Space Mountain Question

Mike 08

Mike 08

New Member
Original Poster
ok so i was at WDW last week and went on Space Mountain. i have not been on this ride since i was a kid. ofcourse i wanted to keep my hand up the entire ride and i told my brother to do the same. well after we passed the first overhead support beam, i thought WOW my hands are coming extremely close to hitting those. my brother said just what i was thinking. i figured it was the dark playing tricks on my eyes i mean come on im only six foot so I dismissed it. when we got to the end of the ride, in the tunnel, i said to myself this is the same height as those support beams , were not going that fast let me stretch out and really see if i could have touched it. so i reached up and to my suprise touched the ceiling of the tunnel and nearly scrapped off my finger prints. is this tunnel really the same height as those support beams? if it is they should really tell you dont put your hands up. and while im on it didnt space mountain used to be darker?
anyway this was only one of my stupid guest tricks, i left DHS in an ambulance a few days prior. lol . oh well we still had a great time.
 
VT GAL

VT GAL

Member
I come off of SM with a sore neck....not because of the bumpiness of the ride, but because I squish down as much as I can in the seat! :)

I would *hope* that if it were the same height there would be more explicit info, because I agree that one would assume that hands up would be the way to ride ANY coaster.

But I am pretty sure that it seems closer in the dark, but having seen it with the lights on, I can tell you it is pretty tight in there. Hence the squishing will continue... :)
 
Rob562

Rob562

Well-Known Member
Mike 08 said:
truth is I was in a wheel chair and
I think the poster was referring to the audio went straight to the front of the line. if they had all these signs and audio warnings i missed them. and for the record ive been on a ridiculous amount of roller coasters (including the fastest and tallest roller coaster in the world) and rode hands up on them all. its not only allowed, its often encouraged. so ya i asked a question about the beams .
Click to expand...
warning that every train hears twice. Once before dropping into the blue tunnel, and then at the turnaround at the end of the blue tunnel into the lifthill.
The audio is "Space shuttle this is flight safety. Please keep your hands on the lapbar or inside the train at all times. You are clear for launch."

Now, whether someone considers the airspace above you to be "inside the train" is part of the debate.

I've yet to hold my arms fully extended the entire ride, but I have (relatively) short arms, so it probably wouldn't be the same as a very tall person raising their arms. The only time I've ever felt that the overhead clearance was very low is during the second cross-over where one track passes the other. If you're on the Alpha side, that overhead beam/roof segment seems VERY close.

There are few (if any) stories of people getting seriously injured on Space Mountain from raising their hands. So either the cross-beams are far enough away, or they're at least padded so that you might whack your hand or finger, but won't be injured.

That being said, the red tunnel *does* have a "funnel" that would physically force your hands down into the tunnel if your arms were raised as you entered. The interior surface of the red tunnel is fairly smooth. I'd feel safer touching that than the bumpy, multi-surfaced blue tunnel.

-Rob
 
xsupaxmanxsfnex

xsupaxmanxsfnex

Well-Known Member
I went one whole ride through with my hands up the whole time this past summer. I also would touch the ceiling of the blue tunnel in the beginning, not on purpose the first time I figured out you can touch it. I did leave my hands up the whole time until after the final drop where you are pretty close to the floor and before you go into the red tunnel is where I put my hands down. Felt a little bit too close for comfort.
I know what the op is talking about though on other roller coasters. The tallest and fastest coaster (Kingda Ka) does tell you to put your hands down during the launch, "Arms down, head back, hold on!" But everyone does it anyway. Also on El Toro at the same park it is very fun to keep your hands up at the bottom of the first hill while everyone ducks because they think they may hit their heads!
So it makes you really think if the light is playing a trick on you or the support beams are actually that close.
 
marni1971

marni1971

Park History nut
Premium Member
The warnings are there no matter how you get to load - a wheelchair would still take you past the safety video and the overhead warning signs, as well as the spiels Rob mentioned.

But no, you can`t touch the beams in-ride. As close as they may seem. But don`t try to touch the re entry tunnel either - the grating that creates the effect will take your nails off if you arn`t careful. With no come back.
 
hwdelien

hwdelien

Member
I always ride every coaster with my hands up. As a former member of ACE (American Coaster Enthusiasts) it would be undignified to ride any other way. I have also been in SM with the lights on and there is, at least, 6 inches beyond my reach. Having said that, I am 5' 9" and my sleeve length is 34", so I am not the largest person to ride by any means.:sohappy:
 
Slipknot

Slipknot

Well-Known Member
Mike 08 said:
...they should really tell you dont put your hands up. and while im on it didnt space mountain used to be darker?
Click to expand...

Unless you are the height of Shaq, I don't think you have anything to worry about, but Disney does tell you not to keep your hands down. It is up to the guests as to how much of a stupid guest trick they want to try...

And when did you ride SM? Was it daytime or night. If it was night, then your eyes were used to the darkness.
 

Register on WDWMAGIC. This sidebar will go away, and you'll see fewer ads.

Back
Top Bottom