Surviving the shakeup at Mission: Space
Full disclosure: I swore off Epcot’s Mission: Space ride years ago. It happened after a go-round that left me nauseous and praying for sweet relief. I wasn’t so much frightened as unhappy.
Y’all can ride all you want. I’ll be right over there, holding the purses.
But I summoned up the nerve to board Sunday, the first day of a “relaunched” Mission: Space. It features a new HD version of the original Orange Mission, which simulates a trip to Mars, including launch from Earth, the slingshot maneuver around the moon and hypersleep.
It also includes the bumps and G forces from the original. In my head, it wasn’t going to be bad; my stomach disagreed. Barf bags in the ride capsule were a clue.
To be fair, there were warnings in the queue. Folks with high blood pressure, claustrophobia and so forth were encouraged to look elsewhere for Disney magic. One piece of advice sank in: Don’t close your eyes. Stare at a spot in the simulated distance.
I learned on my own that clenching the jaw was no defense against the centrifugal forces of Mission: Space. Letting my mouth drop open slightly eased the tension, especially after we were in outer space.
I liked the bright look of the new film – see, eyes wide open – especially on Mars. I just finished reading “The Martian,” so it was calming to imagine marooned astronaut Mark Watney, played by Matt Damon in the movie, driving on the surface … until something appears to go horribly wrong, as it often does on Disney attractions.
I was happy to disembark and take deep, Earth-based breaths. While escaping Future World, as fate would have it, I noticed the line for the family-friendly Green Mission side of the attraction was only 5 minutes. Time to relaunch.
The Green side now has a fresh new film all its own. Its storyline involves a flight over Earth – sort of like Soarin’ From Farther Out. There’s a launch and – something, surprise, goes horribly wrong – a rocky return to Florida.
The sights from orbit are narrated, but it all speeds by quickly. Blink and miss the Great Wall of China.
Be aware that even the gentle Green Mission includes movement that might rattle your bones a bit.
On the plus side, the height restriction has been lowered to 40 inches for the Green side, thanks to removable seat padding.
The bulk of the queue for both sides is the same as before. A noticeable difference is in the pretaped preshow, which features Gina Torres instead of Gary Sinise. A fellow passenger said, “It’s just not the same without Gary Sinise.”
The changes to Mission: Space are among the first to come out of the recent slew of Walt Disney World announcements. Coming to the area, eventually, will be a space-themed restaurant.
I’ll be right over there. Holding the purses.