Space Mountain
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| Space Mountain | |
| Attraction type | Enclosed roller coaster |
| Theme | Space travel |
Space Mountain is the name given to a popular series of enclosed roller coaster rides at five Disney theme parks around the world. The name is derived from the so-called "mountain ranges" that appear at all the Disneyland or Magic Kingdom style theme parks. Because Space Mountain appears in either Tomorrowland or Discoveryland, the large cone shaped structure has the appearance of looking like a futuristic or other worldy mountain, thus giving the name Space Mountain, however guests really enter a Space Station, and board and exit at a Space Port.
The enclosed design allows controlled lighting to selectively hide portions of the track. This greatly increases the element of surprise experienced by riders, which can compensate for the absence of some of the track elements typically required to make outdoor coasters exciting. The building has the distinctive feature of having the roof supports on the outside. This allows the ceiling inside to provide a flat surface for projecting stars and elements onto it. It also gives the building a very modern look that has stood the test of time.
Space Mountain premiered at the Walt Disney World Resort in 1975, the Disneyland Resort in 1977, Tokyo Disneyland in 1983, Disneyland Paris in 1995, and Hong Kong Disneyland in 2005. When the Paris installation opened, it became the first completely enclosed, themed roller coaster with a synchronized sound track. The Disneyland installation was upgraded in 1996, making it the first completely enclosed, themed roller coaster with a synchronized sound track in America. The layouts and soundtracks vary from installation to installation. For example, the Magic Kingdom version has two intertwined tracks, and its construction is similar to the Matterhorn rollercoaster in Disneyland Park. The Paris version features a launch and two inversions.
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[edit] Walt Disney World Resort
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| Space Mountain | |
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| Magic Kingdom | |
| Land | Tomorrowland |
| Designer | WED Enterprises |
| Attraction type | Steel Roller coaster |
| Opening date | January 15, 1975 |
| Ride duration | 2:30 minutes |
| Length | 3186-3196 ft (2211.9 m) |
| Total height | 183 ft (55.8 m) |
| Track height | 65 ft (19.8 m) |
| Maximum speed | 17 mph (27.4 km/h) |
| Height requirements | 44" (112 cm) |
| Sponsored by | RCA (1975-1993) FedEx (1994-2004) |
The first in the Space Mountain series of roller coasters, Walt Disney World's Space Mountain began with many different proposals and designs. Originally, Walt Disney World's Space Mountain was to be positioned in the southern portion of Tomorrowland, just as Disneyland did with the second version of Space Mountain in 1977.
When it was decided that Space Mountain would be in the northeastern portion of Tomorrowland, designs ranged from an entire enclosed Tomorrowland/Space Port complex to a Space Mountain that would have roller coaster riders weaving both inside and outside the structure. When it was finally decided upon to build the current structure, inspiration was taken from Imagineer John Hench's initial sketch of the originally proposed Space Port (or prototype Space Mountain) proposed by Walt Disney for a later expansion to Disneyland's New Tomorrowland that opened in 1967. Also, various designs for the inside of the structure, ranging from the queue, roller coaster track(s), and postshow went through various design changes before the current layout was selected.
[edit] Track Design and Layout
Walt Disney World's Space Mountain is the only Space Mountain that has two roller coaster tracks within the iconic Space Mountain structure. They are mirror images of each other, with the exception of one track being slightly longer than the other, in order to cross over the other track. The left side track is called Alpha. while the right side track is called Omega. Both tracks offer the same experience for guests, with effects equally shared and duplicated for both tracks. The tracks are designed and laid out in a similar but not identical fashion to the Matterhorn Bobsleds at Disneyland.
Walt Disney World's Space Mountain has 13 trains for each side, done in pairs of two small rockets, totaling 26 small vehicles for both the left side (Alpha) and right side (Omega) track(s). There have been two versions of these vehicles. From 1975-1989 the 26 vehicles consisted of two rockets joined together. Each rocket could hold four passengers. Passengers were placed single file (one passenger behind the other). However, each rocket only had two seats, with a large space in front of each seat. Two passengers would sit in the rocket's two seats, and two more guests would sit in the large spaces in front of each seat. In 1975 these vehicles were simply furnished with four seat belts for the four passengers.
In 1978 the vehicles were modified with lap bars. However, in 1989 all 52 vehicles were replaced with 52 new vehicles. These new vehicles (26 for each track), externally and cosmetically looked the same as the original vehicles, and still consisted of two rockets joined together. Each rocket now consisted of three seats that could now comfortably sit three guests, once again single file. By once again having two rockets connected to each other however, capacity decreased from eight guests to six guests. The 1989 vehicles also used the 1978 lap bars, but in 1998 the lap bars were replaced with a new T-bar design, rather than the 1978 square design.
[edit] The Roller Coaster
The roller coaster itself consists of guests boarding their vehicles in the Space Port. In Walt Disney World's version, the Space Port is visibly inside the iconic Space Mountain structure. There is no ceiling on Walt Disney World's version of the Space Port. Instead, guests and passengers aboard the nearby WEDway Peoplemover, now called the Tomorrowland Transit Authority, can see and are surrounded by all the effects used to make the roller coaster portion in the dark. Guests can also see the glow-in-the-dark vehicles traveling along the respective left and right side tracks. When Walt Disney World's Space Mountain must make an emergency stop or breaks down, lights turn on, allowing guests to see the roller coaster itself. Also, coaster buffs would identify Space Mountain as a wild mouse coaster, a short and small roller coaster that has sharp, small drops and tight, sudden turns.
