Space Mountain Rehab?

[Lee]

Double post.

 

[Epcot82Guy]

Think Kevin nailed it on the head. Loops do nothing for alot of people and I have to say prevent many people from riding certain coasters. Being an avid adrenaline junkie, I say leave SM's layout alone!!! The point of Disney was show, not ride system. I'm all for building more coasters, bigger and faster. However, why take away a great ride when you could split the budget in two? Upgrade the queue and effects, improve the sound system, especially on the attraction, darken it back up (possibly by enclosing hte queue's celing into more of a space-port theme), and just add little touches. Could be done for a VERY small budget and could be very effective and quick. Then, take the money to design a new coaster, gut the current building, etc. and build a new one. Epcot and Animal Kingdom could be a much better destination for that type of attraction. MK needs a more adult attraction with the loss of AE, but SM should not be the place for that (hint hint, build the darn Fire Mountain already!)

 

[MrNonacho]

Will Paris's Mission 2 smooth out the ride any? When I rode it a couple years ago it was easily the most painful ride I have ever been on.

 

[DarkMeasures]

What I don't like about looping coasters is that they require those over-the-shoulder-restraints. (Outer Limits has none but no whay would Disney follow that path). See, the restraints cause roughness and bumpyness and the only way to avoid such is to hold your head back hard. But I want to relax and have fun. Plus, all coasters eventually get rough, I mean the Hulk is now rough. It would be better to have a non-looping re-do.

I like the current track though and right now, there is no reason to alter the actual ride but plus things like the scenery.

But if there were to be a redo for the ride, I would actually prefer it to be done similar to The Mummy. (maybe with smaller cars and track so a longer ride could be built).

 

[KevinPage]

Eh...it's just a matter of taste.

WDW's was OK in the 70's, I guess.....but Paris...that's what a Space Mountain should be. (When it's running smooth, that is.)
C'mon Kevin...loops RUIN a ride? I think not. The ones on your list are good, I've ridden a few of them, but Hulk is top notch as are:
Riddler's Revenge
Batman Knight Flight
Kracken
and yes, Rock n Roller Coaster.

Lee,

At the risk of sounding snobbish & elitist, I've ridden over 160 different roller coasters across the country and not one single 'enthusiast, coaster fanatic, person who knows alot about roller coasters thinks too much of The Hulk. Yeah the "General Public" make like it, but they also like Wonder Bread and various other questionable products. :lol:

The Hulk is the CLASSIC example of a cookie cutter standard issue Bolliger & Mabillard "looper". Aside from the admittedly 'cool' launch, the rest of the ride offers nothing different, exciting or intense (in regards to G forces) that you don't get on any other B&M looping coaster at a Six Flags the past 10 years. The original Batman The Ride that has been cloned all across the country is still far better than The Hulk (more intense, better pacing, etc.)

Riddler's Revenge is a stand up coaster, which is even further down on the totem pole than a sit down looper.

BKF & Kracken are 'decent' and I can enjoy them for a spin or two, but again, it's the same 'ole same 'ole B&M cloned element time and time again.

Don't get me wrong, B&M helped revitalize the coaster industry and make very durable and high throughput rides. But with success comes a 'sameness' and "blandness". Microsoft may be the King of the Mountain, but it doesn't mean their products are half as good as "others" on the market.

Loops are a cheap gimmick. It's like a comic who has to curse all the time. Yeah it's funny in small doses, but if that is your only attribute it wears thin really fast. Not having the luxury/crutch of loops to take up space on your coaster layout, you have to become "more inventive" to create forces and sensations for the rider.

Give me an Intamin hyper/mega/giga steel or a CCI (now Gravity Group) woodie any day of the week.

P.S. - And the only wood coaster with a loop, Son of Beast, is a total disastor, with the loop being the only tolerable part, ironically enough. :hurl:

P.S.S - Has any of our English friends been on "Megaphobia" the CCI wooden coaster with sheep & other animals that live under and around the ride? (always wanted to ride this one)

P.S.S.S - I failed to mention Knoebels fantastic 1-2 punch of wooden coasters, The Phoenix & Twister last time

 

[Zipadeedoodah]

Personally, I don't think that Disney should be "gutting" too much these days. That is what most of us get ticked off at and then complain on these boards. IMO I think SM is still an awesome riding experience. Okay, so what if it isn't as "up to date" as the other mountains, or as thrilling as some other coasters around the world. It's OUR SM and I have loved it for years! It's a sense of nostalgia when I ride it. Disney is changing so much these days that there aren't too many attractions still around that you can get those nostalgia feelings from anymore. Aside from the normal maintenence rehabs (smoothing out the track, car repairs, enhancing the soundtrack quality) I think they should leave 'em alone. Add new attractions....great! I welcome them and can't wait for them to come out....but don't mess with the older goodies....they make me feel like a kid again....all the sounds, the smells, the look of them...they are just different...it makes me smile just thinking about em!

