Space Mountain Rehab

[dannb1001]

This may have already been discussed, I just found out that Space Mountain will be closed for a Year and will be completely gutted and redone! Not sure what year this will take place. It will suck not having the ride open for a whole year but, I am sure the end result will be great. Its really about time they have done something with the attraction.

Would be so cool if they copied Disneyland Paris version

 

[wickedfan07]

This may have already been discussed, I just found out that Space Mountain will be closed for a Year and will be completely gutted and redone! Not sure what year this will take place. It will suck not having the ride open for a whole year but, I am sure the end result will be great. Its really about time they have done something with the attraction.

Would be so cool if they copied Disneyland Paris version

This rumor has been going around for a long time now. And we sill don't have any clue if it will be gutted or not, or what exactly will be done. So who knows.

 

[jedimaster1227]

This may have already been discussed, I just found out that Space Mountain will be closed for a Year and will be completely gutted and redone! Not sure what year this will take place. It will suck not having the ride open for a whole year but, I am sure the end result will be great. Its really about time they have done something with the attraction.

Would be so cool if they copied Disneyland Paris version

Not so much gutted... Essentially, the track will be replaced (with slightly thicker rails) to support the weight of a new speaker system added to the trains. The layout will remain the same as will the on-ride effects.

 

[imagineer boy]

They also plan to add interactive screens and have the last third of the attraction completely in the dark. ( wait a minuite, isn't it already like that? :lol: )

 

[EPCOT_1138]

Not so much gutted... Essentially, the track will be replaced (with slightly thicker rails) to support the weight of a new speaker system added to the trains. The layout will remain the same as will the on-ride effects.

They'll probably get another company to redo the track, because you just can't replace the track with thicker rails. I'm kind of hoping for B&M or Intamin if they redo it (they have the smoothest coasters). AMEC did the one for California and Vekoma did the one in Paris, so either of those companies could be selected as well.

Coming from a roller coaster enthusiast, they'll probably just have to tear the whole track out because the original was designed by WED, and they've been selecting other companies for their latest roller coasters (Vekoma for Space Mountain Paris and Hong Kong, Expedition Everest, and Rock 'n' Roller Coaster. And Intamin designed and built California Screamin'). The supports are old anyways and wouldn't be able to work with a "real" roller coaster track, just a 70's "Wild Mouse"-type track like they have now.

 

[epcot85]

IMO i think a clone of DL's space mountain would be a nice improvement over the WDW version. The could even make it longer with the bigger show building.

 

[EPCOT_1138]

^ That would be a good idea. Just change it up a little, so it isn't exactly a clone.

I think it would be awesome if they redid Tomorrowland to look like Discoveryland in Disneyland Paris. Man, I wish we had a Space Mountain like the one they have, it looks so much more cooler than ours. Last time when I was at Magic Kingdom, it seemed kind of a wasted ride. Not much thrill or comfort.

 

[jedimaster1227]

They'll probably get another company to redo the track, because you just can't replace the track with thicker rails. I'm kind of hoping for B&M or Intamin if they redo it (they have the smoothest coasters). AMEC did the one for California and Vekoma did the one in Paris, so either of those companies could be selected as well.

Coming from a roller coaster enthusiast, they'll probably just have to tear the whole track out because the original was designed by WED, and they've been selecting other companies for their latest roller coasters (Vekoma for Space Mountain Paris and Hong Kong, Expedition Everest, and Rock 'n' Roller Coaster. And Intamin designed and built California Screamin'). The supports are old anyways and wouldn't be able to work with a "real" roller coaster track, just a 70's "Wild Mouse"-type track like they have now.

I love your THX-1138 reference in your username- I'm a Lucas fan myself...

Well, since Arrow is now a subsidiary of S&S, I doubt they would really be considered. AMEC was the company recently approached to build since they would be building track for a pre-designed layout that has already been in use for quite some time. The job is already half way done for them when you think about it.

If AMEC doesn't get signed (which at this point, they most likely will), then I am guessing either Maurer Sohne (and I only say this because their main expertise lies in their portable coasters-small and entertaining) or Vekoma will be contacted. Vekoma has a working relationship with the company, so I see them being second on the list of potential builders...

