauts, and even send postcards home from space! The Advanced Training Lab is a great place to spend some time and continue the adventure of Mission: SPACE.