As the vehicles on both the left and right side tracks leave their respective part of the Space Port, they travel past the loading area, the Space Port queue, the Mission Control Booth for the Space Port, and the Space Station 75 queue, where they make a brief stop ( in the Space Station 75 queue), to allow the vehicles in front of them to proceed up the lift hill. During this time, an open hexagon window frame allows guests on both the roller coaster and Space Station 75 queue to see each other. After this brief stop, the vehicles wind down a small slope and enter a tunnel of circular and flashing blue and white lights, while a repetitive sound, meant to signify an energy surge, propels guests toward and eventually up the lift hill of both the Space Port and Space Station 75. As the vehicles proceed up the lift hill, guests may be able to see the Tomorrowland Transit Authority pass below them, or see the other vehicles climbing the lift hill on the other side. Above guests are two astronauts, upside down and working on a fictitious RCA Explorer vehicle, currently held in the bay for repairs. Meanwhile, Mission Control workers in a booth along the lift hill observe the lift hill approach, and other vehicles (known as space shuttles, which one travels on as their roller coaster vehicle), can be seen entering Space Station 75 from their trip through time and space. A projection of Earth, stars, comets, and asteroids can also be seen overhead when looking past the lift hill bay's open ceiling.
The space shuttles then make a small and quick dip before plunging into numerous twists and turns as the shuttles hurtle around Space Station 75 on a journey through time and space. The space shuttles eventually encounter a red and swirling worm hole that brings them to safety as they approach the unloading area of Space Station 75.
[edit] History
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The majority of Walt Disney World's Space Mountain has remained very much the same as it was in 1975. Though a planned refurbishment of Walt Disney World's Space Mountain may happen in the coming years, the majority of the 1975 features of Space Mountain continue to allow guests to experience a journey through time and space as seen by the Imagineers who created Walt Disney World's Space Mountain as a symbolic structure of the Space Age.
Walt Disney World's Space Mountain has had some noticeable changes:
- From 1975-1985, Space Mountain's original sponsor RCA presented Space Mountain as an actual exhibit, more so than an experience as it is billed now. While the white and blue color scheme of the iconic Space Mountain structure remains the same, the entrance and exit building was also painted white and blue, and even included blue patters painted on the exterior walls. The left entrance wall had the words "Space Mountain" displayed in bold, blue colored letters. The RCA logo was above this, and under the Space Mountain lettering was and still is Space Mountain's slogan "A Journey Through Time and Space", beneath this was the phrase "presented by RCA". The ceiling and flooring for the entrance building was done in reds, yellows, and oranges. A large white pylon structure had the RCA logo placed above it in three areas, and four passengers, dressed as astronauts, were placed in an original four seater vehicle, which was attached to the pylon. Below the pylon, in a planter was Space Mountain's dedication plaque which read: "ONE GIANT STEP... Dedicated to the men and women whose skills, sacrifice, courage and teamwork opened the door to the exploration of man's exciting new frontier...outer space. Because they dared to reach for the stars and the planets, man's knowledge of his universe, earth and himself has been greatly enriched. Presented by missile, space and range pioneers. January 15, 1975."
- Guests entered the spacious lobby, which did not feature the current mural of the Milky Way, but was simple black and blue painted walls that had various angular designs in yellows and oranges placed upon them. There were also floor to ceiling mirrors, support columns, and blue lighting under the floor. The floors themselves were made out of a combination of plastic and vinyl and featured black textured circles sticking out of the flooring. The rest of the inside of the structure, with the exception of the warning film, and the changes made to the vehicles, remains nearly the same from 1975.
- In 1989 RCA had the entrance refurbished. Along with the vehicles being replaced in 1989, the entrance was cosmetically redone. The entrance door now had a yellow and black pattern around it. The entrance walls were repainted with the 1975 white and blue color scheme, but with solid and different patterns. The roof was still the same blue and white, as was the roof border, a solid white, but the ceiling was now also a solid white. The left entrance wall still featured the RCA logo, but a new font was selected for the phrase "Space Mountain", still bold, but was more angular, and now colored white. This was reflected in the phrase underneath it "A Journey Through Time and Space", and "presented by RCA" was not included in the 1989 refurbishment. The RCA logos atop the pylon were removed, and a new three seater vehicle replaced the old four seater vehicle that was attached to the pylon. Everything else, including warning signage and other features dating back to 1975, remained the same.
- In 1992 RCA once again had the entrance refurbished, this time all the entrance walls were covered over with blue vinyl covers. Some patterns were different than others. The 1989 left entrance wall lettering was simply placed on top of the new wall coverings. The yellow and black pattern around the entrance door remained the same. The ceiling and flooring remained the same, but the roof was now solid white, and the border to the roof was now red, white, and blue.
