Space Mountain rehab illustrates differing approaches of Disney World, Disneyland
Featured, Jason Garcia, News — By Jason Garcia on November 16, 2009 at 4:58 pm
After a seven-month makeover, Walt Disney World is about to formally reopen Space Mountain, its iconic indoor roller coaster.
Crews have installed video games in the waiting area of the 34-year-old Magic Kingdom attraction, recalibrated its tracks to make the ride smoother and quieter, and darkened the interior to make it more difficult to anticipate sudden turns and sharp drops.
>> View pictures from the revamped Space Mountain
But the re-launched attraction, now in the midst of a preliminary “soft opening,” is also notable for what it doesn’t include — an entirely new track, next-generation ride vehicles with on-board audio speakers, or other features that were added to the Disneyland version of Space Mountain during a roughly two-year rehab completed in 2005.
The limited overhaul this time around reflects the different philosophies between Disney theme-park executives in Orlando and Anaheim, Calif.
At Disneyland, which caters heavily to its Southern California population, executives are more willing to take down a popular attraction for an extended stretch of time because so many of its guests make multiple visits each year.
But at Disney World, attendance is driven in large part by out-of-state and international guests, many of whom may visit the resort only once every three to five years. And so executives don’t want to risk souring their experience — and losing out on any future return trips — by having a marquee attraction out of commission.
“An attraction like Space Mountain is on everybody’s short list. It’s a big consideration to have it up and running,” said Alex Wright, a senior show designer with Walt Disney Imagineering and creative director of the Magic Kingdom’s Space Mountain rehab.
Although Disney would not discuss how much it spent reworking the Magic Kingdom attraction, permits put the construction cost at about $12 million — a relatively modest sum by Disney standards.
Still, Orlando’s Space Mountain has undergone a number of changes during the seven months it has been closed. The ride will formally reopen Nov. 22, just in time for the busy holiday travel rush, though workers are expected to continue tweaking until mid-December.
The reworked queue, for example, now features 87 video-game stations to keep guests entertained while they wait in line.
Disney says guests will eventually be able to play four distinct games from the terminals, all designed to further the ride’s story line: That they are about to blast off on a voyage from the equivalent of an interstellar airport. The tasks in the games will include clearing runway fields of asteroids, sorting through items lost by travelers, moving cargo loads across busy taxiways, and helping builders expand the space station.
During the ride itself, designers have done several things designed to make the interior of the ride darker.
The ride-loading area was enclosed with a themed ceiling to prevent light from reaching the main chamber. A wall along the Tomorrowland Transit Authority — a separate attraction that passes through Space Mountain — was extended to prevent sunlight from seeping into the building. Glow-in-the-dark strips were removed from the sides of ride vehicles.
Crews even added a pulsing light near the beginning of the ride that serves two purposes: Masking the flash from a new in-ride photo system, and making it more difficult for guests’ eyes to adjust to the darkness that follows.
The goal, Wright said, was to increase Space Mountain’s thrill quotient by making its maneuvers more unpredictable. “We don’t want to put any light out in the mountain,” he said.
As for the changes that weren’t made, Wright said there are some advantages. Adding on-board audio would have meant getting rid of Space Mountain’s original, low-slung rockets, which he said make for “a different, kind of visceral experience” compared with modern coaster trains.
Disney World also opted not to add projection lighting to Space Mountain’s exterior, something Disneyland uses to help re-theme its version of the ride during special events — such as a “Ghost Galaxy” Halloween overlay it devised this fall. Disney World executives are less interested in such overlays because they involve shutting the ride down for several weeks to complete.
Dewayne Bevil of the Sentinel staff contributed to this report. Jason Garcia can be reached at jrgarcia@orlandosentinel.com or 407-420-5414.
Tags: Disney World, Disneyland, Magic Kingdom, Space Mountain
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52 Comments
Interesting article, thanks for posting
One of the things I like is that there are differences between the various parks. Keeping on topic of Space Mountain, I like that the ride at Disneyland is different than at Walt Disney World. I like the fact that there is a similar theming and overall concept, while at the same time being different. I appreciate that a cookie-cutter type approach isn’t applied to everything.
