“It’s Better Than Cosmic Rewind.” OK, Does This Disney Hot Take Take Things TOO Far?

Was getting rid of this Magic Kingdom ride a MASSIVE mistake by Disney?

Disney World is no stranger to defunct attractions, and while some fade away into the annals of history, others like The Great Movie Ride are still fondly remembered — even aggressively so — to this day. However, one controversial defunct attraction was brought up by one of our readers, and they made a pretty bold claim that we just had to share with you!

We recently asked our readers on Facebook, “What’s your most underrated Disney World favorite — the one you’ll always defend, even if no one else gets it?” It’s safe to say we heard some pretty hot takes…

Reader Shane wrote, “Okay, I think I’m about to be king of the hill, because I think Stitch’s Great Escape is the greatest attraction Disney has ever made! Am I biased because Stitch is my favorite? Yes. Do I think his only attraction in the United States was overhated? Absolutely. I’ll go even farther and say it’s better than Cosmic Rewind! Yes I’m that crazy! While I will die on this hill, I’ll go even farther and say that Test Track is overrated no matter what version you rode, but I would rather ride it than climb up the most overrated and pointless attraction in Walt Disney World, Swiss Family Treehouse!”

Wow, that is bold. Shane also added, “As far as underrated? I think Under the Sea: Journey of the Little Mermaid is most underrated, lately it’s had 5 minute or even 0 minute waits! I don’t get it! I think it deserves more foot traffic, and Winnie the Pooh is eating it up like a full pot of hunny! LOL”

But let’s focus on the first claim. Stitch’s Great Escape! was a “theater-in-the-round” attraction based on the Lilo & Stitch franchise that detailed Stitch’s first prison escape. Located in Tomorrowland, this attraction replaced the Extraterrorestrial Alien Encounter.

Stitch’s Great Escape was met with mixed responses and was in operation from November 16th, 2004, until January 6th, 2018.  The attraction was meant to create a more family-friendly experience compared to the former host of the building and became infamous for its chili dog burp that made some guests nauseous.

This attraction punk’d guests with 4D effects like water sprays and smells, and featured plenty of jokes to go along with these special effects.

On the surface, is Stitch’s Great Escape! better than EPCOT’s Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind? Probably not…that is, until you start looking at it from a different point of view.

Cosmic Rewind is certainly a thrill ride — one of Disney’s best. But what if you’re prone to motion sickness, or don’t like roller coasters and thrill rides? Then it’s probably not for you.

Enter Stitch’s Great Escape!. If you love Lilo & Stitch, funny jokes, fun effects, and don’t mind some…umm, odd… smells…then this defunct attraction was probably a winner for you, like it was for so many others. A unique attraction based on an under-loved IP (at least within the United States), Stitch’s Great Escape’s absence is still felt to this day.

Of course, there were tons of other answers to our prompt, as well! We saw the Carousel of Progress, PeopleMover, Journey Into Imagination with Figment, Gran Fiesta Tour, and Hall of Presidents show up quite a bit. These relaxing attractions are great for when you’re looking for some education, air conditioning, or a quick rest — so we totally agree about them being underrated!

We also saw some rides that like to jostle you around pop up, like Mission: SPACE — Orange and Star Tours! Hey, sometimes these bumpy rides get a bad rep, so it’s good to be reminded that lots of people still enjoy them!

We got over hundreds of responses, and we’d love to hear what you think! Let us know what you think is the most underrated Disney World ride in the comments below, and continue to follow us here at AllEars for the latest Disney World coverage!

5 Defunct Disney World Rides We REFUSE To Stop Talking About

In the debate of Stitch’s Great Escape! and Cosmic Rewind, which attraction are you picking for the win? Let us know in the comments!

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