- In 1994, the year in which Walt Disney World's New Tomorrowland came about, RCA left as sponsor (having signed on in 1974, and presented from 1975-1993), FedEX then took over as sponsor. The 1992 entrance remained very much the same, but now the entrance and exit building was partially demolished, forcing guests exiting Space Mountain to exit into an arcade and gift shop that occupies part of the still vacant space left for the proposed but never built Tomorrowland Train Station. The left hand entrance wall, that served for years as the signage for Space Mountain was demolished in the 1994 refurbishment. The right hand entrance wall was now used for signage and simply had the words "Space Mountain" in a thin, tall, and spikey orange font, that was meant to reflect the architecture of the New Tomorrowland. The large entrance door was kept, but now had storm shutters placed within the frame, creating a smaller entrance. New warning signage, and warning spiels also came in 1994. A new, but different pylon tower was placed over the site of the old one. It too featured the new Space Mountain font and FedEX sponsorship, but the sponsorship was credited in small text toward the bottom of the pylon, and not toward the top of the pylon that RCA did with the original pylon from 1975-1989.
- The entrance lobby was refurbished with an orange and brown color scheme, but still maintained the blue floor lights, and black vinyl flooring, while adding in a FedEX sponsored intergalactic tracking network mural of the Milky Way. In 1998 the original 1975 flooring was removed and a staircase was added in the right hand queue for the now added FastPass line. FastPass machines were also added outside of Space Mountain at this time.
- The warning film was also changed in 1994 for updated footage and to also feature FedEx Sponsorship. The film included both the warning footage and the futuristic but funny "SMTV" with its space themed news program featuring comic writer Michael Carrington,[1] who played both a journalist, and also a salesman who carried out spacecraft dealership ads, while background music to the Dick Dale music video, Ghost Riders in the Sky, played in the background. The warning film has so far changed only three times. The original in 1975, and two updated versions both in 1985 and 1994. The FedEX footage was removed in 2005.
- In 2004 FedEX left as sponsor, leaving Space Mountain sponsorless; the majority of FedEX logos, and sponsorship themes were removed in 2005, but some, and even noticeable logos and sponsorship themes are still around today. Particularly interesting is the sign used to label Space Mountain for passengers on the Tomorrowland Transit Authority. It is still the original 1975 frame, boarder, and bold and blue Space Mountain lettering. Only the phrase "A Journey Through Time and Space" was updated in font design, along with the visual and narrated mention of Space Mountain in 2005. The narration for Space Mountain via the WEDway Peoplmover, now Tomorrowland Transit Authority has had different spiels from 1975, 1985, 1994, and 2005.
Space Mountain has also had some musical score changes:
- From 1975-1985 the entrance and exit building had overhead speakers playing the big band and orchestral portion of RCA's song "Here's to the Future and You". The entrance lobby had the softer and less loud portion of this song, however the music heard in the Star Corridor, and the music heard in the Zig-Zag corridor remain original from 1975. The warning spiel for the space shuttle vehicles, and sound effects are also original from 1975.
Here's to the Future and You/We've Come So Far In 1985 RCA removed their theme song, and instead commissioned new generic music for Space Mountain. Since 1985 there is no outside area music around the exit and entrance building. Only the current warning narration spiel is played. In the lobby a soft and welcoming composition to RCA's new song "We've Come So Far" can be heard and has remained since 1985. When guests unloaded from their space shuttle, they entered the post show area of Space Mountain, which was also accessible for guests who decided not to experience the roller coaster segment.
From 1975-1985 the original RCA design colors on the walls, ceiling, lighting, and carpeting were present. This changed in both 1985, and 1994 respectively. From 1975-1985 guests could hear music to the song "Music Makers" and "Sentimental Journeys" (which could be heard when both the left and right side unload corridors merged together to form the line for the post show). From 1985-2005, the unload and merger corridor both had a slightly different soft tune to RCA's new song "We've Come so Far". In 2005, this was replaced with the musical score commissioned for Disneyland's Space Mountain that was refurbished and reopened in 2005.
The post show The post show for Walt Disney World's Space Mountain is unique only to itself. No other Space Mountain has an extensive post show like the Walt Disney World version, which allows it to somehow maintain its original 1975 designs as an exhibit rather than as an experience.
Guests board a moving sidewalk, known as a speedramp, that takes guests back to Tomorrowland. As we enter the post show, above us is a flashing warning sign and spiel, both original from 1985, and possibly 1975. On our left is a half octagon shaped room. and on our right are four large octagon rooms. All of these rooms are shown and viewed on an even surface, but after the final octagon room, the speedramp dips down at an angle, where guests go under the Train Tracks for the Walt Disney World railroad. On the ceiling are rectangular holes that can showcase display items. As guests travel back up to ground level, and toward the exit to Tomorrowland, TV Monitors on our right show live images of guests on the speedramp, just before the exit into Tomorrowland.
From 1975-1985, the post show exhibit was known as the "Home of Future Living", a home or living environment most likely set on Earth in the future, but cosmetically five years ahead of its time. The left half octagon room had no display in it, however all of the four large octagon rooms on the right each had two smaller hexagon rooms within them, creating a total of four octagon rooms with eight smaller hexagon rooms.
