What makes Space Mountain so great? What can WDI learn from it?

[180º]

I like both tracks. The Walt Disney World Quest: Magical Racing Tour video game used the surf guitar one. Giacchino is in rare form on his piece. He's typically pretty bland, but he had some fun with that one.

I agree on literally all counts. Extra points for referencing the most delightful game about a Disney theme park ever made.

 

[TragicMike]

Space Mountain has always been overrated IMO. I mean, I love flying around a disco ball as much as the next guy, but I wish there were more physical props or some projections of planets. That's one of the reasons I loved the Star Wars overlay, it put you in the middle of a story rather than looping around in the dark. I know for some people that's the entire appeal but I prefer Big Thunder, Splash and Matterhorn because of their theming.

I still love SM and ride it every time I visit but I don't think it's this genius piece of engineering.

 

[Rich T]

I like both tracks. The Walt Disney World Quest: Magical Racing Tour video game used the surf guitar one. Giacchino is in rare form on his piece. He's typically pretty bland, but he had some fun with that one.

The Haunted Mansion racetrack in that game was freaking amazing.

 

[George Lucas on a Bench]

Yeah, it was literally the entire classic WDW version with some elements of Phantom Manor with full control of the ride vehicles.

 

[SuddenStorm]

I mean, I love flying around a disco ball as much as the next guy, but I wish there were more physical props or some projections of planets.

Space does have physical props though...

 

[SuddenStorm]

That's one of the reasons I loved the Star Wars overlay, it put you in the middle of a story rather than looping around in the dark. I know for some people that's the entire appeal but I prefer Big Thunder, Splash and Matterhorn because of their theming.

I have to disagree here. The abstractness of Space Mountain is part of it's beauty. Not every ride needs a detailed story. Space Mountain is more experiential than it is literal- and that's its biggest strength. It is what you want it to be.

95% of the people who ride Disney rides don't listen to the dialogue, or pay attention to the story. I bet most who ride splash don't have any idea what's actually happening, but it's a fun ride with great music, so it works.

The Matterhorn and BTMRR are both fairly abstract experiences as well- it's virtually impossible to tell a good story with a roller coaster (which is part of why I worry about the Incredicoaster), and I'm glad they didn't try to shoehorn more into Space Mountain.

 

[TragicMike]

I have to disagree here. The abstractness of Space Mountain is part of it's beauty. Not every ride needs a detailed story. Space Mountain is more experiential than it is literal- and that's its biggest strength. It is what you want it to be.

95% of the people who ride Disney rides don't listen to the dialogue, or pay attention to the story. I bet most who ride splash don't have any idea what's actually happening, but it's a fun ride with great music, so it works.

The Matterhorn and BTMRR are both fairly abstract experiences as well- it's virtually impossible to tell a good story with a roller coaster (which is part of why I worry about the Incredicoaster), and I'm glad they didn't try to shoehorn more into Space Mountain.

My issue isn't that I want a story in SM, rather than I would enjoy a little bit more. The "story" in Matterhorn and Big Thunder is surviving the Yeti and the Wild West. It does not have to be an intricate story, I'm fine with the story being "flying through space" I just wish there more practical effects rather than a disco ball. As you said, Splash has tons of AA and great music, people may not understand the story going on but everything going around you is enough to make you enjoy the experience. Would Splash be enjoyable if you just went through the ride in the dark? I mean sure, but it's the practical effects that add that extra Disney magic, which is why Incredicoaster is going to be a massive upgrade over Screamin'.

 

[Model3 McQueen]

Space Mountain has always been overrated IMO. I mean, I love flying around a disco ball as much as the next guy, but I wish there were more physical props or some projections of planets. That's one of the reasons I loved the Star Wars overlay, it put you in the middle of a story rather than looping around in the dark. I know for some people that's the entire appeal but I prefer Big Thunder, Splash and Matterhorn because of their theming.

I still love SM and ride it every time I visit but I don't think it's this genius piece of engineering.

I feel like I have to argue this point, as much as I respect it. Hyperspace felt cheesy, cheap, and put in solely to advertise Star Wars and throw it in our faces that Disney bought Star Wars and Stars Wars Land is coming *deep breath*. As of right now, Tomorrowland still is Star Wars and I just don't think that's fair to the land. Not to mention Season of the Force was 2 years long.

But ultimately I can't imagine the engineering that goes behind designing this ride. I mean compare Space Mountain with the mummy ride at Universal and tell me Space Mountain is overrated lol.

 

[Professortango1]

I feel like I have to argue this point, as much as I respect it. Hyperspace felt cheesy, cheap, and put in solely to advertise Star Wars and throw it in our faces that Disney bought Star Wars and Stars Wars Land is coming *deep breath*. As of right now, Tomorrowland still is Star Wars and I just don't think that's fair to the land. Not to mention Season of the Force was 2 years long.

