Ever since Lilo & Stitch released on June 21, 2002, the animated movie has received a lot of love at the Disney theme parks. With the new live-action remake on the horizon (opening May 23, 2025), I thought it would be a perfect time to delve into the history of this fantastic film and its park representation.
(2003) Stitch Meet-and-Greets Introduced – Walt Disney World
After the movie premiered and saw a lot of critical and commercial success, Disney started implementing opportunities for guests to meet Stitch. This started at Tomorrowland in the Magic Kingdom, around the Space Mountain area. An exact date these started is hard to come by, but from my research it seems it was in late 2003. These meet-and-greets were very informal and usually didn’t have a schedule, with Stitch just appearing whenever he was available. Regardless, this was still the first park appearance of the blue “dog” (not counting any merchandise introduced in 2002 closer to the film’s launch).
(2002/2003 – Present) ‘Ohana’s Best Friends Breakfast
A couple years after ‘Ohana opened on April 3, 1995, Disney launched the “Best Friends Breakfast” which acted as a character breakfast with various familiar Disney characters. Some time around 2002 or 2003 (the exact date is hard to find) Lilo & Stitch were added as walk-around characters during the dining experience. Guests could also enjoy Hawaiian-themed food and something called a “Stitch Waffle” which is essentially a Stitch version of a Mickey waffle. This is a consistent year-round meet-and-greet that’s lasted until present day, with a brief pause from the start of the Covid pandemic until September 27, 2022. It definitely still has quite a bit of popularity, as early reservations are required to get a table. Also, while the dinner ‘Ohana menu doesn’t feature any characters, there’s still quite a bit of Polynesian theming that one could say is inspired by Lilo & Stitch’s setting.
(2004 – 2018) Stitch’s Great Escape! – Walt Disney World
A year later, the first Lilo & Stitch attraction debuted in Tomorrowland at the Magic Kingdom in Walt Disney World. This took the place of ExtraTERRORestrial Alien Encounter, which was a cult-classic attraction and arguably the scariest ride to ever exist at a Disney park. Stitch used the same attraction system, that being a circular interactive theater, but greatly toned down the fear-factor that Alien Encounter offered.
The story of this attraction has guests acting as guards for the Galactic Federation as they witness Stitch escape from his imprisonment. Despite it not being an actual ride, Stitch’s Great Escape! featured various interactive elements like moving shoulder restraints and sensory effects (like smells and sounds) as well as a giant Stitch animatronic. There was also a pre-show that included another alien prisoner known as “Reuben” who was having experiments performed on him, which was a humorous touch.
While the attraction had some bright spots, it ultimately received mixed reviews due to it just not being as entertaining or thrilling as its predecessor, combined with some of the gross-out humor used (Stitch’s chili dog’s burps were disgusting) just made for an underwhelming experience. Also, some of the promotion for the attraction included Stitch “trashing” Cinderella’s Castle with toilet paper, which despite being kind of funny was ultimately an eyesore.
The attraction just never reached the status of fan-favorite. Eventually, due to low ridership and interest, the attraction went to seasonal operation in 2016. This is usually a death sentence for Disney attractions, as operating seasonally means it’s only open when the park is extremely busy and needs more attractions to increase capacity. Stitch’s Great Escape! operated on-and-off until January 6, 2018, when it closed to the public. It technically stayed standing until July 16, 2020, when it was finally replaced by a different Stitch meet-and-greet.
(2006 – 2016, 2019) Stitch Encounter – Hong Kong Disneyland
A different type of Stitch attraction debuted on September 12, 2006 at Hong Kong Disneyland. This still wasn’t a ride, but instead an interactive theater show that uses real-time animation that allows guests to actually talk to Stitch. It’s similar to something like Turtle Talk with Crush at Epcot, and is definitely a unique experience and the more comedic format is arguably way more fitting than the horror-lite vibes of Stitch’s Great Escape.
