is mission breakout too scary? Rocket silhouette with red lighting on the ride.
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Is Guardians of the Galaxy: Mission Breakout Too Scary For Kids? Parents Guide To Rides At Disney

ByPatty Holliday

Disney California Adventure has a variety of attractions, but your kids may not be ready for all of them. Is Guardians of the Galaxy: Mission Breakout kid-friendly and ok for your children? This parents ride guide will help you decide if Mission Breakout is too scary for kids in your household. 

I’m Patty Holliday, a lifelong Disney fan, runDisney enthusiast, and certified travel expert with over a decade of experience helping runners and Disney lovers make the most of their trips. In 2013, I turned my passion for planning Disney trips into a career, becoming a travel agent specializing in Disney race weekend packages.

I visit Disney parks at least 10 times a year, attend every runDisney event, check out the latest park updates, and stay at Disney resorts so I can offer firsthand recommendations. My expertise doesn’t come from reading about it—I live it. You can trust my recommendations because I’m the Hokas on the ground expert when it comes to these experiences.

This Parents Ride Guide is part of a series focusing on the elements of Disney World and Disneyland attractions that might be unexpectedly scary for your kids. This post will mention details that could be considered spoilers, so please read with caution.

About Guardians of the Galaxy – Mission: BREAKOUT!

From the Disneyland Website:

Step Inside a Towering Citadel

Taneleer Tivan, a.k.a. the Collector, has brought his unique collection of fantastical fauna, relics and species from across the cosmos to earth for the very first time. He offers to show you his newest acquisition… the Guardians of the Galaxy.

Star-Lord, Gamora, Rocket, Drax and Groot are held captive in electrified glass cases that dangle perilously over an abyss.

is mission breakout too scary? Rocket silhouette with red lighting on the ride.

Join a Rockin’ Rescue Mission

When Rocket escapes, he commandeers a gantry lift and enlists your help on a harrowing mission to rescue his fellow Guardians. Prepare to unleash intergalactic mayhem from the top of the fortress to the bottom, as one of Star-Lord’s awesome mixtapes blasts a classic tune!

With incredible special effects, appearances by popular characters, music inspired by the soundtracks from the movies, thrilling free-fall drop sequences and 6 different storylines to experience, this adventure breaks out all the big thrills!

is guardians of the galaxy mission breakout scary? parents ride guide. outside of the ride building.

Is Guardians of the Galaxy: Mission Breakout Too Scary For Kids? Parents Guide To Rides At Disney

As always, you know your child best.

Disney doesn’t try to make rides that are too scary for kids, but some children may have unexpected reactions to certain experiences at Disney World or Disneyland.

This parent ride guide to Mission Breakout will let you know about elements that kids may find concerning or scary before you get in line.

In this series, we’ll run down the ride basics to include if there are flashing lights, loud noises, spins, drops, jump scare elements, dark moments, scary themes, and overall general speed or intensity.

is it scary? the guardians of the galaxy mission breakout sign

What Does The Ride Vehicle Look Like For Mission Breakout?

The ride vehicle resembles an old elevator- called a Gantry Lift in this attraction- that you board from the collector’s “boiler room.”

There are a total of 20 seats in each Gantry Lift.

Once the door closes, you are in an enclosed ride capsule, just like in an elevator.

guardians of the galaxy mission breakout ride vehicle

Enclosed Space On Guardians of the Galaxy: Mission Breakout

If you or your child are claustrophobic at all, you may have some concerns inside the elevator ride vehicle.

While there is plenty of space above you, it does feel very much like being inside an elevator with most of the lights out.

Does Mission Breakout Go Upside Down?

Guardians of the Galaxy: Mission Breakout does not go upside down.

It does, however, make sudden, steep drops and quick rises throughout the course of the ride, sometimes in darkness.

You start the attraction with a FAST ascent, which seems to take a lot of people by surprise.

If your kids don’t like the feeling of their tummies dropping, this is a ride they may not enjoy.

Darkness May Make Mission Breakout Too Scary For Some Kids- Especially the Monsters After Dark Version

The ride is a dark ride and your visit to the Collector’s Museum takes place inside a darkened elevator.

There are changing screens featuring the Guardians of the Galaxy showing in front of you, and lights flash within the cabin, so it is not total darkness.

But it is still considered a dark ride.

is monsters after dark mission breakout scary for kids? sign talking about how scary this ride can be

Is Guardians of the Galaxy: Monsters After Dark Scary?

There is a second version of this attraction that runs during Disney’s Halloween season and during the Oogie Boogie Bash.

From September 1 to October 31, you can experience an alternate version of the Guardian’s Mission Breakout ride. The cool part is that DCA will run the original attraction daily until about 3pm, then it switches over to the Monsters version.

You could, indeed, experience both versions of the attraction in the same day.

This one takes place in a much darker ride vehicle and has more intense monster sequences on the screens.

guardians of the galaxy mission breakout is scary- monster eating drax

Scary Themes

The whole construct is based on the Guardians of the Galaxy battling their way out of the Collector’s Museum.

Also in this museum are a ton of wild and scary creatures that are also released when Rocket does his thing. That creates some scary and intense moments played out on the screens as the Guardians battle their way to safety.

The ride-theming is one of the spookiest and scariest in all of Disneyland.

Is It Too Scary For Kids?

From the back story to theming, to ride movements, Guardians of the Galaxy Mission Breakout is one of the scariest attractions at Disneyland.

If your child is sensitive to scary movies or themes, they may be too frightened to even get into the elevator.

But that’s not really the only scary element of this attraction.

Once the ride starts running, the elevator rises and drops in a random fashion while in the dark, with pipe rattling noises happening around you.

While the intention is to feel like you are falling, we describe it more like a really big bouncing movement. Really big.

It is a bouncing that does bring you out of your seat as you drop (lap belts should be tightened to help minimize this movement).

Guardians of the Galaxy: Mission Breakout is absolutely a scary ride and just may be too scary for some kids.

mission breakout on ride photo

Age Rating: What Ages of Kids Can Ride Guardians of the Galaxy: Mission Breakout?

As always, you know your kids best.

But this is one of those instances where being tall enough (40 inches) isn’t always the same as being ready for an attraction.

A tall 3-year-old should also be a fairly mature and brave 3-year-old to enjoy this ride.

We suggest you ride one time for yourself if you have any concerns about the suitability of this attraction for your family.

As far as an age rating, we also suggest most kids be at least 6 years old before riding this attraction. If you have total daredevils and adrenaline junkies, determine if they can handle the spooky scary thematic elements.

Watch The Full Ride Through

Sometimes it helps to watch the full ride-through experience to decide if a theme park ride is kid-friendly for your family.

Here is a ride-through of Guardians of the Galaxy: Mission Breakout to help you know if it’s too scary!

Parents Ride Guide Tip Sheet: Guardians of the Galaxy: Mission Breakout

Hurtle up and down aboard an elevator-style lift. It’s time to save the Guardians!

  • Dark Ride
  • Adventurous and scary theme
  • Loud noises and bright, flashing lights
  • The elevator drops and rises quickly and without warning
  • 40-Inch height requirement
  • Seats 20 people in one elevator
  • Repeated big, sudden drops, but does not go upside down

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