Space Mountain- black lights?

[HollyMD]

So this year is the first year I have been to Disney since 2008. And I can't 100% remember for sure that year, but WAY back in 1988, I swear I remember Space Mountain had black lights in the ride along the tracks and was not completely dark. I seem to remember this, because that was what I thought was so cool about the ride. Does anyone else remember this or am I imagining things? And if it did have them, why did they get rid of them? I remember it being so much better!

 

[BrianL]

I don't recall that there were ever black lights along the tracks. One major difference between 1988 and now though is that they enclosed the queue area which eliminates a lot of light bleed. I kind of liked it open because it was fun to be able to look up into the ride from below, but overall the ride looks better because of less light bleed, so the projections are more visible. The ride vehicles also had reflective strips on them so you could see them zipping around, but there is no real need for that now since you can't see in from below. The track has never been particularly visible though.

 

[gmboy95]

its the one part of space mountain that i dont like is the complete darkness....it would be nice to have something to see along the way like on rockin roller coaster

 

[HollyMD]

Ok, I wasn't completely crazy. Per Wikipedia, after the refurb in 2009, "The trains are unchanged from before, but they no longer glow in the dark". So, there was definitely some glowing, although maybe not blacklights, just regular lights.

 

[SpaceMtnGirl]

I don't recall that there were ever black lights along the tracks. One major difference between 1988 and now though is that they enclosed the queue area which eliminates a lot of light bleed. I kind of liked it open because it was fun to be able to look up into the ride from below, but overall the ride looks better because of less light bleed, so the projections are more visible. The ride vehicles also had reflective strips on them so you could see them zipping around, but there is no real need for that now since you can't see in from below. The track has never been particularly visible though.

Do you know what year they enclosed the queue? I went in '93 at age 9 and I seem to remember more light bleed then. I can't recall what the queue was like at that time.

 

[HollyMD]

And per Dad's Guide to WDW, "Everyone gets strapped into rocket shaped vehicles in Space Port. The vehicles glow in the dark (not really, they just have some decals on the sides that glow in the black lights)." I feel better knowing I wasn't imagining it! It looked so much cooler back then to me.

 

[BrianL]

Do you know what year they enclosed the queue? I went in '93 at age 9 and I seem to remember more light bleed then. I can't recall what the queue was like at that time.

It was the refurb in 2009 when they enclosed the queue.

 

[BrianL]

its the one part of space mountain that i dont like is the complete darkness....it would be nice to have something to see along the way like on rockin roller coaster

There are things to look at though. The projections of the stars, asteroids, and such. A lot of people seem to have trouble seeing them. I've always felt they were prominent, more so after the refurb. I think it's odd when people call Space Mountain "completely dark."

 

[DisneyWorldGeek]

I've never heard of any lights actually ON the track, but I do remember that the cars used to glow on the sides so you could see them from the Peoplemover. And really, Space Mountain is not "complete darkness." You can see the projections and even the tracks to an extent. Want a more thrilling experience? A friend and I closed our eyes starting from the bottom of the hill and kept them closed the entire ride. What a rush! THAT'S "complete darkness."

 

[HollyMD]

but I do remember that the cars used to glow

I think this is what I remember

 

[Dan Murphy]

Want a more thrilling experience? A friend and I closed our eyes starting from the bottom of the hill and kept them closed the entire ride. What a rush! THAT'S "complete darkness."

You can also keep your eyes closed, looking down towards your legs, when you go through the light tunnel at the beginning. Part of the purpose of the bright lights in your eyes is to make the pupils in your eyes close down due to the brightness. It takes awhile for your pupils to open up again in the darkness. Once past that part of the ride, open your eyes again.

 

[BrianL]

You can also keep your eyes closed, looking down towards your legs, when you go through the light tunnel at the beginning. Part of the purpose of the bright lights in your eyes is to make the pupils in your eyes close down due to the brightness. It takes awhile for your pupils to open up again in the darkness. Once past that part of the ride, open your eyes again.

I never thought about that before. When people complain that rides are too dark (like Haunted Mansion) I have read that it can be affected by being outside and the change from extremely bright to extremely dark lighting. I always wear rather dark sunglasses, so I think I am less affected. Also, it does seem brighter when you ride at night. I never figured the bright blue tunnel could have that effect on a rider's eyes (not to mention the camera flash at the end). Interesting. I may try to shield my eyes next time, though I don't usually have trouble seeing the projections in Space Mountain, it may make them "pop" more.

 

[bumbershoot]

I never thought about that before. When people complain that rides are too dark (like Haunted Mansion) I have read that it can be affected by being outside and the change from extremely bright to extremely dark lighting. I always wear rather dark sunglasses, so I think I am less affected. Also, it does seem brighter when you ride at night. I never figured the bright blue tunnel could have that effect on a rider's eyes (not to mention the camera flash at the end). Interesting. I may try to shield my eyes next time, though I don't usually have trouble seeing the projections in Space Mountain, it may make them "pop" more.

I never thought about it until I had Lasik and it destroyed my light-to-dark and dark-to-light vision. If someone uses a flash on a ride, or if they just have a rather bright screen on their camera or phone, my ride can be destroyed because I can't get the full vision back quick enough.

So Space does seem VERY dark to me, because the light tunnel messes me up at the start of it.

 

[Skywise]

I have to agree with the others - I've never seen any of the projections on the ceiling stars or otherwise. But then I always look at the warp flash effect at the beginning.