Space Mountain (Disneyland Resort)
From MouseInfo
Space Mountain is an indoor roller coaster that sends you hurtling through space past stars, comets, and even an asteroid or two, all to the accompaniment of a pulsating on-board soundtrack.
Contents |
Special Tips
| Location: | Tomorrowland. |
|---|---|
| Ride Type: | Roller coaster. |
| Height Req.: | 40" (102 cm) or taller. |
| Fastpass: | Yes. |
| Single Rider: | No. |
| Child Swap: | Yes. |
| Avg. Wait*: | 45-60 minutes. |
| Ride Length: | 2 minutes and 54 seconds. |
| Ride Capacity: | 12 people per train, 2 per row. |
| Operating Hours: | Park opening to park closing. |
| *Wait times my vary widely on a number of factors including crowd levels, showtimes, and hour of the day. | |
- Utilize FastPass for a shorter wait. It is one of the most popular rides in the park.
- For those who wish to skip this attraction while other members of their party ride, a waiting area can be found at the attraction’s exit near the Starcade.
- Your photo is taken on this attraction; you can purchase your on-ride photo at a small stand near the exit. The photo is taken in the reentry tunnel at the very end of the ride.
Fun Facts
- The inaugural flight of Space Mountain at Disneyland was on May 27, 1977.
- The foundation for the Space Mountain building sits nearly two stories below Tomorrowland. This keeps the attraction in proper scale with the rest of the park!
- There are 1.3 million pounds of steel in Space Mountain.
- The distance of each Space Mountain voyage is 3,035 ft (.57 miles).
- Six Mercury astronauts, including John Glenn, Alan Shepard, and Gordon Cooper were at the opening launch of Space Mountain. Neil Armstrong was at the reopening ceremony on July 15, 2005, two days before Disneyland’s 50th Anniversary.
- The original soundtrack to Space Mountain was created by Dick Dale who is also known as the King of the Surf Guitar. The new soundtrack, which premiered in 2005, was created by composer Michael Giacchino who also composed music for The Incredibles, Ratatouille, and LOST.
- In 1998, Space Mountain was repainted with warm earthy tones to reflect a classic vision of the future.
- Space Mountain was the first attraction at Disneyland to test FastPass.
- Space Mountain closed April 10, 2003 for an extensive remodel (including a complete rebuild of the entire roller coaster’s original track) and had its exterior repainted with its classic white color scheme. It officially re-opened on July 15, 2005.
- From January to April in 2007, the attraction was renamed “Rockin’ Space Mountain” as part of the short-lived “Rockin’ Both Parks” promotion. A special Red Hot Chili Peppers soundtrack and special lighting effects package were added to the attraction to simulate a voyage through a space rock concert.
- Space Mountain is the only mountain in the Disney mountain range that is not patterned after real geographical formations.
- Space Mountain was the world's first computerized indoor roller coaster.
- The original name for Space Mountain was going to be Space Port. It was actually thought of by Walt Disney!
Safety and Accessibility
- Safety Considerations: For safety, you should be in good health and free from high blood pressure, heart, back or neck problems, motion sickness, or other conditions that could be aggravated by this adventure. Expectant mothers should not ride.
- Wheelchair Accessible: No. Guests must be able to transfer from wheelchair or ECV to experience this attraction. A transfer seat is available.
- Hearing Disability Services: No.
- Visual Disability Services: No.
- Service Animals: Not allowed.
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Attraction Details
While walking the corridors of the inner portion of the queue, look up at the various maintenance and escape hatches and you’ll find one marked "Bay 12, Command Module Capt. J. Hench."
Several design sketches by Hench were used to inspire the look of Space Mountain. John Hench joined Disney in 1939 as a sketch artist for Fantasia. He joined Walt Disney Imagineering in 1954 where one of his first assignments was to design attractions for the original Tomorrowland.
He passed away on February 5, 2004. The special tribute inside Space Mountain was added during the major 2003-2005 refurbishment in which the attraction was rebuilt and remodeled.
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