The first two large octagon rooms contained four smaller hexagon rooms overlapping each other at a diagonal angle.
The first octagon room contained: In the first hexagon on the lower right: The father, on the home's porch or terrace with a blue jumpsuit, and blue hair, having a two-way conversation with a business associate or co-worker, also dressed in blue and with blue hair, on a prototype of a LapTop or Notebook Computer. The second hexagon on the upper left was the family nursery, and contained a baby standing up in its clear acrylic glass crib, in its yellow designer schemed room while a yellow toy clown sat on a yellow dresser with a video camera or prototype camcorder, and recorded the baby, which allowed anyone in the house to view the baby on the home video monitor system.
The second octagon room contained: In the first hexagon on the lower right: The grandmother (in this case the family's mother's mother), in the family room, with red hair, and red clothing, surrounded by designer reds and browns, while she conducted a two-way pottery lesson with her teacher on the family room big screen TV. On the big screen was a widescreen presentation, but the pottery teacher was on the viewer's left hand side in a 4x3 square, while the remaining part of the widescreen presentation was divided into two smaller squares (one over the other), showing a boy at the front floor, and the baby in the nursery. The second hexagon on the upper left was the recreation room. There was the son of the family assembling a model rocket, while his friend was playing a video game with a futuristic prototype of RCA's SelectaVision VideoDiscs.
The first two octagon rooms and the first four hexagon rooms could all be viewed from the WEDway Peoplemover, now Tomorrowland Transit Authority because their ceilings were none existent, which allowed open space to look into.
The third and fourth octagon rooms contained four more hexagon rooms but these rooms were now placed side by side rather than overlapping each other at a diagonal angle.
The third octagon room contained: The first hexagon on the right, showed the home's front porch and door, which had a young boy named Billy, with brown hair and in a yellow jumpsuit at the front door to the home. A camera was facing his back; he could not see the camera but only the front door. Waiting patiently, Billy asks the mother of the home if he can come in, presumably to see his two friends, one of them being the son assembling the model rocket in the recreation room. However he has both his dog, and pet frog, Freddy with him. The mother insists that Billy and his frog will have to wait outside. The second hexagon on the left is the dining room. The mother and her female friend (presumably a next door neighbor) are in a white and yellow designer schemed dining room. The dining room furniture is pushed off to the side, closer to guests viewing the exhibit. The mother is trying to talk to Billy at a control panel in the dining room, while her friend looks on at the dining room's big screen TV. The format is the same as the family room's TV with Billy and the Baby on the right hand side, while on the left hand side is a home shopping channel displaying dishware in both alternating yellow and red colors to choose from.
The fourth and final octagon room contained: The first hexagon on the right: The daughter's bedroom, where she laid down on her bed talking to Judy, her friend, on her mobile phone, while once again another prototype RCA Selectavision VideoDisc player played a movie on the tilted part of her hexagon wall in her aqua and green designer scheme room. The hexagon on the left contained the entertainment room, where one of the daughter's friends, and another one of the son's friends watched a big screen TV, but with only a single 4x3 image, unlike the format in the family room and dining room. The entertainment room was done in a yellow and brown designer scheme.
Then guests dipped under the railroad tracks with posters for RCA products in the small display cases above them on the ceiling, and when reaching the TV monitors, Billy, realizing there are guests outside the home, takes his frog back home and gets the family camcorder instead, and begins videotaping guests on the home's terrace. Billy and his dog both track guests as they pass him, where a sign says "You are now seeing yourself on RCA Color TV" reads over various TV monitors, all of course in color. Guests then exit the post show and into Tomorrowland.
In 1982 a few changes occurred to the "Home of Future Living". The home shopping network was updated with a Julia Child television show, the daughter's bedroom switched to a new VideoDisc, and the entertainment room switched from a football game to a VideoDisc of Walt Disney's film 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea. Also the display posters above guests' heads as they went under the train tracks, became television monitors with an audio source advertising VideoDiscs.
The music heard throughout the post show consisted of the original RCA theme song. The "Home of Future Living" did not feature any music, however a soft chorus hum to the tune was heard only under the train tracks from 1975-1985, while the chorus actually singing the lyrics to RCA's "Here's to the Future and You" could be heard in the Television Monitor display area. In 1982 only the chorus' soft humming of the tune in the train track area was deleted so the VideoDisc advertisement could be heard instead.
In 1985 RCA had all eight hexagon rooms gutted, leaving only the frames of the much larger four octagon rooms. Only the very last octagon room contains the basic, but altered layout of the two smaller hexagon rooms (with the hexagon divider wall gone, now creating one large room). The new exhibit was called "RYCA1:Dream of a New World". RCYA1 being pronounced "r-aye-kuh-one". The new exhibit involved astronauts exploring a distant and futuristic land.
The actual exhibit had the soft music to RCA's new song "We've Come so Far", that could be heard in both the unload area and merging corridor to the post show. The area in which guests went under the train tracks was still an RCA exhibit area with TV monitors, but with no narration about their products, instead a man and woman singing the lyrics to "We've Come so Far" could be heard in both this area and the television monitor area. The television monitor area remained original from 1975, with the exception of modified monitors added shortly after the "Home of Future Living" opened. Billy and his Dog, in all their original 1975 creation, were still videotaping guests.
