Beauty and the Beast - Live on Stage

Location:  Sunset Boulevard

Ride Type:  Musical

Capacity:  1500 guests

Fastpass?  No

Minimum Height:  None

Summary:  This attraction is a 25 minute Broadway style musical based on the 1991 Disney movie "Beauty and the Beast".  The storyline has been compressed but the music hasn't been - all of your favorite songs from the movie are included in this musical show.  All of the actors are live, and the action is magical.  Enjoy watching Belle, Beast, Gaston, Maurice, and all of the enchanted castle servants tell the classic story for your entertainment.

Comments:  Even though many children are familiar with the movie, there are times when the action on stage may be overwhelming to children.  As with most shows, if you are not sure how your child may react, speak with a cast member about sitting close to an exit in case you need to leave early.  At 25 minutes, plus waiting time, the show may be too long for younger children.

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Rock 'n' Roller Coaster Starring Aerosmith

Location:  Sunset Boulevard

Ride Type:  Inverted Roller Coaster

Passengers:  2 per row, 24 per car

Fastpass?  Yes

Minimum Height:  48 inches minimum to ride

Summary:  Live the life of a rock band roadie in this high speed thrill ride.  During the pre-show, you find out that the rock band, Aerosmith, is late for their concert.  If you want your backstage passes, you have to get across town pronto.  The band helps you out by ordering you a super-stretch limo, and you're off into the wild Los Angeles traffic.  The ride vehicle is equipped with over-the-shoulder restraints because this is one of the few Disney rides that is inverted.  When you launch, you go zero-to-sixty miles per hour in less than 3 seconds using a unique launch system.  The ride corkscrews, inverts, and loops it's way through the Los Angeles freeway system at night.  The entire ride is synchronized to a soundtrack of classic Aerosmith tunes.

Comments:  This is an overstimulating high speed roller-coaster, and may not be suitable for children with autism.  Except for the pre-show and launch area, the ride is totally dark, with brief flashes of light as freeway signs streak by.  The rock music is loud and comes from your seat, which can be too much for audio-sensitive children.  The rollercoaster reaches a top speed fo 57 miles per hour, and averages about 30 miles per hour during the rest of the ride.  The ride goes upside-down twice, and has tight turns and high G-forces.  Children may be uncomfortable with the over-the-shoulder restraint system.  We recommend that an adult in your party evaluate the ride first to determine if it's appropriate for your child.

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The Great Movie Ride

Location:  Hollywood Blvd

Ride Type:  Indoor Tram Ride with Audio-Animatronics

Passengers:  6 to row

Fastpass?  No

Minimum Height:  None

Summary:  The Great Movie Ride is an audio-animatronic journey through scenes from many classic Hollywood films.  While waiting in line to board the tram, a movie screen plays a montage of film clips from decades of movies.  Once seated on the tram, your live character guide takes you into the movie scenes.  A few scenes in and the tram is hijacked by a renegade actor (a ganster or a cowboy) who calmly takes over the narration.  During the ride you'll see audio-animatronic scenes from such classics as "Casablanca", "The Wizard of Oz", "Mary Poppins", "Raiders of the Lost Ark", and "Alien" (one of the most frightening scenes in the ride).

Comments:  This is an intense attraction filled with lots of sensory stimulation.  In addition to the overlapping narration and audio from the movie scenes, there is at least one explosion and an intense fire (you can feel the heat as you pass by).  The ride is "hijacked", during which gunfire is exchanged.  The scene from the movie "Alien" is very dark and frightening as the Alien attacks from overhead.  The ride is about twenty minutes long, and once started you cannot get off.  We recommend you preview the ride before taking your child with autism on it to ensure it is appropriate for them.

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Images:

To see The Great Movie Ride Image Gallery, click here

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The Twilight Zone of Tower of Terror

Location:  Sunset Boulevard

Ride Type:  Free Fall Thrill Ride

Passengers:  7 per Row and 3 Rows per Elevator

Fastpass?  Yes

Minimum Height:  40 inches minimum to ride

Summary:  Based on the classic TV show "The Twilight Zone", this ride is themed around the abandoned Hollywood Tower Hotel, which has recently re-opened for business.  In 1939, five guests disappeared in a freak accident.  Will you suffer the same fate?  As you work your way through the ride line, you learn more about the tragedy from long ago.  Eventually, your are encouraged to ride a rusty old service elevator up to the 13th floor.  Your elevator is pushed forward, following the ghosts of the lost elevator passengers.  Eventually, the ride freefalls down, and then is lifted back up again, and again, and again, using a unique system that actually pulls you down faster than the speed of gravity (and invoking a weightless sensation as you fall).  Each ride is unique, and offers a unique view of the park when doors suddenly open during your free-fall experience.

Comments:  This ride is not only an extreme thrill ride, but is themed with an eerie and creepy feel.  Children may not understand that what they are seeing is make-believe.  This can be an overstimulating ride, and very frightening for children of all ages and abilities.  The ride is physically demanding with the free-fall experience.  We recommend that you have an adult in your party pre-view the ride to determine if it is appropriate for your child.

Hidden Mickeys: COMING SOON

Josh Rating:

Images:

To see Tower of Terror Image Gallery, click here

Video from YouTube:

Disclaimer: This video is the sole intellectual property of the YouTube contributor, and not WDWAutism.com. We thank the contributor for their posting.