Time for a major Space Mountain refurb

[MillauFr]

I enjoy it. It's a little jerky but I've never had an issue with it. I do prefer the Disneyland version but that doesn't mean that I don't love the WDW version just as much. I find Pirates at Disneyland to be far superior to the Pirates at WDW, but I still love the ride.

Exactly. Why does Disneyworld constantly get the short end of the stick when it comes to rides??? They need to rip out their Space Mountain and replace it with on that tops the one at Disneyland.

 

[SueDonym3]

I thought the refurb made it too tame and slowed it down. I liked the "wilder" version

 

[hakepb]

Over the summer, I was "diverted" to the standby side, and thought that was nicer than the FP+ side.

But, yes, DL is nicer, and I'm jealous of DL getting the HyperSpace Mountain overlay

 

[DebbieB]

Oh I don't think Disney coasters are the best by far either. But when a ride has the same name, the same premise, the same general design (wild mouse) and one is far better while the other kind of hurts to ride, then I'm ok with not riding the lesser one.

My favorite is California Screamin.

 

[kevdad]

I completely agree. It reminds me of what the Hulk at USO felt like, albeit in a much slower fashion. Because of its history, the dark indoor atmosphere and the cool sound effects it probably doesn't get the upgrade that it needs. Imagine a smooth 7DMT-type coaster in there? Now that would be outstanding!

 

[Princess candy]

At magic kingdom today--space mt and seven mines train were both down today--seven mine train was down for hours!

 

[RedAngie]

I don't agree - I rode it many times a few weeks ago and it wasn't bad at all. But I do prepare for that drop by tightening my leg muscles so I won't leave my seat and slam back down.

IMO, if one needs to "prepare" in order to tolerate a coaster, something is wrong with the ride. TAER [sic] it down!!!

It had a major refurb in '09 with a complete rebuild of the track. I can't imagine it will get another one that soon.

Not a chance. So I just don't ride it anymore. Who cares if it's "punishing Disney" by skipping it? I don't want to punish myself by riding it.

 

[georgina]

i like Space Mtn. It's my favorite MK ride and I rode it at least 6 times on my solo trip in Sept (and I'm 53!) I usually ended up in the last seat being a single rider. I don't think all roller coasters need to be smooth.

 

[disneydude365]

dont agree its great as it is love the airborne makes it more fun

 

[tinkerbella16]

I still absolutely love Space Mountain, and I have not ever had pain from riding. I still can ride it over and over. But more and more people do have the same complaints. My Mom and Stepdad don't even ride it anymore because it just kills my stepdads back and legs. I always ride the left side because of that drop towards the end of the ride is just awesome!

 

[YawningDodo]

We rode it a couple times on the last trip. Mom limited her rides because it wasn't great on her back, but I had zero problems with it. I think the ride is only as rough as it's ever been and folks are just noticing it's rough because they're getting older. There were rides I only did once on this trip because they made me a bit nauseous, where in the past that wasn't a problem. I'm getting older. It happens. Someday Space Mountain will be too rough for me as well.

And having ridden Space Mountain with the lights on at a cast member party...when you say put in double-wide cars, you really are talking about a scenario in which they'd have to completely gut the structure and build a single roller coaster in place of the two they have now (so it would be out for reconstruction for several years, then come back and have much longer lines than the old version due to lowered capacity). You can't necessarily tell in the dark because it's deliberately made to be disorienting, but Space Mountain is a true wild mouse. It's coiled in on itself much, much tighter than you're imagining. And...well, for a wild mouse it's actually really smooth. You want to know what a rough wild rodent coaster really looks like, go to Lakeside in Colorado and ride the Wild Chipmunk. Even high schoolers come off that thing limping.

 

[bumbershoot]

Close it down on January 5 and open it on December 10th. I'd give up a whole year if it could become a brand new ride that I could go on without feeling injured when I got off.

I've just basically given up on it. I don't care that it's so rough because I don't go on it.

