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Pre-shows.  They immerse you into the storyline and set you up for an attraction unlike any other.  They can be very complex, simple, long, short, interactive or educational.  Either way, they help move the plot of the rides along and usually get you excited for the adventure on which you are about to embark.  Among other things, Disney is known for their variety of different pre-shows scattered around all four parks.  I now present to you some of my favorites, in order from my not as loved to my absolute favorite pre-show.  Enjoy!

The Backlot Tour

If you listen to Lou Mongello and Tim Foster’s Top Ten segments, you might consider this a “Go With Me Here”, meaning that some people might not consider this a pre-show, but I do.  What draws people to this attraction is hopping in one of the bright red trams, voyaging to Catastrophe Canyon and seeing things you can only view from the attraction.  Because of this, I consider the show that happens before you even go NEAR the signature red vehicles a pre-show.  Beforehand, four adults are picked to be extras in a production. My parents were actually two of the four that were picked, so it made the whole experience more personal to me.  The chosen four get in rain suits – three hop on a boat while one sits next to a telephone.  Let’s just say that the three people on the boat got wet from the backsplash of missiles and bombs, but the person near the telephone got SOAKED because thousands of gallons of water get poured on them!  The point of the pre-show is to get you excited about special effects in movies, and it sure does a great job at it.

Monster’s Inc. Laugh Floor

HELLO HUMANS!  This pre-show is very entertaining to people of all ages.  Mike Wazokswi takes you through what happened AFTER the credits rolled for Monsters Inc.  The scare floors turned into, well laugh floors, and now the creatures make people laugh instead of cry to power Monstropolious.  Another huge change is that instead of the monsters going to you, you are walking right into their town in the form of a comedy club.  Roz cuts Mike off after he finishes telling the story and shows a series of bloopers that include Mike falling through trap doors, falling out of doors, and being hit by safes. Following that, there is a little commercial for the former CDA (Child Detection Agency), which now stands for the Comedy Detection Agency.   I love the comedy aspect and I still laugh at the bloopers to this date.  The only bad part of the pre-show is the fact that you are standing through it.  If Disney added seats, it would make the show much more enjoyable.

Mission:  SPACE

I love this ride.  When I first took the journey to space, I was actually terrified.  But I wasn’t scared until the pre-show began.  The way that it is worded and the seriousness of the actors made it sound like you were actually going to space, and I was terrified about what that would feel like.  Of course, the claustrophobia warnings didn’t help.  Now that I am older, I love it for the same reason that I was terrified – the realism. The way that a single spotlight shines on you when you get your position makes you feel important to the flight and crew.   It might seem like this pre-show is not as fun as the others, but I like the authenticity.

Soarin’

Soarin’ has an amazing pre-show even before the pre-show begins.  The names of the cities you will be hang-gliding over are, well, soaring through the sky as you are organized into rows for boarding.  Once everyone is ready, the real pre-show begins.  Patrick Warburton, the voice of Kronk from Emperor’s New Groove and other movies with the same casts of characters, takes you through the safety rules and immerses you in the storyline for this attraction.  It might seem like a very simple pre-show, but I think I put it here on the list because of Patrick’s voice.  It’s very soothing, and I love it!

The Old Test Track

I have not been able to ride the new Test Track, so I can’t say anything about that pre-show.  The original Test Track, however, had a preshow that not everybody seemed to love.  It was very dated and you were standing (yes, standing once again) in a room that was usually packed like a tuna can.  I understand why people didn’t like it but for some odd reason, I did-and still do.  It seems very real (just like Mission: SPACE) and uses great terminology that makes the testing course sound much more complex than it really is.  I especially loved how they presented the barrier test:  by letting Sherri pick any test she wanted.  Did she want us to die?  At least we don’t have to worry about that anymore!

Rock N Roller Coaster

Walking through the queue line, the story begins just like any other Disney attraction.  G-Force Records is evident everywhere, but what really competes the plot is the pre-show.  The whole queue line makes sense once the pre-show is finished.  You are in G-Force Records because you were invited by Aerosmith, but now you are late to their concert!  You are going to need a really fast car. Maybe a limo?  This ride is also very quotable, with the most famous quote being “make that a SUPER-Stretch!”  I adore this pre-show almost as much as I love the ride itself.

DINOSAUR!

This pre-show is one of those that make you dislike the main character of the ride, which does NOT happen often.  I mean think about it, Dr. Seeker isn’t supposed to send you to the Dinosaur Era because it would be too close to the meteoroid hitting the Earth, which could risk killing you.  When Dr. Seeker is locked out of the system, he breaks in any way!  He put the riders in danger for his benefit!  Usually the characters in the pre-show are loveable, but this one could have killed you if this was a real mission.  I like this pre-show because of how different it is from the others.

