It's in the Details #15

In this series, we'll be looking at details that are hidden all around you at the parks. The Imagineers do a great job placing in many hidden gems and things to try that one has to take a moment to notice, or explore. Many of these are obvious and in plain sight, and some are hidden quite well, you just have to know where to look.

    Sorry for the long delay, everyone. Life's been hectic and busy, and I've not been sure what to post about each time I come around to getting this done.  I've also left Disney, and for the moment, I don't have access to the parks, so I'm a little limited on what I can post (Which isn't really that bad; there's plenty around on property). I've got plenty saved anyway!

  

  The picture above might look familiar to many folks; it's something you'll never avoid if you ever ride Mission:Space. In the photograph is the long, massive hallway you travel toward the exit from your mission. Depending on which level of intensity your chose, GREEN or ORANGE, determines how long you'll be walking along it. In any case, it's a long, long hallway.

  Now besides the obvious observation that it takes you around the building, and around the ride system, to the front, have you ever wondered why? Why wasn't the building built so that the exit just runs between the rooms, or set up in some other way? In actuality, the hallways serve a specific purpose, other than making you feel trapped in a white walled maze. 

  According to The Imagineering Field Guide to EPCOT at Walt Disney World, due to the intensity of the ride, your body's stress and related body reactions are elevated; high heart rate, loss of balance, dizziness, among other things. In short, the simulated effects of space travel affect you much like real space travel would. To help alleviate this, especially since walking right out of the ride into the hot Florida weather would most likely make things worse, the ride was designed with an extra long, unassuming and simple hallway. Not too many turns, low key colors, and plenty of cast members along the way watching exits and such. The long walk helps to calm and cool your body down, so you'll be back to normal by the end, and less likely to go in shock.
  Next time, relax, and enjoy yourself as you walk along that hallway; maybe you'll appreciate it now you know.

Missed It's in the Details #14? Check it out here!