Space Mountain (Disneyland) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Space Mountain |
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Exterior at daytime
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| Disneyland | |
| Location | Disneyland |
| Park section | Tomorrowland |
| Coordinates | 33°48′40″N 117°55′03″W / 33.811°N 117.9174°W |
| Status | Operating |
| Opening date | May 27, 1977 (original) July 15, 2005 (reopening) |
| Closing date | April 10, 2003 (original) |
| General statistics | |
| Type | Steel – Enclosed |
| Manufacturer | Arrow Dynamics (1977–2003) Dynamic Structures (2005–present)]] |
| Designer | WED Enterprises |
| Lift/launch system | Chain |
| Height | 76 ft (23 m) |
| Length | 3,459 ft (1,054 m) |
| Inversions | 0 |
| Duration | 3:00 min |
| Capacity | 2,057 (11 rockets) 1,741 (10 rockets) 1,440 (9 rockets) riders per hour |
| Height restriction | 40 in (102 cm) |
| Trains | 12 trains with 2 cars. Riders are arranged 2 across in 3 rows for a total of 12 riders per train. |
| Theme | Spaceflight |
| Music | Michael Giacchino (2005–present) Dick Dale (1996–2003) |
 Disney's Fastpass Available |
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 Single rider line Available |
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 Must transfer from wheelchair |
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| Space Mountain at RCDB | |
Space Mountain is an exciting indoor roller coaster located in Tomorrowland at Disneyland in Anaheim, California. It's designed to make you feel like you're zooming through outer space! This thrilling ride first opened on May 27, 1977. It was the second roller coaster ever built at Disneyland.
Space Mountain is one of five similar attractions created by The Walt Disney Company around the world. Its unique building, shaped like a giant mountain, is one of Disneyland's most famous landmarks. Sometimes, the ride gets a special makeover and is called Hyperspace Mountain, especially when it features a Star Wars theme.
The idea for a space-themed roller coaster came from Walt Disney himself. He was inspired by the success of the Matterhorn Bobsleds, which opened in 1959. However, building Space Mountain was a big challenge. There wasn't enough space at Disneyland at first, and Walt Disney passed away. The company also focused on building Walt Disney World in Florida.
Because of these reasons, the project was put on hold. But after the first Space Mountain opened successfully at Magic Kingdom in Florida in 1975, Disney decided to build a smaller version at Disneyland. This version opened just two years later in 1977. The design of Disneyland's Space Mountain was later used for similar rides at Tokyo Disneyland and Hong Kong Disneyland.
Over the years, Space Mountain has received many updates. These include adding music to the ride in 1996 and repainting its outside. From 2003 to 2005, the entire track and ride vehicles were replaced. The ride also gets special projections on its dome during Halloween, turning it into "Ghost Galaxy." In 2015, it was transformed into "Hyperspace Mountain" with a Star Wars theme, which has returned several times since.
Contents
The History of Space Mountain
How Space Mountain Was First Imagined
The success of the Matterhorn Bobsleds showed Walt Disney that guests loved thrilling rides. In 1964, Walt Disney shared his idea for an indoor, dark roller coaster with designer John Hench. Over the next few years, the design changed, and the name "Space Mountain" was first used in 1966.
However, the technology at the time wasn't advanced enough to build the ride as planned. Also, Disneyland didn't have enough space. After Walt Disney's death in 1966, and with the company focusing on the Disney World project, the Space Mountain idea was put aside.
Building Space Mountain in Florida and California
When Magic Kingdom opened in 1971, it also needed more thrill rides. But it became very popular with teenagers and young adults. Designers realized there was a lot of space in Tomorrowland at Magic Kingdom. With new technology, Disney decided to bring the Space Mountain project back to life.
The first Space Mountain opened at Magic Kingdom in 1975. It was a huge hit! This success led Disney to build a version at Disneyland. Walt Disney Imagineering designer Bill Watkins created the track for Disneyland's Space Mountain. Because of less space, Disneyland's version has a single track, unlike Magic Kingdom's dual tracks. The building is also much smaller.
Opening Day and Early Years
Disneyland's Space Mountain opened on May 27, 1977. It cost $20 million to build. The complex included the roller coaster, a large stage, a restaurant, and the Starcade video arcade. This new ride brought a lot of excitement to Tomorrowland.
Six of the original seven Mercury astronauts, who were famous space explorers, attended the opening. These included Scott Carpenter, Gordon Cooper, John Glenn, Wally Schirra, Alan Shepard, and Deke Slayton. Their presence made the opening even more special. Thanks to Space Mountain, Disneyland set a new attendance record that Memorial Day weekend.
For many years, the ride operated with only small changes. Sponsors would change, and a moving walkway was added at the entrance. In 1995, FedEx became the official sponsor. This led to some bigger changes, like new safety videos in the waiting area and a robot FedEx worker in the loading station.
The Music of Space Mountain
Original and New Soundtracks
In 1996, a special on-board music track was added to Space Mountain. Composer Aarin Richard and producer Eddie Sotto wanted to mix 1960s sci-fi music with surf music. The music was based on "Aquarium" from "The Carnival of the Animals" by Camille Saint-Saëns.
