Most frequent visitors to Walt Disney World have visited the large greenish building at Downtown Disney’s West Side just out of curiosity, if nothing else. If you’ve ever been to DisneyQuest, then today’s photo tour won’t surprise you. Not much has changed there in the last several years. Sure, the game machines are sometimes moved around and occasionally some games are removed and others brought in to replace them, but for the most part DisneyQuest remains what it always was—a fabulous arcade on steroids.
The marquee of DisneyQuest. Photo by Brian Bennett.
A one-day pass for guests between 3 and 9 years of age now costs $29 plus tax. For guests over 9, the price goes up to $35 per day plus tax. You can purchase a DisneyQuest-only annual pass for $71 and $89 respectively plus tax. Admission to DisneyQuest is included with the Ultimate Park Hopper Ticket and the Premium Annual Pass. You can also use one of your “plus visits” if you have a Magic Your Way Premium Ticket or Magic Your Way Base Ticket with the Magic Plus Pack Option. It’s all so complicated now that I would suggest making sure that your ticket includes DisneyQuest when you buy it if, indeed, you intend to visit DisneyQuest during your vacation.
Once inside, be aware that your admission includes one day and unlimited play of all attractions and games—excluding the “Prize Play Games.” So what does your admission give you? Hours of fun and enjoyment would be my answer. DisneyQuest is so full of fun things to see and do that your time will fly! For one thing, DisneyQuest is packed with arcade games and rides of the very highest caliber. Themed rides such as the Star Wars fighter game and the pod racers are great examples.
Based on the fighters from Star Wars Episodes I, II, and III, this game is a fabulous flight simulator. Photo by Brian Bennett.
If you ever wanted to drive Anakin’s pod racer (or perhaps one of his rival’s machines), here is your chance. Photo by Brian Bennett.
The Tatooine landscape is unmistakable on these screen shots. Photo by Brian Bennett.
The Tatooine landscape is unmistakable on these screen shots. Photo by Brian Bennett.
Nintendo’s Mario games are scattered around the building.
Race with Mario and the gang with much more realism than on GameCube. Photo by Brian Bennett.
As are several fantastic vehicle rides such as this bank of snowmobiles.
The good thing about these snowmobiles is that you don’t get any broken bones when you crash. Photo by Brian Bennett.
Around the five-story building, some areas have a collection of similarly themed games such as the sports arcade.
From basketball to fishing, you can find it all in the sports arcade. Photo by Brian Bennett.
Beware, however, that there are many games scattered throughout the building that are definitely for the older kids or even adults in your group. The “Underground Arcade” on the third floor, especially, has some games that are particularly violent. You won’t want your younger children running around playing without supervision. (Besides, all children under the age of 10 are required to be accompanied by at least a 16-year-old chaparone.)
Ivy could use an extra layer of clothing. Photo by Brian Bennett.
However, to be fair, DisneyQuest does have a lot of kid-friendly games including some shooting games that are based on a circus theme. In this game, kids shoot inanimate objects rather than flesh-and-blood targets.
Shooting inanimate objects is more the style for younger kids. Photo by Brian Bennett.
Down on the first floor across from the Virtual Jungle Cruise is a bank of safari games where the object is to capture various animals for tagging purposes. My own boys, ages 9 and 6, could play this particular game for hours if I’d let them. Of course, we don’t because other people are waiting for the games and it’s only fair to give others a turn after awhile.
This is your chance to robe a zebra or a rhino without the smell of the real thing. Photo by Brian Bennett.
Up on the fourth floor is the Kid’s Zone where games designed for children between ages 2 and 7 years are available.
Basketball and skee ball have been downsized for the younger kids in the Kid’s Zone. Photo by Brian Bennett.
My favorite areas of DisneyQuest are the classic games arcades. There is one on the third floor and another on the fifth that are chock-full of the classic games one which I spent, roughly calculating, several hundreds of dollars during my high-school and college years. It’s sad to note that games I played not-so-long-ago are now considered classics. On the other hand, I’m also shocked to realize that my twenty-fifth high-school reunion is this year.
A view of one of the two classic games arcades. Photo by Brian Bennett.
Featuring Asteroids. Photo by Brian Bennett.
Battlezone is a personal favorite. Photo by Brian Bennett.
Centipede is another classic. Photo by Brian Bennett.
Donkey Kong was my college roommate’s favorite. Photo by Brian Bennett.
I never could get the hang of letting them capture one of my ships in Galaga. Photo by Brian Bennett.
Houston, the Eagle has crashed… again, and again, and again. Photo by Brian Bennett.
Qbert is the one where the guy bounces up and down in the corner all day long, right? Photo by Brian Bennett.
A Disney classic, Tron. Photo by Brian Bennett.
Zaxxon still is a crowd pleaser even after 20-plus years. Photo by Brian Bennett.
Besides the classic games, there are several other great games in DisneyQuest. Some, like air hockey, pit two opponents against each other. Others, like the Pinball Slam, have 10 or more players.
These air hockey tables have just recently been put together on the fourth floor. Photo by Brian Bennett.