This is too bad because the Disneyland Space Mountain is absolutely fantastic. I rode it in October when it was themed for Halloween and I got off it saying that it was the best roller coaster that I’ve ever ridden, and I’ve been on everything that Disney World and Universal Studios in florida has to offer. It is much faster, has banked turns that about rip your head off, fast drops, many weightless moments, and it’s a long ride by modern day standards.
I’m sure that the new Space Mountain at Florida will be better than what it was, but the Space Mountain in California really rocks and would have been an awesome addition to Walt Disney World in Florida.
Jon Gibson
Normal, IL
Will they also have antibacterial gel dispensers at the end of the line after everyone’s touched the video games? Or are they like the video games in Soarin’ that’s just based on body movement? I bet the games are “Out of Order” most of the time.
Get a LIFE!!!
germaphobe! they got this new stuff out that you squirt your hands with & the next thing you know your GERMFREE! too bad it costs 99cents. but then again if your at disney world, you probably have 99 cents right?
How I reached the age of 50 without anti bacterial hand sanitizers is a miracle.
What is wrong with people???
Don’t be so negative and pessimistic. Sheesh!
went there on vacation back in july of this year and didn’t know space mountain was down for renovations. i thought we should have been reimbursed some of our admission ticket.
Read your ticket! Why if they are working on a ride would you think they owe you a refund. Where does it state that everything has to be opened when YOU arrive. Sorry, this is a typical answer for someone looking for a free ticket.
What you should have done is check online for which rides will be scheduled for maintenance/refurbishment/etc. before going to the park and buying a ticket. This information is freely available online. Here is one example: http://allears.net/tp/rehabs.htm. Problem solved.
still disappointed by this refurbishment. the fixes they made do not seem justified to its nearly 8 months in closing… seeing how in disneyland the ride was completely gutted and replaced with a new ride system and vehicles. feel kind like disney dropped the ball on this one and didnt take advantage of the great technology used on the space mountain disneyland refurb. who cares about video games during the queue! if kids arent entertained while waiting in line, most of them already have their gameboys anyway.
No onboard audio.
No exterior lighting package.
Failure.
Oh, shut up and get a life, Lee!
Sheesh, Lee. What’s with the attitude?
Good for whoever. I am unable to ride rollercoasters. I get motion sickness too easy. Also why does this paper do a Disney section and not one for the other theme parks? Are they not important to the economy of Orlando? Is Disney financially contributing to this? Just seems a little awkward. I enjoy Disney when I can afford it as I do Universal or SeaWorld but now that they almost want 70 bucks for a one day ticket, they must want to cator to those folks who are making 60K a year or more and to heck with the common folks.
This re-do is a let down. The space mountain experience in disneyland in california is incredible, from the load station, to the staff costumes, to the smooth track with an awesome musical score. It is just an incredible ride, one of the best I’ve ever been on.
The new ride in Florida pales in comparison — they painted the queue and covered the load area, but the ride is still an old rickety 1970’s wild mouse coaster. I think I’m taking a break from WDW for a few years until the new fantasyland opens — there really isn’t much going on until then anyway.
The bottom line is that WDW exec’s refuse to spend any more money than is absolutely possible which is why the audio in the older attractions like Pirates and Mansion is horrendous.
People seem to forget that the Disneyland Space Mountain Refurb/Redo took two years, not six months. And Disneyland only had to remove one track, not two, piece by piece and install another. WDW Space Mountain has two, that while separate, are intertwined structurally. Allowing a 2-3 year refurb at what is the original Space Mountain and according to our leaders, the most popular attraction in the Magic Kingdom was simply not acceptable at this time. Sorry to disappoint But the attraction had deadlines and limits and had to be back up by Nov. 22.
A good point, but the bottom line is that all Disney cares about these days is the bottom line.
The guest experience is no longer their biggest concern.
You could have hit the nail on the head any harded with that answer. The guest experience means nothing to WDW.
