Ride Review - Stitch's Great Escape

[Red Randal]

WDWorld Traveler Ride Review – Stitch’s Great Escape

Intro: Opened in Tomorrowland in 2004, “Stitch’s Great Escape” replaced the “ExtraTERRORestrial Alien Encounter”…one of the all time unique attractions in all of Walt Disney World. The ride elements remained essentially the same only with a Stitch overlay to make them more cute than scary. And by “cute” I mean “unspeakably annoying.”

Pre-Pre-Show: Yeah, they actually thought this ride was going to be popular enough to warrant multiple pre-shows. Anyway, this is more of a holding pen where a few TV’s play information meshing the ride’s loose “Lilo & Stitch” backstory with the “Tomorrowland” story.

Pre-Show: We’re brought into a room where the “Principal Teleportation Officer” teaches us about “Level 1” prisoners (since we’re not yet equipped to handle Level 2’s.). There is Skippy, the doomed alien creature from the original Alien Encounter. We’re interrupted by a donut thief who is teleported into jail. If you think this is stupid to read, trust me, it’s no better to experience. Suddenly an alert is issued because of a Level 3 (!!) prisoner being transferred into the facility.

Show: We enter the “High Security Teleportation” room. A large tube in the center of the room lights up and is filled with smoke and then suddenly Stitch teleports in. He is, I should note, roughly 3 times the size he was in the movie. Of course, this is a world where cartoon mice are 6 feet tall so I guess I shouldn’t nitpick QUITE this much.

Anyway, Stitch looks around and makes goofy noises before deciding to spit on some guests. Then he manages to cause the power to go out in the room. So he hops around on people and at one point steals a guy’s chili dog and burps into the guests faces, unleashing one of the most repugnant odors this side of the bathrooms outside La Pirata y el Perico.

The Galactic officers restore the power and Stitch is nowhere to be found. He knocks the power out and causes some more hijacks before finally getting trapped in the teleportation chamber again. He somehow ends up getting transported to Disney World. An animated Cinderella Castle appears on screen with an animated Stitch knocking on a window. He’s greeted by an animated Cinderella. The Galactic Federation guys are flabbergasted and send the recruits home.

Thoughts: I don’t know how many different ways there are to say that this ride is terrible.

First of all, the story makes no sense. If we’re really recruits to be SECURITY officers, why would they bring us into a huge briefing room and STRAP US INTO SEATS?? Wouldn’t they want us to be able to assist in capturing this big threat to security? Then there’s the mixture of animation with audio animatronics. I don’t mind it if it’s done in a way that sort of makes sense, like at Cranium Command. But here it just comes off as hokey and cheap. The real Cinderella Castle is RIGHT THERE. Lame, lame, lame!

More over, this ride is not thrilling, it’s barely funny, and it replaced one of the most original attractions they’ve ever had. If you think I’m over reacting and that the makeover was necessary just remember that Alien Encounter was a headliner and this plays to empty crowds.

Worst ride at Walt Disney World.

Overall Rating: -**

[Disney4us2]

We went on this attraction on our first trip since Disneyland does not have this (thank goodness). We skipped it on our second visit and will on all future visits. I didn't think it was worth the time we waited.

[Lakin]

Stitch is a great character, and this ride does not level up to what is expected of a Disney ride.

[GrmGrninGost]

Not good. Not terrible. Just so-so.

[Zawadi]

IMHO - A very cheap revamp of Alien Encounter which was much better and scary. However, AE was probably not suited to the child friendly atmosphere of MK

[thrillme]

I thought AE was a lot more exciting than Stitch. I really didn't even figure out what was going on for the longest time.

There should be a little something for everyone at Disney...not just "little" kids. There are PLENTY of rides and entertainment that's not that scary. The guy I sat next too when we went to this...we both looked at each other and simutaneously said...AE was MUCH better.

[Phantod]

I almost entered the queue by mistake this past September. Fortunately, my DW called to my attention where i was heading. I screamed all of the way out of there.

Does that give you an idea what I think about it?

Bring back Alien Encounter which was just awesome.