 

[epcot85]

Whats weird is that Verkoma for the most part have the roughest rides known to man outside Disney, but the models in the Disney parks seem to be smoother? We coaster enthusiast like to call the two seater Verkoma hang down coasters "hang and bangs"

 

[EPCOT_1138]

I love your THX-1138 reference in your username- I'm a Lucas fan myself...

Well, since Arrow is now a subsidiary of S&S, I doubt they would really be considered. AMEC was the company recently approached to build since they would be building track for a pre-designed layout that has already been in use for quite some time. The job is already half way done for them when you think about it.

If AMEC doesn't get signed (which at this point, they most likely will), then I am guessing either Maurer Sohne (and I only say this because their main expertise lies in their portable coasters-small and entertaining) or Vekoma will be contacted. Vekoma has a working relationship with the company, so I see them being second on the list of potential builders...

Thank you. Yes, a reference to George Lucas (Star Wars, one of my favorite movie series) and Epcot, my favorite theme park.

There's a good point you have there, probably right about that. I just would like to see B&M build one for Disney, they seem to have some of the smoothest coasters out there.

Whats weird is that Verkoma for the most part have the roughest rides known to man outside Disney, but the models in the Disney parks seem to be smoother? We coaster enthusiast like to call the two seater Verkoma hang down coasters "hang and bangs"

Yeah, it is kind of weird. Maybe it's the whole Disney themeing and it takes away from the roughness.

Haha! Hang and bangs! :lol:

 

[RonAnnArbor]

WDW will never put the same kind of Space Mountain as the one in Paris -- that ride was specifically designed for adults for fear that nobody would go to EuroDisney when it opened...For those people who don't know, the Paris version is similar to Rockin Roller Coaster - it has inversions, fast corkscrews, and great lighting effects.

I LOVE the Paris space mountain and ride it countless times on each trip there -- but it is the exact opposite of the type of attraction that they want in Magic Kingdom which is geared toward the family audience, and with a proven track record, they don't need an adult attraction in the park like DRP needed.

A one-year closure (if true) indicates a major rebuild of what is already there - most likely retracking like at Disneyland, fixing, painting, relighting, etc. A complete tear out and rebuild would take much longer than that given their current setup.

 

[arima]

Just to put in my two cents, I really didn't like the space mountain in Disneyland Paris.. the first time I rode it my head kept hitting the pads back and forth especially in the corkscrews. After a few rides I figured out how to make it more enjoyable, but no one in my family really liked it. It was completely different from the first time I rode Rockin' Roller Coaster, which was the smoothest and most interesting roller coaster I'd ever been on.

When we saw that Disneyland's space mountain would be changed we were afraid it would become like the one in Paris, but luckily that didn't happen.

 

[primetime52]

I've never been to DLP so I can't speak about their SM.... but I have ridden the DLR version and I was a little bit disappointed with their track. The effects were great and so was the darkness, but the ride itself was disappointing to me. There weren't any drops. The track just basically takes you around in alot of circles. I still had fun, but it was very anticlimactic.

I'd like to see them take the effects from the DL version while making the ride more thrilling (while still being family friendly). I agree with the earlier poster who said they should make it one long track, since they have that colossal show building.

 

[wickedfan07]

Not so much gutted... Essentially, the track will be replaced (with slightly thicker rails) to support the weight of a new speaker system added to the trains. The layout will remain the same as will the on-ride effects.

I thought that a few SM threads ago, you said that the track was not being replaced, only smoothed, and that some effects would be replaced, but nothing major. Has this changed, or did I misunderstand last time?

 

[mr.flibble]

this was from screamscape not so long ago, of course you never know with screamscape if they are on the money or they are wide off the mark (wider than an old woman sitting on a bench with her legs apart - a red dwarf joke for you all there lol)

"The latest buzz about the upcoming Space Mountain rehab claims that “Mission 2” has been given the green light and that it looks like they will likely be gutting the entire inside of the mountain and rebuilding the ride from scratch. A possible plan to speed up the process may be to remove the “top” of the mountain itself to allow for the removal of the old ride more quickly and in much larger pieces than what would normally be able to fit through the 22 ft tall back door. The funny part of the this story however is that in much the same fashion that they put up covered scaffolding around the buildings in Epcot when they go under rehab, painted to look like how the exterior should look, they are considering a similar tactic for the top of Space Mountain to help hide the bald spot if they remove it."


sorry if already posted

 

[mr.flibble]

Just to put in my two cents, I really didn't like the space mountain in Disneyland Paris.. the first time I rode it my head kept hitting the pads back and forth especially in the corkscrews. After a few rides I figured out how to make it more enjoyable, but no one in my family really liked it. It was completely different from the first time I rode Rockin' Roller Coaster, which was the smoothest and most interesting roller coaster I'd ever been on.

