3 Surprising Things About Working at Mission: SPACE

By Dustin West

When I signed up for my second Disney College Program in the spring of 2008, I was assigned to work at the attraction Mission: SPACE at Epcot. I was elated and overjoyed. I was working at a major attraction that really sparked my curiosity and interest. Here’s a few of the things I learned about the attraction and about being a cast member at Mission: SPACE.

Fair warning, this article could potentially spoil the “Magic” as it goes into some of the inner workings of the attraction and the responsibilities of the cast members.

1) Most People Have No Clue What the Ride Is

When working at Mission: SPACE, one of the positions you could be working at is the greeter at the front of the attraction. That position is responsible for checking heights and handing out the Green Team and Orange Team launch tickets. However, most of your time there is really spent on describing the attraction to people who have no clue what it is. Even after telling them that it is a simulator with two different intensities, most people still don’t understand. I’ve also found it quite useful to understand the word “spinning” in multiple languages.

If you don’t know, there are 2 ride systems in the building for Mission: SPACE that operate on the original more intense, spinning Orange Team version of the ride. The other 2 operate on the less intense Green Team version. The Green Team is most similar to Star Tours in that it just rocks you back and forth.

Even after people exit the Orange Team version, I’m not sure that they understand exactly what they just experienced. From a guest perspective, you’re sat in a very tight capsule with three other people. The video screen in front of you projects taking off into space, a slingshot around the moon, and a landing on Mars. The sensation you feel is that you are pushed back into your seat. Most people love it and they leave it at that. Here’s what’s really going on…

As you take your seat in the ride vehicle, you may not realize that you’re in one of 10 identical capsules attached to an arm that is attached to a central spinning hub. You’ll have to imagine ten spokes of a wheel. The doors shut and and the floor in the bay outside drops a few feet below you. Your capsule is now free to pivot and rotate. As you’re seemingly blasting off from Earth, the 10 capsules are spinning at around 35 mph creating approximately 2.5 G’s. This is what throws you back in your seat. It’s basically the spinning carnival ride that sticks you against the wall. Again, I’m not sure that most people riding it for the first time know what’s truly going on. I do know however that this does not sit well with some people's stomachs.

2) Code V’s are a Normal Part of Everyday

The building that houses Mission: SPACE is built to handle what cast members call “protein spills” or “Code V’s.” In fact at the exit of both the Orange Team and the Green Team there are “comfort closets’ for those who feel like they may be sick. This is a little room that has an industrial sink with running water and cleaning supplies. Most guests experiencing motion sickness are very thankful for this little known option.

The building is also kept very chilly. Part of this is theming and part of this is about comfort. I’m not exactly sure of the temperature but I’d say it’s somewhere in the low to mid 60's Fahrenheit. Most cast members working there on a hot summer day will be sporting heavy jackets. Keeping the building cool helps prevent a large percent of potential motion sickness. Along the same lines, the ride vehicle is equipped with fans that blow directly into the guests face to keep the temperature down. If you were feeling nauseated, I’m assuming you would rather be really cold than really hot.

At least in my time there, there was a dedicated custodial person available and on call at all times. His major responsibility was to assist in cleaning up any “Code V’s.” I won’t say that “Code V’s” never happened, but I’m not sure that it was an absolute requirement to have a dedicated person for the clean up. I’d also like to point out that in my time working there I never once had to call for emergency assistance. Most guests experiencing motion sickness just need to sit down and cool off.

3) Things Can Get a Little Repetitive

When working at a Walt Disney World attraction, there’s always the chance that you could get stuck in the same position for the better part of a day. That almost goes without saying. I’m not talking about that kind of repetition here. There are some things unique to Mission: SPACE that can get a little old fast.

When I was working there in 2008, the way we rotated our positions kept us in the loading bays for at least an hour and a half to 2 hours at a time. That means you’re listening to Gary Sinise explain the training mission over and over again. The dramatic music cues become second nature to you. You begin quoting the warning spiels in your dreams.

I’ve already mentioned explaining the attraction to people on repeat in the greeter position. As a cast member near the entrance, you’ll also become well versed on President Kennedy's speech about how he wants to send a man to the moon. But the number one thing that becomes a little too repetitive at Mission: SPACE, and I think my fellow ISTC crew members past and present will agree, is a little song called “Destiny.”

At the time I was working at Mission: SPACE there were at least three positions for cast members who stood at the exit of the attraction. It’s very typical to be standing there for a good 45 minutes at a time. All the while “Destiny” is playing a 3 and a half minute loop louder than you can possibly imagine. Some cast members I talked to were able to tune it out. Some of them sang along. But I’d say most were like me; they loathed every second of that music track. Next time you ride Mission: SPACE, try to notice how loud the music is when you exit the attraction. Then imagine standing there for 45 minutes.

At the end of the day, I loved every second of working at Mission: SPACE. I made some great friends along the way. But most importantly my curiosity was never more challenged. I loved all the inner workings of the attraction. That’s what being a Disney fan and becoming a Disney cast member is all about.