Walt Disney World isn’t just for spectators anymore. We’ve talked before at Theme Park Tourist about how Disney has embraced modern geek culture. One of the ways this has happened has been the arrival of more and more attractions with gaming elements—rides where guests actually have a stake in the attraction experience or are at least made to feel like they do. While the future holds many more high-stakes immersive attractions (like the much-anticipated Millennium Falcon experience coming to Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge in 2019), the Most Magical Place on Earth actually already has a fair number of attractions perfect for gamers. On your next visit, check out these six attractions which put the action in your hand. #1 might just be the best attraction in Walt Disney World you’ve never heard of.
1. Buzz Lightyear’s Space Ranger Spin (Magic Kingdom)
For the uninitiated, Buzz Lightyear’s Space Ranger Spin might seem an easy attraction to ignore, especially for teens and adults. However, if you enjoy a whimsical challenge, this is one disarmingly fun attraction to give a whirl.
Buzz Lightyear’s Space Ranger Spin is a gamer’s attraction done right, particularly considering its all-ages appeal. Maybe it’s the competitive element of seeing who can pull off the highest score. Maybe it’s the fact you get to choose your targets or the ability to turn your car as you please, whether you’re aiming to hit as many marks as possible or just make your riding mate dizzy. Maybe it’s the thrill of overcoming the boss level when you face down Emperor Zurg. All in all, Buzz Lightyear’s Space Ranger Spin is just a great example of darn good fun at Walt Disney World.
2. Test Track (Epcot)
Image: Disney
Speaking of competitive attractions, while there may be many reasons to miss the zany humor of the original version of Test Track, one of the best elements of the attraction’s 2012 facelift has been the addition of the SimTrack, where guests can design their own car and see it tested in simulation. While this seems like a fairly benign concept, it’s hard for gamers to not get excited about seeing if our car gains the highest scores. We’ve had entire articles dedicated to the subject. Particularly since the highest scoring cars aren’t necessarily the prettiest, the end result is both some fun healthy competition and a bit of hilarity in the process. Plus, racing game lovers can’t resist the thrill of that speed test.
3. Toy Story Midway Mania (Disney’s Hollywood Studios)
Really enjoy Buzz Lightyear’s Space Ranger Spin? Against all expectation, Toy Story Midway Mania remains one of the most popular attractions in Disney’s Hollywood Studios. The elements of lasers and steering in Tomorrowland’s version are exchanged for 3D effects and midway hijinks in its newer cousin. While Toy Story Midway Mania might hold a slightly stronger appeal to younger visitors, there’s no denying the fun of the carnival games element. It will be interesting to see how the arrival of Toy Story Land affects wait times for this already hot-ticket attraction.
4. Frontierland Shooting Arcade (Magic Kingdom)
Speaking of carnival games, not all of Disney’s gamer-friendly attractions are recent additions. One of Magic Kingdom’s oldest mainstays is still a fun stop for the passing gamer. True, the shooting arcade a little old school, but that’s part of the appeal. The original attraction had guests shooting lead pellets at targets until 1982 when the arcade was given an electronic redesign since the targets had to be repainted almost every night. The current attraction is easy to miss, but if you enjoy a good shooter style game and want to test your target skills, give this classic a try. How many marks can you hit?
5. Avatar: Flight of Passage (Disney’s Animal Kingdom)
Image: Disney
All of the previous attractions are decent, but as of 2017, Disney has truly taken things to an unforeseen level. One of the most successful new arrivals has been World of Pandora’s much-praised signature attraction, Avatar: Flight of Passage.
Now, unlike our previous picks, Flight of Passage doesn’t necessarily include gaming-specific elements like points or controls. However, there is probably no attraction in Walt Disney World (maybe besides our #1 pick) that feels more like you have stepped straight into your favorite game. From the beginning of the queue all the way to the moment your banshee takes flight, the ride perfectly captures the feel of a gamer’s dreamscape. In a unique twist, this is one attraction that outright embraces the element of simulation in its theme… and it works fantastically in what might be one of Disney’s finest and most immersive attractions to date.
6. Star Wars: Secrets of the Empire (Disney Springs)
Image: Disney and The VOID
Star Wars: Secrets of the Empire might be the best attraction at Walt Disney World that most guests have never heard of—unless you are a regular reader here at Theme Park Tourist. We can’t gush enough about this crazy fun attraction, and you don’t even need a park admission to enjoy it.
For those unfamiliar, Star Wars: Secrets of the Empire is a hyper-reality experience where guests are thrust into an ultra-realistic virtual reality quest to aid the Rebellion against the Empire. While Disney has done some fun things with virtual reality in the past, Secrets of the Empire takes things to an entirely new level. Through the use of a laser-tag like VR rig and a large, interactive maze (which you only see in the Star Wars world), guests are able to freely travel through the environment of an Imperial compound and physically interact with virtual items like blasters, device controls, and take cover from enemy fire. For those who have tried escape games before, the experience is similar to an elaborate Star Wars escape room with a complete story for guests to follow.
Admission to Star Wars: Secrets of the Empire is handled by The VOID and the cost of entry is similar to the average escape game (around $30 at the time of this article). Reservations can be made at their website or by stopping by their location in Disney Springs.
What’s your favorite gamer-friendly attraction? Did we miss any?