In 1994 FedEX turned "RYCA1:Dream of a New World", into "FX-1 Teleport" Port. "FX-1 Teleport" took all the "RCYA1: Dream of a New World" sets, but merely enhanced them, with only slight changes. The "We've Come so Far" theme song was deleted, including the soft musical score used in the beginning of the post show. Instead narrated spiels, and sound effects accompanied the post show. Billy and his dog continued to film guests in both 1994 and 1995, but in 1996 Billy and his Dog became robots in the final octagon room, interestingly they still perform their movements they were programmed to make all the way back in 1975. Billy and his dog, even as robots still tilt their heads and pan their movement with guests, even though Billy holds nothing in his hands, yet his posture still looks like he is holding a camcorder. In 2005 all of the FedEX added narration and sound effects were removed and replaced with the Disneyland 2005 Space Mountain audio track.
[edit] Disneyland Resort
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| Space Mountain at Disneyland, as of 2004 | |
| Disneyland | |
| Land | Tomorrowland |
| Designer | WED Enterprises |
| Manufacturer | WED Enterprises and AMEC Dynamic Structures |
| Attraction type | Steel roller coaster |
| Opening date | May 27, 1977 |
| Ride duration | 2:45 minutes |
| Length | 3,450 feet (1052 m) ft (Expression error: Unrecognised punctuation character "," m) |
| Total height | 128 feet (38.78 m) ft (Expression error: Unrecognised word "feet" m) |
| Track height | 75 feet (22.7m) ft (Expression error: Unrecognised word "feet" m) |
| Maximum speed | 32 miles per hour (52 km/h) mph (Expression error: Unrecognised word "miles" km/h) |
| Height requirements | 40 inches (1.02 m)" (Expression error: Unrecognised word "inches" cm) |
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After the success of Magic Kingdom's Space Mountain, The Walt Disney Imagineers made plans to build Space Mountain on the west coast. Walt's original "Space Port" plan finally opened more than ten years after the original plans and his death. The ride was different from its Florida counterpart as it features only one track, side by side seating in the rockets, and faster, smoother, more thrilling ride. The on board audio was added in 1996 after the success of the system at Disneyland Paris. Track fatigue from the heavier weight of the on-board audio systems and improperly manufactured steel track was one of the reasons of the two-year refurbishment.
Space Mountain was closed suddenly at Disneyland on April 9, 2003, as the roller coaster inside the mountain was being replaced with a completely new coaster, identical to the original layout. The official reopening was July 15, 2005 - two days before the park's fiftieth birthday.
[edit] Version 1: 1977-2003
After being seated in the rockets, riders are first brought to a control tower where they see one or two Disneyland cast members and they listen to a small-recorded warning spiel. The rockets then turns sharply to the right and climb into a long tunnel with fiber optic like projection of comets flying by on the walls. Then after another quick turn the rockets would climb up the second and longest lift filled with a red rotating spot light shining down the entire length of the lift tunnel from the top of the lift. Creating effect as as though the rockets were being pulling up by this red rotating light. At the top the rockets would make a 200 degree turn to the left and pass by a red-orange glowing geodesic sphere, there's a slight calm before the rockets climbed a short third and final lift in the vast openness at the top of the ride's dome.
After the 1996 refurbishment, the audio portion of the attraction would begin at this point. Slowly, the rocket sleds dive and the music changes to a hard-rocking Dick Dale surf guitar rendition of "Le Carnival Des Animaux: Aquarium" ( The Carnival of the Animals ) by Camille Saint-Saëns. Riders are thrown about in almost complete darkness, faint lighting hinting at the dense metal scaffolding that seems to fly within feet over the heads of the riders. As the ride gets faster with each turn and is building up to a dramatic climax. The ride ends as the rockets take a sudden left turn into a rotating tunnel with red-orange lighting effects to simulate re-entry. Then the music changes to a less foreboding variation of the original theme (Disney's form of a musical happy ending) as the rocket sleds re-enter the station.
[edit] Version 2: 2005-present
On July 15, 2005 (with "soft openings" starting 1 July), only two days before Disneyland's official 50th Anniversary, Space Mountain reopened from a major refurbishment that started in April, 2003.A re-opening ceremony was held that day which featured a guest speaker who was Neil Armstrong,he received a plaque that day which said "Presented to Mr. Neil Armstrong for his courage and adventuress spirit continues to im spire all mankind to reach for the stars". The plaque also features the Disney quote"It's kinda fun to do the impossible". The new Space Mountain features new rocket sleds, a new queue, new music (composed by Michael Giacchino), new special effects and a storyline. The completely rebuilt track is the exact same layout as originally designed by Walt Disney Imagineer Bill Watkins in 1976. The original track was removed and the foundation was laid 30 feet deeper, making the ride much safer than ever. The floor of the building was also lowered ten feet. The Rocket Sleds no longer glow in the dark.
