Annoying change at Space Mountain

[javy2004]

hmm... this is a bummer. space mountain is my favorite ride at both DL and MK. I used to find the version in MK to be superior, as it was one I rode first in July of 2011. The tunnel music, the windows, the games (which were nice as we had a 60 min wait) the star windows, and seeing the space station spinning overhead as we were getting closer to load. I was enamored before I even got on. I honestly had no idea what was ahead of me. I'm a sucker for effects related to stars, so I was blown away to see all these little stars projected everywhere as I rode. Everything from beginning to end made this ride worth it.

The DL version is pretty awesome, I didnt like how you had to wait in line outside and just walk all through the tunnel before bc of how they had to accomodate fastpasses. Rode it the first time in November of 2011 and it felt different enough with the loading room and different projections and music playing in the car to make it feel like it's own thing and not a clone. This I feel is my favorite version now.

Almost everytime after that first time, they do this weird staggered line control in the main room to make the games pointless to even have, and the effects in the ceiling of the loading room are usually not fully operating.

More recently the projections of the stars just don't pop like before and the music felt off or wasn't there. Reading the posts here only confirmed that. Now this music is constantly being interrupted now I feel like I'll only get on with a super short standby line or fp+.

As for PPF, DL version all the way once you are on the vehicle (i'm a sucker for star effects, and DL version wins), but I can't justify waiting over 30 min or not using a FP+ for 90 seconds of ride. From what I'm reading here, DL's version is getting an upgrade. If it's like what they did with Alice in Wonderland, I'm pretty excited for that. As it stands though, MK's queue wins. I haven't seen it in person yet, but it looks pretty cool to me.

 

[Andsome]

Heres what disney ought to consider. Pull the ride down for say 2years, Tear apart the entire interior of the mountain and rebuild the same ride layout/experience with modern supports/technology while addinga 3rd track to intermingle the current layout yet have that 3rd track include inversions(mission 2) and bam, you've completely revamped Space Mountain.

Maybe they could put the 3rd track where Carousel of- Scratch that, even joking about such an idea makes me feel dirty.

 

[thelookingglass]

Regarding effects issues, something that really bothers me is the sound effect for the re-entry tunnel and how, ever since the "big" refurb, it has been off by a few seconds so that it doesn't even play until you have almost exited the tunnel.

How is that laziness worthy of the most famous theme park in the world? From a company charging premium prices that boasts that "show quality" is one of it's "four keys" for a great guest experience.

And Space Mountain is far from alone with audio issues, as I have noted many times in my Tower of Terror thread, and countless other rides suffer from imbalanced audio, audio being too quiet or missing, and busted speakers.

 

[marni1971]

I've been on the Disneyland version of Space more than the WDW version, so I'm a little unsure of where the new brakes are and what they do to the experience... can you explain?

It's just before the double drop on Alpha and Omega.

A heavy car running fast slows to a virtual crawl before the drop now. To save stress on the 40 year old structure that was slated to be replaced 6 years ago and also to avoid a cascade that the (new) RCS still can't handle.

 

[Adrian DIxon]

Apologies if this has been posted elsewhere.

There is a new auto safety spiel that plays at Space Mountain from the entrance all the way through the tunnel up until you reach the games. This wouldn't be that annoying, but... it plays non-stop. It finishes and starts again 10 seconds later. Once every 5 minutes would be fine, but nope. Constantly. It plays over the beloved entrance and tunnel music.

In other news:

- ceiling projections in loading area messed up
- music for "Starry-o-Phonic Sound" still barely audible
- half the sound effects installed for the audio upgrade don't cue anymore.
- the sound effect for the re-entry tunnel still delayed, doesn't play until you've almost already exited the tunnel, the same way it has been out of sync. since the big refurb.
- queue full of chipped paint
- queue still routed through ugly unthemed hallway on one side, no attempt at at least installing atmospheric lighting in the hallway was ever made.

this makes me very sad as SM is one of my most favorite rides and ive ALWAYS loved the music in the tunnel. but is this something new the spiel i mean? my wife and i were there in 2013 for our honeymoon and rode it a couple times, i cant say that i remember hearing that all the way down the tunnel. And as far as the state of "fixes" needing to be done, i hope those are fixed soon for not only everyone else but for my trip with the wife and kids in 2016. It will be my youngest son's first time there and i hope he doesnt take away a memory of things looking crappy or broken.

