How is Space Mountain DL different?

[EmJ]

Okay folks, tell me - how is Space Mountain Disneyland different than Space Mountain WDW? I keep reading on here that it is a totally different experience. The only time I've ever been to a Disney park I was 13 (more than 20 years ago) and my family went to WDW. I have specific memories of a handful of rides, including Big Thunder Mountain (loved), Splash Mountain (loved), ExtraTERRORestrial Encounter (LOVED LOVED LOVED), and Space Mountain (hated with the passion of a thousand blazing suns). It is not on my list for DL because all I remember is getting whipped around in the pitch black darkness. It was disorienting and kind of painful, and not fun at all. Will I like DL Space Mountain better? Convince me to try it!

 

[Skyegirl1999]

DL Space is smooth, and you sit two people next to each other. You're still in the dark, but it's not uncomfortable to ride the way the WDW one is.

Matterhorn, on the other hand, is a chiropractor's worst nightmare... or maybe a chiropractor's dream to drum up business.

 

[wdwfan22]

Being in the dark is the only thing these 2 rides have in common. The ride at DW is older and far rougher. You will find the Matterhorn at DL to be very similar to DW's Space Mtn, just not in the dark. While the attraction is older at DL, they completely re-did the track i think about 2001. So It is newer and very smooth. It is fun because you sit next to someone, and you don't feel like you are sitting on the floor like you do at DW.

So it depends what you didn't like about it. If you don't like the dark, then you won't like it. But it is a much smoother ride.

 

[BrianL]

Okay folks, tell me - how is Space Mountain Disneyland different than Space Mountain WDW? I keep reading on here that it is a totally different experience. The only time I've ever been to a Disney park I was 13 (more than 20 years ago) and my family went to WDW. I have specific memories of a handful of rides, including Big Thunder Mountain (loved), Splash Mountain (loved), ExtraTERRORestrial Encounter (LOVED LOVED LOVED), and Space Mountain (hated with the passion of a thousand blazing suns). It is not on my list for DL because all I remember is getting whipped around in the pitch black darkness. It was disorienting and kind of painful, and not fun at all. Will I like DL Space Mountain better? Convince me to try it!

As others have said, it is completely different. The Matterhorn Bobsleds was the forst steel-tube track roller coaster, and when it came time to build it in MK, they created Space Mountain instead, though the underlying ride system is practically identical (track layout is not though). Anyway, Space Mountain proved to be so popular, that htey wanted in in DL too, but they didn't have the room. So tehy built a smaller and leaner version. It is a single track and seats two to a row, but the theming is similar. DL has some different effects, like the lift hill has projections that simulate rotation (it's cool!) and there is an on-ride soundtrack. Many people like it better, and it probably is a better ride, though I actually prefer the MK version because it is so much bigger and feels a bit more grand. Like the "star tunnel" queue is much better than just kind of waiting on the roof, like you do at DL.

If you ride the Matterhorn, you will see how it has similar to the MK Space Mountain. It uses the single file cars, with three per car in sets of two. It still has the seatbelts like Space Mountain used to. It also loads the two sides facing each other. It feels a bit slower and is rough like SM in MK is. It's still a fun ride though.

 

[MillauFr]

The Disneyland version is far superior.

 

[islandsnoopy]

Last week, rode SM in DL for the first time in about 5 yrs. It was called Hyperspace Mountain and had a Star Wars theme. I'm not sure if that's a temporary overlay or if it's going to be permanent but it was cool!

 

[Michele King]

Disneyland version is soooo much better. Its super smooth and the sound that is pipped into the speakers in your seat really adds to the whole experience. It is one of my favorite rides. When I rode on the WDW version a few years ago, I was very disappointed. It was horrible. It shook and jerked you around and really no music. This one is a lot more immersive.

 

[agamble]

Last week, rode SM in DL for the first time in about 5 yrs. It was called Hyperspace Mountain and had a Star Wars theme. I'm not sure if that's a temporary overlay or if it's going to be permanent but it was cool!

That is an overlay. They have done it a few times in the past as well. It started for May the 4th and will be lasting through the summer. They also have a Halloween overlay.

 

[EmJ]

Being in the dark is the only thing these 2 rides have in common. The ride at DW is older and far rougher. You will find the Matterhorn at DL to be very similar to DW's Space Mtn, just not in the dark. While the attraction is older at DL, they completely re-did the track i think about 2001. So It is newer and very smooth. It is fun because you sit next to someone, and you don't feel like you are sitting on the floor like you do at DW.

So it depends what you didn't like about it. If you don't like the dark, then you won't like it. But it is a much smoother ride.

It wasn't the being in the dark that bothered me as much as being in the dark *while* being jerked around. I recall the movement was very rough and there was no way to "brace" yourself because you couldn't see it coming. I felt a bit beat up coming off! If the DL version is smooth like everyone says, I don't think the dark would be bad.

DH would never go on it with me, but my kid might... does anyone have a 4-5 year old who likes this ride? He already exceeds the height requirement, is not generally scared of the dark, and likes the roller coasters he was tall enough for at Legoland. I'll be taking him on Big Thunder Mountain with confidence he will love it.

 

[HydroGuy]

The DL version has an awesome "launch" and ending, is darker, smoother and has great music composed by the Incredibles composer. It is much better than at MK, although I do like the MK version too.

 

[agamble]

It wasn't the being in the dark that bothered me as much as being in the dark *while* being jerked around. I recall the movement was very rough and there was no way to "brace" yourself because you couldn't see it coming. I felt a bit beat up coming off! If the DL version is smooth like everyone says, I don't think the dark would be bad.

