SPACE MOUNTAIN- I assure you, we are SOFT re-OPEN!!!

[Rob562]

Silent lift hills are one of the few things that I wish they had done with this refurb. A lift hill that varies the speed at which rockets ascend can definitely be done, although I'm sure it's more sophisticated and expensive than the garden-variety kind.

I believe the lift hills on the f.k.a. Dueling Dragons coasters at IOA are computer controlled to accelerate or decelerate the rate of ascent of the two coasters so as to synchronize their positioning by the time they reach the top of the lift hill.

I would love to eventually see new lift hills on Space Mountain that would (1) slowly but perceptibly increase the rate of ascent of the rockets as they get closer to "launch," and (2) synchronize rockets on the Alpha and Omega lift hills that aren't dispatched at precisely the same time. I think it's a great little perk when you're launching in tandem with a rocket on the lift hill next to you.

A variable-speed lifthill wouldn't work for the current configuration of Space Mountain. When it's running at its highest capacity (and even at some lesser-capacity configurations) there are two rockets on the lifthill at each time. (When you exit the launch tunnel onto the lifthill, you can see the rocket ahead of you toward the top of the lift)

So, the lifthill needs to be kept at a constant speed, otherwise you'd have an odd fast/slow/fast ride up the lifthill...

-Rob

 

[EPCOT Explorer]

If they add a better lighting package to the mountain it would help this refurb go up a notch in my book. Its no LED lighting which can change colors, but I'll take it over basic white.

If they add proper lighting the only other three things I'd really like to see in the future would be silent lift hills, onboard audio, reworked re-entry tunnel. I'd guess that if the ride ever gets a proper sponsor that maybe this could happen.

Is there any validity to the rumor that the track supports were improved so that they could handle the added weight of audio in the future?

It wasn't even white, before...it was just generic "yellow" light. If we got BRIGHT white, and that green pointed at a gleaming white mountain...WOW.

 

[marni1971]

Is this true? If so, I go from slightly against on-board audio (I prefer my Space Mountain silent but think the audio can be kind of enjoyable) to adamantly against (as the closeness to the track is a huge part of why I love the ride).

Most certainly not true.

So the only way to get proper onboard audio is to get brand new trains with the speakers built in on a new track.

For DL, yes, but for WDW one plan is to add new composite cars to balance the weight increase off. And the current support system has been beefed up with the future in mind


I doubt they`d go back to pure green for the mountain. They tried it in 1994 and it wasn`t good.

 

[EPCOT Explorer]

Most certainly not true.
For DL, yes, but for WDW one plan is to add new composite cars to balance the weight increase off. And the current support system has been beefed up with the future in mind

So...SSE esque deal, yes?:brick::ROFLOL:

 

[RSoxNo1]

Was it ever considered to rebuild both tracks and implement 12 person trains to effectively double the ride capacity?

 

[WDITrent]

I doubt they`d go back to pure green for the mountain. They tried it in 1994 and it wasn`t good.

Ah... I've seen the poster with the green Mountain, but never the actual thing. Pictures?

And maybe they will go back to pure green. They do have the new lime green color scheme now, after all.

 

[WDWGoof07]

Judging from videos, I'm pleased overall with this refurb. I'm a little skeptical about the games in the zig-zag corridor because I liked the mood in there with the star windows (and the Tunnel 3 music especially!), but I like the Starport 75 theme and all the other little touches that were added. I can't wait to ride it now that it's darker!

P.S. MK Space > DL Space :lookaroun

 

[Animaniac93-98]

Ah... I've seen the poster with the green Mountain, but never the actual thing. Pictures?

This is what I was thinking about recently, if the poster shows it in green why not have it in green? If you have pictures to show why it shouldn't Martin we'd all love to see them!

 

[EPCOT Explorer]

Ah... I've seen the poster with the green Mountain, but never the actual thing. Pictures?

And maybe they will go back to pure green. They do have the new lime green color scheme now, after all.

That's right, it was green on the TL94, poster.


I hope the whole mountain goes green....nice homage.

 

[PhantomX]

Was it ever considered to rebuild both tracks and implement 12 person trains to effectively double the ride capacity?

