Space Mountain

[PeterAlt]

I just read Jim Hill's article on DL's Space Mountain...

http://jimhillmedia.com/articles/03172004.1.htm

It looks like DL's Space Mountain rehab really isn't adding much. Just one new effect of a galaxy projection. Of course, they are also getting the announced new track on the same old configuration.

Here's my question: If WDW's Space Mountain is older and is the original Space Mountain, that must mean that our tracks are even older than DL's, so why are they getting new tracks first?

Could they have done a better job maintaining our tracks over DL's? Were DL's tracks in any worse condition than our tracks? Did DL really need new SM tracks? Does WDW's SM need new tracks?

If WDW's Space Mountain ever goes into a major rehab, what do you think could be improved? I would like to see SM get the exit photo system. What kind of new effects could be added?

 

[sissa216]

Rumor had it that every time they scheduled a rehab for our SM, something else came up. Most recently, they didn't want to have two major attractions down at one time in Tomorrowland (with Alien being gone). I haven't heard recently when they plan again to do it..but I can't imaging they'd want Space to be down for its 30th anniversary next year.
I think first of all they need to just completely clean the place out. It is so disgusting and dirty all around the track area. (I ended up so sick by the end of my time working ther last fall ) The track itself, if I recall, is continuously replaced bit by bit, it just hasn't been completly redone. They've got maintenance in there all night long doing tests and repairs (as with all major attractions), pretty much from closing until opening the next morning.

 

[PeterAlt]

Originally posted by sissa216
Rumor had it that every time they scheduled a rehab for our SM, something else came up. Most recently, they didn't want to have two major attractions down at one time in Tomorrowland (with Alien being gone). I haven't heard recently when they plan again to do it..but I can't imaging they'd want Space to be down for its 30th anniversary next year.
I think first of all they need to just completely clean the place out. It is so disgusting and dirty all around the track area. (I ended up so sick by the end of my time working ther last fall ) The track itself, if I recall, is continuously replaced bit by bit, it just hasn't been completly redone. They've got maintenance in there all night long doing tests and repairs (as with all major attractions), pretty much from closing until opening the next morning.

So, in other words, ours has been maintained better than the one at DL? I've heard that Rock 'N Rollercoaster is one of the best maintained coasters in the country and that its tracks are still as smooth as when it opened. Maybe our Space Mountain hasn't been as well-maintained as RnRC, but would you say they at least try to maintain it as good as RnRC's? I've also heard that our Space Mountain's track has actually been smoothened lout over the years... is this true?

Has anyone ridden DL's Space Mountain? When I was there a few months ago of course, Space Mountain was closed so I never got to ride it. Does the DL version have anything we lack? Does our version have anything they lack?

 

[sissa216]

Every night after closing, they would come in and switch over to a maintenance mode, where they could cycle trains and run tests. After the accident in DL, they also brought some other people in to do more thorough tests a few times.
I can't say anything about the extent of maintenance they did at Rockin or at DL's SpMt, but I know that RnCR was also always swarming with maintenance at night. It is also much newer, and there's a lot less for CMs to do, whereas Space still has the same old technology and requires more work.
I've never had the chance to visit California, but from what I understand it's COMPLETELY different. Only one track that is laid out differently, the rockets are set up differently(more like WDW's old trains), and they've got different effects (the soundtrack, pics, etc). None of the Space Mountains in any of the Disney parks are the same. From what I've heard (again, I don't know), but our Space Mountain is more similar to the Matterhorn than it is to DL's SpMt.

 

[Shaman]

Originally posted by PeterAlt
So, in other words, ours has been maintained better than the one at DL? I've heard that Rock 'N Rollercoaster is one of the best maintained coasters in the country and that its tracks are still as smooth as when it opened. Maybe our Space Mountain hasn't been as well-maintained as RnRC, but would you say they at least try to maintain it as good as RnRC's? I've also heard that our Space Mountain's track has actually been smoothened lout over the years... is this true?

Has anyone ridden DL's Space Mountain? When I was there a few months ago of course, Space Mountain was closed so I never got to ride it. Does the DL version have anything we lack? Does our version have anything they lack?

DL's version wasn't maintained as well as the WDW version...I think (and could be WRONG) it has to do with budgeting and how much money was set aside for maintainance...I think (could be wrong again) DL's version had speakers which played an audio track (although that wasn't working from what I hear)...

