KBLovedDisney
Well-Known Member
Wasn't just the queue and some of the lighting effects the biggest changes done in 2009? I don't think the track was really touched...or am I mistaken?
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Space Mountain hurts me too much to ride it again until it's repaired. Anyone else feel this way?
- Thread starter Berret
- Start date
trainplane3
Well-Known Member
They stopped having the glowing rockets as well.
They "tweaked" some of the track. Basically they got rid of some of the bumps and some jerkiness. We can see how well that's going at this point in the rides life.
*Let me also say that I don't mind the bumpiness personally. It's more of the fact the ride just looks bad in terms of overall show. I like the single row cars, the hectic layout, and...uh...the initial Star Tunnel (until they started blaring the ridiculous safety spiel over the music). The ride just needs a lot of love to make it something great again.*
(should be at 23:39)
Edit: Wait a freaking second. During the charging(?) tunnel, the light effect at the end is supposed to following you through the turn into the lift? I can't remember the last time I saw that working.
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bhellmer
New Member
I grew up watching the Mercury, Gemini and Apollo missions live on television. We watched while the astronauts were undergoing what they called "buffeting". Astronauts were consulted during the design of this ride and they would have described this buffeting effect to the designers. When this ride was opened few expected it would be a "totally smooth space flight".
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bhellmer
New Member
Todd Pack with The Orlando Sentinel wrote:
A well-maintained park ride can last indefinitely, [Steve] Baker [a former Disney World executive] said, because everything is eventually replaced over time, from tracks and brake systems to the ride vehicles themselves. According to {Jeff] Vahle, the Disney engineering vice president, the Magic Kingdom’s Space Mountain roller coaster, for example, is practically a new ride, even though it was first built in the 1970s, because of the replacement work that occurs each year.
Replacement of structural steel elements of the ride should not be required unless substantially worn by friction, cracked from fatigue, deformed by inelastic stresses, disintegrated by corrosion, or compromised by an unstable foundation.
Wear and fatigue will generally be more severe at high-speed track bends where stresses are greatest. Straight, low-speed and reduced-G (<1g) track sections and their supports are not exposed to high stresses, and should not require much maintenance.
Elements of a properly designed structure should stay well below their yield strength. Poorly designed elements would have deformed long ago and have been replaced with stronger redesigned components.
This ride is indoors and thus unlikely to require much corrosion control.
This rides foundation has remained stable, unlike the Disneyland’s Space Mountain which required rebuilding when it became unstable in 2003.
A well-maintained park ride can last indefinitely, [Steve] Baker [a former Disney World executive] said, because everything is eventually replaced over time, from tracks and brake systems to the ride vehicles themselves. According to {Jeff] Vahle, the Disney engineering vice president, the Magic Kingdom’s Space Mountain roller coaster, for example, is practically a new ride, even though it was first built in the 1970s, because of the replacement work that occurs each year.
Replacement of structural steel elements of the ride should not be required unless substantially worn by friction, cracked from fatigue, deformed by inelastic stresses, disintegrated by corrosion, or compromised by an unstable foundation.
Wear and fatigue will generally be more severe at high-speed track bends where stresses are greatest. Straight, low-speed and reduced-G (<1g) track sections and their supports are not exposed to high stresses, and should not require much maintenance.
Elements of a properly designed structure should stay well below their yield strength. Poorly designed elements would have deformed long ago and have been replaced with stronger redesigned components.
This ride is indoors and thus unlikely to require much corrosion control.
This rides foundation has remained stable, unlike the Disneyland’s Space Mountain which required rebuilding when it became unstable in 2003.
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bhellmer
New Member
Plenty of people enjoy the “out-of-control” ride as it was originally designed and as it still exists.
Disney has provided the following warnings and these warnings are conspicuously posted at the ride entrance:
WOF had faster smoother high-g steel roller coasters. Later, they recognized the demand for the “out-of-control” experience and have built wooden roller coasters. Currently, most large amusement parks have a variety of rides including rough wooden coasters
Disney should spend money developing a variety of new ride experiences rather than revising popular existing ride experiences.
If Disney was interested in reducing the ride’s buffeting they may not need to make changes to the tracks. They could provide softer wheels and better vibration isolation between the vehicle's under-carriage and body. Softer wheels will increase rolling friction and may slow the ride. If the ride has actually become rougher, it may be the result of a change to harder wheels; possibly while converting from the older rubber wheels to modern nylon, urethane or polyurethane wheels.
Disney has provided the following warnings and these warnings are conspicuously posted at the ride entrance:
- No child under the age of 7 may ride without an adult. All passengers must ride in their own seat.
- For safety, you should be in good health and free from high blood pressure, heart, back or neck problems, motion sickness, or other conditions that could be aggravated by this adventure.
- Expectant mothers should not ride.
WOF had faster smoother high-g steel roller coasters. Later, they recognized the demand for the “out-of-control” experience and have built wooden roller coasters. Currently, most large amusement parks have a variety of rides including rough wooden coasters
Disney should spend money developing a variety of new ride experiences rather than revising popular existing ride experiences.
If Disney was interested in reducing the ride’s buffeting they may not need to make changes to the tracks. They could provide softer wheels and better vibration isolation between the vehicle's under-carriage and body. Softer wheels will increase rolling friction and may slow the ride. If the ride has actually become rougher, it may be the result of a change to harder wheels; possibly while converting from the older rubber wheels to modern nylon, urethane or polyurethane wheels.