Not sure about that but at one point the plan was to bulldoze the existing track and have 1 track be a recreation of the classic track and track 2 would be a brand new layout that was far more thrilling with inversions. Keep in mind the current 2 track SM only uses like 50% of the building. There was alot of room in there to create an exciting new experince for guests.

 

[EPCOT Explorer]

Not sure about that but at one point the plan was to bulldoze the existing track and have 1 track be a recreation of the classic track and track 2 would be a brand new layout that was far more thrilling with inversions. Keep in mind the current 2 track SM only uses like 50% of the building. There was alot of room in there to create an exciting new experince for guests.

I know they wanted to redo the track, but not with that....That would have alienated part of the audience.

 

[kcnole]

Not sure about that but at one point the plan was to bulldoze the existing track and have 1 track be a recreation of the classic track and track 2 would be a brand new layout that was far more thrilling with inversions. Keep in mind the current 2 track SM only uses like 50% of the building. There was alot of room in there to create an exciting new experince for guests.

I'm fairly certain this was never in the planned stage. It might have been mentioned in a blue sky passing but I've never heard this as a credible rumor before. while there's some room in the mountain, I think it would be impossible to do that.

 

[joel_maxwell]

A variable-speed lifthill wouldn't work for the current configuration of Space Mountain. When it's running at its highest capacity (and even at some lesser-capacity configurations) there are two rockets on the lifthill at each time. (When you exit the launch tunnel onto the lifthill, you can see the rocket ahead of you toward the top of the lift)

So, the lifthill needs to be kept at a constant speed, otherwise you'd have an odd fast/slow/fast ride up the lifthill...

-Rob

That is why I had said you would need an independent mechanism taking the train up the lift hill (imagine how a plane is catapulted off a aircraft carrier) I only imagine it would be a super complex system.

 

[EPCOT Explorer]

That is why I had said you would need an independent mechanism taking the train up the lift hill (imagine how a plane is catapulted off a aircraft carrier) I only imagine it would be a super complex system.

And something perfect for WDI to tackle, for our SM to have, and a great excuse to refurb us....again.


I like how you think, Joel.:lol:

 

[Lee]

I'm fairly certain this was never in the planned stage. It might have been mentioned in a blue sky passing but I've never heard this as a credible rumor before. while there's some room in the mountain, I think it would be impossible to do that.

That was a proposal, but not a plan.
And from what I know, it did include two different tracks, a family-friendly one and one more RnRC like. Neither a recreation of the current track.
Anyhow....died in blue sky.
And yes, there is room in the building for all that.

 

[EPCOT Explorer]

That was a proposal, but not a plan.
And from what I know, it did include two different tracks, a family-friendly one and one more RnRC like. Neither a recreation of the current track.
Anyhow....died in blue sky.
And yes, there is room in the building for all that.

That was real? Wow. I dismissed that as a fake.:lol: Loved the concept though, it's very useful...:lookaroun

 

[Lee]

That was real? Wow. I dismissed that as a fake.:lol: Loved the concept though, it's very useful...:lookaroun

Oh yeah, it was a real proposal. Never made it far, so I hear, but was definately not fake.
I like the idea, too. I see where Uni is using it for their BSG coaster(s) in Singapore.

 

[ChrisFL]

Re: silent lift hills, I wonder if it would have been at all feasible to have some sound effects to go along with the lift hill noises to make it sound more like a launch, eh, the noise is probably too loud.

 

[EPCOT Explorer]

I doubt they`d go back to pure green for the mountain. They tried it in 1994 and it wasn`t good.

Lighting wise? Why not? What they have up now looks nice...

Oh yeah, it was a real proposal. Never made it far, so I hear, but was definately not fake.
I like the idea, too. I see where Uni is using it for their BSG coaster(s) in Singapore.

Would have worked well with TDO's want/need/excuse to have everyone ride in the family... and it would have been something very unique. A shame.


Maybe in the future...?

 

[Next Big Thing]

Oh yeah, it was a real proposal. Never made it far, so I hear, but was definately not fake.
I like the idea, too. I see where Uni is using it for their BSG coaster(s) in Singapore.

Like the idea, any chance they could possibly use it in a future refurb when the possibly install on-board audio?

Also, how would they have not recreated the tracks, yet made them two totally seperate types of experiences like that?