The attraction begins in Space Station 77, a reference to the year Space Mountain opened, where riders board their "rocket" and are sent into a series of tunnels and lifts that are themed to get your rocket sleds energized and sent to the proper "launch coordinates". If you look carefully you can see DL05 on the ship in the queue, about to enter the rocket sled, a reference to when Disneyland was refurbished. The first lift and room is lit with red and orange lighting. At the top of the lift, as you enter a long tunnel, riders experience electrical sounds and light effects presumably beginning to transfer energy to your rocket sleds "power cells".
Inside the tunnel is a series of blue strobe lights flashing around the riders, and is definitely a reference to the Magic Kingdom Park's Space Mountain launch tunnel. The electrical sounds and the flashing blue strobe lights transfer all the "energy" your rocket sleds will need for the journey through space. The rocket sleds then take riders into the second and longest lift with video screens all around. This is where the rocket sleds get their launch coordinates. And on the screens red bars extend over the stars and stretch by the riders and begin to spin, making it seem as if the rocket sleds are rotating. Here the rocket sleds are once again being pulled up the by a tractor beam (this time the effect is being done digitally). Riders see a spiral galaxy directly ahead, (some argue it is actually a black hole or worm hole) and when the rocket enters the mountain, the galaxy swirls up and disappears.
The rocket sleds ascend up one final lift hill, and then descend into two minutes of sharp turns and dips. The re-entry tunnel was formerly just orange lights spiraling around riders, but now the rocket sleds appear to zoom by stars, but the effect's highlight is when the stars suddenly start zooming forward, implying that the rocket sleds have stopped and the stars are traveling in their normal fashion. Some riders comment that effect feels as if the rockets are reversing on the track. At this point, the souvenir picture is taken, with the bright flash causing momentary blindness. Moments later, riders return safely to Space Station 77.
On June 25, 2005 Disneyland surprised its guests by announcing the early reopening of Space Mountain to the general public. While the complete storyline was not introduced, the ride ran much smoother and faster.
[edit] Rockin' Space Mountain
Also part of this major "new" Space Mountain was a nighttime transformation of the attraction to Rockin' Space Mountain, in which the calmer soundtrack of the attraction in daytime hours was to be replaced at night by a driving rock soundtrack, and different special effects. The original version of Rockin' Space Mountain, called Rock-it Mountain, premiered for Grad Nite 2006, with the track "Let It Out" by rock group Hoobastank.
Rockin' Space Mountain premiered during the "Year of a Million Dreams" Celebration, and is being promoted alongside Rockin' California Screamin, a similar modification to Disney's California Adventure's California Screamin' roller coaster beginning January 3, 2007 and continuing through April 26, 2007. Contrary to the original plans for the attraction to only be "Rockin'" in the evening, "Rockin' Space Mountain" runs during all operating hours of the park.
Rockin' Space Mountain does not use the Dick Dale soundtrack that many Disney fans enjoyed, but the Dick Dale Space Mountain theme makes one final appearance on Disneyland's 50th Anniversary 6-CD box set. On December 28, 2006, Disneyland announced that the soundtrack to be featured for "Rockin' Both Parks" are two songs by the Red Hot Chili Peppers. Space Mountain received an edited version of the band's 1989 song Higher Ground. The song has been remixed to "heighten every twist, turn, rise and drop of the attraction." Rockin' Space Mountain's counterpart at Disney's California Adventure, Rockin' California Screamin', uses a remixed version of the Red Hot Chili Peppers' "Around the World." [1]
The main differences between the regular and Rockin' Space Mountain include: a different soundtrack, new projections within the mountain, and many lights alongside the track. Riders begin their journey with "Uncle" Joe Benson, a radio disc jockey from the Disney-owned 95.5 KLOS, introducing the riders to the "Space Stage" where the Red Hot Chili Peppers will be "broadblasting live." The "rocket rockers" continue the flight with a "sound check" with guitar riffs accompanied by projections of bright colors and sound waves. Climbing the last lift, the soundtrack transitions into the song, "Higher Ground." Some of the new scenery includes colored strobe lights, projections of dancers and other bright visualizer images. Many colored lights line the tracks strobing in sequence and projecting on walls and the surroundings. Re-entry and the station remain mostly unchanged except for some added instruments (drum set, air/electric guitar, etc.) floating in space with the astronaut in the "planet orbit" screen. Another notable change to the station is that the neon lights that flash when a rocket train is "launched" to the right remain on and do not shut off. Also, the front attraction sign includes "Rockin'" above "Space Mountain" while a color-changing light illuminates the spire above the sign at night.
[edit] Tokyo Disneyland
| Tokyo Disneyland | |
| Land | Tomorrowland |
| Opening date | April 13, 1983 |
Space Mountain at Tokyo Disneyland opened with the park on April 15, 1983. It was the first to open alongside the park. As with the other Space Mountains, this version is also highly popular with young adults and roller coaster fans.
From 1983 and until 2006, Tokyo Disneyland's Space Mountain was a clone of Disneyland's Space Mountain as it was in the early 1980s. The track layouts, rocket designs, and original elements were the same as the 1977-1995 version of Space Mountain at Disneyland.