As the rockets climbed, the music sounded like sci-fi. Once the ride sped up, a rocking surf version of the song played. Famous guitarist Dick Dale even played his surf guitar for this part! When the ride ended, a soft, sci-fi version of "Aquarium" played.
In 2005, a new soundtrack by composer Michael Giacchino replaced the Dick Dale music. This new music is perfectly timed with the ride. It starts with a sci-fi sound during the climb and changes to a fast-paced beat during the high-speed parts of the ride.
Major Upgrades and Changes
Making the Ride Even Better
In 1997, the outside of Space Mountain was painted in shades of green, gold, copper, and bronze. This matched the new look of Tomorrowland. The moving walkway was also removed.
On April 10, 2003, the ride closed suddenly. It needed a complete track replacement because it had become unstable. Disneyland surprised everyone by reopening Space Mountain early on July 15, 2005, just before Disneyland's 50th Anniversary.
The mountain was painted back to its original white color. A special ceremony was held, and Neil Armstrong, the first person to walk on the moon, was a guest speaker. He received a plaque that said, "It's kinda fun to do the impossible."
The new Space Mountain had new ride vehicles, cool special effects, and a fresh story. The rebuilt track is exactly like the original design from 1976. The foundation was made deeper, and the floor of the mountain was lowered. This made the ride much safer. The new track was built by Dynamic Structures.
In 2015, the ride got a Star Wars makeover called Hyperspace Mountain. The ride vehicles became "reconnaissance vessels." The story involved a mission to the planet Jakku from Star Wars: The Force Awakens. Even Admiral Ackbar gave a pre-flight safety briefing! This special version has returned many times since.
In 2018, the waiting line was extended into the upper part of the old Starcade. It now features a large futuristic space telescope among the original 1977 murals.
Your Space Mountain Adventure
The Ride Experience
Your journey begins in the loading station, which looks like a futuristic hangar. A full-sized starship hangs above you! Once you're seated and the safety bar is checked, your rocket moves forward. Red strobe lights flash as you make a right turn and begin climbing the first lift hill.
At the top, blue lights flash, showing power transferring to your rocket. You then climb a second, longer lift hill. Screens around you show red beams stretching and a galaxy swirling at the top. As you reach the peak, the galaxy swirls away. The music builds as you enter the main dome of the ride.
Your rocket makes a U-turn and climbs one more small lift hill. A countdown begins, and then you're launched into a high-speed adventure through the dark dome! The ride has many twists, turns, and small dips. The darkness makes it hard to see the track, giving you the illusion of incredible speed.
As the ride nears its end, you plunge through a series of tight right turns, picking up speed. With a sudden left turn, you enter the re-entry tunnel. Colorful stars fly towards you, and two flashes of light mean your on-ride photo is being taken! Finally, the trains slow down and make a right U-turn back into the station.
Rockin' Space Mountain: A Musical Ride
After the big renovation, Space Mountain sometimes transformed at night into Rockin' Space Mountain. This version had a different, driving rock soundtrack and special effects. It first appeared for Grad Nite in 2006.
During "Rockin' Space Mountain," the calmer daytime music was replaced with rock songs. The Red Hot Chili Peppers' song "Higher Ground" was remixed for the ride. New projections and colored lights along the track added to the experience.
As you rode, a radio DJ would introduce the "Space Stage" where the Red Hot Chili Peppers were "broadcasting live." Instead of a spiral galaxy on the second lift hill, you would see a sun going nova and then exploding! Colored strobe lights, dancing figures, and bright visuals filled the mountain.
Space Mountain: Ghost Galaxy
For Halloween, Space Mountain transforms into Space Mountain: Ghost Galaxy. This spooky version includes special effects, ghosts in space, new sounds, and projections on the outside of the mountain. It first appeared at Hong Kong Disneyland in 2007 and came to Disneyland for Halloween in 2009.
Inside the ride, the first lift hill has different lighting. The hyper-speed tunnel is dimmer. Lightning visuals appear during the second lift, and ghostly images appear inside the mountain. These ghosts seem to interact with your rocket, swiping at it and making it feel like they're throwing you around!
Even the planet screen in the loading station changes. A green "storm" appears over the planet, causing the video feed to glitch. Outside, six different projections play on the mountain, with Halloween-themed colors. These include cracks forming, an alien arm pushing from inside, yellow scratch marks, lightning bolts, and the mountain turning into a radar. Sometimes, the entire mountain becomes a swirling space scene.
Hyperspace Mountain: A Star Wars Adventure
On November 16, 2015, a Star Wars-themed version called Hyperspace Mountain debuted. It was part of "Season of the Force," celebrating the release of Star Wars: The Force Awakens. This version features music from John Williams's Star Wars scores.
The ride takes you on a mission to the planet Jakku. You investigate an Imperial Star Destroyer under the command of Admiral Ackbar. You'll experience a hyperspace jump and battle X-wings and TIE fighters! This special overlay has returned many times for limited periods. The updated version, which ran from 2019 to 2020, included even more projected scenes, lasers, and other cool effects.
Accessibility Information
Disneyland's website states that guests using wheelchairs or electric convenience vehicles can transfer to the ride vehicles by themselves or with help from their group. A special transfer table allows extra time for guests needing assistance to load and unload safely.
Images for kids
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Exterior at night
