Breaking News: Space Mountain Rehab

[raven]

I'm shocked no one has mentioned Disney's possible notion of injecting characters into the new SM. It seems to be the new trend in Disney parks now. Do you think SM will be spared a WALL-E makeover anything else? I really hope it isn't true but with the recent popularity of these movies and the impact they have on the parks sadly I wouldn't be surprised if it happened even in the post show area.

As far as coaster engineering goes, a new track is only going to improve the smoothness a little. The layout is still designed to have block-breaks every 100' or so. This keeps the trains from colliding with each other in the event of backups. These flat areas are often in weird places which cause the track to straighten out giving that often jerky feeling. A new track would have the same layout but hopefully they will smooth the transition between these areas. The wheels on the new vehicles are going to be the key to smoothness however.

 

[marni1971]

new vehicles

Don`t get your hopes up just yet. The present ones are only 20 years old......

 

[hpyhnt 1000]

Indeed, but bean counters don`t think like that. Remember SSEs ride system is irreparably damaged since they wouldn`t spend a couple of thousand on some bearings. The prime example however has to be Rocket Rods, and how Harris wouldn`t spend and extra $5m on a $60m project despite being told the consequences. I really hope they have learnt, but a lot of the forthcoming Orlando track replacement wasn`t TDOs decision; it came from outside the company and they had no choice.

Interesting, and yet, hardly surprising. :dazzle:

 

[Lee]

Don`t get your hopes up just yet. The present ones are only 20 years old......

Too late, my hopes are already up.:lol:
Knowing that they can just mold a few more while doing the ones for Matterhorn....well, except for the speakers. Gonna need there to be some speakers...

 

[WDITrent]

This is exciting news! I am such an SM freak, I am sincerely hoping that everything here will happen. But what will happen about fastpasses and switchbacks and ride capacity? Isn't that a pretty big problem now?

 

[the-reason14]

Hopfully they can do this one right and big. It seems like me and my family will be saving a lot of money this year and next. Kinda wish I had waited and not gotten a new AP, Ive only used it on 2 trips so far, and if SM closes in April then I wont be getting my moneys worth of off it like I have in previous years.

 

[Lee]

Hah! Hysterical!
Sure fire way to sell a lot of APs in Clearwater.
Merchandise, too. The Hannah Montana E-Meter will fly off the shelves!
:lol:

 

[Uncle Lupe]

Space Mountain is going to be down for least a full year because all of the needed Erector and K'NEX parts are on back order.

 

[csm]

Too late, my hopes are already up.:lol:
Knowing that they can just mold a few more while doing the ones for Matterhorn....well, except for the speakers. Gonna need there to be some speakers...

Well, two small problems though - Matterhorn is not getting new trains. Yes, everyone knows about the prototype sled that was created. It was later decided that it was not the way they wanted to go. The current sleds are staying, but they are being retrofitted with a more modern seat belt system. Think any of the sims, any of the Towers, any of the EMV rides. Retractable belts that cannot be unlocked during the ride.

As for Space Mountain, the current trains (assuming that was the new train comment and not for SSE, since the two sort of got jumbled back and forth as the topic of a few posts) are not nearly 20 years old. In fact the current trains are not even 10 years old. Forgive me as I cannot remember the exact year they changed out (I'm surprised you don't know/remember this Lee!). I've lived in Florida since 1999, and for several years the old trains were still in operation with their U shaped lap bars. The new trains with the T bars (and yes, they are entirely new trains, even to a degree stylistically) came a few years after I moved here. They made the ride SLIGHTLY more tolerable, but it's still BY FAR my least favorite of the five Space Mountains I've ridden.

 

[Lee]

Well, two small problems though - Matterhorn is not getting new trains.

Hmmm....didn't know that...guess I'm out of touch out west...

As for Space Mountain, the current trains...are not nearly 20 years old. In fact the current trains are not even 10 years old. Forgive me as I cannot remember the exact year they changed out (I'm surprised you don't know/remember this Lee!). I've lived in Florida since 1999, and for several years the old trains were still in operation with their U shaped lap bars. The new trains with the T bars (and yes, they are entirely new trains, even to a degree stylistically) came a few years after I moved here. They made the ride SLIGHTLY more tolerable, but it's still BY FAR my least favorite of the five Space Mountains I've ridden.

