Gaming at Walt Disney World

WALT DISNEY WORLD RESORT--When it comes to videogames, the Walt Disney Company has been at the forefront of new technology for years. Last summer, both Orlando's Walt Disney World and Anaheim's Disneyland offered Nintendo DS gamers the chance to download exclusive codes and content for the Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End game at the theme park attraction that spawned the films -- a fourth movie is in development, along with new games. Now games have literally infiltrated Walt Disney World's rides.

First, there was Buzz Lightyear's Space Ranger Spin, which gives visitors a light gun and an interactive target range that records scores. It's interesting to note that the Disneyland version allows you to aim your cannon anywhere, but the Disney World ride features a fixed gun, making higher scores more challenging. No matter how many times I've rode, or played, this ride, I always want to immediately go back for more. And despite my videogame background, my wife usually beats me in the high score department.

The next evolution of this videogame/ride is now running at Disney's Hollywood Studios. Toy Story Midway Mania opened this year and it offers a 4-D experience, thanks to 3-D glasses. Once again, guns are involved -- although this time it's a launcher that throws everything from pies to eggs to baseballs at moving targets in a practice round and five differnt mini-games. This ride is also something that makes you want to play again multiple times, although because it's new there's a longer line for this one than the original Space Ranger Spin. Also, this ride is on constantly-moving car, which makes for a more challenging experience than Space Ranger Spin, which puts the controls of the slow-moving cart in your hands.

I spent three days at the Disney Beach Club Resort at Walt Disney World this week to check out some of the latest technology at the park and talk to Imagineers about how videogames are impacting their work today. I also got some exclusive behind-the-scenes tours of the park and gained access to places I'd never been before. One of the coolest things I took part in was a testing of the new Kim Possible attraction at EPCOT Center, which officially opens next year. This isn't a ride, but a walking scavenger hunt with seven different missions spread throughout the World Showcase. I played through the Mexico mission, which took place inside the Mexican pavilian. Using brand new technology, this interactive scavenger hunt uses a Verizon phone which beams video clips featuring the Kim Possible cast of characters. It sends you to different locales throughout the attraction and the phone unlocks different events, including a talking parrot and a rocket launch out of a volcano. It's going to be the coolest thing for young kids who watch the show. And adding to the replay value -- again, it's along the lines of a videogame -- each time you play a mission, the events are random, so it won't be an identical experience.

Anyone who goes to any of the Disney World Parks should take some time to check out the "One Man's Dream" museum and movie at Disney's Hollywood Studios. Before entering the theater to hear from Walt Disney himself and learn his biography, there's a corner devoted to all of the Disney Interactive Studios videogames. It's been updated to include Disney's Sing It! karaoke song and also has the best-selling Kingdom Hearts game from Squaresoft. It's cool to see these videogames in the same museum setting as the first plans for the Disney World Park and Walt's actual office. Videogames are now a relevant part of the history, present and future of the Disney Parks.