[beksy]

I was looking forward to trying this ride but was really disappointed in it. I never rode AE so I can't compare it to that, but this ride made my physically ill. I'm sensitive to smells and they really got to me on this one. It's actually the only ride I've ever gotten ill after riding. The shoulder bars hurt my sister's shoulders (again the only ride this has happened on. I had read enough to be prepared for this part). To top it off we really just didn't "get" the ride. We will always skip this one in the future.

[ChipNDale79]

IMO its the worst ride at disney and i would go father and say the worst ride in disney history.

Its a complete waste of space and time.

[Stu29573]

I went on this ride last June for the first- and probably last- time. I was ready to give it a fair shot, since I like Stitch ok, and I never got to go on AE. I hated it. My wife hated it. It made no sense, the effects were so-so, and the experience was overall very poor. I used to hold Sounds Dangerous up as the worst of the worst at Disney, but I think it may be a tie....
Bring back Mission to Mars. Even it was better than this junk...

[Giggy]

I liked this ride, though I do also have sentimental reasons for liking it.

It was the last day of our 2004 holiday, we had to leave soon for the airport to return to the UK. Stitch's Great Escape had not opened officially though they were doing trial runs, mostly with cast members. A cast member heard that we had to leave soon and said we could come and try it out.

I actually enjoyed it and given it's the last WDW ride i've been on I kinda feel like I should be standing up for it.

[mom2morgan]

I had no idea I was claustrophobic - but I found that out pretty dang fast strapped into those seats in the dark! Add to that the fact that my 10 year old got freaked out and I had NO way to get to her or comfort her with more than a hand on her knee. I felt helpless and trapped. I understand AE was much scarier...but we might have avoided it. Since this was STITCH we thought it would be okay. Again - the "scary" aspect of it probably wouldn't have been an issue if it wasn't for the awful shoulder restraints! She also got scared on Haunted Mansion (she can ride the big coasters, but apparently "creepy in the dark" scares her) but I was able to put an arm around her shoulder and make her feel safe.

[Red Randal]

I used to hold Sounds Dangerous up as the worst of the worst at Disney, but I think it may be a tie....

Sounds Dangerous has a bad rep. Don't get me wrong, it's not good...but I'm willing to bet if we put our minds to it we could come up with at least five rides that are worse.

[Dragongirlx]

I realise I am in the minority here but I love this ride. I love when Stitch ruffles your hair and asks will you be my friend. I don't even mind the burp

[stitchaholic]

i'm with you dragon girl, i just love seeing my favorite guy all big and animated !

[SurferStitch]

I'm with DragonGirlx and stitchaholic. DH and I love SGE. We also don't mind the burp at all!

It could be better (there are others that could be, too), but it's still a great attraction, and lots of fun. We do SGE every time we set foot in MK, which is quite a few times during a vacation at WDW!!

In fact, we'll be seeing Stitch again in just 23 days!!!

[Loweschevy]

Nothing too special, but worth at least one visit. The lines have calmed down, mostly 5 minute wait from what I could see in October.

It is time that Stitch hits the dusty trail and we get a new show

[coneygoil]

I was looking forward to trying this ride but was really disappointed in it. I never rode AE so I can't compare it to that, but this ride made my physically ill.

Glad I'm not the only one! It make my stomach so sick and it didn't go away for almost the whole day. I swore never to go see that ride again!

[azcavalier]

I know that most of you just look at the ride for it's "entertainment value", and since you ARE paying to be entertained...

But I enjoy SGE. I do really like Stitch, though, which helps. I don't care for the chili dog burp to the face, but I just hold my breath and then blow the scent away when everyone else says "Eeeeewwww!" No problems.

I, however, love it for it's complexity. And it IS very technically complex. I believe that it's actually the most complex Audio-Animatronic figure that Disney has created to date. If you watch Stitch move along with the synchronization of the DNA cannons, it's pretty impressive stuff.

[Imagineer1981]

I've posted this opinion about a thousand times, if you NEVER rode Alien Encounter, you would think Stitch is average-good. If you rode Alien Encounter, your views are biased and you probably aren't giving it a fair shot