The Ultimate Sci-Fi Day at Walt Disney World

Boldly go where no Disney fan has gone before on the ultimate sci-fi adventure!

Whether you dream of piloting the Millennium Falcon, zipping through space on a futuristic roller coaster, or dining in an intergalactic drive-in, Walt Disney World experiences will make any sci-fi lover feel like they’ve stepped into another world.

This itinerary takes you on a thrilling journey through the stars, with stops in Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge, EPCOT’s future-focused attractions, Pandora -The World of Avatar, and the Magic Kingdom’s Tomorrowland. Ready to launch? Buckle up—this day is going to be out of this world!

Disney’s Hollywood Studios

Start your sci-fi-themed day at Disney’s Hollywood Studios, where you’ll visit the planet of Batu in Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge where you can join the Rebel Alliance to help save the galaxy!

Then, step next door to Toy Story Land and take a spin with those crazy aliens from Toy Story.

Attractions & Experiences

These Star Wars attractions and one from Toy Story will start your day with a bang, or should I say a Pew-Pew!

Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance – Join the Resistance in an epic battle against the First Order in one of Disney’s most immersive rides. It’s a hybrid walk-through and trackless dark ride with a mixed media presentation, including live actors, projections, audio-animatronics, and a variety of physical effects.

Millennium Falcon: – Smugglers Run – Climb aboard the fastest hunk of junk in the galaxy and pilot the legendary ship yourself. An interactive motion simulator attraction where 6 guests are grouped together, given roles, and put in control of the Millennium Falcon.

Star Tours – The Adventures Continue – Jump to light speed and experience randomized missions across the Star Wars galaxy. Your StarSpeeder will take you randomly to one of several different planets in the Star Wars universe, there you will get to experience one of several different adventures. With more than 50 different combinations, you can have a new experience with every flight.

Alien Swirling Saucers – Hang on tight for an interstellar romp in a toy rocket, set to an out-of-this-world beat. The theme of Alien Swirling Saucers is straight out of the beloved Toy Story franchise. Inspired by the little green aliens from Pizza Planet, the ride is themed to the arcade.

On your way out of the park, be sure to visit Star Wars Launch Bay, located in the Animation Courtyard. Here, you can meet your Star Wars heroes view movie props, and shop for collectibles from the movies.

Dining & Snacks

Saving the galaxy builds up quite an appetite!

Ronto Roasters – Breakfast Wrap

You might also want to grab a quick breakfast at Ronto Roasters, where they serve fast-food Sausage wraps and beverages. There is a breakfast wrap that is quite good.

But first, I recommend that you start your day with a Cold Brew Black Caf, from Kat Saka’s Kettle, it’s not to be missed! the Black Caf is Joffrey’s Coffee Cold Brew topped with Sweet Cream Cheese and Chocolate Puffs. You can get it with or without Chocolate Liqueur.

You’ll want to fit a trip to Oga’s Cantina into your day. This Star Wars cantina-themed bar is one of a kind (really one of two as there is an identical version in Disneyland)– Sip on otherworldly drinks at this lively bar, where bounty hunters and smugglers gather. Advance Dining Reservations are required!

Then after your galactic adventures, it’s time for lunch. There are two Sci-Fi options for a full meal in Hollywood Studios, so plan to try one for lunch.

You’ll need to pick between having lunch in a Star Wars-themed restaurant or a Classic Sci-Fi/Drive-In Theatre Restaurant. These two options are:

Docking Bay 7 Food and Cargo

Docking Bay 7 Food and Cargo – The bustling atmosphere around Docking Bay 7 makes you feel like you are in a real intergalactic hub, where travelers from across the galaxy gather to grab a bite before heading off on their next adventure. The restaurant features pork, chicken, and shrimp dressed up as extraterrestrial food.

Sci-Fi Dine-In Theater Restaurant – The ambiance at Sci-Fi Dine-In is nothing short of magical. As you step inside, you’re transported to a Hollywood Set designed to look like an outdoor drive-in theater under a starry night sky. Enjoy classic burgers and shakes while watching vintage sci-fi movie clips in a retro drive-in setting.

