The New And Improved Space Mountain

[UtahMama]

We just got back this sunday and I LOVED Space Mountain! I can't stand it in Florida (Too rough and you can totally see the track)

But at DL it smooth as silk, FAST, and dark. Love the music too.

The very best part was my dd3 was finally tall enough to ride and she loved it!

 

[Mrs. Bee]

Graham, obviously this depends on time of year. Since the 2005 refurb I have only gone in high season and the FPs were gone by about 3PM at the latest (on days DL opened at 8AM).

To 22David, I agree with Mrs Bee that Space Mtn is the most popular attraction at DLR (judging by how fast FPs run out). I almost always get Space Mtn FPs first thing on my way into DL.

22David, be sure you know the loopholes in the DLR FP system. For some info on this see "Getting the Most Out of FastPass During High Season" www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=885132

Hmm...when we lived in Orange, we'd head over to disneyland late in the day (after the hubby got off work) and the'd often still have fast passes around 6pm. but I really can't recall what time of the year that happened. It happened pretty often though. On weekdays, of course. We'd grab our fastpass, eat at the pizza port, and then ride SM. Usually the line was super short so we'd ride it once before eating too. And we've also been there a lot when the fastpass is useless because they have the standby people go through the FP section of the line. *sigh* those were the days.

 

[22David2]

22David, be sure you know the loopholes in the DLR FP system. For some info on this see "Getting the Most Out of FastPass During High Season" www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=885132

Thanks for this. Nice to learn new stuff about the fastpasses. Is there a single rider line for Space Mountain? I know there was for Splash Mountain last time I was there.

 

[HydroGuy]

Thanks for this. Nice to learn new stuff about the fastpasses. Is there a single rider line for Space Mountain? I know there was for Splash Mountain last time I was there.

Nope. Only Splash at DL has single rider. Several do at DCA including GRR, Soarin and Maliboomer.

 

[Quest4fun]

Graham, obviously this depends on time of year. Since the 2005 refurb I have only gone in high season and the FPs were gone by about 3PM at the latest (on days DL opened at 8AM).

To 22David, I agree with Mrs Bee that Space Mtn is the most popular attraction at DLR (judging by how fast FPs run out). I almost always get Space Mtn FPs first thing on my way into DL.

22David, be sure you know the loopholes in the DLR FP system. For some info on this see "Getting the Most Out of FastPass During High Season" www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=885132

Hydro is quite right. It's been a few months since I've been there I do seem to recall them running out pretty quick on the busier days.

It's always best to hit them up first for a Fastpass as soon as possible.

 

[KCmike]

Disneyland's version was much more intense in my opinion. My son and I rode it for the first time in OCT 07 (our first trip to the land, been to the world plenty of times) and his hair was blown straight up. We both were shocked how dark and fast the ride was. Disneyworld's is tame and most of the time you can see where your going, not at the land.

 

[Goofy_Dave]

Rock music? Are you talking about the Red Hot Chilli Peppers tune? If so, they aren't doing that anymore. It's just the regular Space Mountain music again.

Oops, yes I was talking about the Chilli Peppers' tune. I didn't realize that was a temporary thing.

 

[Mrs. Bee]

Oops, yes I was talking about the Chilli Peppers' tune. I didn't realize that was a temporary thing.

yep. i'm not sure how long it was there. less than a year? a year? i can't really remember. i enjoyed it. but i like the regular space mountain soundtrack better.

did you ride california screamin while they had the red hot chilli peppers song? that was GREAT.

 

[fairycat]

Actually the RHCP's music was an early Spring special last year, I believe it went from Feb to April or May. It was a very short stay. Too bad the music was fun, but found the lights distracting on SM since, what makes this ride so unique, so special and so Disney to me is the fact that its in the dark. I mean who else has a whole roller coaster in the dark???

 

[22David2]

Actually the RHCP's music was an early Spring special last year, I believe it went from Feb to April or May. It was a very short stay. Too bad the music was fun, but found the lights distracting on SM since, what makes this ride so unique, so special and so Disney to me is the fact that its in the dark. I mean who else has a whole roller coaster in the dark???