I meant to say you couldn’t have hit the nail any harder with that answer. The guest experience means nothing anymore to WDW. I found that out first hand in September. The “manager” at the Coronado Springs was a real b*tch to me when I encountered a mistake made by CRO.
People also are forgetting that DisneyLAND Space Mountain was rethemed “Rockin Space Mountain” because they have no where to build a Rock N Roller Coaster (like we already have in FL) there in Anaheim.
We have both in FL. We win.
~jeff
Well, the “Bottom Line” is actually the #1 concern of any profit making business. This would include making sure the guest experience is a good one. Have always had a great experience at all Disney Parks.
I thought the ride wasn’t supposed to reopen till middle of 2010. They changed to the Nov 22nd date well into construction when they redid their budget. They did originally allot the time for a full refurb like California.
A smoother ride? Really? I went on it yesterday and it was as rough and jerky as ever. Also, why put the camera for the photo-op at the beginning of the ride? Shouldn’t it have been put at the end to capture the exhilarated looks of the passengers?
BRAVO!!! Management’s decision to bring back Space Mountain on-line in time for the holidays makes perfect sense. The holiday season at Walt Disney World (WDW) is an incredible experience and Space Mountain is an integral part of the magic. Sure, the Magic Kingdom’s Space Mountain attraction isn’t as spectacular as the one in Paris or Anaheim (yet), but it is still an “essential attraction” for many who travel here from all over the world. Our mild winter is an attraction all on its own.
Take heart, I suspect that management will continue to revamp this attraction in stages as attendance at the Magic Kingdom goes through its seasonal lulls. However, if you have an undeniable yearning to experience the new an improve Space Mountain and happen to be in Orlando, FL., take a ride on Aerosmith’s “Rockin’ Roller Coaster” located at WDW Hollywood Studios. It may not be Space Mountain, but it’ll satisfy you until all Space Mountain systems are “go.”
Thank you for the positive outlook Very refreshing on this site…I appreciate Disney.
Sounds like they just kept cutting the budget until this was all they could afford.
Good god you just can please some people do us all a favor stay home !!
I’ve ridden both rides and the last time I rode, I had an accident in my briefs! I’m stickin’ to Dumbos elephants from now on.
I’m so sick of this constant knocking of Disney. These people give you a vacation of a lifetime and you still complain. If you don’t like the prices, ride closures, anything, GO TO ANOTHER PARK. No one is holding a gun to your head to vacation here. If I go to a restaurant and the meal stinks and is too high priced, I don’t return. Get over it. Everyone has cut back due to the downturn of this crazy economy. Every company has cutbacks. Disney is no exception. If they hadn’t cut back, there would be no Disney for you to complain about. So suck it up for now and when the economy gets back on it’s feet, I’m sure Disney will have staff in abundance taking care of every little issue that’s seems to be a big concern to you. I live in PA and spend a lot of money to vacation in Disney and love it everytime. Change nothing Disney. Run your company profitable so we can enjoy it for years to come. And you other people, go to Universal. Bye bye…
Except the fact that the Space Mountain budget was heavily slashed before the economy went into the toilet. Nice try, though.
Disney is about giving people the best they can possibly give. WDW management seems to have forgotten that policy, and Anaheim champions it.
For an example, check out Disneyland’s refurbished Space Mountain. That’s what a Diseny ride is supposed to be.
No, Jeff- they aren’t giving me the vacation of a lifetime. They are charging me $70 for a ticket, $250/night for a hotel room, $3 for a bottle of water, and $10 for a cheeseburger without fries or a softdrink. They aren’t GIVING me anything.
For what I pay to fly to Florida for a week-long Disney experience I could fly to Beijing for a week-long spa/adventure experience; I’ve done both and Beijing was cheaper- and better (as were most other countries I’ve vacationed in. Disney- the vacation of a lifetime? Really? It’s an amusement park…)
DISNEY IS RUNNING A BUSINESS, NOT A FAVOR. I don’t have to bend over and take it if I don’t like it. I’ll share with others what I thought and take my money elsewhere. You suggest Universal- that’s a great idea! They’re soon to open with the first-of-its-kind top-secret robo-arm coaster. My money goes to the innovators; Disney will have to up its game (and budget) to stay fresh if it wants my money and the money of those who feel the same as I do.
