
Is this the most intense ride at Walt Disney World?

Credit: Disney
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The Walt Disney World Resort is home to dozens of rides, attractions, and experiences, though some are more intense than others. Sure, Disney World is known for its selection of classic family-friendly adventures like “It’s a small world,” Pirates of the Caribbean, Haunted Mansion, and Dumbo the Flying Elephant, but the Florida resort also features several adrenaline-pumping attractions as well.
Roller coasters like Space Mountain and Big Thunder Mountain Railroad have provided thrills and chills for decades, with Disney Imagineering continuing to push the envelope. Disney World’s newest coasters, Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind and TRON Lightcycle / Run, are perhaps some of the best roller coasters in Florida, providing both fun and high-octane action.
However, Disney World’s most intense ride may actually not be a roller coaster at all.
What Is Mission: SPACE?

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At EPCOT, guests will find plenty of fun and unique activities to enjoy, ranging from immersive shows to authentic dining and, of course, a wide variety of rides and attractions. EPCOT isn’t really known for its intensity, though the park does feature one attraction that may prove to be too much for many guests.
We’re of course talking about Mission: SPACE, a flight simulator that seeks to give guests a taste of what real-life astronauts feel when taking a trip to space. Located in EPCOT’s World Discovery, Mission: SPACE has been operating since 2003, inviting guests to climb aboard for one of the wildest rides in Walt Disney World.
Mission: SPACE seeks to give riders an authentic NASA-style mission to Mars, complete with intricate theming and some of the most intense g-forces found at the parks.
Mission: SPACE is special for a lot of reasons, but the actual ride system remains its most unique feature. Instead of strapping into a roller coaster car or simulator seat, guests climb into a tight 4-person cabin filled with buttons, levers, and knobs. Once everyone is on board, a screen lowers in front of each guest, making for one of the tightest and most claustrophobic ride vehicles found in Walt Disney World.
Guests are given a brief recap of the mission they are about to embark on and then – Blast Off!
Why Is It So Intense?

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Guests are immediately dealt an array of intense g-forces as they break the Earth’s atmosphere. They propel through space, using gravity to launch around different planets. In reality, guests’ ride vehicles are spinning around a primary centrifuge at rapid speeds.
Riders rotate so fast that lifting their arms or turning their heads can be hard. This all adds to the immersiveness of the ride, as guests are made to believe they’re actually heading to Mars. The tightness of the cabin works in conjunction with the intense spinning to create an experience that feels real and maybe even a little scary.

Credit: NASA
Guests face some unintended issues once they make it to Mars. After all, what’s a theme park ride without a few challenges? However, guests eventually land, and the mission is deemed a success. The restraints lift up, the doors open, and guests are free to exit their small pods.
A big reason Mission: SPACE is so intense is that there’s nothing else like it at Walt Disney World or Disneyland. While intense rides and roller coasters, like Expedition Everest, Rock’ n’ Roller Coaster, and the Twilight Zone Tower of Terror, can undoubtedly be found at the parks, nothing at Walt Disney World gives guests the same feelings found on Mission: SPACE.
Despite being intense and incredibly unique, Mission: SPACE is rather controversial. While Disney spent millions of dollars designing, creating, and building the ride, it fails to see the same number of guests other, more popular attractions do at EPCOT, like Soarin’ Around the World and the recently-shuttered Test Track.
Many guests choose to skip Mission: SPACE entirely due to its claustrophobic design and intense g-forces. Disney anticipated this, building two different versions of Mission: SPACE. When approaching the ride’s entrance, guests can choose to join the Orange Team or the Green Team.
Orange Team is the name given to the regular, high-intensity experience, whereas Green Team lets guests enjoy a different mission altogether, one without the spinning. However, with Mission: SPACE not being all that great of a package even in its intended form, one has to wonder if there’s even a point in experiencing the thrill-less version at all.
Regardless, Mission: SPACE is a unique and interesting part of the Walt Disney World Resort, though most fans would not be surprised to see it go in the coming years. However, guests still have the chance to climb aboard what is perhaps Disney’s most intense thrill ride.
Do you enjoy riding Mission: SPACE? What is your favorite ride at Walt Disney World?