This attraction didn’t last quite as long as Stitch’s Great Escape, but was definitely received more positively. So much so that even though it closed in 2016, it temporarily returned for a short week-long event in June 2019. That’s something you don’t see every day, so it’s cool to see something reappear for such a short time and then leave again.
(2008 – Present) Stitch Live! – Walt Disney Studios Park
While Stitch Encounter at Hong Kong Disneyland might be gone, the attraction lives on in a couple parks: the first of which is Walt Disney Studios Park in Paris. Instead of the original name, this one goes by Stitch Live! and opened on March 22, 2008. It’s virtually the same as Stitch Encounter, except guests can speak to Stitch in both French and English, instead of Cantonese, Mandarin and English like in the original Hong Kong version (only Cantonese at the 2019 event for some reason).
(2008 – Present) The Enchanted Tiki Room: Stitch Presents Aloha e Komo Mai! – Tokyo Disneyland
This is one of the more unique Stitch attractions that’s still operational, even though it’s not exclusively Stitch. This initially started as the classic Enchanted Tiki Room animatronic show we know and love, but on July 25, 2008 it received an overlay themed to Stitch. It essentially involves Stitch crashing the tropical birds performance. It’s a bit similar to the “Under New Management” version that used to exist at the Magic Kingdom, but I’d say this version seems a bit less annoying. It definitely does a decent job blending Hawaiian culture with Stitch’s unique brand of chaos, and of course features some new music that takes hints from the movie. Also, it features other Stitch characters including the tree spirit Kijimunaa, which is actually from a Stitch anime that I didn’t even know existed. Who knows how long this overlay will last, but it’s actually the fourth iteration of the Tiki Room at Tokyo Disneyland, so I’m sure there’ll eventually be a new version that replaces Stitch.
(2009) Stitch’s Supersonic Celebration – Magic Kingdom
Heading back to the American parks, the Magic Kingdom at Walt Disney World had a very short lived stage show that operated from May 6 to June 27, 2009. This was a pretty high-energy stage show that featured Stitch and friends performing both familiar and original songs. There were also various audience participation moments, which probably contributed to its short length. You see, the show was pretty poorly received and had a lot of negative feedback from guests.
(2015 – Present) Stitch Encounter – Tokyo Disneyland
Yes, this is another version of the Stitch Encounter and Stitch Live! show. I’m not sure why they decided to open this at Tokyo Disneyland so long after the other versions opened in Hong Kong and Paris, but it’s nice to have another version after the original was closed. There’s not a whole lot different to say about it though. It’s the same unscripted, live animation format as the other two.
(2016 – Present) Stitch Encounter – Shanghai Disneyland
Same goes for this version at Shanghai Disneyland, though the opening date of June 16, 2016 at least makes sense, given that this was the opening year for the entire park.
(2010s – Present) Seasonal Meet-and-Greets – Walt Disney World
There are various meet-and-greets with Stitch that don’t involve character dining at Walt Disney World. The most common of which is found during the “Mickey’s Not-So-Scary Halloween Party” event held at the Magic Kingdom. Guests can meet “Elvis Stitch,” which is basically Stitch in an Elvis Halloween costume. The meet-and-greet is actually located inside the former Stitch’s Great Escape! Building in Tomorrowland. It would be nice if they found a better use for that space that involved a new attraction, but I guess meeting Stitch will have to do for now.
Other Stitch meet-and-greets include meeting Stitch in a Santa costume during the Jollywood Nights event at Disney’s Hollywood Studios, and the opportunity to meet both Stitch AND Lilo (which somehow feels like a rare occurrence) in tropical, Hawaiian attire at the H20 Glow After Hours event at Disney’s Typhoon Lagoon water park.
