Kings Island
The building housing the queue is designed as an Area 51-inspired military installation hangar. The outside is marked with the number 18, and riders enter the line through a "press area" located under an awning to the side of the building. Various announcements regarding the operation of the base and broadcasts from WERD ("weird"), a fictitious radio station, are played over speakers in the outside queue area. The queue line slightly descends down a short, narrow tunnel as guests enter the building, making a left into the interior of the hangar. It contains one-half of a full-sized mockup UFO flying saucer, which appears to be complete as the back wall of the building is entirely lined with mirrors to complete the illusion. A video is played over multiple screens to describe the ride's backstory, explaining how the spacecraft crash-landed not far from the park. While some base personnel are running tests on the vessel, others are convinced that it's a hoax and decided to allow the press in to view it. Hazmat suits and computer equipment with active monitors can be seen in various locations inside the hangar.
Strobe and dimming lighting effects are utilized throughout the indoor portion of the queue, which are synchronized with the pre-recorded video during moments of power surges and power failures. The line winds around the inside of the hangar before entering the underside of the UFO up a short flight of stairs.
The inside of the saucer features a display with alien markings and originally played various sound effects. Guests can hear each launch, which resonates throughout this portion of the queue. The walkway turns to the right, continues into another room, and turns left into the boarding area. The loading and unloading stations are in separate rooms, so riders in the loading area witness an empty train returning. The loading station features human-sized cryotube props containing mannequins wrapped in plastic, adding to the alien theme. While the train is loading and waiting to be dispatched, a sound effect imitating the warm-up of a jet engine can be heard, and another take-off sound is played as the train launches.
The ride was originally themed to The Outer Limits TV series. However, Paramount's licensing for the show expired in 2001, causing all references to The Outer Limits to be removed.[16] The attraction features an original soundtrack composed by Rob Pottorf, and its theming was co-designed by Bob Dennis and David Ferguson of Paramount Parks Design & Entertainment.[29]