And if you are in the mood for something off the beaten path, try the Milk Stand, where they serve the famous Blue and Green Milk—straight from Batuu! (with or without spirits)

Now it’s time to head to EPCOT. Just head out the Hollywood Studios exit and take a ride on the Disney Skyliner or Disney’s Friendships to EPCOT.

EPCOT

Once you arrive at EPCOT’s International Gateway, you’ll head to World Discovery, where you will find the Wonders of Xandar and Mission Space pavilions.

Attractions & Experiences

Mission Space will be the first Pavilion that you come to on your walk from the International Gateway, so stop in for a mission to Mars or an Earth orbital flight. at Mission: SPACE you will feel the power of a real rocket launch in this intense space simulator.

Then step next door to the Wonders of Xandar Pavilion where you’ll experience EPCOT’s newest E-Ticket attraction, Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind. Here, you’ll save the Galaxy with Star-Lord and the gang on this high-speed roller coaster with an awesome soundtrack from the movies. It’s not just a ride; it’s a cosmic escapade that will leave you breathless and wanting more.

While you might think it by its name, Spaceship Earth is not a Sci-Fi attraction, it’s a story about the history of communication on the Earth (which sails through space like a spaceship). On the ride, you’ll find yourself gently ascending through time, passing by lifelike audio-animatronic figures, and scenes depicting key moments in the history of communication.

Dining & Snacks

As dinner time rolls around, head to the Space 220 Restaurant back in the Mission: Space Pavilion, where you can take a visually stunning ride on the space elevator to a space station 220 miles over Central Florida. There you’ll enjoy amazing expansive views of the earth and the goings on in space all while dining on excellent and novel food and drink. Advance Dining Reservations are required for dining! There is also lounge seating and seats at the bar, which often are available for walk-up.

After dinner and perhaps a drink, it’s on to the Magic Kingdom to finish our Sci-Fi Tour.

Head out the front entrance of EPCOT and grab a bus headed to the Magic Kingdom.

Magic Kingdom

Here, at Walt Disney World’s first park, we’ll finish our tour with both the classics and some new rides too.

Naturally, we’ll be heading to Tomorrowland where you’ll see the “Future That Never Was.”

Attractions & Experiences

First, head to Space Mountain, the Magic Kingdom’s original “Mountain.” where you will ride a high-speed, indoor roller coaster on a dark track!

Next will be TRON Lightcycle / Run, The Magic Kingdom’s newest coaster. Here you can leave the real world behind and join Team Blue in a quest across the Grid—the dark, computerized world with no horizons from TRON.

At Buzz Lightyear’s Space Ranger Spin, Join Star Command, and shoot your laser to defeat Zurg and score points! Your 2+ person spaceship is equipped with two lasers so that you can help Buzz defeat Emperor Zurgg.

On the Astro Orbiter, you can fly in a circle high above Tomorrowland while making your Astro Orbiter climb and dive.

Finish your night taking a tour of Tomorrowland on the Tomorrowland Transit Authority, you’ll get glimpses of futuristic cityscapes as you glide above Tomorrowland and maybe even Cinderella Castle!

Dining & Snacks

Sunny Eclipse at Cosmic Ray’s

Cosmic Ray’s Starlight Cafe – LD $ – Counter Service – Chicken, cheeseburgers, soup, salad, sandwiches, beverages, and snacks. One of the two all-you-want “fixins’ bars” in the Magic Kingdom. The audio-animatronic Sonny Eclipse plays tunes during your meal. A bit of trivia, this restaurant was originally called the Tomorrowland Terrace and was where Steve worked in the Magic Kingdom.

Auntie Gravity’s Galactic Goodies – S $ – Counter Service – Iced Coffee, soft-serve ice cream, and smoothies.

The Lunching Pad – LDS $ – Counter Service – Hotdogs, pretzels, snacks, and beverages.

Finish the Night in Style

Since you’re in the Magic Kingdom, finish your adventure with fireworks lighting up the sky above Cinderella Castle. Happily Ever After is the current Magic Kingdom Fireworks show. This fireworks extravaganza uses lights, lasers, and special effects, plus a soaring score featuring contemporary versions of beloved Disney songs. Watch in awe as Cinderella Castle is magically transformed through amazing state-of-the-art projection technology.