(2002 – Present) Stitch Merchandise and Shopping Opportunities – Literally Everywhere
With a film as popular as Lilo & Stitch, Disney was bound to monetize it with all sorts of merchandise. There’s too many shops to name that have at least some Stitch representation, but the main notable shop is BouTiki, the flagship gift shop at Disney’s Polynesian Resort at Walt Disney World. This shop is located in the main lobby of the hotel and offers arguably more Stitch items than any other store. If you’re looking for items strictly based on this movie, you might want to start at BouTiki.
Where else can you find Stitch in the parks?
As with all Disney parks, there’s plenty of subtle theming that enhances the guest experience, with a few instances being related to Lilo & Stitch. There’s not an incredible amount, or nothing on the scale of throwing toilet paper on Cinderella’s Castle, but there’s still some smaller, much more tasteful decorations. Particularly in Tomorrowland at the Magic Kingdom in Walt Disney World, guests can actually find a small statue of Stitch near the iconic “Purple Wall.” This was originally introduced as part of the “Fab 50” statue collection for Walt Disney World’s 50th anniversary. Since the anniversary celebration is long over, the 50th medallion on the statues were removed and they were painted a slightly darker shade of bronze.
That’s not the only place guests can technically find Stitch in Tomorrowland. In 2022, for the film’s 20th anniversary, a Stitch “Experiment 626” photo op was added near Cosmic Ray’s Starlight Cafe. This is actually one of those “Magic Shot” photo ops where your picture is taken and then various effects are added afterwards, which I suppose makes it more interesting even if some of the photo is altered. For the life of me, I couldn’t find a picture of the photo op in Tomorrowland, so the bottom one is actually in Epcot. It features the same “Magic Shot” editing as the others, and there are actually a couple more locations you can find Stitch. Still, if you happen to have a photo of the picture in Tomorrowland, please let me know!
There are definitely other examples of temporary Stitch decorations and installments throughout the years, but the strangest one I’ve stumbled upon is this giant inflatable Stitch on top of Tomorrowland. Apparently this was during Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween Party in 2007, but I’m not sure exactly how long it was up for. There are some other photos out there of a similar inflatable Stitch sitting on the ground level of the parks, particularly outside the Magic Kingdom, so maybe this is the same one just being repurposed.
Looking to the Future with Lilo & Stitch
Who knows if there will be another attraction themed to Lilo & Stitch. Hopefully the live-action movie will end up doing well, as the trailers are making it look one of the better ones they’ve produced. The recent Snow White live-action bombed both critically and commercially though, leading to Disney wanting to pump the brakes on making live-action movies, so Lilo & Stitch could be the last one for a while.
If it does end up being successful, perhaps we could see some more Stitch representation at the parks. There’s been speculation for years that the property could have a roller coaster named after the “Hawaiian Rollercoaster Ride” song in the movie, which I suppose could be fitting depending on where it’s placed. I’m not sure it would fit well in Tomorrowland in the Magic Kingdom though, since the Stitch representation there has been more focused on the movie’s futuristic, alien side and less on the Polynesian side. Perhaps a Lilo & Stitch ride could find its way into Disney’s Hollywood Studios, or maybe the redeveloped Disney Adventure World in Paris, if either of those parks have the space. Only time will tell, and until then at least we have a pretty decent history of Lilo & Stitch attractions to look back on!
Update: 5/19/25
In light of the live-action Lilo and Stitch movie releasing this week, Disney is cross promoting the film with their Disneyland 70th Anniversary Celebration! You can find all the details of the mayhem he’s causing at the park by reading this Disney Parks Blog article.
Sources:
https://www.disneyfoodblog.com/2022/06/26/the-wild-history-of-stitch-in-disney-world/
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lilo_&_Stitch
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stitch%27s_Great_Escape%21
https://disney.fandom.com/wiki/Stitch_Encounter
https://www.tokyodisneyresort.jp/en/tdl/attraction/detail/156/
https://www.shanghaidisneyresort.com/en/attractions/stitch-encounter/
https://disneyparks.disney.go.com/au/disneyworld/dining/ohana/
https://www.disneystore.com/characters/disney/stitch/
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