Men in Black: Alien Attack

The entrance of the ride with the sign

***Men in Black: Alien Attack*** is an interactive dark thrill ride located in the World Expo section of Universal Studios Florida. It is based on the *Men in Black* film series by Columbia Pictures, which is in turn based on the comic series by Lowell Cunningham. The ride features guests entering an exhibit on alien life at the 1964 New York World's Fair, only to actually find the headquarters of the Men in Black. They are then recruited and proceed to go through a training session, that later becomes a fight against real aliens after a ship containing alien prisoners crashes in New York City. Actors Will Smith and Rip Torn reprise their roles as Agent J and Director Zed from the film. The ride opened on April 14, 2000, replacing the set of the *Swamp Thing* TV series that closed shortly after the series' cancellation in 1994.

## History

Plans for a *Men in Black* attraction were discussed between Universal and Sony shortly after the success of the first film in 1997. This was possibly due to Universal having closed the *Ghostbusters Spooktacular* special effects show earlier in the previous year, which was also an attraction based on a Sony property, and at the time, the only attraction based on a Sony property at the resort.

Rumors of the ride began to surface in late 1998, and *Men in Black: Alien Attack* was officially confirmed in October of 1999, opening the following year on April 14 in the space of World Expo previously occupied by the set of the *Swamp Thing* TV series, and the display of Doc Brown's Locomotive from *Back to the Future III*. The latter was relocated, and currently sits outside of the Springfield area of Universal Studios Florida, and near the entrance of Woody Woodpecker's KidZone.

As of 2022, the ride has not been updated to feature elements based on the sequel films released in 2002 and 2012, as well as the spinoff film from 2019.

## Trivia

* Over 125 aliens are featured as animatronics in the ride.
* Ironically, the ride takes place in New York City, despite not being located in the New York section of the park.
* Unlike most shooting gallery dark rides such as *Buzz Lightyear's Space Ranger Spin* at the rival Walt Disney World resort, *Men in Black: Alien Attack* features elements where some of the alien animatronics counter-attack, causing the ride vehicle to spin aggressively.
* Interestingly, the segment where on-ride photos are taken features an alien who initially cowers in fear, shouting "Don't shoot!" However, once the photo is taken, several other aliens emerge from behind cover as he says "Oh, six against one, eh?" in a menacing tone, attacking the riders.
* This ride is set between the events of the first and second film of the franchise. This is because Tommy Lee Jones' character Agent K, is neither seen nor mentioned in the ride, due to retiring at the end of the first film, though he returns as a member of the Men in Black for the second film.
* The famous Worm aliens that make a more prominent appearance in the second film are seen talking in a break room in the queue, similarly to their role in the first film.
* Steven Spielberg, founder of production company Amblin Entertainment that worked on the *Men in Black* films, and frequent collaborator with Universal Parks and Resorts, has a cameo appearance in the ride as a disguise worn by a group of smaller hostile aliens.
* Due to the surrounding area of *The Simpsons Ride* being rethemed to The Simpsons' hometown of Springfield in 2013, *Men in Black: Alien Attack* is now the only ride in the World Expo section of Universal Studios Florida.
* If you hold the trigger, it will continue to shoot, so it is not worth repeatedly pushing the button down.