Boom-a-Rang is a little twist on the typical air hockey game. This one is located in the sports arcade on the fourth floor.
It’s all in the wrist, but beware the ricochet. Photo by Brian Bennett.
The Daytona racing games are so popular that a regular queue has been set up to handle the crowds. Other racing and driving games (such as the Mario Cart game we saw earlier) are located in this same part of the third floor.
If driving is your sport, this is your game. Photo by Brian Bennett.
If hockey, without the fist-fights, is more to your liking, check out the Might Ducks Pinball Slam. (Guests under 48 inches tall must see a cast member for assistance.)
Only Disney could turn an NHL franchise into a pinball game. Photo by Brian Bennett.
It’s every man (or woman) for himself once the puck is dropped.. Photo by Brian Bennett.
Also on the third floor is one of the attractions that DisneyQuest is best known for. Buzz Lightyear’s Astro-Blasters is part bumper car and part Millenium Falcon without the hyperdrive. It’s always a fun time, though you have to be at least 51 inches tall to ride.
Astro Blasters is one of the most popular attractions at DisneyQuest. Photo by Brian Bennett.
When you successfully shoot an opponent’s vehicle, they spin out of control for several seconds… before they come after you to pay you back. Photo by Brian Bennett.
Hmm… I never noticed the two-story-sized alien on the wall when playing Astro Blasters. Photo by Brian Bennett.
It’s pretty crowded in there, so make sure you get clear and make every shot count! Photo by Brian Bennett.
A large part of DisneyQuest—actually most of the second floor—is called the Create Zone. The Create Zone is aptly named, as a place where you can work on several different types of creative projects including animation, music, and more. The “Living Easels” are computer graphics stations designed to let the creative juices flow and for you to make up your very own masterpiece. You’ll have to repeatedly swipe your admission media to gain access to the easels, but you won’t have to pay unless you want to take a photograph of your work home with you. In that case, you’ll have to pay $5 for the privilege.
You can create your own artwork on the “Living Easels.” Photo by Brian Bennett.
“Radio Disney Songmaker” is a music creation attraction. For $12, if you choose to purchase a CD of your efforts, you can put together your own versions of some popular music.
Future American Idols can strut their stuff in the “Radio Disney Songmaker” booths. Photo by Brian Bennett.
Sid’s Create-A-Toy, inspired by the twisted, scary contraptions of Toy Story, are stations that allow you to create your own toy. If you’re as sick as Sid and want to keep a memento of your evil manipulations, a $10 fee will allow you to take it home with you.
Twisted, macabre toys-r-us at Sid’s Create-A-Toy. Photo by Brian Bennett.
One of the most popular Create Zone attractions, though, is the Animation Academy, where a Disney artist walks you, step-by-step, through the process of drawing one of the most popular Disney characters. From noon to 11:00 p.m. (most nights), every 45 minutes or so, a new 30-minute class begins. You can buy a copy of your work for only $5 or you can purchase a copy and a special collectible pin as a memento for a total of $12.
A group of diligent artists draw Mickey Mouse at a mid-afternoon Animation Academy session. Photo by Brian Bennett.
But the ultimate experience in the Create Zone, you have to visit the CyberSpace Mountain attraction, which we’ll discuss in just a moment. But first, a little recap of our experiences so far: DisneyQuest provides arcade games and rides of the very highest caliber. Several areas throughout the building are specially themed arcade areas such as the sports arcade, the Kid’s Zone where games designed for children between two and seven, and the classic games arcades. Some of the most popular attractions include the Daytona racing simulators, the Might Ducks Pinball Slam, Buzz Lightyear’s Astro-Blasters, and the various attractions in the Create Zone.
So how do you top all of that? Two words: Virtual reality. In addition to being a fabulous game arcade, DisneyQuest is the home to some of the best virtual reality games ever made available for public enjoyment. A good example, at the lower end of the thrill spectrum, is the Mad Wave Motion Theater simulators. These machines provide a pair of riders with a really fun motion experience.
Pick your experience, from a roller coaster ride to an automobile race. Photo by Brian Bennett.
Up a notch are a pair of attractions that use face masks with virtual reality screens built in them to provide a very life-like experience. Here’s a view of that hardware as seen on one of the “Ride the Comix” attractions.
The mask and the built-in screens and sound system provide an incredible life-like experience. Photo by Brian Bennett.
In “Ride the Comix,” you are provided with a weapon and—through the virtual reality mask hardware—a bunch of bad guys to take out. Keep in mind that this is a very intense attraction. Some children may find it too authentic.
Ride the Comix is your opportunity to fight for truth, justice, and the American way! Photo by Brian Bennett.
Several DisneyQuest guests “Ride the Comix.” Photo by Brian Bennett.
Another attraction that uses the identical technology, but is a bit less intense, is Aladdin’s Magic Carpet Ride. Instead of going around fighting bad guys, the goal of this attraction is to find the magic lamp in the Cave of Wonders. You really do get to fly the magic carpet in this thing. If you want to go left, you’ll go left. If you want to go right, you’ll go right. If you want… well, you get the idea. This is completely a guest-driven attraction (at least you’ll feel like it is).
