Stitch's Great Escape!
Encyclopedia
Stitch's Great Escape! is a Tomorrowland
attraction at the Magic Kingdom
theme park within the Walt Disney World Resort
. It is a "theater-in-the-round" experience starring the title alien from Walt Disney Pictures
' 2002 animated comedy
Lilo & Stitch
. It opened November 16, 2004 and is the fourth attraction to occupy the site in Tomorrowland
. Many of the animator
s who worked on Lilo & Stitch partnered with Walt Disney Imagineering
for Stitch's Great Escape!
), Captain Gantu gives an alert of a Level 3 prisoner being beamed to the Center. Guests are then instructed by Pleakley over a communicator to proceed to the Level 3 prisoner teleportation chamber.
After being seated, shoulder restraints come down onto the guests' shoulders and the prisoner is then beamed into the chamber via a large plume of smoke and is revealed to be Stitch. After a brief period of puzzled talking by Gantu and his two assistants, Stitch uses the flaws of the armed laser cannons (the cannons follow and destroy any genetic material, including saliva) and disables all power to escape, causing mass (happy) chaos in the crowd. During this period, hydraulic pumps and small hoses in the shoulder restraints make it seem as if Stitch is jumping on guests' shoulders and tickling their heads. Also, Stitch devours a chili dog and burps - accompanied by a foul smell effect being released into the chamber - and destroys a cell phone, once again reminding the guests of the rules about eating or drinking in the theater or the use of electronic devices in the theater. When the power comes back on, the laser cannons continue their attempt to bring Stitch down. Again using the cannons' fatal flaws, he manages to fire the laser cannons into the crowd. Shortly after using the diversion, he escapes to Walt Disney World Resort
in Florida
. Cameras capture him traversing either Tomorrowland
's Astro Orbiter or Cinderella Castle
(where Stitch gets into the castle by claiming to be Prince Charming from Cinderella
. Stitch crawls in. Off-camera, Cinderella
realizes that Stitch is not her prince, and kicks him out of the chamber). The audience is then released from their duty and exit into one of two gift shops—Merchant of Venus or Mickey's Star Traders.
, including the comical alien Skippy in the preshow area. The 39-inch Audio-Animatronic Stitch figure built by Imagineering reportedly is one of the most complex creations of its size. Stitch is also the first audio-animatronic to spit water. Other special effects include binaural sound
, simulated laser cannons and a pungent smell (that of a chilidog, which lampoons the rule about bringing food and drink into the theater).
Tomorrowland
- Tomorrowland 1955–1967 :The first Tomorrowland opened at Disneyland on July 18, 1955, with only several of its planned attractions open, due to budget cuts. The construction of the park was rushed, so Tomorrowland was the last land to be finished. It became something of a corporate showcase,...
attraction at the Magic Kingdom
Magic Kingdom
Magic Kingdom Park is one of four theme parks at the Walt Disney World Resort located near Orlando, Florida. The first park built at the resort, Magic Kingdom opened Oct. 1, 1971. Designed and built by WED Enterprises, the park's layout and attractions are similar to Disneyland in Anaheim, California...
theme park within the Walt Disney World Resort
Walt Disney World Resort
Walt Disney World Resort , is the world's most-visited entertaimental resort. Located in Lake Buena Vista, Florida ; approximately southwest of Orlando, Florida, United States, the resort covers an area of and includes four theme parks, two water parks, 23 on-site themed resort hotels Walt...
. It is a "theater-in-the-round" experience starring the title alien from Walt Disney Pictures
Walt Disney Pictures
Walt Disney Pictures is an American film studio owned by The Walt Disney Company. Walt Disney Pictures and Television, a subsidiary of the Walt Disney Studios and the main production company for live-action feature films within the Walt Disney Motion Pictures Group, based at the Walt Disney...
' 2002 animated comedy
Comedy
Comedy , as a popular meaning, is any humorous discourse or work generally intended to amuse by creating laughter, especially in television, film, and stand-up comedy. This must be carefully distinguished from its academic definition, namely the comic theatre, whose Western origins are found in...
Lilo & Stitch
Lilo & Stitch
This article is about the movie. For the television series, see Lilo & Stitch: The Series.Lilo & Stitch is a 2002 American animated feature produced by Walt Disney Feature Animation and released on June 21, 2002...
. It opened November 16, 2004 and is the fourth attraction to occupy the site in Tomorrowland
Tomorrowland
- Tomorrowland 1955–1967 :The first Tomorrowland opened at Disneyland on July 18, 1955, with only several of its planned attractions open, due to budget cuts. The construction of the park was rushed, so Tomorrowland was the last land to be finished. It became something of a corporate showcase,...
. Many of the animator
Animator
An animator is an artist who creates multiple images that give an illusion of movement called animation when displayed in rapid sequence; the images are called frames and key frames. Animators can work in a variety of fields including film, television, video games, and the internet. Usually, an...
s who worked on Lilo & Stitch partnered with Walt Disney Imagineering
Walt Disney Imagineering
Walt Disney Imagineering is the design and development arm of the Walt Disney Company, responsible for the creation and construction of Disney theme parks worldwide...
for Stitch's Great Escape!
Plot
The experience takes place in the Galactic Federation Prisoner Teleport Center. Guests have been recruited by The Grand Councilwoman to be guards for the Galactic Federation. After being taught the basic procedures of guard duty and the classification of prisoner hazard levels by a robot sergeant (and a brief, but comical, reprisal of Skippy from The ExtraTERRORestrial Alien EncounterExtraTERRORestrial Alien Encounter
ExtraTERRORestrial Alien Encounter was a "theater-in-the-round" attraction in the Tomorrowland section of the Magic Kingdom themepark at Walt Disney World Resort...
