Space Mountain

Space Mountain is one of Uncle Walt’s crowning achievements. Disney took an average roller coaster, put it inside an unusual shaped building, turned off the lights, added a few cheap effects and before you know it, a timeless classic was born. Uncle Walt was a genius.

This is one of the best rides at Walt Disney World.

Here we go

The Crowd Factor

This may be they busiest ride in the Magic Kingdom. Lines develop within an hour of the park opening and grow to 2 hours on a normal day.

Dad’s Guide to Magic Kingdom Crowds

This is a FastPass ride and if you aren’t in line early, Fastpass is the best way to avoid the long lines that develop.

Dad’s FastPass page

The Magic Kingdom is the most visited theme park in the world. Space Mountain is one of the top rides in the Magic Kingdom. Knowing how to beat the crowds on this ride is what Touringplans.com specializes in. They have a bunch of different plans to deal with the crowds. They also have the great smart phone app called Lines that has minute by minute reports on the lines at the rides.

Dad’s Touringplans.com page

Disney Cast Members sometimes complain about the morning Space Mountain Sprint. Guests of all ages line up when the park opens and run to Space Mountain. If you encounter this you’ll think there must be a prize for being in the first car. There’s not. You can walk and not have more than a 2 car wait. Dad knows, he’s done it.

The Preshow

Space Mountain has an interesting preshow. You step into the futuristic entry and start climbing up to the boarding area. Be careful, it’s dark in there.

(Dad’s experience with Space Mountain’s preshow.)

The Attraction

Everyone gets strapped into rocket shaped vehicles in Space Port. The vehicles glow in the dark (not really, they just have some decals on the sides that glow in the black lights). The vehicles climb to the top of the180 foot track. During the climb they pass through Mission Control and lots of flashing lights.

At the top guest experience a burst of wind and are propelled through the vast blackness of space. The only lights on the ride are shooting stars, celestial satellites, and constellations and chocolate chip cookies, so guests can not see as they are toss and turned on the ride.

The Postshow

As guests disembark from the ride, they hop onto a moving sidewalk and pass scenes of futuristic homes and business and watch themselves along the way.

Fun Facts

Here are some interesting tidbits –

• This ride now contains 2 rockets with 3 seats that blast off from two separate but identical tracks. Its the only version that contains two separate tracks. The ones at Disneyland and other parks contain one track. The right track is called Omega and the left Alpha.
• The maximum speed is 28 miles per hour but feels much faster in the dark.
• At 180 feet high and 300 feet wide this is the largest mountain in the state of Florida.
• It is the oldest operating roller coaster in Florida.
• When the ride opened it joined the Country Bear Jamboree to be the only two attraction to open at Disney World and then move to Disneyland.

History

This attraction first opened at Walt Disney World on January 15, 1975.

• This ride was taken from the concept of the Matterhorn Bobsleds at Disneyland which opened in 1959. Uncle Walt first came up with the idea in 1964 and went to designers to see his idea expand. He wanted the ride to be the focus of Tomorrowland planned to reopen in 1967.
• Walt called it a Space Port in the beginning and wanted it to be an in the dark roller coaster, with lighting and special effects.
• In June 1966 it went from being Space Port to Space Mountain.

The Outside

Dad’s Ride Information Table

Riderswitch

The Riderswitch option is available for this option. If you have a child who is not tall enough to ride or does not want to ride, 1 parent can ride and then the other can ride without having to stand in line twice.

The Picture

Right at launch, Disney takes your picture. (Smile and say Cheese.) These pictures are just great. Whenever you get into the gift shop you can look at your picture and see if you want to purchase it. Pretty cool, right?

It’s even cooler if you have Disney’s PhotoPass+. You’ll be able to add your picture to your PhotoCD and check it out when you get home.

Dad’s PhotoPass and PhotoPass+ page

The Fine Print

Here’s some small print information

• Guest must transfer from the wheelchair, motorized scooter or ECV to enjoy this attraction.
• For safety reason guests should be free from high blood pressure, heart, neck or back problems, and motion sickness.
• Service animals are not permitted.
• Expectant mothers should not ride.
• Guest with small children may take turns riding.

Dad’s Bottom Line

This is one of the top rides anywhere. Yes, it’s a cheap roller coaster, but it’s still a great ride. Look for the chocolate chip cookies that look like asteroids. (They really are pictures of chocolate chip cookies.)

Don’t miss this one.

Trust me.