Stitch's Great Escape

Description

Stitch's Great Escape is a walk-thru and sit-down ride where you take the roll of a security guard at an intergalactic penal facility, where you are tasked with dealing with a new arrival, Experiment 626, to the prison system. The ride stars Stitch from the movie Lilo and Stitch.

Entrance

The entrance to the ride is located in TomorrowLand across from Buzz Lightyear's Space Ranger Spin. There are two line entrances, one for normal riders and the other for FastPass ticket holders.

Line

The line can be long on this ride, particularly if there are a lot of kids at the park, as they seem to love Stitch. The line can wrap around the side of the building and into a zig-zag behind the building, so be aware of this if you decide to go through the normal line. Once you are in the staging area where they take FastPass tickets, you are set to go into the next area where the ride really begins. FastPass ticket holders have a big advantage for this particular ride.

Riding the Ride

First you will be taken into a staging area inside where you are shown a small video. After this area, you are then taken to yet another staging area where an alien prompts you of the situation and what your job is going to be, namely to act as security for new arrivals to the galactic prison system. After all of the introductions are made and you jobs are defined, you are taken into a third area where you are seated in a ring, which then has a shoulder harness. This is the point where Stitch makes his entrance, basically escaping containment and then making life miserable for everyone until finally transporting out of the area.

When you are in the harness seat, you will be sprayed with water and they will also use scented air blasts to give a sense of realism to the experience.

Exiting the Ride

You exit the seating area on the opposite side from which you entered it, and are spat out into a gift shop. The exit of the gift shop is on the opposite side of the building from where you entered, so if there are others with you waiting for you to exit the ride, they should be aware of this and walk around. The exit is opposite the entrance to the Indy Speedway.

Opinion

I am not a big fan of this ride. Yes, I know it is only water, but the imagery of being spat on by some alien is a little bit creepy for me. In addition, for me there was just no thrill in the ride, nor any interest in what was going on. I assume it is great for young kids, but as an adult I hated it. Also, the smell of Stitch farting was not something I was fond of at all.

In addition, when I rode this ride in December of 2006, I was with a person who is an officer in the Navy. Her job in the Navy was as a watch officer aboard a nuclear powered air craft carrier, and she was nuclear qualified. Now, in order to become qualified for that job, naval personnel have to go through a number of schools, one of which is the Naval Nuclear Power Training Unit (NNPTU). At the site in Charleston, S.C., they have two old ballistic missile submarines berthed in one of the rivers. One of these used to be the USS Daniel Webster, and it's hull number was 626. Funny how certain numbers remind you of things.