When we saw that Disneyland's space mountain would be changed we were afraid it would become like the one in Paris, but luckily that didn't happen.

ive just come back from disney land paris, a week ago, there space mountain has some awsome effects and the building is fantastic, will post a pic of it if i can, but like you said, on corkscrews and especially as u come out of the first loop u do get a few whacks, but once u learn how the car moves you can try ur best to avoid them, the effects however are totally fantastic especially when that star or the planet supernovas and then u go into a drop. i found the more times i rode it the better it became, maybe i was just used to the whacks by then :lol:, however indy was one hell of a rough coaster and i have to admit i only went on that the once, and is it just me or is big thunder and rock 'n roller coaster 20 million times better than the wdw's ones? and i rate crush as one of my all time favourite coasters, absolutely superb!

 

[RonAnnArbor]

Big Thunder Mountain and Rock N Roller Coaster ARE better in Paris than at WDW - Big Thunder Mountain in large part because they don't have the water-table problem in paris that they had to contend with at WDW, thus they can send it underground and under the lagoon to the mountain - the tunnel part of the ride is fantastic there -- and Rock N Roller Coaster has the exact same track layout, but by doing away with the roadsigns and other things that DHS has, and just using the lighting towers and effects, they were able to open up the ride and create a feeling of being on a stage, rather than on your way TO the concert...fantastic lighting on that one.

Crush's coaster is wonderful -- the way they work the theming and then the very fast coaster part of the ride incorporates the best aspects of the animatronics in Splash Mountain with that great whirling coaster effect. It's an amazing coaster that I hope makes it over to Disney Hollywood Studios some day. For those unfamiliar with Crush's coaster at Disney STudios in Paris - it is similar in design and style to Primievel Whirl at Animal Kingdom, but enclosed with animatronics and better dips and spins (in the dark) with lighting effects to simulate being caught on a current of bubbles. The first half of the ride is animatronic as you pass tableaux of Nemo scenes including a shark that pops out at you. Riders sit two facing forward two facing backwards in "turtle shells" that spin and rotate as needed.

The Indiana Jones coaster is terrible -- it used to run the entire length backwards, and was called (creatively) Indiana Jones and the Temple of Peril Backwards! It was worse when it ran backwards and people ended up hurting their ears as it banged around. They changed it to run forwards, thus taking the thrill out of it, and it is still as bumpy and terrible. The ride has next to no line at any given time during the day, and I suspect it will be gone soon once they figure out a better attraction to place into that space. (They could use the Indiana Jones ride from CA or Dinosaur clone from WDW-AK in that area, but they are so overbudget as it is there, I don't think they will make any changes anytime soon).

 

[bears163]

i think they should gut the entire ride & add stich to the entire building. he could be breaking he was out the top. that would be so cool. & the ride could be him surfing & fighting off the bad guys..........ok ok i am kidding. bad boy bad boy. i rather :brick: & :hurl: before i want to see another stich in any of the parks

 

[Fade_to_Blah]

I hope they atleast keep the track layout the same. Space Mountain to me is one of those untouchable rides. Refurbishment is fine with me...but if they turn it into something similar to Rockin RollerCoaster (which I love btw) I would not be happy.

 

[darthjohnny]

The Indiana Jones coaster is terrible -- it used to run the entire length backwards, and was called (creatively) Indiana Jones and the Temple of Peril Backwards! It was worse when it ran backwards and people ended up hurting their ears as it banged around. They changed it to run forwards, thus taking the thrill out of it, and it is still as bumpy and terrible. The ride has next to no line at any given time during the day, and I suspect it will be gone soon once they figure out a better attraction to place into that space. (They could use the Indiana Jones ride from CA or Dinosaur clone from WDW-AK in that area, but they are so overbudget as it is there, I don't think they will make any changes anytime soon).

They've actually changed it back to having it go foward again?