Men in Black: Alien Attack | |
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Universal Studios Florida | |
Area | World Expo |
Coordinates | 28°28′51.09″N 81°28′2.64″W / 28.4808583°N 81.4674000°WCoordinates: 28°28′51.09″N 81°28′2.64″W / 28.4808583°N 81.4674000°W |
Status | Operating |
Cost | US$70 million |
Opening date | April 14, 2000 |
Replaced |
The Swamp Thing Set (1990 - 1994); Back to the Future Part III Locomotive Display (1994 - 1998) |
General statistics | |
Attraction type | Track-based Interactive dark ride |
Manufacturer | MTS Systems Corporation |
Designer | Universal Creative |
Theme | Men in Black |
Length | 1,090 ft (330 m) |
Site area | 70,000 sq ft (6,500 m2) |
Capacity | 2200 riders per hour |
Vehicles | 44 vehicles. Riders are arranged 3 across in 2 rows for a total of 6 riders per vehicle. |
Duration | 4:20 |
Height restriction | 42 in (107 cm) |
Animatronics |
127 animatronics by:
|
Targets | 7 per animatronic (average) |
Universal Express available
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Single rider line available
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127 animatronics by:
Men in Black: Alien Attack is an interactive dark ride located at Universal Studios Florida in Orlando, Florida. As the name suggests, the ride is based on the 1997 film, Men in Black (MIB). The ride opened in 2000 after a three-year development process. The ride has generally been well received, winning an Outstanding Achievement award from the Themed Entertainment Association.
Riders enter a MIB training facility disguised as a pavilion at the 1964 New York World's Fair. After navigating through a themed queue and pre-show, riders board a spinning dark ride system. Once dispatched, riders are tasked to kill aliens using the supplied laser guns, and subsequently accumulate points. At the time of its opening, the ride was the biggest dark ride ever built at a Universal park, spanning 70,000 square feet (6,500 m2) and featuring over 125 animatronic aliens.
After the release of the first Men in Black (MIB) film in 1997, Universal Creative, the research and development division of Universal Parks & Resorts, set about developing a MIB-themed shooting dark ride for Universal Studios Florida. After the ride system was finalized in mid-1998, construction began on the ride's large show building. By late 1998, sources speculated that a Men in Black-themed attraction would be built. Planning documents filed with Orlando City Hall in March 1999, described an alien-themed laser tag ride, supporting previous rumors. After an official announcement of the $70 million attraction in October 1999,
Men in Black: Alien Attack officially opened to the public on April 14, 2000, in the World Expo area of the park, replacing the Back to the Future Part III Locomotive Display which was relocated two years prior. In 2001, a year after its opening, Men in Black: Alien Attack was awarded a Thea Award for Outstanding Achievement by the Themed Entertainment Association.