6'5" + Space Mountain = mind your head!

[CAPTAIN HOOK]

Does anyone else share my feelings?

I'm 6'6" and not worried by lack of headroom - just remember to keep your arms down

 

[wdwmagic]

I agree with your gut instinct. I'm 6'-1" and whenever I ride a coaster like SM, I just know, that there's never been anyone as tall as me on the ride before and I'm gonna lose 20 pounds of dead weight the hard way.

I have seen pictures of coasters under construction at Cedar Point where they use a device called, I believe, a fingerboard to test for clearances. Picture a semi-circle of plywood mounted perpendicular to the train in the front car. All along the outer edge are little wooden "fingers" representing the maximum theoretical reach of the tallest rider. The train is then slowly towed through the course and they can identify any possible close supports, trees, etc.

Gotta believe Disney could afford to spring for the 3/4" ply to do a test like that.

Of course, they've probably never had anybody ride with arms as long as mine...:veryconfu

UPDATE: Did some searching, and low and behold, from Cedar Point's website, a shot of Millennium Force being tested:

Here is Expedition Everest doing the same thing
http://www.wdwmagic.com/Attractions...23Jul2005-Expedition-Everest-construction.htm

 

[dr_teeth90210]

I'm 6'9" and have rode Space Mountain with my arms and hands fully extended and I still have all my digits.

The real problem with me and Space Moutain is the lap bar. The lap bar doesn't actually cover anything on me. It just goes right between my knees. It does add to the excitement knowing that your riding a roller coaster with no restraints.

 

[Phonedave]

Another tall-ish (6' 4") person here.

I too have to fold myself into SM. In fact I ride most rides that have lap bars sitting cross legged, it really seems to help. Of course on SM its not an option.

I would assume that the supports are far enough away that I am not going to loose a hand, but even so, I keep them down. I don't worry about my head

I don't have this problem on BTMRR for some reason. Thats hands up all the way .

-dave

 

[Lee]

Hitting your head will not be an issue.
Wasn't for Shaq....won't be for anyone shorter than 7'2".

Comfort...that will be an issue, however....:lol:

 

[azbob19]

I'm 6'1" and I didn't feel like my head was going to get knocked off but it was an uncomfortable fit. I felt like I was going fall out of the cart.

 

[adrianuk91]

I'm about 5'10" and I don't really get the sensation that I'm about to be decapitated but I have had it on some other rides in the UK especially the run away mine train at Alton Towers I laugh at myself every time as without fail I will duck, but at wdw on Space Mountain and Thunder Mountain I don't really get it. However as I've got long legs (32") I don't really fit into the cars on Space Mountain anymore and so the lap bar doesn't really come down too far because of my legs and because I'm quite a light person, about 135 pounds I think when you go down the hills on space mountain I tend to lift off of my seat a bit which is quite scary when you haven't really got a restraint as such and so I do a death grip on the lap bar all the way around lol, I’m too busy thinking about falling out to worry about being decapitated.

 

[Rob562]

Here is Expedition Everest doing the same thing
http://www.wdwmagic.com/Attractions...23Jul2005-Expedition-Everest-construction.htm

On the old "WDW Explorer" PC program, they had a shot of them doing the same thing for Big Thunder during its construction.

-Rob

 

[JiminyandTink]

I've heard the same thing from many, many peopole so you're not alone in that. Actually, I'm 5'10" and feel that way myself. Even though my brain tells me there is no logical way it's possible to hit my head on the beams when I see much taller people on the ride, I still can't help from lowering my head every once and a while. To tell you the truth, that's half the fun of the ride for me

 

[hokielutz]

Hitting your head will not be an issue.
Wasn't for Shaq....won't be for anyone shorter than 7'2".

Comfort...that will be an issue, however....:lol:

How in the world did Shaq and his size 22 Nikes fit into those small space ships???

 

[hooters dude]

I got the chance to ride it with the lights on this summer before the park opened during a summer camp I went to this summer. I can't really remember much of it because we all were just having so much fun but I don't remember being scared of hitting my head on a support beam. Must have not been as low as we think?

sorry if posted before but here's a pov video of the ride with the lights on

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qoEd8rGhKEM

beams not quite as low as some may think :animwink:

 

[CrashNet]

What in the WORLD are you people eating to be so dang tall! :lol: I'm 5'10" and still feel like I'm going to lose my head. I duck in the red tunnel every time without fail.

 

[Lee]

How in the world did Shaq and his size 22 Nikes fit into those small space ships???

I was in line behind him....took him about an hour to cram himself in, I feared a cascade stop.:lol:

 

[unkadug]

sorry if posted before but here's a pov video of the ride with the lights on

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qoEd8rGhKEM

beams not quite as low as some may think :animwink:

Right about 2:20 - 2:22 is where I normally duck. It looks like those beams are heading straight for my neck.(Especially in the dark)

 

[Pete C]

The ride has been open for over 30 years and you never hear about people getting injured on it from having their hands up, and I guarantee you hundreds of people ride in this manner every day. They can't take the risk of people disregarding the signs that say to keep hands in the car.

 

[Dragonrider1227]

God, I feel the same way. I don't recall exactly how tall I am *though it is a little over 6"* and I ride the whole thing scrunched down in fear that I'm gonna lose my head! I know perfectly well that I'm not gonna get decapitated, but it doesn't stop me from keeping my head low a bit :zipit:

 

[Skipper Dan]

Sorry for the "thread bump," but it's kinda cool that I'm not alone in this. I thought I was! :sohappy: or should I not put my hands up, and jump up and down?! :ROFLOL:

 

[PhotoDave219]

Sorry for the "thread bump," but it's kinda cool that I'm not alone in this. I thought I was! :sohappy: or should I not put my hands up, and jump up and down?! :ROFLOL:

I wouldn't stand up..... You would lose your head over that.

 

[gembob]

UPDATE: Did some searching, and low and behold, from Cedar Point's website, a shot of Millennium Force being tested:

Is it not a little late by the point!!

 

[DizneyPryncess]

I'm only 5'8 - but I have a severe paranoia when it comes to Space Mountain. I usually don't even ride it anymore. The problem is that I crouch, naturally, because I feel like the beams are low. Then when I get off, I have a stiff neck for hours. Better that I just avoid it.