by Rachel L. Miller

Epcot guests become a four-person team of astronauts working together to fulfill a mission when they step into a capsule and prepare for takeoff at Mission: SPACE. photo: © Walt Disney World.

"It's go time."

The single sentence sends my heart into overdrive, shifting suddenly from flutter mode into a not-so-subtle bone-jarring thump.

Gary Sinise is a fine actor - and right now he's got me completely convinced that I'm about to board a state-of-the-art spacecraft en route to Mars. This mission, or so I was just told by mission commander Sinise on the wide screen in front of me, is extremely important. And of course, that's why I'm here - after all, I am a trained astronaut. Well, at least Gary Sinise tells me that, and we all know that whatever Sinise says is law.

Alright. So I try to throw on my game face - what I pray resembles a serene smile brimming with confidence. I hope against hope that I look prepared and excited for this mission, but I know better. Especially once I'm seated, all buckled in, and staring straight ahead into a freakishly life-like monitor.

Sinise rattles off instructions with a sense of urgency…and just like that, my content façade falls away to reveal an expression of pure fear. Biting my lip and tapping my shoe anxiously against the spacecraft's floor, I admit to myself that I am more than afraid.

I am absolutely petrified.

A quiet whimper from the seat next to me is barely audible, but I know I'm not alone. My fellow passengers are just as afraid.

Good - at least I'm not alone.

Although I'm scared senseless, I'm still extremely curious. This ride - Mission: Space - is Walt Disney World's newest and most technologically impressive ride to date. A thrill ride without rival, Mission: Space is reportedly the most realistic representation of space travel that civilians can experience. Using NASA astronaut training techniques, HP technology, and centrifuge principles, the ride even simulates the G-force felt by astronauts during lift-off.

And by assigning each of the four crew members a distinct role - engineer, navigator, commander and pilot - Mission: Space gives us a sense of control over our ride experience. (CONTINUE...)