Aladdin’s Magic Carpet Ride provides a fabulous virtual reality experience. Photo by Brian Bennett.
Another virtual reality attraction is the Virtual Jungle Cruise. In this attraction, you and a group of up to four people paddle your way along the Jungle Cruise attraction at Walt Disney World’s Magic Kingdom (you can even see the castle in the background). Of course, just to spice things up a bit, a little bit of a detour takes you back to the time of the dinosaurs and the Jungle Cruise gets crossed with Jurassic Park.
The Jungle Cruise gets crossed with Jurassic Park in this fun attraction. Photo by Brian Bennett.
Pirates of the Caribbean: the Battle for Buccaneer Gold is another very popular DisneyQuest attraction. In this one, groups of up to six or so folks work together to first steal as much treasure from the treasure fleet as possible… and then in turn must protecg your spoils from a ghostly pirate that is determined to have it for himself. This is probably the one attraction that most DisneyQuest guests remember most fondly when they think back to a visit they’ve made here. Keep in mind the 35-inch height minimum for this attraction.
In Pirates of the Caribbean: the Battle for Buccaneer Gold, you and your mates take on the treasure fleet and some nasty pirates. Photo by Brian Bennett.
Invasion, located way up on the fifth floor, is a fantastic attraction but is so far from everything else that is usually isn’t as crowded as other parts of DisneyQuest.
This attraction is designed around a rescue operation for some colonists whose settlement on some distant planet has been overrun by alien invaders. It’s your team’s job to find the missing colonists and get them aboard your transport as you fight your way through the alien hordes. Bring back as many of those wretched souls as you can! After all, if the situation was reversed you wouldn’t want them to leave you behind, would you?
Invasion is a four-person attraction that completely surrounds you. Photo by Brian Bennett.
But the biggest and best virtual reality attraction at DisneyQuest is Cyberspace Mountain, located in the Create Zone.
You can ride your own roller coaster on Cyberspace Mountain. Photo by Brian Bennett.
It is here that you and a friend can design your own roller coaster and then jump into a 3D motion simulator and ride your own creation… but only if you’re at least 51 inches tall
DisneyQuest’s Cyberspace Mountain. Photo by Brian Bennett.
After creating your design, you get in line at the launch bay. When it’s your turn, you climb into a simulator and ride your coaster.
DisneyQuest’s Cyberspace Mountain. Photo by Brian Bennett.
A simulator unit outside DisneyQuest provides a pretty good picture of what the simulators look like… but you have to ride one yourself to get an idea of how seriously they reproduce your design.
This picture shows the Cyberspace Mountain simulator outside the building. The red cylinder in the center is the simulator capsule where you ride your coaster. Photo by Brian Bennett.
Since DisneyQuest is pretty much open all day, it’s nice to know that there are a couple of places up on the fourth and fifth floors where you can buy a bite to eat. FoodQuest up on the fifth floor has burgers, hot dogs, wrapped sandwiches, pizza, and pasta. The prices are Disney theme park-steep, so you may want to plan to leave the building when you’re hungry and return later in the day. Beverage prices (for a soda) range from $1.95 for a small all the way up to $2.95 for an extra large. A cheeseburger is $5.95 and another $1 will allow you to add a side of fries. A quarter-pound hot dog is $3.95. Chicken strips with fries come in at a very reasonable $6.95. A slice of pepperoni pizza will set you back $3.95 and a plate of linguini with meat sauce is $6.50.
On the fourth floor, one level down from FoodQuest, is the Wonderland Cafe, operated by the Cheesecake Factory. If FoodQuest is the MacDonald’s of DisneyQuest, then the Wonderland Cafe is the Starbucks of DisneyQuest.
The two food venues have some interesting seating areas like this one for the Wonderland Cafe on the fourth floor. Photo by Brian Bennett.
In addition to regular coffee at $1.75 for the small and $1.95 for the medium and a cafe latte at $2.95 for the small and $3.75 for the medium; you can order up a piece of specialty cheesecake for $4.95 to $5.95 a slice, ice cream, a mud pie (cake and ice cream dessert), sundaes, cakes, brownies, and more!
There’s a cheesecake for every palate at the Cheesecake Factory’s Wonderland Cafe. Photo by Brian Bennett.
Brownies, anyone? Photo by Brian Bennett.
This piece of Snickers Bar Cheesecake had my name written all over it. Unfortunately, I didn’t have time to partake this visit so I’ll have to do so next time. Photo by Brian Bennett.
And now, we get the conclusion of the matter. Is DisneyQuest worth dropping $35 for a single day? For anyone with an interest in computer gaming, I have to say yes. In fact, my boys and I visit DisneyQuest quite frequently now that we have premium passes. Whenever my wife has a schedule conflict, and it happens to high school volleyball coaches every so often, the boys and I go make an evening of it. With so much to choose from, every visit can be unique. The arcade games are fun to play and the attractions are sufficiently unique that they’re almost worth the price of admission all by themselves.
A visit to DisneyQuest can be a fabulous experience, but wait until the kids are old enough to be on their own. Photo by Brian Bennett.
