DisneyQuest Cybrolator - Dec. 25, 2009 - Downtown Disney West Side

When both parents work in the theme park industry it is likely that one of them will be working on Christmas. While my wife was at work Christmas morning I took the kids out to DisneyQuest as we waited. I got to experience DisneyQuest during the cast member previews in May 1998, back when you had to scan a Premiere Card to access all the games and rides.

The concept of DisneyQuest was for it to be an indoor theme park with virtual rides and games which the company could put in major cities. The first five-story DisneyQuest complex officially opened on June 19, 1998, in Walt Disney World. The second one opened in Chicago a year later in 1999. Even though the Chicago location was profitable for the company, it still had low attendance and didn’t make as much money as Disney wanted, so after two years it was shut down. Any future plans of other DisneyQuest locations (Philadelphia, Disneyland, Toronto) were abandoned. On July 2, 2017 DisneyQuest closed and the building was demolished to make way for the NBA Experience.

In this home video you will see…
Exterior shot of the 100,000 square foot DisneyQuest building.
Front entrance on floor one.
Cybrolator to the Ventureport (third floor). Genie from Aladdin (voiced by Dan Castellaneta) is your guide for the 45 second ride. You can see him on the side wall of the cybrolator. They removed Genie in 2011, and then it was just a regular boring elevator. When you exit the cybrolator you can see the different zones (floors) to go to.
Kids Area. Since I had two toddlers with me (in 2009) we hung out in the Kids Area playing children’s games. Down below you can see Buzz Lightyear’s AstroBlaster.

DisneyQuest history:

FLOOR 1
Hercules in the Underworld. Six players are different characters from Hercules and they control their character by joystick, collecting lightning bolts. I never played this.
Pirates of the Caribbean: Battle For Buccaneer Gold. This replaced Hercules and it was a must-do whenever my family went to DisneyQuest. One player controls a pirate ship while the other players work the cannons shooting ships, ghosts, and sea monsters.
Virtual Jungle Cruise. Based on the Jungle Cruise ride, guests in an inflatable raft can choose which path they take by paddling their virtual raft. This lasted from opening to closing.
Treasure of the Incas. This was a cool maze under the glass floor of the Explore Zone where guests could drive remote control trucks and see the front view of the truck on a video screen near their steering wheel. This attraction lasted around 9 years and the glass floor was removed and riding safari games took that spot around 2007.

FLOOR 2
Radio Disney Song Maker. Make your own CD, and you could buy it at the Guest Gallery. My wife did this once.
Animation Academy. 30 minute animation class where guests draw on computer screens. The drawing could be purchased later.
Living Easels. Guests can use a touch screen to put objects with different backgrounds and then buy their picture.
Sid’s Create-a-Toy. Put toy pieces together to make a strange toy creation and then buy it later.
Magic Mirror. Guests take a picture of themselves and then edit their face. This was removed in 2005 and seating took its place.
CyberSpace Mountain. The most exciting thing to do at DisneyQuest. At a kiosk you can design your own roller coaster, with Bill Nye the Coaster Guy as your guide. Then you go in a simulator and ride the coaster you designed. It could spin and go upside down and everything.
Aladdin’s Magic Carpet Ride. Guests wear a head-mounted display (HMD) and fly though Agrabah collecting gems. I found it weird you could talk to the other riders through the headset.

FLOOR 3
Cave of Wonders Slide. There was only one time I got to take the slide from the third floor to the first. This only lasted a year.
Mighty Ducks Pinball Slam. 12 players stand on platforms each becoming a pinball in a virtual game which is shown on a large screen.
Buzz Lightyear’s AstroBlaster. Another must-do, guests ride in bumper cars that can shoot other cars making them spin.
Classic Games. A line of vintage arcade games. Also on floor 5.
Underground Arcade. More recent arcade games.
Daytona USA. This was renamed “Race Zone” and featured a ton of racing video games.

FLOOR 4
Ride the Comix. In this virtual reality game players wear an HMD and fight comic villains using a laser sword. This is amusing to watch from the side, as people wave fake swords into the air. This attraction was also on the fifth floor, and the fourth floor was used for busy days.
Sports Arena Arcade. Sports themed games like basketball.
MidWay on the Moon. Ticket redemption games, prizes removed in 2005.
Kids Area. Video games for younger guests.
Wonderland Cafe. Internet cafe.

FLOOR 5
Invasion! An ExtraTERRORestrial Alien Encounter. One player drives a rescue vehicle while three others shoot at aliens.
FoodQuest. A quick service food court which used to have a Cheesecake Factory Express.