Space Mountain refurbishment begins April 19 2009

[WDW1974]

I realize his WDW posts are slanted, but is the info good? You've said in the past that his info is good. Do you mean DL info only, or WDW also? Whether it's slanted or not, phrases like "everything put on hold" and "drastically scaled down refurb" seem pretty cut and dry, whether you have a slant or not. Unless he's making up his WDW info.

I wouldn't accuse Al of making up his info ... that I reserve for Jim Hill.

But his sources in Anaheim and Glendale are certainly much more 'on' with what's happening at DLR.

That said, there was nothing in his recent column about WDW that isn't true.

As I said when I started another thread ... think it's called 'Slash and Burn' and it may have a few posts ... everything new at WDW is on hold right now ... and Space Mountain's rehab (and I don't know very much about what actually is happening) is still drastically less than what was originally planned. So the guy is 100% accurate on those statements.

I just wish he'd wake up and realize that pitting one Disney resort against another in the fan community is idocy for all Disney parks in the long term.

 

[WDW1974]

Alot of people don't realize that Disneyland's isnt really that great but it is certainly better than floridas Space mountain!

When Disneyland's Space Mountain reopened it suffered from cost cuts and a rush to be open by July 2005. There are some effects sitting inside the building that were never activated and never will be activated (like a close encounter with an asteroid) that are just sitting in the dark! They also promised alot more initially concerning special effects and a "brand new queue". What we ended up with was a queue where they redid some of the hallways with this claustrophobic metal walkway that looks like they used pieces left over from when they built Mission:Space's queue and created a new sterile preflight video. Then in the main queue area they added this plasma flatscreen at the end that shows space footage and I guess the idea was that your in a space station looking out a window but they did a EXTREMLY poor job with it. They also promised a cool tunnel effect at the end which in reality amounted to some psychedelic lights in a tunnel right after they take your picture.

Yep ... and all of those effects and projections ... and then some are all included and 100% operational on HKDL's version, which I why I consider it the best Space Mountain in the world right now (DLP's would be, but tends to cause you to need chiropractors or brain surgery after riding!)

 

[EpcotServo]

I just wish he'd wake up and realize that pitting one Disney resort against another in the fan community is idocy for all Disney parks in the long term.

That's true.

YES. We know Disneyland is better. You don't have to mention it every article and talk about how stupid we are in Florida.

:hammer:

 

[George]

That's true.

YES. We know Disneyland is better. You don't have to mention it every article and talk about how stupid we are in Florida.

:hammer:

But, then he'd have much less to write about. He's essentially trained himself to write from this perspective and everything else just flows from it.

 

[WDW1974]

Just because there is no on-board audio, it doesn't mean there won't be audio during the ride. There is one alternative that WDI has been discussing.

And let it be known that Space Mountain's dome provides excellent acoustics... :animwink:

yeah ...but it's still taking the cheap route and considering how cheap a redo this really is to begin with ... well, it's just very disappointing.

SM should have closed in 1998 and 'relaunched' for Y2K with one of WDI's more ... uhm ... extensive concepts.

This sounds to me like it will be slightly better than the lousy PoC redo.

In other words, too little, a decade too late.

Not smart at all.

 

[HMF]

I asked earlier and noone responded. What makes DL's Space Mountain that much better? I watched a youtube video of it and it seems like all thats been added to the ride itself is onboard audio. :shrug: The whole ride is in the dark, so are you guys just talking about the queue and post show of DL's Space Mountain? What makes the actual RIDE of SM at DL so much better?

Youtube does not do it justice. You really have to experience it to see why it makes WDW look like a joke and why WDW's will continue to be a joke for years to come since they are doing a Half A$$ed refurb.

 

[Enigma]

SM should have closed in 1998 and 'relaunched' for Y2K with one of WDI's more ... uhm ... extensive concepts.

I absoluetly agree with you. It's a joke to wait till 2009 and then do a mediocre redo after years of planning. Of course, Phil Holmes Jr. will never admit it and will try to put a spin on this with more rumors.

 

[HMF]

I absoluetly agree with you. It's a joke to wait till 2009 and then do a mediocre redo after years of planning. Of course, Phil Holmes Jr. will never admit it and will try to put a spin on this with more rumors.

Who else here wants Phil Holmes fired?:fork:

 

[Horizonsfan]

Who else here wants Phil Holmes fired?:fork:

:wave:

 

[HMF]

If they are not going to do it right they should'nt do it at all. Apparentley' The Magic Kingdom wants to be a shadow of what Disneyland is. I cannot believe the stupidity of WDW Management. OK' HMF Take a deep breath. Sigh! Rant over!