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I'm short and young and healthy, but last time I went, it certainly felt a bit rough to me.
I don't know how the ride could have gotten more rough, from an engineering perspective. It is possible that there were some oversights in designing the thing (something like the insufficient cure time in Expedition Everest's concrete), given that it was state-of-the-art tech circa 1975. It could just be the sheer volume of rides that have gone through over the past fifty years; it certainly munches capacity like no other roller coaster. It could be that the G-forces are not absorbed by embankment on turns.
I would say, however, that there is most probably a reason that Disney wanted to replace the track a decade ago, and a reason why they felt the need to add trim brakes to extend the longevity of the current track.
I don't know how the ride could have gotten more rough, from an engineering perspective. It is possible that there were some oversights in designing the thing (something like the insufficient cure time in Expedition Everest's concrete), given that it was state-of-the-art tech circa 1975. It could just be the sheer volume of rides that have gone through over the past fifty years; it certainly munches capacity like no other roller coaster. It could be that the G-forces are not absorbed by embankment on turns.
I would say, however, that there is most probably a reason that Disney wanted to replace the track a decade ago, and a reason why they felt the need to add trim brakes to extend the longevity of the current track.
Trackmaster
Well-Known Member
Wooden coasters are going the way of the Dodo bird now. Parks maintain them, and some parks will build them, but due to their high costs and limited appeal with the public, parks usually opt to go with the steel coasters now. Fortunately, there are still designers who do a very good job with them, and parks have been building new ones as well. Plus, we still have the older ones in existence to enjoy. For the most part, I'm OK with taking down steel coasters to build bigger and betters ones -- but I think its important to preserve the wooden coasters, as a new one isn't necessarily built when an old one is taken down.
The Pho
Well-Known Member
Luckily for wooden coasters, they have a preservation society. ACE has saved wooden coasters ready for demolition and has helped preserve many others, keeping them operational. They designate a coaster a Landmark Coaster, of which Disneyland’s Matterhorn is included but never awarded.
I’ve wondered for quite a while what would happen at Disney if buildings started being designated actual historical landmarks.
Trackmaster
Well-Known Member
I'm a member of ACE. I don't go to many events, I just maintain my membership to support the community, and get a few of the perks.
Disstevefan1
Well-Known Member
I love roller coasters. I ride them any time I can, the faster the better, the more loops, the better. Then there is Space mountain, again, I try to ride it any time I can, I have not rode in in a long time because every time I am there there is a 90 minute standby THANKS FASTPASS PLUS!! Rant over.
Anyway of all the coasters I have ridden Space Mountain gives me the most anxiety; the sloppy movement of the cars, all the metal sounds, it really sounds like it's going to fall apart!
I am sure some day they will renovate SM, and it will be as smooth as the Hulk coaster (shameless Universal plug
)
Anyway of all the coasters I have ridden Space Mountain gives me the most anxiety; the sloppy movement of the cars, all the metal sounds, it really sounds like it's going to fall apart!
I am sure some day they will renovate SM, and it will be as smooth as the Hulk coaster (shameless Universal plug
)
WondersOfLife
Blink, blink. Breathe, breathe. Day in, day out.
I’m 20, and this coaster is scarily too much for me.
Trackmaster
Well-Known Member
I love roller coasters. I ride them any time I can, the faster the better, the more loops, the better. Then there is Space mountain, again, I try to ride it any time I can, I have not rode in in a long time because every time I am there there is a 90 minute standby THANKS FASTPASS PLUS!! Rant over.
Anyway of all the coasters I have ridden Space Mountain gives me the most anxiety; the sloppy movement of the cars, all the metal sounds, it really sounds like it's going to fall apart!
I am sure some day they will renovate SM, and it will be as smooth as the Hulk coaster (shameless Universal plug
Oh no, if you haven't found worst coasters out there, you clearly haven't ridden enough. TOGOs, Arrow headbangers, SLCs -- easily all worse than Space Mountain.
Disstevefan1
Well-Known Member
So true, I am sure there are worse out there I have never ridden. It reminded me of a family friendly hanging coaster at what was called Cypress Gardens in Florida, now Legoland. The coaster went too slow I think resulting in your head getting banged side to side! It was bad!
Almac97
Active Member
Actually, the new Vekoma vest-style restraints make SLC's an absolute enjoyable experience. Six Flags New England has these on their SLC and it's a much more smooth ride than SM. The new vest-restraints should be Federal Law for all SLC's yet to convert.
Trackmaster
Well-Known Member
I haven't been on one of the SLC's with a vest yet. I did go on T3 at Kentucky Kingdom a few months ago through. While I love KK and love what they've done with the park, and I applaud them trying do whatever they can to be pro-lapbar, I really hate what is pretty much just a lapbar on T3. Its the same problem as Skyrush. The G-forces stapled the restraint so hard into my thighs that I was losing circulation to the rest of the body. If they could ever get the restraints on T3 and Skyrush to just lock in, they'd be much better rides (and Skyrush would be one of the best rides in the country).
But my objection to SLC's goes far beyond the restraints. An SLC is just a coaster that parks plop down when they want to put no effort into their park, and just want a ride to push people through with no effort. They're all the same. Why am I going to travel halfway across the country for a shameless clone? Boo SLCs and boomerangs and clones!