Mission Space opens in December 2003!

[DisneyWorld30th]

Screamscape is reporting that Mission: Space won't be open officially until December...See below:

The latest word from our insiders is that while they are hoping to Soft Open the ride sometime in August, the official grand opening event isn’t being planned until the first week of December.


The also provided some details about the ride:

Choose your career now... each rider will have a specific job/task to perform during the mission. The positions will include: Pilot, Commander, Navigator and Engineer.



Once again, details supplied by Screamscape.Com!

 

[JonnyK]

Darn, I wish it was open now sometime by the summer.. Oh Well..

 

[bamboo7]

Originally posted by DisneyWorld30th
Screamscape is reporting that Mission: Space won't be open officially until December...See below:

The latest word from our insiders is that while they are hoping to Soft Open the ride sometime in August, the official grand opening event isnÂ’t being planned until the first week of December.


The also provided some details about the ride:

Choose your career now... each rider will have a specific job/task to perform during the mission. The positions will include: Pilot, Commander, Navigator and Engineer.



Once again, details supplied by Screamscape.Com!

well, i haven;t heard anything about this, but since it is from screamscape, take it with a grain of salt. i'm not saying to rule it out, it could certainly be true. just take it with a grain of salt.

 

[Hank Scorpio]

And there was me hoping for September...

Oh well if there are soft-openings, I might still get to ride...

 

[CaptChris]

Soft Opening?

What exactly is a soft opening? I am going down in late August, and was really looking forward to riding Mission Space. Is there a chance that I could be able to ride it?

 

[crazygirley]

Re: Soft Opening?

Originally posted by CaptChris
What exactly is a soft opening?

A "Soft Opening" is when they un-officially open the ride early during certian times during the day. They usually don't tell you about it, and you sort of usually just stumble upon it. I was there during a "soft opening" of Rock'n Roller Coaster. We had no idea it was going to have a soft opening, but a CM at Tower of Terror told us there would be one at 1:00.

Basically, you just get lucky, I guess.

 

[enough]

aw crap. i'm heading down there in sept. and i was really hoping to get a chance to ride this... i've never had much luck with soft openings.

 

[Shaman]

Originally posted by DisneyWorld30th
Screamscape is reporting that Mission: Space won't be open officially until December....

Ok, it may officially open open in December, but in reality does that make any sense, if you are in Disney's shoes???

December is awfully close to the one year anniversary of the Columbia disaster. And while I think Disney can pull it off by saying, Mission:Space is "a ride to comemorate those who risk their lives and have lossed their lives for exploration", it wouldn't be in a sense right, and there could be a PR disaster.

Besides, since they are already getting ready to hire and train CMs for M:S, I think this ride will open late-spring/early summer...and the latest August (thats officially). They have to keep up with the competition in the summer especially, so they will want to open sooner rather than later (hopefully nothing goes wrong). Here's hoping for a completed, officially opened Mission: Space in June!:wave:

 

[WDWspider]

Re: Re: Mission Space opens in December 2003!

Originally posted by objr
Ok, it may officially open open in December, but in reality does that make any sense, if you are in Disney's shoes???

December is awfully close to the one year anniversary of the Columbia disaster. And while I think Disney can pull it off by saying, Mission:Space is "a ride to comemorate those who risk their lives and have lossed their lives for exploration", it wouldn't be in a sense right, and they could be a PR disaster.

Sad to say, but I don't think that many people are going to realize that. People live so much in the now and next big thing.

Plus, i doubt Disney planned to open in December, due to the restrictions of unknown elements in creating this ride, I imagine that's just the way the cards fell. Actually December seems like an overall good slower time of year to work out any bugs after the opening.

 

[gcurling]

Someone has reported that Jay Rasulo told Smith Barney that it will open in late summer. I have read the notes from that theme park tutorial meeting and Mission:Space is not mentioned anywhere. But, those notes never contain everything that is said.

 

[Bryy2001]

Disney knows that EPCOT is in dire need of an attendance boost, if they do not open for at least part of the summer, it could be the worst season in EPCOT history. I highly doubt that they will wait for December, they are hiring employees now to train them, why do that now and then hold for a half a year, it just doesn't fit right, sorry screamscape. I have a feeling we will have MS open by the 4th of July. Independence day would be nice for a big huge new attraction bash.

 

[AndyMagic]

Originally posted by Bryy2001
Disney knows that EPCOT is in dire need of an attendance boost, if they do not open for at least part of the summer, it could be the worst season in EPCOT history. I highly doubt that they will wait for December, they are hiring employees now to train them, why do that now and then hold for a half a year, it just doesn't fit right, sorry screamscape. I have a feeling we will have MS open by the 4th of July. Independence day would be nice for a big huge new attraction bash.

I agree. CM's are not trained for 7 months before a ride opens. It's more like 1 - 2 months. Everything seems to point to an opening at some point in the Summer. It could be early Summer or it could be late Summer but I really don't think it will be December.

 

[ArchiDanDisney]

Well heres an idea...after test track was opened, it seemed as though WDI went full gear into the development of M:S. So once Space opens up, perhaps we could be looking at a new overhaul for the WOL pavillion? Perhaps something with a robotic feel?

 

[Lee]

I can confirm 100% that Jay Rasulo did mention Mission:Space to Smith Barney's Tutorial last week.
He either said "late summer" or "the end of the summer", I forget which. It happened about 45 minuites or so into the presentation.
However, he did not specify between a soft or official opening.

 

[MicBat]

Re: Re: Soft Opening?

Originally posted by crazygirley
A "Soft Opening" is when they un-officially open the ride early during certian times during the day. They usually don't tell you about it, and you sort of usually just stumble upon it. I was there during a "soft opening" of Rock'n Roller Coaster. We had no idea it was going to have a soft opening, but a CM at Tower of Terror told us there would be one at 1:00.

Basically, you just get lucky, I guess.

I was there at the same time! :wave:

As was said... it's from streamscape. Don't rule it off, but dont take it as official/definite.