Wow, What a Day!

From thrilling space battles to cosmic dining experiences, this sci-fi-themed day is a dream come true for fans of the final frontier!

Now it’s time for bed, hopefully in the Toy Story section of Disney’s All-Star Movies Resort.

What’s your must-do sci-fi experience at Disney? Tell us in the comments!

Movies to Watch in Preparation

A sci-fi-themed day at Walt Disney World would focus on intergalactic adventures, futuristic technology, and space travel, making attractions like Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge, TRON Lightcycle / Run, Space Mountain, and Mission: SPACE must-dos.

To get in the right futuristic mindset, here are the best Disney and Disney-owned sci-fi movies to watch before your trip, watch on Disney+ or via the Amazon links below:

Star Wars Universe (for all things Galaxy’s Edge)

1. Star Wars: The Phantom Menace (1999)
2. Star Wars: Attack of the Clones (2002)
3. Star Wars: Revenge of the Sith (2005)
4. Solo: A Star Wars Story (2018)
5. Rogue One: A Star Wars Story (2016)
6. Star Wars: A New Hope (1977)
7. Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back (1980)
8. Star Wars: Return of the Jedi (1983)
9. The Mandalorian (2019–present, Season 1 & 2, TV Series)
10. The Book of Boba Fett (2021–2022, TV Series)
11. The Mandalorian (Season 3, TV Series)
12. Ahsoka (2023, TV Series)
13. Star Wars: The Force Awakens (2015)
14. Star Wars: The Last Jedi (2017)
15. Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker (2019)

If guests want to get familiar with Batuu (Galaxy’s Edge), Star Wars: The Force Awakens, The Last Jedi, and The Rise of Skywalker introduce the First Order and Resistance storyline that ties into Rise of the Resistance and Millennium Falcon: Smugglers Run.

TRON Series (for TRON Lightcycle / Run)

1. TRON (1982)
2. TRON: Legacy (2010)
3. TRON: Uprising (2012–2013, animated TV series)

The TRON movies explore a digital world inside a computer system, which is the basis for the TRON Lightcycle / Runride at Magic Kingdom.

Space Travel & Futuristic Films

These films set the mood for attractions like Space Mountain, Mission: SPACE, and Tomorrowland:

1. Tomorrowland (2015) (directly inspired by Disney’s futuristic land)
2. Flight of the Navigator (1986) (classic ‘80s Disney sci-fi adventure)
3. The Black Hole (1979) (Disney’s dark but fascinating take on space travel)
4. John Carter (2012) (underrated Mars-based adventure)
5. Meet the Robinsons (2007) (fun futuristic time-travel story)

Disney-Pixar Sci-Fi Movies

1. WALL-E (2008) (for that dystopian space travel feel)
2. Big Hero 6 (2014) (high-tech inventions and futuristic Tokyo-inspired San Fransokyo)

Classic Disney Alien Movies

1. Lilo & Stitch (2002) (fun alien-meets-Hawaii story, perfect for Stitch’s Great Escape nostalgia)
2. Race to Witch Mountain (2009) (Disney’s take on extraterrestrial kids)
3. Mars Needs Moms (2011) (a forgotten but space-centered animated film)

Marvel Cinematic Universe (Cosmic Sci-Fi Adventures)

Guardians of the Galaxy (2014)
Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 (2017)
Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 (2023)

Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 1 / Vol. 2 / Vol. 3 – 3 Movie Collection (Blu-Ray)

Bonus: Sci-Fi Classics from 20th Century Fox (Now Owned by Disney)

1. Avatar (2009) & Avatar: The Way of Water (2022) (for Pandora – The World of Avatar at Animal Kingdom)

Final Thoughts

This Ultimate Sci-Fi Day at Walt Disney World covers everything from Star Wars to Guardians of the Galaxy to TRON. Watching these movies beforehand will make guests feel fully immersed in the futuristic, intergalactic atmosphere of the parks.

All movie links are affiliate links.

This Post is Part of Our Ultimate Day Series

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