:veryconfu

 

[Super Duck]

Ours is similar in layout to the DL Matterhorn, with two slightly different tracks. The DL Space Mountain was built in 1977, two years after WDW's opened in 1975. Theirs started out with a different chain lift design than ours, breaking the lift into shorter, smaller ones, basically making a circular pattern upwards. Once the ride began, it beared no similarity to the WDW version, except for the stars on the ceiling. Contrary to our version, the DL track design was mostly right turns, and did not have more than one drop, not nearly as high as our current "big" one is.

Disneyland's Tomorrowland is much smaller than Florida's, and there was not enough space to add the 300 ft. diameter WDW Space Mountain building. So WDI designed a smaller building, about 200 ft in diameter. (It might be 200 for WDW, 100 for DL) It is also located in a different part of TL, to the right as you walk down the main avenue from Main Street. The queue used to begin with an ascent from Tomorrowland on a speedramp (think TTA) and wind around on the roof of the 3-D theater, and then descend into the Mountain. In fact, there used to be an open-air theater built into the front of the mountain, where the SM queue and a restaurant shared good views of the stage. However, this was changed when Captain EO moved in in the late 1980's. The current DL Space Mountain entrance is a series of wide ramps in an auxilary building to the side of the outside queue. In addition, DL Space Mountain lies entirely inside the berm.

Our Space Mountain is arguably much better themed, with a more immersive and longer line inside. Theirs is stuck right in the middle of Tomorrowland, and is only 117 feet tall, compared to ours, which reaches a height of 180 feet. Finally, the people mover track (although unused in DL) did not make a long detailed journey through the mountain like in Florida.

SuperDuck

 

[bork]

I thought I read that it was the sound system that caused the problem. The sound system was added to the cars which changed the weight and center of gravity of the cars. This put added stress on the track, which caused it to fail prematurely.

 

[sissa216]

Originally posted by Super Duck

Our Space Mountain is arguably much better themed, with a more immersive and longer line inside.

I can't imagine theirs having worse theming than ours After FedEx pulled out, we have absolutely no theming left whatsoever. Yes, our queue area is pretty interesting and nice looking, but they need to either find another sponsor or make some kind of theme. As it is now, guests are simply flying around through space with no real purpose other than to ride a roller coaster :slurp: All the other attractions have a better story. My guess is, though, most guests really don't notice or think about it.

 

[Super Duck]

Not exactly. I'm sure the added weight with batteries and such caused problems, but that sort of damage should be easily fixable. The problem lied in the poor original construction, as well as Paul Pressler's procedures of decreased preventative maintenance after 1996.

SuperDuck

 

[marni1971]

I heard that about the DL SM audio `addittion` causing too much weight.Especially when you see the ammount of extra gear added to each train - I`ve seen the DLP SM audio set up and there is quite a lot of equipment (flash ROM slots, cpu, running sensors, batteries etc.) on each car.

Regarding the Florida SM maintainence - dosn`t Florida have compressed air inside each track tube, and if the air pressure drops they know they have a crack in a particular section?

 

[YoHo]

I don't know the particulars, but the ride was shut down unexpectedly one morning when a surprise inspection found that the thing was barly able to hold itself together. It was aparently ride for an accident that would have made BTMRR a walk in the Park.

As far as no changes. At the very least, there will be new cars, because Disney has been Ebaying the old ride cars (which were different from the wdw cars).


Incidently, that article is replaced with a message about Jim riding BTMRR at DL last friday. I rode it friday night. They had to shut down due to the tightened safety sensors on the ride being triggered by something a guest did. The whole thing had to be reset.

As for it being to soon to reopen. I don't think so. The cause of the death has been addressed. A theme park shouldn't shut one of it's major attractions down for respect. Especially when Space and Indy are both also down.

 

[Lee]

Let's see...

Jim got some bad info on Space Mtn. There is much more than new track and one new effect going in.

DL's mountain was poorly maintained during the Pressler era, that along with the addition of the sound systems on the traims made for trouble. It is correct that the sound systems changed both the weight and center of gravity on the trains, causing increased stress on the track. They HAD to replace both the track and trains.

WDWs' Mtn is also in need of some TLC, which it should get in a couple of years.
I am told that there is a movement to totally redo the attraction, if the budget can be put together.
What do I think they should add? See Paris. New track, new trains, more exciting layout, great storyline..etc.