It had a major refurb in '09 with a complete rebuild of the track

You've already realized they didn't redo the track. But "Space Mountain closed on April 19, 2009 for a lengthy renovation. It was the first extensive renovation since a previous closure in September 1999, and was estimated to cost USD $12.3 million. It reopened November 2009"

Unlike Disneyland:

"The ride closed suddenly on April 10, 2003, with an announcement that it would remain closed until Disneyland's 50th anniversary. The ride had become unstable and would need a complete track replacement.[4] On June 25, 2005 Disneyland surprised its guests by announcing that the reopening of Space Mountain would open early on July 15, instead of the projected November date"

Over two years renovation for DL.

I have ridden countless coasters that blow any Disney coaster out of the water. I never came away thinking that I no longer have a "reason" to ride a lesser coaster. If you accept each ride for what it has to offer, you will probably have a better time.

It's not necessarily a lesser coaster; it's just a painful, not fun in any way, coaster. Why ride it if I feel that way? Accepting it for what it is means accepting it as a painful, not fun, coaster. Seriously, why?

Oh I don't think Disney coasters are the best by far either. But when a ride has the same name, the same premise, the same general design (wild mouse) and one is far better while the other kind of hurts to ride, then I'm ok with not riding the lesser one.

But deciding not to ride Space Mt in WDW because you prefer the one in DL better is like deciding to punish yourself for the disparity.

There is absolutely NO punishment in deciding not to ride the one in MK. The idea makes me laugh. I'm punishing myself by *riding* it. I'm having a better, less painful, day by avoiding it.

I enjoy it. It's a little jerky but I've never had an issue with it. I do prefer the Disneyland version but that doesn't mean that I don't love the WDW version just as much. I find Pirates at Disneyland to be far superior to the Pirates at WDW, but I still love the ride.

You're 17 according to your sig. Give it a couple decades then reread this.

 

[DisneyWishes14]

Over the summer, I was "diverted" to the standby side, and thought that was nicer than the FP+ side.

But, yes, DL is nicer, and I'm jealous of DL getting the HyperSpace Mountain overlay

I agree! The standby side seems smoother than the FP+ side! Yes, the track needs to be redone. I only ride it because my DS7 loves it. 7 year olds seem to be able to tolerate the jerkiness a little more than their middle aged mothers!

 

[aretha30]

We love SM but we've noticed that it has gotten jerkier over the last few years (maybe it's because we're now in our late 30's!). We will still ride it multiple times each trip because our 12 year old loves it, and we will do anything that will bring joy to our kids (even riding IASW 5 times in a row because it's our 7 yr old's favorite ride. lol!). I would love to see a smoother SM in the future, but I just can't see it happening anytime soon.

 

[BuckeyeBama]

IMO, if one needs to "prepare" in order to tolerate a coaster, something is wrong with the ride. TAER [sic] it down!!!

Not a chance. So I just don't ride it anymore. Who cares if it's "punishing Disney" by skipping it? I don't want to punish myself by riding it.

Yeah - that's what we need. Let's just tear it down.

 

[BuckeyeBama]

There is absolutely NO punishment in deciding not to ride the one in MK. The idea makes me laugh. I'm punishing myself by *riding* it. I'm having a better, less painful, day by avoiding it.

I was talking to a poster who refused to ride only because the one in DL was better. That is punishing him/her-self. Please get the context correct or don't quote me next time.

Thank you.

 

[Meriweather]

I have to skip it now....but am looking forward to riding DL's in a couple of weeks

 

[ldymcbth]

I don't ride SM at WDW anymore. It kills my back. When we went to DL last Halloween, I wanted SO badly to see the Ghost Galaxy overlay they use there, so I agreed to ride it. Wow - it was wonderful! Smooth, the cars are so much better, etc. We rode it like 10 times during that trip! I do wish WDW would fix theirs - it is REALLY rough and could just use some TLC.

 

[stinkpickle]

DL version is definitely smoother, but it has no real drops, so it isn't as fun for me. The WDW version is a little bumpy, but it ain't as bad as Matterhorn at DL.

 

[sunshine1]

I rode space in Disneyland last month and i found that too jerky and that is smoother than space in MK so when i visited MK the following week i didnt bother riding.

How can that be enjoyable when it is that jerky?