Disney already has the perfect idea for an Alien attraction and it was done 30 years ago
The rise and fall of Alien Encounter
In 1994, the Magic Kingdom gave Tomorrowland a much-needed redo. Gone was the bright, optimistic future imagined in 1971 for a retro-feel based on the sci-fi works of the past. Among the various transformations was the long-tired Mission to Mars removed for an attraction that, in some ways, may have been too ahead of its time.
As it happened, Disney had actually considered an Alien-themed ride in the 1980s that would have had riders firing at the Xenomorphs with guns, an idea later used for Buzz Lightyear's Ranger Spin and other rides. Supposedly, Michael Eisner wanted an attraction based on the movies only for some Imagineers and even George Lucas to argue that it was too dark for Disney.
Still, the idea was appealing and eventually mixed into what became the ExtraTERRORestrial Alien Encounter. Originally having soft openings in 1994, the preshow was a fun little bit as guests entered the offices of the X-S-Tech corporation, whose alien boss, Chairman Clench (popular actor Jeffrey Jones), boasted of their greatness even as it was clear the company wasn't quite as charitable as they seemed. The preshow area had a bumbling robot using a teleportation device with mixed results.
Guests then entered the main theater, a circular area before a huge glass jar. Once seated, a video would show alien techs Spinlok (Kevin Pollak) and Dr. Femus (Kathy Najimy) giving instructions on how to put the special harnesses from the seats over their shoulders. At which point, the humor vanished as the guests were revealed to be the guinea pigs in an experiment showing off the teleporter.
After those tests, Eisner actually felt the attraction was still too toned down and wanted it scarier. The preshow was adjusted to be an android named SIR (voiced by Tim Curry) who took pleasure in torturing an alien animal with the teleporter. This sinister tone did a better job of preparing the guests for the main show. That was adjusted as Clench volunteered to be teleported to Earth only for something to go wrong.
From that moment, guests would endure one of the most truly nightmarish attractions Disney has ever put together. The genius is that, like true horror, the scariest parts are what guests can't see, as there are shots of a huge winged creature in the tube before the lights go out. When they came back on, the tube was shattered and audio effects would make it sound like the creature was rampaging about.
Disney even had a fake audio track of guests screaming out in terror at the creature, although that was quickly dropped. The experience was gripping as guests felt their harnesses shake, blasts of wind like breath on their neck and even liquid dripping on them that could have been alien saliva or blood. It all ended with the creature tricked back into the chamber and teleported back.
The attraction has been among the most divisive in Disney's history. Some guests truly enjoyed it, seeing it as a daring break from the usual Imagineering routine, and it was popular with those wanting a scare. A majority felt it was far too frightening and also didn't fit into the Magic Kingdom. That all played a part in the show being closed in 2003 and reworked into Stitch's Great Escape, which lasted until 2018.
So is it time to take a second swing at this with the Alien franchise?