I have some photos of the old DL track that I will put in my album.

 

[PeterAlt]

Originally posted by Super Duck
Ours is similar in layout to the DL Matterhorn, with two slightly different tracks. The DL Space Mountain was built in 1977, two years after WDW's opened in 1975. Theirs started out with a different chain lift design than ours, breaking the lift into shorter, smaller ones, basically making a circular pattern upwards. Once the ride began, it beared no similarity to the WDW version, except for the stars on the ceiling. Contrary to our version, the DL track design was mostly right turns, and did not have more than one drop, not nearly as high as our current "big" one is.

Disneyland's Tomorrowland is much smaller than Florida's, and there was not enough space to add the 300 ft. diameter WDW Space Mountain building. So WDI designed a smaller building, about 200 ft in diameter. (It might be 200 for WDW, 100 for DL) It is also located in a different part of TL, to the right as you walk down the main avenue from Main Street. The queue used to begin with an ascent from Tomorrowland on a speedramp (think TTA) and wind around on the roof of the 3-D theater, and then descend into the Mountain. In fact, there used to be an open-air theater built into the front of the mountain, where the SM queue and a restaurant shared good views of the stage. However, this was changed when Captain EO moved in in the late 1980's. The current DL Space Mountain entrance is a series of wide ramps in an auxilary building to the side of the outside queue. In addition, DL Space Mountain lies entirely inside the berm.

Our Space Mountain is arguably much better themed, with a more immersive and longer line inside. Theirs is stuck right in the middle of Tomorrowland, and is only 117 feet tall, compared to ours, which reaches a height of 180 feet. Finally, the people mover track (although unused in DL) did not make a long detailed journey through the mountain like in Florida.

SuperDuck

As far as effects go, any difference? Also, which version does Tokyo have? And what version will Hong Kong have?

 

[PeterAlt]

Originally posted by Lee
Let's see...

Jim got some bad info on Space Mtn. There is much more than new track and one new effect going in.

DL's mountain was poorly maintained during the Pressler era, that along with the addition of the sound systems on the traims made for trouble. It is correct that the sound systems changed both the weight and center of gravity on the trains, causing increased stress on the track. They HAD to replace both the track and trains.

WDWs' Mtn is also in need of some TLC, which it should get in a couple of years.
I am told that there is a movement to totally redo the attraction, if the budget can be put together.
What do I think they should add? See Paris. New track, new trains, more exciting layout, great storyline..etc.

I have some photos of the old DL track that I will put in my album.

I don't think they could do Paris in Florida. Space Mountain Paris is a TOTALLY different ride. I could see adding some of Paris' effects... that'll be cool, but they shouldn't change the track layout. If they want to change the track layout, then they should be a totally new mountain, and I say the more mountains the better!

 

[DarkMeasures]

If Disneyworld's Space Mountain is rebuilt. I would want to see the same track with some little differences like:
-Better Supports
-Better Special effects
-Larger trains
-A little faster ride

If there were a track change, I would want to ride have something to speed up right at each drop.

 

[sissa216]

Originally posted by marni1971

Regarding the Florida SM maintainence - dosn`t Florida have compressed air inside each track tube, and if the air pressure drops they know they have a crack in a particular section?

Exactly. Part of the opening checklist for CMs is checking the air pressure at various parts of the track.

 

[wdwmom2+1]

this might have been adressed before but i was wondering if anyone has pictures or anything with the lights on in space mountain ? just curious.

 

[YoHo]

I have no pictures, but I rode through on the peoplemover once when one side was lit up. It looks like a bunch of track in a circle.

 

[Super Duck]

As far as effects, I believe their old one had more than we did, given ours doesn't have much. I believe their chain lift was more detailed, and had more sets than ours does. Their tunnel was at the end, whereas ours is at the beginning (the blue one).

SuperDuck

 

[Lee]

DL's Space Mountain had very similar effects to WDW's.
Tokyo's was a clone of Disneyland's.
Hong Kong's is exactly like Disneyland's new one.

I strongly endorse a totally new track at WDW. The one currently there is shameful. Launch it...loop it...let it live up the name "Space Mountain". Remember when that name meant the best coaster around? Not anymore.

Lights on photos...I still have a few in my album...
Here