Tower of Terror

Another very popularly quoted pre-show entertains guests inside the Tower of Terror.  A Rod Sterling look-a-like tells you the story of the Hollywood Hotel, a lightning strike and why you should be afraid to board your elevator.  What really seals the deal for this pre-show is the black and white aspect and the tiny TV in the corner of the room that displays the pre-show for all to see.  It gives you a true feel for the time period, and adds a creepy element to the whole package.  This again is a pre-show that involves you standing up, but the theming around the room and the length of time you are actually IN the pre-show makes up for it.

Ellen’s Energy Adventure

This pre-show is the funniest one in Epcot, maybe even on Disney property.  It is a little dated, as you can tell by the hairstyles and outfits that Bill Nye the Science Guy and Ellen DeGeneres wore while they were filming.  I love that there is a comedy element which is added when Ellen realizes that there is an audience and uses that to her advantage.   This pre-show is long at a little over 7 minutes, and you are standing up (not a good combination at very busy times of the year), but it is air-conditioned, so it is a good break from running around on hot days. A lot of people don’t go on Ellen’s Energy Adventure because of the daunting length of the ride (45 minutes total) but it is something that should get more love. And, before you ask, yes I do believe it needs to be updated, but leave the characters and classic parts of the script alone, like “And for those of you who are just walking in now.  You’re late. Where have you been?  I LOVE you hair.” and so on.  I am sure that Ellen wouldn’t mind redoing it!

The Haunted Mansion

How could I make a “My Favorite” list for pre-shows and NOT include the Haunted Mansion?  I believe that the experience is actually scarier than the ride!  When I was 8, I absolutely HATED the Haunted Mansion just because of the pre-show but, just like with Mission: SPACE, it has grown on me and now I simply adore it.  Everything from the amazing narration to the four portraits in the stretching room is unique to the attraction and will send chills down your spine.  If I had to pick one pre-show to win an award for “Best Pre-show That Immerses You in the Story”, it would go to the Haunted Mansion, hands down.

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Thank you for reading about my favorite pre-shows.  Now I want to hear yours!  Leave a comment below telling me what your favorite pre-show is and why.  Do you agree or disagree with any of my choices?  Did I forget something in my list, like the Enchanted Tiki Room or MuppetVision3-D (see what I did there)?  Let me know in the comments!  I love reading your feedback.

See ya REAL soon!

Quote of the Week:  “I love Mickey Mouse more than any woman I have ever known.”  ~ Walt Disney

Makena is a 14 year old high school student who spends much of her free time researching Disney. She enjoys sharing Disney facts and even plans Walt Disney World vacations (including searches for secrets and Hidden Mickeys) for friends and family. Makena began blogging for WDW Radio in December 2011.

The post Disney Attraction Pre-Shows That You Won’t Want To Miss appeared first on WDW Radio - Your Walt Disney World Information Station by Lou Mongello.

Hello and welcome to The WDW Radio Show – Your Walt Disney World Information Station. I am your host, Lou Mongello, and this is show #299 for the week of November 4, 2012.

This week, we’re going to explore the attractions beyond the attractions in Future World, as we take a close look at ore of Walt Disney World’s hidden treasures and overlooked experiences – the Epcot post-shows. Interactive, entertaining and educational, they are also full of wonderful details, stories and opportunities.

Answer the Walt Disney World Trivia Question of the Week for your chance to win a Disney prize package.

I’ll then have some announcements at the end of the show, so sit back, relax, and enjoy this week’s episode of the WDW Radio Show.

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Information and Links from This Week’s Show

QUESTION OF THE WEEK: What is your favorite Epcot post-show? What types of attractions or experiences would you like to see? Leave your answer in the comments section below!

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The post Show # 299 – November 4, 2012 appeared first on WDW Radio - Your Walt Disney World Information Station by Lou Mongello.

Epcot is a unique park where you can hang-glide over California, dive deep into the ocean, go back in time, journey into imagination, and travel the world all in one day! That might sound exhausting, but Epcot is an exciting place where the future and past seamlessly come together as told through technology and culture. Broken down into two main sections, Epcot features Future World in the front of the park and the World Showcase in the rear. Future World focuses on telling the story of how various technologies have helped us reach the point we exist at today. You can learn about communication, energy, agriculture and more. World Showcase takes you on a journey around the globe with eleven countries each represented with their own pavilions. Each pavilion is intricately detailed and themed and can be considered an attraction unto itself.

I have broken down the attractions in Epcot into three categories: thrills, classics, and must see. While I mention many attractions here, I am deliberately leaving out the countries of the World Showcase. As I mentioned, I consider them to be attractions themselves, and I will be writing about each pavilion individually in the future to do them justice.