But ultimately I can't imagine the engineering that goes behind designing this ride. I mean compare Space Mountain with the mummy ride at Universal and tell me Space Mountain is overrated lol.

The Mummy at Universal Orlando is incredible.

I too feel like Space Mountain is a bit overrated as I like sets and effects. Its one reason I miss the giant orange ball, it was something to look at and admire. The current ride is fun and thrilling, but its essentially a tame coaster in the dark.

 

[Model3 McQueen]

The Mummy at Universal Orlando is incredible.

I too feel like Space Mountain is a bit overrated as I like sets and effects. Its one reason I miss the giant orange ball, it was something to look at and admire. The current ride is fun and thrilling, but its essentially a tame coaster in the dark.

I did the one at Hollywood, it was really bad from what I remember. Still have yet to visit Universal Orlando but after watching a video of the new Fast and Furious ride I chuckled a bit. Like, it's Pixar Pier bad haha.

What do you guys mean by overrated? I'm seeing that a lot yet you guys say it's still your go-to and loads of fun. Maybe not you specifically but I have read it in previous posts on here.

 

[180º]

The Mummy at Universal Orlando is incredible.

I too feel like Space Mountain is a bit overrated as I like sets and effects. Its one reason I miss the giant orange ball, it was something to look at and admire. The current ride is fun and thrilling, but its essentially a tame coaster in the dark.

I miss the big orange ball too. And I’ll never miss an opportunity to say please, Disney, light up our asteroid. Word is they turned it off before opening in 2005 because it lit up the dome too much. Why not try the black light treatment? It worked for Mermaid.

Here’s the asteroid in concept art:

Here it is being painted for HKDL:

And SoCal Attractions 360 managed to get some great footage of the prop in the ride:

Last but not least, here’s our local Californian asteroid taken with a flash:

It’s there! It has so much potential! And now, since they perfected the dome projection technology with Hyperspace Mountain, we can have those from Hong Kong too! Show Space Mountain some love!

(And fix the blue tunnel.)

 

[Model3 McQueen]

(And fix the blue tunnel.)

YES!! Why hasn't this been fixed yet!?!?

 

[Professortango1]

I did the one at Hollywood, it was really bad from what I remember. Still have yet to visit Universal Orlando but after watching a video of the new Fast and Furious ride I chuckled a bit. Like, it's Pixar Pier bad haha.

What do you guys mean by overrated? I'm seeing that a lot yet you guys say it's still your go-to and loads of fun. Maybe not you specifically but I have read it in previous posts on here.

By overrated I mean its fun, but my least favorite of all the mountains. I like the queue and build up, but the ride proper feels kind of one note and simplistic.

 

[Phroobar]

DL Space Mountain hasn't had projections since it's 2005 rebuild version. That was the whole reason they turned off the asteroid because it messed with the projections. Now they don't even run the projections unless it's Ghost Galaxy or Hyperspace Mountain.

 

[George Lucas on a Bench]

The Mummy at Universal Orlando is incredible.

The roller coaster portions are too short and the rest is like a weird ripoff of the Indiana Jones ride with an incredibly awkward robotic Mummy and a bizarre TV screen with Brendan Fraser thanking you for riding and yelling about coffee. The fake ending is awkward and hilarious too. It definitely leaves one rather incredulous.

 

[TragicMike]

The roller coaster portions are too short and the rest is like a weird ripoff of the Indiana Jones ride with an incredibly awkward robotic Mummy and a bizarre TV screen with Brendan Fraser thanking you for riding and yelling about coffee. The fake ending is awkward and hilarious too. It definitely leaves one rather incredulous.

I've never ridden it but based off that part alone it sounds like the greatest attraction of all time.

 

[180º]

The roller coaster portions are too short and the rest is like a weird ripoff of the Indiana Jones ride with an incredibly awkward robotic Mummy and a bizarre TV screen with Brendan Fraser thanking you for riding and yelling about coffee. The fake ending is awkward and hilarious too. It definitely leaves one rather incredulous.

You left out the part about how it’s the Mummy himself who finally brings Brenden Fraser his coffee. Between that and the control tower hijacking, Imhotep is basically Sideshow Bob.

the rest is like a weird ripoff of the Indiana Jones ride

They were never going to beat Indiana Jones or Titanic.

 

[Professortango1]

The roller coaster portions are too short and the rest is like a weird ripoff of the Indiana Jones ride with an incredibly awkward robotic Mummy and a bizarre TV screen with Brendan Fraser thanking you for riding and yelling about coffee. The fake ending is awkward and hilarious too. It definitely leaves one rather incredulous.

I love the AAs and fake ending. The ride is a blast.