Dealing with the Riff-Raff

The occasional dust-up in Tomorrowland is handled by the Rangers from Star Command. Once captured, though, the prisoners are swiftly processed and beamed out of town so as to avoid the presence of any "undesirables" in this fair city. That task falls to the nearby Galactic Federation Prisoner Teleport Center (aka Stitch's Great Escape).

The Galactic Federation is looking for new guards to staff the Teleport Center, but before heading inside, take a glance up at the roof. The building is topped with a huge pulsating beam, ready to blast the particles of prisoners off to a distant penal planet. The beam structure is actually a prop carried over from the building's previous occupant, The ExtraTERRORestrial Alien Encounter. Teleportation also figured into the story line of that show. In fact, close observers will even find that teleportation equipment from X-S Tech, the organization featured in Alien Encounter, is still in use inside the attraction (2nd photo below).

Once inside, we are welcomed by the Grand Councilwoman and introduced to Captain Gantu, the leader of the security team that helps take care of the more "naughty" members of society. Just around the bend, Officer C4703PK2704/90210 fills us in on the process through which prisoners at the Center are classified and teleported out. 90210's demonstration involves Skippy (another Alien Encounter holdover) and an incoming Level 1 prisoner caught sticky-handed in a donut shop.

Suddenly, the word comes down from Captain Gantu that a high-priority Level 3 prisoner is coming in to the facility. It's going to be all hands on deck!

We head into the teleport chamber, and soon Stitch is right in front of us, held captive by the most sophisticated prisoner containment technology available. From there, though, things don't go quite as planned. (For those who claim calling himself Stitch is a major plot hole in this prequel adventure, I would argue that Lilo did not actually give him the name in the film. She meets him at the pound, and he speaks to her. We hear him say, "Hi," and the scene cuts to Nani in the lobby. When Lilo emerges with her new pet she states, "His name is Stitch," as if he had told her himself. Now, as to how anyone would have gotten a chili dog in past the attraction greeters, well...)

For the benefit of those who haven't yet seen it, I won't spoil much of the action of the show here. Suffice to say, though, Stitch escapes. (I wouldn't consider that a spoiler, since it's actually the title of the attraction.) So much for the Prisoner Teleport Center's perfect record. On our way out, the tally counter on the wall rapidly resets to zero.

Before heading back into Tomorrowland, we discover alien footprints across the ceiling, giving away the path Stitch took on his way out and the fact that he may not have gotten all that far after all...

This is Merchant of Venus (although some Guests may also exit the attraction via Mickey's Star Traders). Tapping into the teleportation system on the roof, Merchant of Venus beams quality goods from worlds beyond down to Tomorrowland. Throughout the shop, blue cables coil down from the ceiling to collection orbs atop the fixtures (above), and exciting new merchandise materializes in the mini teleport chambers around the room (below).

Turn to leave Merchant of Venus, and you'll see an incredible "view" out the front windows toward Rockettower Plaza. It looks like the whole city is teeming with aliens and "experiments" from the world of Stitch. They're all having a great time in Tomorrowland, and one is even wearing Mouse Ears!