Mickey Goes on a Quest

Disney announced on Wednesday that it will begin construction of several entertainment centers across the country combining its skill at "Imagineering" and its family reputation. The first of these DisneyQuest centers will open in Orlando next summer and in Chicago in 1999.

The Orlando center will feature 100,000 square feet of entertainment, separated into five attraction areas and two food courts. Guests will enter the center at the Ventureport, which leads into four distinct areas: the Explore Zone, which takes guests to exotic and ancient locales; the Score Zone, a competition zone where players can go up against each other; the Create Zone, an Imagineering studio for the artistically-minded; the Replay Zone, where classic rides and games will reside.

Michael Eisner, Disney Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, said in a statement today, "DisneyQuest combines the excitement of the Disney brand with innovation, design, technology, and storytelling to create a vibrant venue for interactive entertainment that provides a dynamic new kind of Disney experience for the entire family."

The Chicago location will be the largest Disney entertainment complex outside of the company's theme parks. Future DisneyQuest sites will open in major domestic and international markets.