I never really thought of that. Nice observation. I like the whole idea of a fast ride in the dark. It's fun.

 

[Quest4fun]

Space Mountain got Higher Ground which worked pretty well but the lights and stage rigging was a bit distracting along with the projected people dancing on the wall. I could have done without that. Oh yeah and Uncle Joe Benson also sucked. Anybody who listens to 95.5 KLOS knows what I'm talking about.

California Screamin' got All Around the World which worked in some spots but not others. During the slower spots of the song the ride felt like it was crawling around. Higher Ground would have probably worked for this one as well.

 

[DisneySuiteFreak]

Rock music? Are you talking about the Red Hot Chilli Peppers tune? If so, they aren't doing that anymore. It's just the regular Space Mountain music again.

I liked it better just after refurb when they had the Red Hot Chili Peppers and the room was better lit so you could see the tracks. I got a little dizzy after riding it in January...Okay, I am a control freak, and I like to be able to see what's coming at me! Chili Pepper's music was the best! I wonder why they did away with it? It's rather ho hom now with the regular old SM music...

 

[DisneySuiteFreak]

Actually the RHCP's music was an early Spring special last year, I believe it went from Feb to April or May. It was a very short stay. Too bad the music was fun, but found the lights distracting on SM since, what makes this ride so unique, so special and so Disney to me is the fact that its in the dark. I mean who else has a whole roller coaster in the dark???

I was there in the first week of January 07 and RHCP was playing on SM... I hate the ride being in the dark. Liked it better when it was lit up a little more...Or rather the control freak in me liked it better when it was lit up a little more.

 

[22David2]

I hope they do something like rockin' space mountain again cause I didn't get to ride it when it was.

 

[sandymandr]

bumping it up to ask, does SM go upside down? And how bad are the curves? Personally, I love SM WDW and am looking forward to SM DL, but my DD15 has her doubts about the rides experience.....and I mean ALL the rides, not just SM! Gets it from her dad .... TIA

 

[Quest4fun]

bumping it up to ask, does SM go upside down? And how bad are the curves? Personally, I love SM WDW and am looking forward to SM DL, but my DD15 has her doubts about the rides experience.....and I mean ALL the rides, not just SM! Gets it from her dad .... TIA

No inversions at all. There are a couple tight banked turns but I don't think any of them tilt more than 45 degrees. There is a slight drop but you get an audible warning with the music. It's brief and not very steep. You'll love it.

 

[Lynzer Torte]

When was the last time SM was "new and improved"? Wasn't it a couple of years ago?

We were there in Feb 06 and it was "new and improved" then so I'm assuming that it hasn't changed since?

 

[Mrs. Bee]

When was the last time SM was "new and improved"? Wasn't it a couple of years ago?

We were there in Feb 06 and it was "new and improved" then so I'm assuming that it hasn't changed since?

It's "new and improved" for people that haven't been there since the refurb a few years ago.

 

[Quest4fun]

When was the last time SM was "new and improved"? Wasn't it a couple of years ago?

We were there in Feb 06 and it was "new and improved" then so I'm assuming that it hasn't changed since?

It has not been "new and improved" since then.

If you haven't been to Disneyland in awhile and think it's a slightly noisy rollercoaster ride in the dark that has a giant white spaceship in the loading area then it will be "new and improved" to you.

Darker
More stars
Improved soundtrack (Sorry Dick Dale. Your version kinda sucked and the cars would break down after an hour.)
More fiberglass stuff stuck to formerly white space ship in loading area.

If you go once a week or at least once a year you'll be seeing the same old ride you went on last year and the year before.

Does anybody remember the old Dick Dale ride music? I put it on my ipod once and rode it with the old soundtrack. I forgot just how lame it was.

 

[cinderella_mom]

I thought Space Mtn was the coolest thing ever when I first rode 25+ years ago. Having, um, well, matured since then, I definately appreciate how smooth this ride is now. The first time I rode it after it re-opened (2005 was it?) I immediately noticed the difference. The track layout is the same, but there is no jerkiness to it at all. It is a great rollercoaster.