Anyway, thanks for listening to my long spiel...have a zipadeedoodah day! :wave:

Zip :kiss:

 

[SirGoofy]

Update the effects and maybe put onboard sound into the cars, but the ride should not be redesigned. It's the first of its kind and it should not be changed.

 

[Empress Room]

After that my guess is that EPCOT will get some much needed TLC.

Probably a better topic for a different thread; however, what do you mean by your quote above? Just curious, but IMHO it appears to me that Epcot has been getting plenty of TLC lately and is in very nice shape aesthetically (even as compared to the other parks).

In just the past few years, Epcot has added Test Track, Mission Space, Turtle Talk with Crush, the Nemo overlay at Living Seas and now Soarin' (with a complete re-do of The Land). Certainly, there's always room for improvement (e.g. Wonders of Life, Universe of Energy). But World Showcase is is pretty solid shape and the Innoventions area has or is being addressed as well. Your thoughts?

 

[joel_maxwell]

Your thoughts?

plain and simple for me......... i think they need to worry about UoE and WoL before SSE. my humble opinion

 

[marni1971]

UoE... drip drip

How long before a summer storm turns it into a flood?

 

[Brooke]

I would love to see a Space Mountain rehab although I would hate for it to actually go under rehab! Tomorrowland would be depressing without it being open and I'm sure that if it would close all the other lines would be longer...

 

[Master Yoda]

Probably a better topic for a different thread; however, what do you mean by your quote above? Just curious, but IMHO it appears to me that Epcot has been getting plenty of TLC lately and is in very nice shape aesthetically (even as compared to the other parks).

In just the past few years, Epcot has added Test Track, Mission Space, Turtle Talk with Crush, the Nemo overlay at Living Seas and now Soarin' (with a complete re-do of The Land). Certainly, there's always room for improvement (e.g. Wonders of Life, Universe of Energy). But World Showcase is is pretty solid shape and the Innoventions area has or is being addressed as well. Your thoughts?

You hit the nail on the head. WOL needs to be fixed up to its former glory or they need to replace it with something else. UOE need the same kind of fix and SE could use a little updating and a new display at the exit. As for test track that thing really need to be shut down for a month or two so it can be cleaned and repaired. It is always breaking down and if you look at the static displays there is an inch of dust on them. Half of the video screens in the cars don’t work and the audio is always dropping out. Disney has been doing a great job getting the parks back in shape I just really hope they continue.

 

[HauntedSquirrel]

I think that the WDW version of space mountain needs a redo like the Disneyland space mountain has gotten, just don't change the layout of the tracks.

 

[Empress Room]

You hit the nail on the head. WOL needs to be fixed up to its former glory or they need to replace it with something else. UOE need the same kind of fix and SE could use a little updating and a new display at the exit. As for test track that thing really need to be shut down for a month or two so it can be cleaned and repaired. It is always breaking down and if you look at the static displays there is an inch of dust on them. Half of the video screens in the cars don’t work and the audio is always dropping out. Disney has been doing a great job getting the parks back in shape I just really hope they continue.

I seem to recall reading a rumor or two in the past several months that UOE may be going down in rehab as early as this Fall and there have been many more recent rumors to the same effect regarding SE. You may be getting your wish.

As for WOL, I do not believe that a rehab will salvage this once-great attraction. Based on pure opinion and hypothesis from what I'm reading on this and other sites, WOL is on a temporary life support and will (when it makes sense operationally and financially) go the way of Horizons. We can only hope that big plans are in store for the footprint it now occupies.

