Disney Launches First Promotion Medium For Mission Space

[lrodk]

Walt Disney World is starting its marketing push for Mission: Space, the new ride opening at Epcot in 2003.

To start the effort, Disney Interactive debuted several attractions at its exhibit in Epcot's Innoventions today, called the Mission: Space Launch Center.

The Mission: SPACE Launch Center features several elements that touch on the excitement and challenges of training for space travel, including an interactive timeline, a Hubble space telescope display, a multi-player maze game that lets guests guide a hovercraft around a planet, the Hab Lab, which recreates a gravity-free environment, and a model of the X-2 experimental rocket. Disney.com will produce an original Web site with multi-player activities to accompany the Mission: SPACE Launch Center, which is scheduled to be live later this year.

Photos of the new preview area are posted on WDWMagic at the following url:

http://www.wdwmagic.com/space_pavilion.htm

 

[wdwguide]

I missed that yesterday... Can't wait to stop by on Thursday and post what i think about it.

Looks like I was wrong with my wild guess for previews in late 2002... With what it seems like an opening date on or around May 6, 2003, things would have to go exceptionally well for it to be functional that early.

 

[ContempoSMT]

will be seeing in 5 1/2 weeks

 

[OnWithTheShow]

This is an excellent opportunity for Disney to test out potential interactive displays and other exhibits that could eventually be moved over the the Mission Space exhibit area. Very smart thinking. There is so much potential here with the growth and outreach currently in the space program.

 

[kiahrah]

Okay... first off you need to know how much of a HORIZONS fan I was/am and how very sad I was that I couldn't ride it one last time...

ok, now with that off my chest...

I am sooooooooOOoooOOOoooo excited about this ride... and to have this as a nice teaser is PERFECT!

wow...

thanks,

 

[HorizonsFan]

Yeah, I kind of liked Horizons too...
(sniff)

But I'm REALLY looking forward to Mission Space.
I'll see this exhibit in 10 days. Can't wait!

 

[Jay H]

I just returned from WDW, and the Mission Space preview center was a real bummer, I really thought it was boring. Maybe you guys will enjoy it more. On a good note a CM told me that Space is ahead of schedule and under budget. Can you believe that a WDW project is ahead of schedule and under budget? Miracles do happen,huh?

Jay

 

[Another Voice]

The schedule included a lot of extra time so that Disney could avoid another 'Test Track' disaster should someting go wrong with the ride system. The technology they're using is fairly mature, but it's never been installed on this scale before. The budget was reduced when most of the post-show display area was removed (or turned into a shop - rumors vary), and the attraction lost its destination. The show is now a "visit to a training center" instead of a "trip into space". This way the attraction can have an "industrial" look to it and they don't have to cover up the ride mechanism. I haven't heard about the in-ride photo yet, but I'm assuming there will be one.

 

[Testtrack321]

The idea wil be that you will go through the ISTC and you THEN will be sent into space. Of course you SEE Mars and not land on it. But I am VERY ANXCIOUS about this ride. CAN'T WAIT FOR IT!!!!
I thought that the Preview Center will feature some pictures of the ride and a model like the Test Track one...