I touched something on Space Mountain

[Mike2023]

You absolutely (other than in the initial tunnel) cannot touch any track on Space Mountain unless you are literally freakishly proportioned.

All roller coasters go through testing called "envelope testing". Please see this: http://jalopnik.com/this-is-how-disney-knows-you-wont-get-dismembered-on-a-1714983560

You have (at least) 1.5 metres of clearance at all times (about 4 feet). So unless you've got gorilla arms you can stick up in the air at all times you're not going to loose any limbs/fingers.

Ok, half true. One, if this was true, you just admitted that it would fail any tests by saying "other than the tunnels", two, Space Mountain was built before modern safety standards in regards to amusement rides.

I assure you, you can touch things above your head in multiple places while riding, try it some time. That said, no one is going to lose their heads.

 

[disney-super-mom]

Okay, I have to comment on this ZOMBIE THREAD, lol!

My husband is 6'6", but he only wears a 32 length pant, so he's all body and looks like a very TALL giant in all ride vehicles. His arms are also ridiculously long...to match his body, haha. Buying shirts for him is nearly impossible. Even XLT shirts are often too short for him. He really did touch a wall and/or bar on a coaster at Disneyland. This was probably 10 years ago when our boys were little. Being so long ago, I can't remember if it was the Matterhorn, Space, or Big Thunder, but what I do remember is that it scared the heck out of me and him, and that was the last time he ever raised his arms on an enclosed coaster. It not only hurt his fingers (stung a bit), but you could hear the smack/ting when his fingers hit. I think the vast majority wouldn't be able to touch a thing, but for him, it was indeed possible. Luckily it was only the very tips of his fingers that hit. Otherwise he could have lost a few digits that day.

 

[Mike2023]

It's really not as big of a deal as people think. As much as people say "it could have been worse" because they reach out and touch a part of the coaster, tall or not, there really is not a risk of anything more then a couple of sore fingers.

The top speed of SM is something like 45 kph. If you give someone a hard "high five" your hand is traveling at about that speed. You're more likely to get a friction burn in one of the tunnels by dragging your fingers across the plastic.

 

[Raimiette]

Ok, half true. One, if this was true, you just admitted that it would fail any tests by saying "other than the tunnels", two, Space Mountain was built before modern safety standards in regards to amusement rides.

I assure you, you can touch things above your head in multiple places while riding, try it some time. That said, no one is going to lose their heads.

Envelope testing is not applicable in the tunnels because you're not going at any sort of speed, I guarantee even in 1966 when they were developing the ride they did clearance testing.

I assure you, you absolutely CANNOT touch anything on the ride, arms flailing around or not.

 

[Mike2023]

Envelope testing is not applicable in the tunnels because you're not going at any sort of speed, I guarantee even in 1966 when they were developing the ride they did clearance testing.

I assure you, you absolutely CANNOT touch anything on the ride, arms flailing around or not.

Ok, so when I, and others, have said we have personally made contact with stationary objects, in multiple places in addition to the tunnels, multiple times, we are just lying to you?

 

[Raimiette]

Ok, so when I, and others, have said we have personally made contact with stationary objects, in multiple places in addition to the tunnels, multiple times, we are just lying to you?

I think the people are either mistaken, their minds are making them think something that hasn't actually happened, or yes, lying.

Do you really think, if people could smack their limbs on a ride, Disney would just be like "haha, oh well" and leave it be? That's asking for a lawsuit. They'd have a maximum height limit if it was true.

If you can find me a legitimate news article, lawsuit etc. to actually prove that this has happened even a single time then I will concede but I've looked and can't find anything legit.

EDIT: I suppose I should add, if we're going by random comments, I myself have kept my arms up on the ride and have not hit anything (I am 5'9') as well my dad kept his arms up and didn't feel a thing and he's 6'4"

 

[Shanti]

"Keep your hands inside the ride vehicle" obviously means don't reach over the sides. Roller coasters are designed to throw ya hands in the aya.

Once, when I rode Space Mountain as a 12 year-old, I put my hands in the air just before take off, in preparation for the ride. I had ridden it before, and I assumed the signs meant what you said, just to not reach over the sides (my arms & hands were straight up). The CM in charge then made an announcement reminder for everyone to keep their hands inside. I didn't think it was referring to me, as my hands were straight up, so I kept them up (I was only 12...) Then the CM very sternly said, "Put your hands down, now," over the microphone. Talk about embarassing. I put my hands down, and they finally launched the ride.

So I'm pretty sure that hands are supposed to stay in the vehicle on Space Mountain.

 

[Mike2023]

I think the people are either mistaken, their minds are making them think something that hasn't actually happened, or yes, lying.

Do you really think, if people could smack their limbs on a ride, Disney would just be like "haha, oh well" and leave it be? That's asking for a lawsuit. They'd have a maximum height limit if it was true.

If you can find me a legitimate news article, lawsuit etc. to actually prove that this has happened even a single time then I will concede but I've looked and can't find anything legit.

I agree, it's extremely rare that anyone would accidentally make any type of contact during the ride. I also said that the ride was constructed in a way to prevent injury if contact was made. There will be no news articles, lawsuit etc. because I don't see how anyone would sustain an injury that would warrant one. We are not talking about "Limbs", we are talking about finger tips.

But we are not talking about people sustaining an injury, or the ability to become injured from the ride. The op was looking for confirmation that he is not the only one to reach out and touch something on the ride, and he is not. It's really not a big deal and the ride is perfectly safe.

That said, anyone who is of average hight with average reach, if during the proper points on the ride is able to reach out (on purpose, you really need to want to do it in most cases) and touch the overhang in a couple of places.

You don't need to believe me or anyone else, it doesn't change the fact that it's possible.

For those that might be interested in trying, here are a couple of tips.

-Ride at night, your eyes are already acclimated to the dark so it will allow you to see more while on the ride.
-Cover your eyes for the on ride photo, and the entire ride up the lift. Same reason as the first tip, will allow you to see more in the dark
-when you see an low portion, reach high over your head, really reach. (without standing or coming out of your seat of course)

The initial shock of touching something when you should not be able to is what scares everyone. Once you get used to it, its no more then hitting the side of a table with your fingers.

 

[joyjoy]

This sounds like a great idea to get one of those 1-day passes or a handful of fastpasses. Dear guest services: I lost my head on Space Mtn...what can you give me?

Just don't hold up both arms or you'll have NO WAY to accept your "handful" of fast passes.

 

[mesaboy2]

Spoiler

Spectacularly old Zombie Thread Alert.

 

[joyjoy]

I have a friend that was on the CP and worked Primeval Whirl. She and fellow CMs fondly referred to it as "The Death Trap". Not because of the whiplash and sudden altitude changes, but because of people trying to exit the vehicle without standing up first, just hanging a foot out and trying to catch the moving walkway. She said she was amazed legs are not ripped off regularly. If you're reading this, Hi Sheena!

 

[Mike2023]

oh wow, ok, now I know what Zombie Thread is..... 6 years....

 

[AngiTN]

How the heck do these things pop up? Do people search for them and post on them on purpose?

 

[freediverdude]

I think a while back some guy did have a finger ripped off, they probably made the surface there smoother in case someone touched again, but yeah don't do SM with arms up.

 

[siskaren]

How the heck do these things pop up? Do people search for them and post on them on purpose?

I think it's those ones that show up at the bottom of the page. I think people are clicking on them out of curiosity (which I'll concede I do too) and then posting to them without noticing how old they are.

And, I just saw who revived it. Why am I not surprised?