Facts at a Glance About The American Adventure
| Park: Epcot. Location: World Showcase – American Pavilion. Height Requirement: None. Lightning Lane Multi Pass: No. Lightning Lane Single Pass: No. |
| Quick Notes: Multi-media show with Audio-Animatronics sharing American history. |
| Disney Warnings: None |
| Our Additional Cautions: Includes wide screen movies, Audio-Animatronics characters, 2 scenes from height, dark scenes, 3 short sequences of total darkness (less than 10 seconds each), thunder. Lighting effects include lightning, fireworks, single camera light flash from one side of stage to the other, twinkling, welder sparks. |
| Length: The show takes approximately 30 minutes. |
| Special Needs Info: You can stay in your wheelchair or ECV to view the show. Assistive Listening, Reflective Captioning, Audio Description. |
Overview of The American Adventure
Audio-animatronics Benjamin Franklin and Mark Twain host a multimedia show that takes you through the history of the United States through artists’ renderings, animation, and highly sophisticated Animatronics vignettes. At one point, Ben Franklin actually walks a few steps. The show ends with a montage of people and events that have shaped American history. It’s been known to cause a guest or two to get emotional.
Queue & seating information for The American Adventure
The theater is located on the second floor of the building. Guests who are walking will use escalators or stairs. If you take the escalator or stairs, look up. From the ceiling hang numerous past and current state and national flags.
Wheelchair/ECV and accessibility info for The American Adventure in Epcot’s American Pavilion
Wheelchair/ECV users and those who can’t use the stairs or escalator should locate a cast member to escort you to the elevator, which is hidden behind what looks like a door. This elevator leads to the top level of the rotunda, where guests can watch the singers below, if timed right. Guests planning to use the elevator should arrive at least 10 to 15 minutes before the show is scheduled to start. There are a limited number of wheelchair spots in the theater, and it takes some time to get up to the second floor. Guests arriving too late may be asked to come back to a later show.
Guests with wheelchairs and ECVs will be led into the steeply sloped elevator hallway. They’ll wait there for a few minutes before being led into the theater a few minutes before the other guests. Wheelchair and ECV spaces are on the top row of the theater, with seating space for one companion for each wheelchair/ECV space. You’ll be asked to move all the way down to make sure there’s room for all guests with wheelchairs and ECVs. The rest of your party will be directed to sit in the next 2 rows, which are roped off for guests with disabilities and their parties.
The exit doors are across from the entrance, at the back of the theater. The exit ramp is steep and divided with bars into lanes.
More details about the experience of The American Adventure
The sound system is meant to duplicate a stage performance, but this may make it difficult for some people to hear and understand some of the words from the back of the theater, where the wheelchair users are seated. The theater is large, dark and cool, with comfortable theater seating.
There’s a thunder and lightning effect, flickering stars and fireworks displays. At one point, an Audio-Animatronics figure uses a welder that creates sparks and light.
The scenes from height include two characters on rock outcrops above a valley, and a slow flyover effect of the Statue of Liberty with New York City in background at the end of the video/photo montage. During the montage, black and white photos and videos overlap and float in and out of view. Many are happy achievements, but some are sad or touching.
Spoiler Alert: Guests who have a personal connection with some of the sad points of American history since World War II may want to be aware of some of the scenes that are included: John F. Kennedy’s funeral, a Vietnam war scene with wounded soldiers and helicopters, and scenes of the Vietnam Memorial wall in Washington with mourners. Scenes also include the Challenger Astronauts walking to their space shuttle (burn up is not shown), the ruins of the World Trade Center on 9-11 and the raising of the flag over the ruins by New York City police and firefighters. There’s no audio describing these scenes, so guests who feel they might be too disturbed by viewing them could avoid all reference to those events by closing their eyes during the song that accompanies the montage.
View The American Adventure in this video.
Check out more rides and attractions in Epcot:
SEE RIDES AND ATTRACTIONS IN THE OTHER PARKS:
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