DH would never go on it with me, but my kid might... does anyone have a 4-5 year old who likes this ride? He already exceeds the height requirement, is not generally scared of the dark, and likes the roller coasters he was tall enough for at Legoland. I'll be taking him on Big Thunder Mountain with confidence he will love it.

My oldest daughter liked the ride at 4/5. She wasn't crazy about it at 3. But she's my coaster buddy, thrill seeker who rode Goliath (Six Flags) for her 6th birthday. My son's favorite is Big Thunder (also Goofy's at DCA) and he is not a big thrill seeker. He. Has ridden Space on a few occasions and preferred Hyperspace over regular Space. He was 5 the last time we visited. If it was up to him he wouldn't ride Mansion or Space, but I think he's more afraid of the darkness and not seeing where you're going. We'll be taking our youngest on the 40/42" rides this August at nearly 4 including Space. Hoping she'll enjoy them as much as she thinks she will.

 

[sjmac42]

Have to agree with everyone, it’s much smoother, track was redone in 2003. The side by side seating is much more comfortable and the speakers in the ride vehicles make it much more immersive.
Had to have a break after riding SM at WDW, it’s a tractor compares to DL’s version.
All the best.

 

[LCoulter]

I've rode WDW Space Mountain about 3 or 4 times in the last 25 years and regret it every time.....I HATE that ride....it is so painful to ride. I have finally vowed to never ride it again.

Our first trip to DL was last month and I decided that I HAD to give it a try and I loved it. It was so smooth and it was actually fun! I would ride it again.

Matterhorn is very rough and was a once and done ride for me.

 

[Wahlee]

One way to alleviate the "I can't brace because I don't know where we're going" problem is to request to be at the back of the cars (or at least in the second one). They're not super long, but they're long enough that you can get a second's notice on which way you're going to turn next. Also, almost all the turns are right turns-- there's like three left ones near the beginning and one at the very end, but the rest of the time, you're going right.

 

[Winnowill]

MK Space was a one-and-done for us, but we LOVE DL Space. Prefer the "classic" to any of the overlays.

 

[DLgal]

Disneyland's space mountain has a lot more turns, and most of them are in the same direction (right turns) so you can brace for them and lean in easily. WDW seems more all over the place, in addition to being very rough and jerky. DL is faster, but smoother, so it's more enjoyable overall. Also, the seats are better, more supportive and deeper, with a better lap bar, so you are more secure and your body doesn't fling around like WDW's Space.

 

[bumbershoot]

You will find the Matterhorn at DL to be very similar to DW's Space Mtn, just not in the dark.

Yep.

Really, the name and the dark are the only things Space on each coast have in common.

Track, vehicle, restraint, smoothness...everything that makes a ride a ride...are different.

DH would never go on it with me, but my kid might... does anyone have a 4-5 year old who likes this ride?

Yep! Do it!

You’re side by side and each of you will have your own individual lap bar.

Note: that is unlike big thunder. On BT you share a lap bar. Not sure if you’ve ridden at MK so I’m making sure you know that. BT with a little kid, especially of the parent is a person of size, can be a bit scary because of that shared lap bar.

But on DL’s Space everyone’s restraint is appropriately snug to their own body size.

 

[KPeterso]

My nephew rode Space at 5 and said he liked it. Still not sure that he really did. He has ridden again. He loves Star tours. We took him on Big thunder for the first time at night when he was about 4.5 and to say that he hated it is being generous. He hated it so much and complained more about the dark than it being too fast. He is 6.5 and we still have not been able to convince him to go back on it during the day. So learn from our mistake. We are sure he would otherwise like it and be fine. He also hates Pirates and we think it is because of the dark. He tells us that they are going to eat him. He gets forced on that periodically since his parents and I want to go on it and somehow he always comes out alive!

 

[EmJ]

My nephew rode Space at 5 and said he liked it. Still not sure that he really did. He has ridden again. He loves Star tours. We took him on Big thunder for the first time at night when he was about 4.5 and to say that he hated it is being generous. He hated it so much and complained more about the dark than it being too fast. He is 6.5 and we still have not been able to convince him to go back on it during the day. So learn from our mistake. We are sure he would otherwise like it and be fine. He also hates Pirates and we think it is because of the dark. He tells us that they are going to eat him. He gets forced on that periodically since his parents and I want to go on it and somehow he always comes out alive!

Thanks for the tips!! For better or worse, I don't think we will be in the parks after dark at any point (I wanted to see Carsland at night... maybe the next year). I *think* my son will be okay on Pirates. I showed him a ride-through and he thought it was the coolest thing and he desperately wants to see a skeleton shoot a canon. When we watch ride-throughs, we spend a lot of time talking about how it is not real and nothing can touch him (and he can't touch it - he wants to catch a ghost at Haunted Mansion ), and I specifically choose the videos that show people boarding and exiting, so we can see how people get on, take their turn, and then get off (alive and safe), so that new people can have a turn. Crossing my fingers that it works once it's not on a computer anymore!

 

[Robin Burks]

Disneyland's space mountain has a lot more turns, and most of them are in the same direction (right turns) so you can brace for them and lean in easily. WDW seems more all over the place, in addition to being very rough and jerky. DL is faster, but smoother, so it's more enjoyable overall. Also, the seats are better, more supportive and deeper, with a better lap bar, so you are more secure and your body doesn't fling around like WDW's Space.

This is exactly why I can't handle DL's Space Mountain. The only rides I can't do are those that go in circles, especially when it's circles in the same direction over and over. DL Space Mountain basically goes in a spiral. The one time I road Space Mountain at Disneyland, I did not know this and assumed it was more like the WDW ride. It took every last bit of willpower I had not to get sick because it made me so nauseous! It is certainly a smoother ride, but if you're sensitive to that sort of thing, it's probably important to know that.