 

[thelookingglass]

this makes me very sad as SM is one of my most favorite rides and ive ALWAYS loved the music in the tunnel. but is this something new the spiel i mean? my wife and i were there in 2013 for our honeymoon and rode it a couple times, i cant say that i remember hearing that all the way down the tunnel. And as far as the state of "fixes" needing to be done, i hope those are fixed soon for not only everyone else but for my trip with the wife and kids in 2016. It will be my youngest son's first time there and i hope he doesnt take away a memory of things looking crappy or broken.

The spiel is new as of the last month or two. The was always a spiel at the entrance, but now it plays all the way through up to the games, which is about half of the tunnel portion of the queue.

As far as the "fixes" go, things like the re-entry tunnel have been "broken" since the refurb which was several years ago now, so I wouldn't count on anything being done.

 

[Sage of Time]

It's just before the double drop on Alpha and Omega.

A heavy car running fast slows to a virtual crawl before the drop now. To save stress on the 40 year old structure that was slated to be replaced 6 years ago and also to avoid a cascade that the (new) RCS still can't handle.

Good lord. Embarrassing.

time for a full rebuild.

 

[wdw71fan]

Space Mountain is still a big problem.. Honestly, IMO, it's a bigger problem than the Yeti... Embarrassing that it's in this state after a lengthy refurb. New track issues have cropped-up since the refurb... Basically, the re-tracked

 

[ChrisFL]

Space Mountain is hardly worth riding for me anymore. The games in the queue are practically useless due to the way the line is laid out...the ride is very rough, effects are bad, walls are disgusting in some places, audio doesn't work correctly, and I preferred when the cars had the UV light up and you could actually SEE them from the peoplemover

 

[thelookingglass]

Oh yeah, another change I noticed at Space Mountain - at the top of the lift, the walls to your sides used to be illuminated red. Now, they are dark, which makes the ride even darker by having less of a visual reference point. I don't know how long that change has been in effect.

 

[James122]

WDW's Space Mountain is in pretty bad shape and that sham of a refurb in 2009 actually lowered the quality of the ride experience IMO.

 

[jprieur]

considering this ride usually has one of the longest wait times (aside from Mine Train), I seriously doubt they will make any changes for the better unless its in the name of safety. Not sure if it was a rumor or not, but I heard the massive refurb of the DL space mountain was necessitated by a random safety inspection that found major safety issues with the track structure, like to the point of imminent failure - hence the reason for the sudden closure.

I really miss some of the old effects of the pre '09 refurb. The star effects lately have been severely lacking (I miss the choc chip cookies) and as many have said the overall ride condition is pretty sad for Disney. Still don't understand how they couldn't even scrape off the popcorn ceiling of the pink stripe tunnel they queue everyone though behind the normal queue - seriously how hard would it have been to do that when the ride was closed for 9 months. Not to mention the sad 70's state of the mannequins in the control rooms of the lift hill.

Short list of things I would add:

- Total redo of the queue tunnels, the old aluminum siding is in horrible condition and its starting to look dated, white panned walls and a dark black floor:

- Change the blue strobe tunnel to incorporate a 'warp field' like effect a la any spaceflight movie.
- Keep the current lift hill scene, add silent lift chain (think mine train/Everest), animatronic space men/console operators that actually move and look real.
- planetarium quality dome projections with LED stars on the actual structure itself, carry this over to the TTA portion of the ride as well since that is now just a black hole.

 

[Absimilliard]

It's just before the double drop on Alpha and Omega.

A heavy car running fast slows to a virtual crawl before the drop now. To save stress on the 40 year old structure that was slated to be replaced 6 years ago and also to avoid a cascade that the (new) RCS still can't handle.

The new brakes are "Eddy-Current" magnetic brakes, where the braking force is proportional to the velocity of the train coming in. Those brakes are silent, frictionless and in some cases, can be adjusted or in many cases, fixed in one spot.

I rode poor Space Mountain in November and it shattered my heart. I had heard everything about the sorry state of the ride beforehand and still, it is a shame WDW is allowing the ride to continue in that shape. I mean, even Six Flags is closing their horrible rides and fixing them, something WDW will not do for Space Mountain and Big Thunder Mountain.