 

[joel_maxwell]

You hit the nail on the head. WOL needs to be fixed up to its former glory or they need to replace it with something else. UOE need the same kind of fix and SE could use a little updating and a new display at the exit. As for test track that thing really need to be shut down for a month or two so it can be cleaned and repaired. It is always breaking down and if you look at the static displays there is an inch of dust on them. Half of the video screens in the cars don’t work and the audio is always dropping out. Disney has been doing a great job getting the parks back in shape I just really hope they continue.

i wonder how opten they vaccum or sweep the areas in that attraction since they go through tires so much...... it has to produce a lot of grimm and dust (hey there is were you inch of dust on the monitors comes from)

 

[Master Yoda]

I seem to recall reading a rumor or two in the past several months that UOE may be going down in rehab as early as this Fall and there have been many more recent rumors to the same effect regarding SE. You may be getting your wish.

As for WOL, I do not believe that a rehab will salvage this once-great attraction. Based on pure opinion and hypothesis from what I'm reading on this and other sites, WOL is on a temporary life support and will (when it makes sense operationally and financially) go the way of Horizons. We can only hope that big plans are in store for the footprint it now occupies.

Concerning WOL I fear you are right. I’m waiting for the plywood walls to go up at any time. And yes there have been rumors going around about the refurb of SE and UOE hopefully they will come true.

 

[ogryn]

P.S.S - Has any of our English friends been on "Megaphobia" the CCI wooden coaster with sheep & other animals that live under and around the ride? (always wanted to ride this one)

No. It's a bit out the way, but is on the list to do.


As someone who likes to think they know a little about coasters, I disagree with you on the loops aspect... and the B&M aspect (although I haven't had the chance to ride nearly as many as you have).

Inversions are like icing on cakes. It tastes fine without it, but is a little more special with it, however if not executed correctly the cake will be spoilt.

Nothing can beat the shear ferocity of a Schwarzkopf multi-looper. They were some of the most exhilerating, ferocious and pleasurable rides of my life. Magnum Force and Bullet are both hidden gems, often overshadowed by the B&M's and Intamin's of the world.

For smoothness, B&M's are king. Although you could argue that they just take other's ideas (Flying coasters, suspended coasters), what they do, they do with precision and beauty. Most British enthusiasts would have Nemesis in their top 5 all time favourites. Why? It is intense, hugs the terrain, and is really quite clever. It doesn't need height to thrill you, it doesn't even need airtime to thrill you, it is all down to one MEGA G-Force Helix and the inversions.

Now, moving south, we get to Thorpe Park, enter Intamin, enter the world record holding Colossus. 10 inversions. The OTSR's hold you in snugly, but there is no escaping the fact that you feel exposed, weightless, and you have a huge grin on your face during the Barrel-Rolls. Gwazi never did that to me. Space Mountain never did that to me.

My favourite steel coaster..... Hulk Why? Anticipation, instant thrill, perfect pacing of elements and always leaves you wanting more.

 

[Lynx04]

I am all for a complete gutting and redesign of SM, as long as it is not a clone of the DL or DLP SM. WDW SM being the largest of the SM buildings, I think Disney should take advantage of that and make a modern day SM with show scenes.

 

[Lee]

Lee,
At the risk of sounding snobbish & elitist, I've ridden over 160 different roller coasters across the country and not one single 'enthusiast, coaster fanatic, person who knows alot about roller coasters thinks too much of...

Ok, Kevin...I bow to your expertise... :animwink:
I'm only at about 100 coasters, and again...I see it as a matter of taste. I like B&M loopers, stand-ups, etc. and pretty much everything else. Intamins are great...love Xcelerator, Millie, Superman, etc. And yes, inversions aren't everything...but I like them...call me crazy.

On thing we agree on is Son of Beast. I have equated it to a wooden mugging. Rode it in 2000 and loved it, rode it last year and was nearly beaten unconscious. Same with Ghostrider...and Georgia Cyclone for that matter.

 

[MuRkErY]

I think they should gut the ride out, make it newer and modern day.

The ride, is really, really, really boring to me, it's not even fun anymore, just boring.

I think the Magic Kingdom needs at least 1 pretty intense ride, and i hope they can turn SM into this, with some good indoor themeing and a good coaster.

Most British enthusiasts would have Nemesis in their top 5 all time favourites. Why? It is intense, hugs the terrain, and is really quite clever. It doesn't need height to thrill you, it doesn't even need airtime to thrill you, it is all down to one MEGA G-Force Helix and the inversions.

And yep, Nemesis is great, one of B&M's best.