Details on Space Mountain Refurb

[Enigma]

From our good friends at Micechat:

"ok....on the topic of the space mountain refurbishment, many of you loyal MCer's have been wondering when and what will be happening. Here is what I know based on the last few weeks of talking to the Test and Adjust crew, Imagineers, and the structural engineers. Keep in mind thes are not absolutely in stone, but this is what is in store as of now.

The queue will be the same, but updated with new projections and interactive games (think Soarin' but cooler).

The entire track will be replaced with new higher guaged steel, but the layout WILL NOT change - this includes new brakes and conveyors of course, and new main lift chain.

Digital projections will be placed in the ride area (there are already a few currently in place) with some new effects.

The load area will be enclosed so you cannot see the ride area, but there will be star effects on the new load ceiling.

New rocket trains with audio soundtrack will make an appearance (they will still be single seaters like the current ones).

Quick reset conveyors to help make downtimes less time consuming.


Slight re-themeing of the unload area to make you feel like you truly just pulled into a space port.
The post show area is still up for debate - it may change or stay the same....no news yet.

This is what i know for now and i will keep y'all updated the best i can.

Also, the refurb is still scheduled for january 2009 and may even get moved up to november 2008 depending on attendance and such....more to come"

http://micechat.com/forums/showthread.php/space_mountain_refurb_update-96889.html

 

[Legacy]

Sounds great. Hopefully the new main lift will be cable or tire based so you don't hear "CLACK CLACK CLACK" for 30 seconds.

 

[freedogshampoo]

niiice. I wish they would double the capacity by giving the rockets side-by-side seats though. It'd be nice to experience the ride with my boyfriend next to me instead of in front of me :animwink:

 

[wdwfan100]

It sounds very promising. How long of a refurb will it be?

 

[Lee]

From our good friends at Micechat:

Matches almost exactly with the info I was alble to drag out of someone involved about 2 weeks ago.
Only differences: Post show refurb was said to be dependant on how far they are able to spread the budget, the train design was still a little unsure, and the interactive element in the queue was thought to not be a sure thing.

Otherwise, pretty spot-on.:wave:

How long of a refurb will it be?

Pretty much all of '09.

I wish they would double the capacity by giving the rockets side-by-side seats though

Would be nice, but would add more expense. Besides, with a new queue layout, fastpass, stand by and single rider could all be handled much more efficiently. Capacity should be fine.

 

[raven]

Sounds great. Hopefully the new main lift will be cable or tire based so you don't hear "CLACK CLACK CLACK" for 30 seconds.

That "CLACK CLACK CLACK" is the anti-rollback system. I'm glad it's there no doubt but it can be silent.

 

[Legacy]

That "CLACK CLACK CLACK" is the anti-rollback system. I'm glad it's there no doubt but it can be silent.

I know... but silent systems are SO much better.

 

[tdonald]

YAY! Looks good! I don't think we could ask for anything better.
Speaking as someone who has ridden SM at least 20-30 times by myself, I really wish they would have a single rider line, since you sit one by one. It's so often that there's one or two seats left, and whenever I see one go like that while I'm waiting in the regular line. Sometimes CMs ask for 'parties of one", but they usually don't. I think a single rider line would be really nice for SM, and would speed up lines.

 

[DonaldDoleWhip]

The layout isn't changing? Aw, I was really hoping for that (MK's SM building is so large, it could easily hold one extra-long track).

Well, I'm glad to hear about new rockets and a soundtrack. If the soundtrack isn't the same as DL's, I hope MK's is better!

 

[GenerationX]

I just want the ride to be darker.

 

[wdwfan100]

:lol:

Matches almost exactly with the info I was alble to drag out of someone involved about 2 weeks ago.
Only differences: Post show refurb was said to be dependant on how far they are able to spread the budget, the train design was still a little unsure, and the interactive element in the queue was thought to not be a sure thing.

Otherwise, pretty spot-on.:wave:


Pretty much all of '09.


Would be nice, but would add more expense. Besides, with a new queue layout, fastpass, stand by and single rider could all be handled much more efficiently. Capacity should be fine.