), Captain Gantu gives an alert of a Level 3 prisoner being beamed to the Center. Guests are then instructed by Pleakley over a communicator to proceed to the Level 3 prisoner teleportation chamber.
After being seated, shoulder restraints come down onto the guests' shoulders and the prisoner is then beamed into the chamber via a large plume of smoke and is revealed to be Stitch. After a brief period of puzzled talking by Gantu and his two assistants, Stitch uses the flaws of the armed laser cannons (the cannons follow and destroy any genetic material, including saliva) and disables all power to escape, causing mass (happy) chaos in the crowd. During this period, hydraulic pumps and small hoses in the shoulder restraints make it seem as if Stitch is jumping on guests' shoulders and tickling their heads. Also, Stitch devours a chili dog and burps - accompanied by a foul smell effect being released into the chamber - and destroys a cell phone, once again reminding the guests of the rules about eating or drinking in the theater or the use of electronic devices in the theater. When the power comes back on, the laser cannons continue their attempt to bring Stitch down. Again using the cannons' fatal flaws, he manages to fire the laser cannons into the crowd. Shortly after using the diversion, he escapes to Walt Disney World Resort
Walt Disney World Resort
Walt Disney World Resort , is the world's most-visited entertaimental resort. Located in Lake Buena Vista, Florida ; approximately southwest of Orlando, Florida, United States, the resort covers an area of and includes four theme parks, two water parks, 23 on-site themed resort hotels Walt...
in Florida
Florida
Florida is a state in the southeastern United States, located on the nation's Atlantic and Gulf coasts. It is bordered to the west by the Gulf of Mexico, to the north by Alabama and Georgia and to the east by the Atlantic Ocean. With a population of 18,801,310 as measured by the 2010 census, it...
. Cameras capture him traversing either Tomorrowland
Tomorrowland
- Tomorrowland 1955–1967 :The first Tomorrowland opened at Disneyland on July 18, 1955, with only several of its planned attractions open, due to budget cuts. The construction of the park was rushed, so Tomorrowland was the last land to be finished. It became something of a corporate showcase,...
's Astro Orbiter or Cinderella Castle
Cinderella Castle
Cinderella Castle is the fairy tale castle at the center of two Disney theme parks: the Magic Kingdom at the Walt Disney World Resort, and Tokyo Disneyland at the Tokyo Disney Resort. Both serve as worldwide recognized icons and the flagship attraction for their respective theme parks.-Inspiration...
(where Stitch gets into the castle by claiming to be Prince Charming from Cinderella
Cinderella (1950 film)
Cinderella is a 1950 American animated film produced by Walt Disney and based on the fairy tale "Cendrillon" by Charles Perrault. Twelfth in the Walt Disney Animated Classics series, the film had a limited release on February 15, 1950 by RKO Radio Pictures. Directing credits go to Clyde Geronimi,...
. Stitch crawls in. Off-camera, Cinderella
Cinderella (Disney character)
Cinderella is a fictional character and is the main protagonist from Disney's twelfth animated film Cinderella and its two sequels. In the original film she is voiced by the late Ilene Woods...
realizes that Stitch is not her prince, and kicks him out of the chamber). The audience is then released from their duty and exit into one of two gift shops—Merchant of Venus or Mickey's Star Traders.
Voice cast of the ride
- Sergeant 90210 — Richard KindRichard KindRichard John Kind is an American actor known for his roles in the sitcoms Mad About You and Spin City .- Early life :...
- Stitch — Chris Sanders
- Captain Gantu — Kevin Michael RichardsonKevin Michael RichardsonKevin Michael Richardson is an American actor and voice actor who currently stars as Cleveland Brown, Jr. in The Cleveland Show...
- Pleakley — Kevin McDonaldKevin McDonaldKevin Hamilton McDonald is a Canadian comedian and actor, known as a member of the Canadian sketch comedy group The Kids in the Hall.-Early life:...
- Grand Councilwoman — Zoe CaldwellZoe CaldwellZoe Caldwell, OBE is an Australian-born actress.-Early life:She was born as Ada Caldwell in Melbourne, Australia and was raised in the suburb of Balwyn in Yongala Street. Her father, Edgar, was a plumber and her mother, Zoe, was a taxi dancer. Caldwell's mother, Zoe, had a Peugeot of 1950 vintage...
Technology
The attraction includes much of the technology and sets from its predecessor, the ExtraTERRORestrial Alien EncounterExtraTERRORestrial Alien Encounter
ExtraTERRORestrial Alien Encounter was a "theater-in-the-round" attraction in the Tomorrowland section of the Magic Kingdom themepark at Walt Disney World Resort...
, including the comical alien Skippy in the preshow area. The 39-inch Audio-Animatronic Stitch figure built by Imagineering reportedly is one of the most complex creations of its size. Stitch is also the first audio-animatronic to spit water. Other special effects include binaural sound
Binaural recording
Binaural recording is a method of recording sound that uses two microphones, arranged with the intent to create a 3-D stereo sound sensation for the listener of actually being in the room with the performers or instruments. This effect is often created using a technique known as "Dummy head...
, simulated laser cannons and a pungent smell (that of a chilidog, which lampoons the rule about bringing food and drink into the theater).