Disney Shutting Down Captain EO, Forever

In 2010, to commemorate the life and times of Michael Jackson, Disney re-introduced Captain EO into both the Disney World and Disneyland parks. Unfortunately, all good things come to an end, and if you're a frequent visitor to the Orlando park, you're going to want to hurry up and see the show one last time – as it's been announced that the attraction will be closing on December 6th.

On their official parks blog, Disney World announced that the legendary attraction would be closing once more – and this time for good. The attraction had closed previously for a special preview of Disney's Tomorrowland, but the Francis Ford Coppola directed short film returned after that limited engagement had ended. Thankfully, if you're a Disneyland patron, it looks like the show will still be running as usual, as this closure is only listed for Epcot's version of the show so far.

The attraction that's replacing the science fiction musical is the brand new “Disney & Pixar Short Film Festival,” a new show that will take three animated short films from the two studio's canons and convert them into a 4D experience. Needless to say, this is probably going to make fans on the East Coast more than a little upset, as the attraction's return was received quite well by the park's guests. Part of that response was due to the nostalgia factor, as the attraction had been removed since 1994, in favor of the then new Honey, We Shrunk The Audience.

The other reason fans loved the return of Captain EO is, of course, the fact that the film still stands as a tribute to the golden age of Michael Jackson. He made the film, as well as the songs that went with it, at the height of his career; and most Jackson fans choose to remember him at this point in his youth. To get a feeling of what went into the production of Captain EO, you can take a look at this vintage 1986 making of special from the Disney Channel.

Captain EO has had a good second run, but unfortunately now it's time to say goodbye to the legendary attraction once more. If you're looking for one last Captain EO experience in Epcot Center, you'll have until December 6th to get your fill.