I still like the Disney parks, but they haven’t given me any reason to go back in the foreseeable future. Well, maybe Disneyland Paris; they’ve got the best Space Mountain of them all…
Here Here! Very well said and high time someone said it.
I agree! Anytime I’ve been to Disney has been more than a good time… I find it hard to see why this is such a let down or something to get riled up about. Disney has to keep up with things and if that means cleaning and adding paint and Neon lights then so be it. Let them save money for the NEW rides and parks…
Gotta Love Disney…
Ghost Galaxy was mentioned as taking “weeks to install”. The Ghost Galaxy overlay of Space Mountain at DL took a while this year because it was its first year. It only took ONE DAY to remove and reopen the classic Space after. Next year the install is said to take only a couple of days. The Haunted Mansion Holiday is the one that takes a few weeks to install and a little less to remove.
Internally, the theme park division of the WD Company is on a multi-year journey to homogenize all business operations, a stupid idea that is causing headaches for everyone involved. A recent letter from a company executive explained that Guests want and expect to have the same experience no matter which Disney park they visit. I think the comments above clearly dispute that claim. While DL’s Space Mountain may in fact be better than WDW’s, at least two different experiences are available. I agree with Chris Pickett (above) that it’s nice to have differences between the theme parks.
I agree with Jeff Craig and Cesar.
Even though Disney does make its share of mistakes at times, it does not deserve the constant knocking that it gets all-too-often these days.
I agree. I don’t know why everyone is so hard on Disney. When my family and I travel there from Ohio, we always have a wonderful time! Sure, there are some glitches here and there, but far fewer then we encounter when traveling elsewhere. We also have a much better vacation experience then most everywhere else we’ve been to and that is what keeps us coming back between visits to other places.
Regarding Space Mountain, we were there this past Sept and though it was closed, it really didn’t make much difference to us. There are so many other things to do… I’m happy to see any area being refurbushed or created for future visits. (BTW – I was in disneyland when their Space Mountain was closed too!) It is fun to see new rides and older rides reinvented, but I like keeping some things the “classic” experience as well. It’s too bad it might still be kind of a jerky ride, but I guess we can’t have everything.
It would be interesting to see the difference in hourly capacities between FL and CA? Disney World’s version opened July 15, 1975 and Disneyland’s version opened May 27th, 1977. I believe that space limitations prevented an exact duplicate from being installed in Disneyland.
I’ve heard the rants about how Disney World spends less on their attractions than Disneyland does. Usually the response relates to how management does not want their marquee attractions closed during peak seasons. Will anyone change their plans or NOT visit Disney World because Space Mountain did not get new track but the same layout or on-board speakers? Probably not. Another point that is not brought up as much is that Disney World has more attractions, theme parks and certainly more hotels to maintain / refurbish. Does anyone have a feel for per capita guest spending, capital expenditures and profitability between the two resorts?
I visit WDW at least every two years: As a mexican citizen living in the Yucatan Peninsula is easy for my family to go to Orlando often. For us living in this part of Mexico, WDW is “our Disney”. I’ve been going to Disney since I was 3 years old, now I’m almost 36 and you can say that I know the MK and the other parks like the palm of my hand.
Ok, now to the point, I have always enjoyed MK’s Space Mountain, but it was until 2006 when (finally) we made our first visit to Disneyland. Wow! Man, Space Mountain in California is something else! I also rode in 2007 Disneyland Paris version (it’s more intense than their american counterparts, but for my taste Disney in Europe lacks the “magic” that you experience in the States). As much that the MKs SM is “my mountain” (I truly love it), I have to admit that the one in Disneyland it’s a superior experience by far. I hope in the future SM in Florida finally gets the real upgrade it deserves.
there are as many people that like the WDW version as there are that like the DLR attraction. so just shut up. the reason for the different parks is the various versions of attractions, if all the attractions were the same you would either not go to other parks or would be bored. so i have no clue why you people think disney doesn’t care about the guests.