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

[Skipper Dan]

I know that there’s a lot of Space Mountain threads out there right now, but I just wanted to see if there was anyone else out there with my problem.

Now, I have never been to any other Disney resort, other than the Walt Disney World Resort, so I can't account for any other Space Mountain, other than “ours.” But every trip I take - included my last - I always ride Space Mountain, and inevitably, always have the same experience.

I am six foot and five inches tall, and aside from barely being able to fit in the “rockets,” every time I ride Space Mountain, I feel as if I’m going to be decapitated by the low hanging supports.

My height is always being mentioned by my - short - family members, but for my generation, I'm not really in the minority. I see hundreds of people that are even taller than me; especially in Disney. :sohappy:

Okay, so for my point. With all the talk of Space Mountain’s refurbishment, it seems that Disney - with the growing population - that they’d be forced to completely “start from scratch.” I believe that no one could tell me that the supports are actually not that low, even if they are, the vehicles themselves are painful to say the least.

I am not complaining. Trust me, like I said, I ride it every time; though it has become a running joke now with my friends and family, that immediately after the ride stops, I’ll say, “... not built for tall people.”

Does anyone else share my feelings? I just feel that for those who don’t want to “ruin the original layout,” obviously all they’d have to do, is use a Rock ‘n Roller Coaster style support system with the same track layout. That way, when I pull the restraint down, I won’t have to wonder if I’ll ever have another Casey’s Corner hot dog. :lookaroun :lol: :lookaroun

 

[Monty]

I'm 6'3" and have never felt remotely close to the structure. I think your mind is playing tricks on you.

As for ride vehicle comfort, the first time I rode, I felt like I was going to fall out! The second time, I folded myself in better and actually lowered the restraint properly :lookaroun and was fine. It's a little vshort on leg room, but not disastrously so. :shrug:

 

[rainfully]

Geez I'm a shorty and I feel like I'm going to get my head chopped off! I do know that if I put my hands up when going through the tunnels, I can touch the top. I can't even imagine what it's like for you!

 

[xsupaxmanxsfnex]

I am 6 feet tall and can keep my hands up the whole time without hitting anything except for the top of the blue and red tunnels.

 

[unkadug]

I'm 6'5" also and I definitely know what you are talking about. :wave:

I find myself d__________g at several places where it SEEMS that a support beam is about to decapitate me. :lol:


Duck_ing why is that a bad word?

 

[HoneyMnShawnee]

I'm 5'11" and I have felt like my head would be chopped off every time I have ridden it. That being said, it's dark and my perception of where the track is above me is skewed. I think it adds a little to the thrill of the ride.

 

[rainfully]

I've heard its actually a whole lot scarier with the lights ON because you can SEE how low the supports are!!

 

[xsupaxmanxsfnex]

I've heard its actually a whole lot scarier with the lights ON because you can SEE how low the supports are!!

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?

 

[jamie666]

How low are the supports anyways??

 

[Monty]

How low are the supports anyways??

High enough that there's no risk of decapitation.

 

[unkadug]

High enough that there's no risk of decapitation.

True, but my subconscious still makes me duck! :lol:

 

[DonaldDuck34]

I'm 6'2 and I also always feel like my head is gonna get chopped off everytime I ride. I always sit all the way bent over holding on for dear life making sure my head stays on during the ride. And I'm not someone who is scared of rollercoasters trust me I go on every and any rollercoaster, for some reason SM always freaks me out though I still love it.

 

[One Lil Spark]

True, but my subconscious still makes me duck! :lol:

I think that's one of the true draws of the attraction! They're subconsciously adding to the thrill factor.

 

[Craig & Lisa]

I am just shy of 6'6", and my only worry is that my manhood will not be getting off with me because the restraint is a bit too tight. :zipit: But I've never felt like I was going to lose my head. Now on the other hand I refuse to put my hands up, because I know they won't be there after the end of the ride.

 

[bigorangeandy]

I'm 6'5" also, I don't feel that my head is going to be taken off, but I do worry about raising my hands. I'm sure it must be a trick of the low light level, if not you would have people every day coming off with broken hands and arms. I always seem to go from arms up, to elbows in at certain parts.

 

[Skipper Dan]

Okay, so my point about myself not being in a minority with my height is already proven. But it’s nice to know that some of you feel the same way. I also agree with this guy, I can't believe that I forgot to mention this:

I am just shy of 6'6", and my only worry is that my manhood will not be getting off with me because the restraint is a bit too tight. :zipit: But I've never felt like I was going to lose my head. Now on the other hand I refuse to put my hands up, because I know they won't be there after the end of the ride.

Crouching down lower, always seems to make that problem worse. It almost killed me last time. I’m thankful, that I’m still a man. :dazzle:

 

[rickdrat]

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:

 

[cabihler]

i'm well over 8 feet

well not exactly :ROFLOL: i am just a shade over 6 foot however everytime we ride space mountain i always have my arms fully extended over my head thus extending my effective/comparable height considerably thus my post title of being over 8 foot, well except for when we are in the tunnels that is. i know the sensation you speak of, makes it seem like i am going to have my hands chopped off.

we do the same thing on Splash Mountain on every drop :hammer: and also on the Railroad. it actually feels even closer there as we approach the bones sticking out overhead then even on Space Mountain.

 

[Skipper Dan]

I cannot believe that I did not do this thread on “Thunder Mountain,” because it’s always worse. I am a complete idiot. :brick:

Okay, so does anyone feel this way on “Thunder?” Also, I guess what I really wanted to know, does anyone know what the actual maximum clearance is? :veryconfu

 

[the-reason14]

I kinda feel that way, but mainly on this one part only on one side. Im about 5ft 9 or 10. But I dont really feel like Im bout to get my head chopped off, I think its more of a mind thing like another poster said. Also, I can only imagine how different it'd be to ride SM with the lights on. I've always wanted to, lol.