How to Enjoy: Mission: SPACE at Epcot in Walt Disney World

Basic Facts about Mission: SPACE 

• Location: East side of Future World in Epcot. Turn right as you enter from the front entrance. Located between the Universe of Energy and Test Track.
• Minimum height: 44 inches. Check your child's height as you enter the queue.
• FASTPASS available. The FASPTASS pick-up station is located right of the queue entrance. Single-rider line may also be available.
• Warnings: Disney strongly cautions those with high blood pressure and those with heart, back or neck problems. This is a very intense attraction. Pregnant women should not ride. (I have a bit of a problem with the small space... If you have concerns, it's recommended that you not ride.)
• Advanced Training Lab: Play area and interactive games. Visit after riding (or for those who don't care to ride) Mission: SPACE.

Tips and Tricks for Enjoying Mission: SPACE 

• Beat the crowds ... Arrive early and head straight to Mission: SPACE.
• Use FASTPASS to reserve a time to ride without having to wait in the long stand-by line.
• If you don't mind being separated from your group, use the Single Rider line. (Single riders fill in spaces in groups with less or more than four people.)
• If you're prone to motion sickness, chose the Green side and take a few antacids while waiting in line. (This is a MUST for me!)
• If you have any concerns about the intensity on Mission: SPACE, choose the Green side. You can always try the Orange side later if you decide that you can handle it! To be safe, allow children only on the Green side.

Your Journey To Mars 

1. Entrance: When you step into the courtyard of Mission: SPACE, you step into the future. Imagine that it's 2036. The courtyard -- Planetary Plaza -- features bold spheres symbolizing Earth, Jupiter and the moon. On the wall of the plaza are plaques bearing quotes from notable figures who exemplify the questing spirit that has led mankind into space. Moving words from President John F. Kennedy, Columbia Shuttle astronaut Kalpana Chawla and others are featured.
2. ISTC Astronaut Recruiting Center: At the entrance to the recruiting center emblazoned in the circular walls is the motto "We choose to go!" You will see the remarkable model of the ISTC's X2 Trainer, the futuristic spacecraft you will board to embark on a one-of-a-kind journey into space.
3. Space Simulation Lab: A slowly turning 35-foot-tall gravity wheel containing exercise rooms, offices, work areas and sleeping cubicles for space teams dominates the area. Overhead, you'll see hangs a model of the ISTC's X-1 spacecraft (a precursor to the X-2) and a graphic of the X-2 with details explaining the shuttle functionality.
   
   Also overhead is a Lunar Roving Vehicle display unit loaned by the Smithsonian Institution's National Air and Space Museum -- a symbol of mankind's first exploration of another planetary body during NASA's Apollo program.
   
   As you leave the Space Simulation Lab, you'll see plaques marking great moments in space flight. You'll be inspired by these images, from 1961 when Yuri Gargarin became the first man in space to the first family in space in the year 2030 and the first deep-space mission aboard the X-2 in 2035.
4. Training Operations Room: The Training Operations Room is the hub of activity for training sessions in progress. Behind the glass are several large monitors showing live video feeds of ongoing ISTC training sessions.
5. Team Dispatch: You'll be greeted by a dispatch officer in this area, which is dominated by an ISTC logo embedded in the floor. The dispatch officer motions your group of astronaut hopefuls forward. You will be assigned to teams of four and sent to the Ready Room.
6. Ready Room: It's time for each team member to accept an assignment -- commander, pilot, navigator or engineer. Each role is responsible for a specific task during the mission, enabling the team to affect what happens during the adventure. Here, you'll meet Capcom. Capcom, or capsule communicator, is the voice of Mission Control who guides astronauts through their missions.
7. Pre-Flight Corridor: The pre-flight corridor is inspired by the "White Room" at Kennedy Space Center, where astronauts wait for the countdown to begin. At Mission: SPACE you will receive final instructions and information from CapCom, who also explains the technology of the X-2 rocket, shows the route of the mission and the destination: Mars. Then, a flight crewmember escorts will escort you to an X-2 trainer. All systems are go!
8. X-2 Trainer: Each member of your team is securely strapped into an X-2 trainer. Mission Control monitors the launch sequence. The capsule moves into launch position, pointed straight up toward the sky, and the countdown begins. Then it's 3... 2... 1... liftoff!
   
   The senses are immediately engaged. On takeoff you will experience sensations similar to what astronauts feel during liftoff. You'll hear the roar of the engines. You'll view computer-generated photo-realistic imagery based on actual data taken from Mars-orbiting satellites.
   
   During the mission, you will encounter challenges like those of an astronaut as you try to successfully complete the mission. Each of your team members must perform the task associated with the roles you have accepted. It's vital to the outcome of the mission.