Again...I gotta plead ignornce here.
I know the old Matterhorn-style trains went away in '88-'89 and were replaced with the U-shaped lap bar trains.
However, it was my understanding that those trains were retrofitted/refurbed with the T-bar restraints and new upholstery in '98-'99 and are still in use today. I am unawere that a new fleet of trains was brought online after '89.
You sure 'bout that?

 

[ttalovebug]

Wow. I'm actually getting excited instead of nervous now. Nice to hear some positive news!

 

[marni1971]

CSM... can you get confirmation about the trains? My understanding was they are from 1989, but were overhauled and given the T bars in 1998?

Uncle Lupe; very nice :lol:

 

[dazzer68]

im more concerned the tta is closed. spacemountain was the most uncomfortable ride in wdw so was never at the top of my list but closing the tta im upset. im at wdw in may any chance might be running?

 

[disnyfan89]

I once toured central shops while they where refurbing all the space mountain cars. The undercarrige is the same but the frame on top was new if I remember correctly.

 

[marni1971]

im more concerned the tta is closed. spacemountain was the most uncomfortable ride in wdw so was never at the top of my list but closing the tta im upset. im at wdw in may any chance might be running?

As of now I don`t know. Depends where the work is up to inside the mountain. Keep checking back here.

 

[dandaman]

B&M rattle is hardly as bad as Vekoma.

I've seen new Vekoma's that you can literally spin the top wheel. That's just not a good design.

The Vekoma SLC at Canada's Wonderland literally had about an inch of space between the rail and the upstop wheel when I rode it in August. It was horrible. Conversely I've ridden a few other Vekomas outside of Disney, and they were smooth as glass; as far as I know, though, most of them weren't new. Strange.

 

[DisneyDellsDude]

Lee, did you say that the loading area will be inclosed from the attraction?
If yes, that will be great!!!

 

[Monty]

The Vekoma SLC at Canada's Wonderland literally had about an inch of space between the rail and the upstop wheel when I rode it in August. It was horrible. Conversely I've ridden a few other Vekomas outside of Disney, and they were smooth as glass; as far as I know, though, most of them weren't new. Strange.

New coaster isn't the difference in ride... New wheels [or properly fitted wheels] are what makes the difference. The older coasters can be as smooth as silk with tight new wheels.

 

[csm]

Again...I gotta plead ignornce here.
I know the old Matterhorn-style trains went away in '88-'89 and were replaced with the U-shaped lap bar trains.
However, it was my understanding that those trains were retrofitted/refurbed with the T-bar restraints and new upholstery in '98-'99 and are still in use today. I am unawere that a new fleet of trains was brought online after '89.
You sure 'bout that?

Positively. And I'm not sure about many things!

For a decent period of time, old rockets and new rockets both ran on the track at the same time while they were changing out the fleet. I have no idea if the boggys and what not are new or old, but the fiberglass bodies even had a slightly different shape, and different color palatte. Beyond that obviously the restraints are slightly better and more roomie (though still dreadful if you are more than 5 feet tall.) There were many times that we'd be on the load platform and ask to wait for one of the newer rockets because it was a slightly better ride. Ok actually that's not true. There weren't many times that I'd RIDE space mountain - ha - but when we did, yes, we'd want the new trains.

Like I said, I moved here in 1999, and it at least after fall of 2000 when this occured.

 

[csm]

CSM... can you get confirmation about the trains? My understanding was they are from 1989, but were overhauled and given the T bars in 1998?

Uncle Lupe; very nice :lol:

I'll poke around Martin.. but admittedly my contacts have dwindled in that area somewhat of late. The thing about the trains was not from a source; it was from my own experience. I don't think I even rode the Space Mountain here more than a handful of times before 1998. The T-Bars most definitely came after I'd already been living in Florida in August of 1999. I also know that the first time I saw them, I was at the park with my best friend, who I did not meet until September of 2000. Though I openly hate Space Mountian here, I've definitely never gone a year without riding it once (as nice as that would be :sohappy.

I'll see if I can find out something more solid. I know some people that worked there around the time that the transition would have taken place, and they are all coaster geeks at heart. They'd remember that sort of thing.