 

[wesTcoastY]

mighty putty!

lmao!

 

[Disneyson 1]

I HEART Mighty Putty!

Yes, I actually bought it and it works!!! (well... not on the resin Minnie's ear in the garden... it always falls off...)

Now, if only it could hold WDW's budget together for a while...

 

[surfsupdon]

See,now I really like the uniqueness of the Space Mtn indoor queue. Before Fastpass, when all of the switchbacks were being used, it was the anticipation of winding your way closer to the boarding area. You could lean back on the rail and see the coaster trains glow and hear the shrieks. Those sights and sounds had me chicken out 3times!!


I do hope they rework the queue somhow to allow more people inside instead of a constant overflow outside the mountain in Tomorrowland.

 

[MousDad]

Looks like there's been media confirmation of a substantial refurb, including some track replacement, and other upgrades that have been discussed. (see other thread)

Kudo's to Lee and Martin for being right. And for those who used phrases like "essential cleaning and maintenance only" ... well.

 

[DClarke977]

Its official... Heard on Howard Stern today that Just after Easter, SM is closing for referb. On the list are track replacement and new queue. Sorry... Had to post because I thought it was odd that this was news being reported on Howard Stern.

 

[tirian]

That's true.

YES. We know Disneyland is better. You don't have to mention it every article and talk about how stupid we are in Florida.

:hammer:

I'm not defending anybody, but I think WDW1974 is saying that pitting one park against another by not offering the same quality in all is idiotic, not the fan community itself. :wave:

I'm cautiously optimistic about the Space refurb because of how bad it almost was.

 

[One Lil Spark]

Its official... Heard on Howard Stern today that Just after Easter, SM is closing for referb. On the list are track replacement and new queue. Sorry... Had to post because I thought it was odd that this was news being reported on Howard Stern.

Another reason Howard is the only reason I have Sirius. Can't wait to hear it on the replay!

 

[joel_maxwell]

Or Hong Kong....that'll do just fine...

uoohhh, nice show in Hong Kong. Love the planetarium feel. Nice.

 

[mcjaco]

which I why I consider it the best Space Mountain in the world right now (DLP's would be, but tends to cause you to need chiropractors or brain surgery after riding!)

Boy, you're in the minority in a lot of things. From Mitch Hawker's 2008 Steel Coaster Poll:

273 Space Mountain Disneyland Paris
135 Space Mountain WDW Magic Kingdom
96 Space Mountain Disneyland
94 Space Mountain Tokyo Disneyland
56 Space Mountain HK Disneyland

SM DLP came in dead last of the SMs, in the annual coaster poll. I don't know anyone that likes DLP's version.

172 Matterhorn Bobsleds Disneyland
168 Big Thunder Mountain WDW Magic Kingdom
153 Big Thunder Mountain Disneyland
115 Rock n Roller Coaster Walt Disney Paris
110 Rock `n' Roller Coast Disney's H Studios
108 Big Thunder Mountain Tokyo Disneyland
91 Big Thunder Mountain Disneyland Paris
66 California Screamin' Disney CA Adventur
60 Expedition Everest Disney Animal King

http://www.ushsho.com/detailedsteelrollercoasterpollresults2008.htm

 

[tirian]

Boy, you're in the minority in a lot of things. From Mitch Hawker's 2008 Steel Coaster Poll:

273 Space Mountain Disneyland Paris
135 Space Mountain WDW Magic Kingdom
96 Space Mountain Disneyland
94 Space Mountain Tokyo Disneyland
56 Space Mountain HK Disneyland

SM DLP came in dead last of the SMs, in the annual coaster poll. I don't know anyone that likes DLP's version.

172 Matterhorn Bobsleds Disneyland
168 Big Thunder Mountain WDW Magic Kingdom
153 Big Thunder Mountain Disneyland
115 Rock n Roller Coaster Walt Disney Paris
110 Rock `n' Roller Coast Disney's H Studios
108 Big Thunder Mountain Tokyo Disneyland
91 Big Thunder Mountain Disneyland Paris
66 California Screamin' Disney CA Adventur
60 Expedition Everest Disney Animal King

http://www.ushsho.com/detailedsteelrollercoasterpollresults2008.htm

What are the requirements for being part of this poll? I'm willing to bet that many more people have experienced WDW's Space Mt. than DLP's.

I do agree that WDW's layout is far superior to all the other ones. The ride itself just needs some TLC.