Yikes!! Can't Tinkerbell get the lost boys to pull a couple of all nighters to speed things up. I'm sure Pooh and the gang would chip in too. :lol:

 

[Figment571]

I personally think they need to keep on the same and then create a new HOLY $%@Q! I'm gunna die track, just my opinion though.

 

[LongtimeReader]

This is great news... I personally have always found WDW's track to be the best layout, so much scarier (DLP's not included), and I'm thrilled they will keep the single file seating. It makes it scary as well, and with a soundtrack and effects it should really be something!

 

[Daneault]

I personally think they need to keep on the same and then create a new HOLY $%@Q! I'm gunna die track, just my opinion though.

Exacly my thoughts. I love the old track design, but in the same way that i love old wooden coasters. They are fun to ride once in a while to feel nostalgic, but they dont really thrill me.. so to speak

Now i know that a new ride design will cost A LOT more, but i really dont see the point of remaking the same rollercoaster from scracth.

My "dream" SM would be a Inverted LIM Coaster.

The start is basicly the same, you leave the station, you enter the flashing blue tunnel while someone at "Station Earth aka Houston" explain to you rapidly what is going to happen.

Station Earth: Hi fellow space explorers, your destination today will be inner Solar System. You will be propelled out of earth orbit and roam the solar system at high speed.
Ready? 5-4-3-2-1 Lift-OFF
Station Earth we have lift-off

Then the coaster will accelerate throught the hill and quickly plundge after, giving the riders "air time", to simulate 0g.

You quickly divert, go pass the moon and make a "Cobra Roll" around Mars.

After passing by Venus and Mercury you finnaly made it to the sun and enter the "red fire passage at the end of the ride".

Well thats my vision of a more updated SM... but i suppose i may me too intense for MK & maybe too costly

 

[jessfriends]

I hope they do not replace the BGM in the queue (star tunnel) because it is one of my favorites!!! Even though it is not confirmed I like that they are going to replace the lift hill so it won't be as noisy and the vehicles are still going to be 1 per car. Does anyone think the TTA will be closed during the refurb? Just curious.

 

[TubaGeek]

Sounds relatively legit. I just hope that the soundtrack doesn't suck. :fork: Howzabout a nice orchestral score thing as opposed to Red Hot Chili Peppers? Also, I kind of prefer the ride in the pitch black, without anything to tell you what's going to happen next (only going on it once every few years, I don't have it memorized). Though I guess I could just close my eyes...
Overall, I'm just glad it's getting some TLC.

 

[darthjohnny]

Sounds fun. Hopefully the refurb will turn out great when it's all over with.

I am excited about some new effects so we can actually see different stuff in the attraction now.

 

[imagineer boy]

I hope they do not replace the BGM in the queue (star tunnel) because it is one of my favorites!!!

I agree, if they replace the star tunnel music, I'll be crushed, no matter how good the new music is.

Deespite that, it looks good. I'm glad they're FINALLY going to give it a good overhaul.

 

[the-reason14]

YAY! Looks good! I don't think we could ask for anything better.
Speaking as someone who has ridden SM at least 20-30 times by myself, I really wish they would have a single rider line, since you sit one by one. It's so often that there's one or two seats left, and whenever I see one go like that while I'm waiting in the regular line. Sometimes CMs ask for 'parties of one", but they usually don't. I think a single rider line would be really nice for SM, and would speed up lines.

SM had a single rider line during the summer a couple of years ago. I really wish they still had it, it worked pretty good. But Im glad they arent planning on doing anything drastic to SM. SM is without a doubt my favorate ride. I know that if its closed all of 2009, Im not gonna wanna go. I probably wont, because I cant imagine WDW without SM. And I know if they messed it up and changed it into some other kind of coaster, and I didnt like the ending result because it was to short or just sucked compared to the other version. I would stop going to WDW period.

 

[primetime52]

I just want the ride to be darker.

Well according to the post, the loading area will be seperated from the ride area by a ceiling, which should greatly decrease the amount of light in the ride area. That's how the DL version is, and I'm pretty sure that's the primary reason why the DL version is so much darker.