In mid-2006, some Disney-fan sites reported that Tokyo Disneyland was rumored to get a small refurbishment of their Space Mountain in a period of six months between October 2006 and April 2007. While some thought it was a technical rehab and that changes to the ride and story were just rumors, in November 2006, outside the construction walls of Space Mountain, concept art of a new station and rockets, new logo, and new color scheme appeared, thus confirming all rumors and speculation of the rehab were true.
[edit] Incident
In 2003, a rocket derailed about 10 meters from the loading platform. As the coaster was running at a slow speed, no major damage was reported. No injuries were reported, and everyone was safely assisted to ground level.
[edit] Disneyland Park, Disneyland Resort Paris
| Space Mountain - Mission 2 | |
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| Space Mountain - De la Terre à la Lune, now Space Mountain - Mission 2 | |
| Disneyland Park (Paris) | |
| Land | Discoveryland |
| Theme | Jules Verne |
| Opening date | June 1, 1995 |
Space Mountain - De la Terre à la Lune had been planned since the inception of Euro Disneyland, but was reserved for a revival of public interest. Located in Discoveryland, Disneyland Paris' alternative for Tomorrowland, Space Mountain underwent modifications in 2005 and is now officially named Space Mountain: Mission 2. It was originally designed as a view on space travel from a Jules Verne-era perspective.
In original plans, it was to be known as Discovery Mountain and would have featured more than one ride, all based on different books written by Jules Verne, including Journey to the Center of the Earth and From the Earth to the Moon. The giant dome would have also featured restaurants and shops. When Disneyland Paris suffered financial difficulties, Space Mountain was built in its place.
The attraction features a 1.5G up hill launch at 42MPH (68 km/h), two inversions (sidewinder and corkscrew) and a partial inversion known today as an "Overbanked Turn" It was the first Space Mountain with on-board music (known as a "S.O.B.A.T" which stands for Synchronize On-Board Audio Theme) with the first SOBAT written and composed by Steve Bramson, and the new soundtrack was written by Michael Giacchino, along with a new SOBAT for the Space Mountain in Disneyland and Hong Kong Disneyland.
Space Mountain was the basis for the 1995 BBC2 documentary, "Shoot for the Moon", which looked at the creative process and the history of Imagineers, technicians, and musicians of The Walt Disney Company, featuring project manager Tim Delaney and Disney Legend Ward Kimball.
[edit] Hong Kong Disneyland
| Hong Kong Disneyland | |
| Land | Tomorrowland |
| Designer | Walt Disney Imagineering |
| Manufacturer | Vekoma |
| Attraction type | Roller coaster |
| Opening date | September 12, 2005 |
| Ride duration | 2:45 minutes |
| Length | 3,450 feet (1052 m) ft (Expression error: Unrecognised punctuation character "," m) |
| Total height | 118 feet (36 m) ft (Expression error: Unrecognised word "feet" m) |
| Track height | 75 feet (22.7m) ft (Expression error: Unrecognised word "feet" m) |
| Maximum speed | 32 miles per hour (52 km/h) mph (Expression error: Unrecognised word "miles" km/h) |
| Height requirements | 40 inches (1.02 m)" (Expression error: Unrecognised word "inches" cm) |
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The newest Space Mountain (not counting the two recent refurbishments of the Disneyland and Disneyland Paris) is based on the refurbished Space Mountain at Disneyland, with a similar soundtrack and the same layout. It also features new show elements not presented in the refurbished California version (i.e. a "hyperspeed" tunnel). It will not feature the Rockin' Space Mountain configuration that is featured in Disneyland's Space Mountain.
Unlike most Space Mountains, the boarding area for the attraction is quite small. Not present is a Space Station of its two most similar counterparts at Disneyland and Tokyo Disneyland. Instead a dark queue featuring neon earth-tone colored planets along with star patterns decorate the area. Lining the walls of the station are colored neon light bars that are used for lighting and decoration.
It is the only Space Mountain to feature Single-Rider alongside its regular standby line. Also different than most Space Mountains, whose buildings pretty much stand alone, this incarnation features a building attached to it hosting a smaller attraction, but not visible from the ride itself.