Regarding Walt Disney World vs. Disneyland, even when both Space Mountain opened back in 1975 and 1977, Disney World got the short hand of the stick ride fabrication wise. The frustrations of the poorer than expected quality of the track lead William Watkins, WDW chief mechanical engineer at the time, to design a brand new track system for the Disneyland installation. Gone was the inside guide wheels, Arrow esque 1959 track. The new track was triangular, lattice style and had outside guide wheels. The design was also the first one ever to "heartline" the track. That mean that in a turn, the rider's "heart" stay in a constant spot around the curve by moving both rails, whereas before, only one rail moved and thus, riders were tossed around.

When what is today Dynamic Attractions fabricated the new track for Disneyland Space Mountain, the 1977 William Watkins design was so good they kept that layout and just made the structure stronger. They also preserved the original lift hills and track in between.

 

[Scuttle]

It's atrocious, no other way to describe it.

 

[Bryansworld]

I understand the need of a safety message/spiel. However, It should happen right before you get on the ride... not as soon as you enter the line. I hope this is just a phase and it gets eliminated or at least changed so it doesnt pay constant soon. I think of Rock N Roller Coaster's Safety message. It plays once every 10 minutes or so.

 

[Blufusion]

Another reason not to go to WDW anymore. Rather take the 5 or 6 grand that would cost me to go to Hawaii for another 7 or 8 days and enjoy life. Loved WDW in the 80's and 90's but now it's not worth the thought. Overpriced,Overdone and just old. I have good memories of the fun times. But now it's just another theme park

 

[James122]

I understand the need of a safety message/spiel. However, It should happen right before you get on the ride... not as soon as you enter the line. I hope this is just a phase and it gets eliminated or at least changed so it doesnt pay constant soon. I think of Rock N Roller Coaster's Safety message. It plays once every 10 minutes or so.

A similar thing happens over at DL's Space Mountain; the saftey spiel plays constantly throughout the outdoor portion of the queue and in the indoor corridors. Although it actually doesn't play anywhere within the acutal load/unload area.

I agree that the star tunnel music is iconic and for it to be diminished is disgraceful. Play the spiel in the load area like before.

 

[imagineer boy]

My god what a disaster. It's amazing how much the idiots at TDO screwed up the refurb back in 09. It's ironic how they were trying to save money with it but ultimately they just ended up wasting money. What a bunch of incompetent morons.

 

[imagineer boy]

It needs cleaning, animatronic updates and digital projection effects to bring it into the 21st century.

I don't think it's a ridiculous statement to say that all of Tomorrowland could be demolished and rebuilt from the ground up. These are the last times any "improvements" were made on the roster of attractions in Tomorrowland:
Buzz Lightyear - 1998
Carousel of Progress - 1993
Monster's Inc Laugh Floor - 2007
Tomorrowland Speedway - 1971
Stitch's Great Escape - 2004
Space Mountain - 2009
Tomorrowland Transit Authority PeopleMover - 2009

I like the idea of a steampunk/Jules Verne look to Tomorrowland. Call on the past to look towards the future.

But it already does call on the past to the future. I think the visual style of tomorrowland is fine (though I think the avenue of the planets theme could be extended more to the second half of the land) but the rides need the updating really. I say axe buzz lightyear (we already have a much better shooter toy story ride at DHS), annihilate SGE and bring back an advanced AE (yeah I know it's a fan boy wish, but doesn't hurt to dream!), get rid of Laugh Floor and either bring back an updated TK or something new, bring back the old narration on the TTA, give SM a proper updating, update CoP, and either update the speed way with electric cars and futuristic theming or axe it all together. Also putting something worthwhile like a pizza restaurant in the place of the skyway station would be good. With all this done, TL would be a great shape!

 

[James122]

I really miss some of the old effects of the pre '09 refurb

Same here. I think what I miss most are the glow-in-the-dark panels on the side of each car. Before they covered the boarding area during the '09 refurb, I LOVED how you could look up and see the glowing neon stripes of each car racing along the track. It really got you pumped for the ride to come. I can deal with the annoying line games and the droning spiels and the some of the other additions (although in my opinion the 'starry-o-phonic sound' adds nothing to the ride and is vastly inferior to DL's onboard soundtrack), but I wish they'd have left those asthetic touches alone - it's one of the things that made MK's Space Mountain unique.