So without further ado, let’s talk about the attractions at Epcot! The thrill attractions in Epcot tend to focus on two things: speed and flying (even in space!). First up is the unique experience of Soarin’. Located in Future World West in the Land Pavilion, Soarin’ was originally was built in Disney’s California Adventure and called Soarin’ Over California. Because of its popularity, it was brought to Epcot and shortened to Soarin’. This attraction takes guests on a hang-gliding adventure over the gorgeous sceneries of California. From the Golden Gate Bridge to Napa Valley, you truly feel as though you are gliding high above these beautiful places. Be sure to keep a nose out for the smells of fresh pine and oranges throughout the ride, and definitely look for a visit to Disneyland with Tinkerbell at the end!

Moving over to Future World East, the next thrill attraction Epcot has to offer is Mission: SPACE. This attraction offers an intense experience of a journey to Mars in a simulated space shuttle. Separated into teams of four, this attraction assigns each person on your team a role in your mission to land on Mars successfully. The launch sequence experienced is comparable to the actual force you would be feeling if you were launching into space on a shuttle for NASA. If this sounds too intense for you, don’t worry you can still experience the attraction: the ride now offers two different intensities to choose from. When approaching the ride, choose the Green Team for a milder experience or the Orange Team for the full force experience.

Once you’ve successfully made it to Mars and back, walk next door to Test Track. Currently closed for refurbishments and scheduled to open again this fall, Test Track is an attraction based upon the experience of vehicles enduring tests in all sorts of conditions before being deemed safe for the road. The original version took riders through tests including brakes and suspension before a barrier crash test and cruising loop around the outside of the building at speeds of 65mph. Upon reopening, Test Track is set to now include the opportunity to design your own ride vehicle before being able to experience it first hand in the testing facility. I can only imagine that the attraction is going to be even more thrilling and exciting when it finally re-opens!

In terms of classic attractions at Epcot, the most well known is Spaceship Earth. Housed in what many people still refer to as “the giant golf ball,” Spaceship Earth is a slow-moving ride that takes riders back in time to explore the development of communication in our civilization. Traveling all the way from cave men to modern day technologies, Spaceship Earth tells a historical story in an interesting and exciting way. Guests are now even able to utilize touch screens in their ride vehicles to answer several questions and create a short animation about their own personal future world. Throughout the ride, be sure to smell the beloved scent of “Rome burning” and keep an eye out for a few Hidden Mickeys along the way!

Another attraction that I consider to be a classic is Living with the Land in the Land Pavilion. This is a slow moving boat tour that takes guests through various agricultural settings and ultimately greenhouses to portray various technologies that are being utilized and developed every day. While this may sound boring to some, it is actually a fascinating attraction as you are able to see gorgeous greenhouses growing all types of interesting vegetation. If you have plans to eat in The Garden Grill (also located in the Land Pavilion), keep in mind that it’s likely something on your plate was grown right there in the greenhouses! Even if this does not sound very interesting or exciting to you, I recommend still giving the attraction a try. You never know, you may end up loving it and calling it a classic just like I do!

Epcot also offers a few other attractions that I consider to be must sees and two of them reside together in The Seas with Nemo & Friends Pavilion. The first attraction bears the same name as the pavilion and follows Nemo and other characters from the beloved movie Finding Nemo as they explore the “big blue world” of the ocean. As you ride along in your clam vehicles attempting to find Nemo with his father Marlon and friend Dory, you will experience breathtaking views of the actual aquariums featured in the pavilion. Perhaps the most enchanting part of the ride is how Nemo and his friends are actually animated and projected onto the glass of the aquarium tanks so that it appears as though they are swimming amongst the live sea creatures behind them. Definitely a must see!

A few steps away from The Seas with Nemo & Friends is Turtle Talk with Crush. A live animated and interactive show, guests can have direct conversations with the ever-lovable and totally cool Crush while learning about sea turtles and their habitat. Try and sit up front to be selected to engage with Crush, and don’t forget that every show is different, so feel free to visit over and over again!

The final must see attraction in Epcot is Journey Into Imagination With Figment. Though the attraction has changed over the years, it basically sums up Epcot for me as a child. Figment is a loveable purple dragon who has an imagination overflowing with ideas to share with guests. The attraction takes guests through the Imagination Institute on a tour through the senses; however the tour is quickly taken over by Figment who unleashes the power of imagination on your every sense. A colorful and playful attraction, I consider it a must see and you will find yourself humming the theme song long after departing.

That about wraps up my list for the thrill, classic, and must see attractions of Epcot! As I mentioned, I did not include any of the countries in the World Showcase as I’m looking forward to dedicating entire posts on them in the future and exploring them in further detail.

What is your favorite attraction in Epcot? Think I left something off the list? Leave a comment below, I would love to hear from you!

The post Disney From a Twenty-Something: EPCOT Attractions appeared first on WDW Radio - Your Walt Disney World Information Station by Lou Mongello.