[edit] Attraction facts
[edit] Magic Kingdom
- Building diameter: 300 feet
- Steepest drop: 39 degrees
[edit] Disneyland
- Closing Date: April 9, 2003
- Grand Re-Opening: July 15, 2005
- Vehicles: 12
- Vehicle theme: Rocket
- Building diameter: 200 feet (61 m)
- Largest drop: 27 feet (8.18 m)
- Volume: 1.8 million cubic feet (51,000 m³)
- Ticket required: "E"
- Music: Space Mountain, composed by Michael Giacchino (2005-Current)
- Previous Music: Camille Saint-Saëns' Aquarium, performed by Dick Dale (1996-2003)
- Rockin' Space Mountain Music: Higher Ground, performed by Red Hot Chili Peppers (Jan 3-April 26, 2007)
- Rockit Mountain Music: Let it Out, performed by Hoobastank
[edit] Tokyo Disneyland
- Grand opening: April 13, 1983 (Opened with Tokyo Disneyland)
- Designers: Walt Disney Imagineering
- Vehicles: 12
- Vehicle theme: Rocket
- Building diameter: 200 feet (61 m)
- Largest drop: 17 feet (5.15 m)
- Building Height: 118 feet (35 m)
- Track length: 3,450 feet (1052 m)
- Volume: 1.8 million cubic feet (51,000 m³)
- Top speed: 30 miles per hour (48 km/h)
- Height requirement: 40 inches (1.02 m)
- Ride duration: 2:45
- Ticket required: "E"
- Ride system: Roller coaster
- Sponsor: Coca Cola, Ltd. of Japan
[edit] Disneyland Paris
- Grand opening: June 1, 1995
- Closing date: January 11, 2005
- Grand re-opening: April 09, 2005
- Designers: Walt Disney Imagineering, Vekoma
- Vehicles: 5
- Vehicle theme: Rocket
- Rockets per train: 6
- Passengers per train: 24 (or 4 per Rocket)
- Building diameter: 200 feet (61 m)
- Height: 141 feet (31 meters)
- Track length: 3280 feet (1000 meters)
- Top speed: 43.5 miles per hour (70 km/h)
- Height requirement: 51 inches (1.32 m)
- Ride duration: 2:27
- Music: Mission 2, composed by Michael Giacchino (2005-Present)
- Previous Music: De la Terre à la Lune, composed by Steve Bramson (1995-2005)
- Ride system: Roller coaster
[edit] Hong Kong Disneyland
- Grand opening: September 12, 2005 (Opened with Hong Kong Disneyland)
- Designers: Walt Disney Imagineering, Vekoma
- Vehicles: 12
- Vehicle theme: Rocket
- Building diameter: 200 feet (61 m)
- Track Height: 75 feet (22.7m)
- Largest drop: 17 feet (.5.15 m)
- Building Height: 118 feet (36 m)
- Track length: 3,450 feet (1052 m)
- Volume: 1.8 million cubic feet (51,000 m³)
- Top speed: 32 miles per hour (52 km/h)
- Height requirement: 40 inches (1.02 m)
- Ride duration: 2:45
- Ticket required: "E"
- Music: Space Mountain, composed by Michael Giacchino (2005-Present)
- Ride system: Roller coaster
[edit] Photo Gallery
 Space Mountain at the Magic Kingdom |
 Space Mountain at Disneyland |
 Another View of Space Mountain at the Magic Kingdom |
[edit] In popular culture
- The attraction can be seen along with the Rocket Jets in the Disney film Meet the Robinsons.
- Star Command headquarters as seen in the animated series Buzz Lightyear of Star Command is a modified version of Space Mountain.
- Referenced frequently on an episode of The Golden Girls, in which Sophia Petrillo, a character in her 80s, tries to get her daughter in her 50s to take her on all weekend during a vacation to Disney World.
- Space Mountain is a nickname used by pro wrestler Ric Flair. In reference to his high popularity level despite his advanced age, Flair usually comments in a double entendre that "Space Mountain may be the oldest ride in the park, but it still has the longest line!"
- In the UK TV sitcom Spaced, the army-obsessed Mike Watt stole a tank and tried to invade Paris, but stopped off at Euro Disney and was apprehended at Space Mountain.
- On an episode of Chappelle's Show, Dave is given a house by MTV for their show Cribs. Dave mentions to the viewer that he has a marble foyer cut from Space Mountain and shows it to the camera.
- On a wall somewhere next to Buzz Lightyear's Astro Blasters in Disneyland's Tomorrowland, a large mural with several Space Mountains can be seen hovering in space.
- The game Project Nomad was originally liscenced by Disney to have a Space Mountain theme. A prominent element, in the protagonist's ship design, remains as evidence.
[edit] See also
[edit] References
- ^ Homer's Triple Bypass DVD audio commentary
[edit] External links
- Space Mountain at Disneyland Official Page
- Space Mountain at Magic Kingdom Official Page
- Space Mountain at Tokyo Disneyland Official Page
- Space Mountain at Disneyland Paris Official Page
- Space Mountain at Hong Kong Disneyland Official Page
- Space Mountain Worldwide - Detailed Fan Site
- Space Mountain at Disneyland Paris - fan site
- Disney Mountain Rides - Space Mountain
- Space Station 77 - The Space Mountain Fan Site
- Space Mountain Lights On Video
- Space Mountain Profile
Disneyland Resort - The Matterhorn | Space Mountain | Big Thunder Mountain | Splash Mountain | Grizzly Peak
Walt Disney World Resort - Space Mountain | Big Thunder Mountain | Mount Mayday | Splash Mountain | Mount Gushmore | Forbidden Mountain
Tokyo Disney Resort - Space Mountain | Big Thunder Mountain | Splash Mountain | Mount Prometheus
Disneyland Resort Paris - Big Thunder Mountain | Space Mountain
Hong Kong Disneyland Resort - Space Mountain
Categories: Wikipedia articles needing rewrite | Articles lacking sources from January 2007 | All articles lacking sources | Amusement park accidents | Disney attractions | Magic Kingdom | Tokyo Disneyland | Disneyland Park | Hong Kong Disneyland | Disneyland Paris | Steel roller coasters | Fictional mountains | Fictional space stations | Enclosed roller coasters | Roller coasters at Disneyland | Disney landmarks
