Space Mountain is an indoor, space-themed roller coaster in
Tomorrowland
Tomorrowland is one of the many themed lands featured at all of the Magic Kingdom styled Disney theme parks around the world owned or licensed by The Walt Disney Company. Each version of the land is different and features numerous attractions t ...
at
Disneyland
Disneyland is a amusement park, theme park in Anaheim, California. Opened in 1955, it was the first theme park opened by The Walt Disney Company and the only one designed and constructed under the direct supervision of Walt Disney. Disney in ...
in
Anaheim, California
Anaheim ( ) is a city in northern Orange County, California, part of the Los Angeles metropolitan area. As of the 2020 United States Census, the city had a population of 346,824, making it the most populous city in Orange County, the 10th-most p ...
. Opened on May 27, 1977, it was the second roller coaster built at Disneyland, and was the second of the five versions of Space Mountain built by
The Walt Disney Company
The Walt Disney Company, commonly known as Disney (), is an American multinational mass media and entertainment conglomerate headquartered at the Walt Disney Studios complex in Burbank, California. Disney was originally founded on October ...
. Its exterior façade is one of Disneyland's four "mountain" structures that serve as park landmarks.
Walt Disney
Walter Elias Disney (; December 5, 1901December 15, 1966) was an American animator, film producer and entrepreneur. A pioneer of the American animation industry, he introduced several developments in the production of cartoons. As a film p ...
originally conceived the idea of a space-themed roller coaster for Disneyland following the success of the
Matterhorn Bobsleds
Matterhorn Bobsleds are a pair of intertwined steel roller coasters at Disneyland in Anaheim, California. It is modeled after the Matterhorn, a mountain in the Alps on the border between Switzerland and Italy. It is the first known tubular steel ...
, which opened in 1959. However, a number of factors including lack of available space, Walt Disney's death, and the Disney company's focus on building what would become
Walt Disney World
The Walt Disney World Resort, also called Walt Disney World or Disney World, is an entertainment resort complex in Bay Lake and Lake Buena Vista, Florida, United States, near the cities of Orlando and Kissimmee. Opened on October 1, 1971, th ...
led to the project's postponement in the late 1960s. After the early success of the
Magic Kingdom
Magic Kingdom Park, previously known as Walt Disney World Magic Kingdom (1971–1994) and The Magic Kingdom (1994–2017), is a theme park at the Walt Disney World Resort in Bay Lake, Florida, near Orlando, Florida. Owned and operated by The W ...
park at Walt Disney World, Disney revived the Space Mountain project and opened the first Space Mountain at the Magic Kingdom in 1975. Soon after, Disney began plans to build a smaller version of Space Mountain at Disneyland, and opened Disneyland's Space Mountain in 1977. The design of Disneyland's Space Mountain was replicated at
Tokyo Disneyland
(local nickname ''TDL'') is a theme park at the Tokyo Disney Resort in Urayasu, Chiba Prefecture, Japan, near Tokyo. Its main gate is directly adjacent to both Maihama Station and Tokyo Disneyland Station. It was the first Disney park to be ...
in 1983 and
Hong Kong Disneyland
Hong Kong Disneyland () (local nickname ''HKDL''; also known as HK Disneyland) is a theme park located on reclaimed land in Penny's Bay, Lantau Island. It is located inside the Hong Kong Disneyland Resort and it is owned and managed by Hong Ko ...
in 2005; the Tokyo version was significantly changed in 2006 to become more similar to the refurbished 2009 Magic Kingdom version.
Space Mountain has undergone a number of major upgrades and refurbishments over the years, including the addition of an onboard soundtrack in 1996, repainting of the exterior in 1997 and 2003, and a complete replacement of the original track and ride vehicles from 2003 to 2005.
It has also been given a third roof up the mountain during late 2013 and early 2014. Every September and October during Halloween Time at Disneyland, starting in 2009, the dome is given projections for the Ghost Galaxy event. On November 16, 2015, Space Mountain was given a new overlay and theme in anticipation for ''
Star Wars: The Force Awakens'' and redubbed "Hyperspace Mountain." Since then, the attraction has switched between the original and "Hyperspace Mountain" Star Wars theme several times.
History
Concept and Walt Disney World version
The early success of the
Matterhorn Bobsleds
Matterhorn Bobsleds are a pair of intertwined steel roller coasters at Disneyland in Anaheim, California. It is modeled after the Matterhorn, a mountain in the Alps on the border between Switzerland and Italy. It is the first known tubular steel ...
– opened in 1959 – convinced
Walt Disney
Walter Elias Disney (; December 5, 1901December 15, 1966) was an American animator, film producer and entrepreneur. A pioneer of the American animation industry, he introduced several developments in the production of cartoons. As a film p ...
that thrill rides did have a place in Disneyland.
In 1964, Walt Disney first approached designer
John Hench
John Hench (June 29, 1908 – February 5, 2004) was an American artist, designer and director at The Walt Disney Company. For 65 years, he helped design and develop various Disney attractions and theme parks.
Early life
Hench was born on June 2 ...
with an idea for an indoor dark roller coaster. The roller coaster's design evolved over the next couple of years, and the name "Space Mountain" was first used for the concept in June 1966. The design was later deemed impossible due to technological limitations as well as the limited space available at Disneyland. Walt Disney's death in December 1966 as well as the company's focus on the
Disney World
The Walt Disney World Resort, also called Walt Disney World or Disney World, is an entertainment resort complex in Bay Lake and Lake Buena Vista, Florida, United States, near the cities of Orlando and Kissimmee. Opened on October 1, 1971, th ...
project led the company to shelve the Space Mountain project.
Like Disneyland,
Magic Kingdom
Magic Kingdom Park, previously known as Walt Disney World Magic Kingdom (1971–1994) and The Magic Kingdom (1994–2017), is a theme park at the Walt Disney World Resort in Bay Lake, Florida, near Orlando, Florida. Owned and operated by The W ...
also lacked thrill rides at the time of its opening in 1971. However, the park became unexpectedly popular with teenagers and young adults and, as a result, Disney began plans to add thrill rides there as well. Designers determined that Magic Kingdom's Fantasyland lacked the necessary space to replicate Disneyland's Matterhorn, but noted a large amount of space available in Tomorrowland. This, coupled with advances in technology since the project was shelved, led Disney to revive the Space Mountain project. The original Space Mountain opened at Magic Kingdom in 1975, and its early success led Disney to revisit the idea of building Space Mountain at Disneyland.
Disneyland's Space Mountain was designed by Bill Watkins of
Walt Disney Imagineering
Walt Disney Imagineering Research & Development, Inc., commonly referred to as Imagineering, is the research and development arm of The Walt Disney Company, responsible for the creation, design, and construction of Disney theme parks and attra ...
, including a tubular steel track design awarded . Because of space limitations, the dual-track layout of Magic Kingdom's Space Mountain was not replicated at Disneyland, and a much smaller building was constructed.
Opening and early years
The second Space Mountain opened in 1977, invigorating a
decade
A decade () is a period of ten years. Decades may describe any ten-year period, such as those of a person's life, or refer to specific groupings of calendar years.
Usage
Any period of ten years is a "decade". For example, the statement that "du ...
-old Tomorrowland as Disneyland's second roller coaster. The $20 million complex opened May 27 including the roller coaster, 1,100-seat Space Stage, 670-seat Space Place restaurant, and the
Starcade
''Starcade'' is an American game show where contestants competed against one another by playing arcade video games. The series originally aired on WTBS from 1982 to 1983, followed by a run in syndication for the following season.
The series w ...
video arcade
An amusement arcade (often referred to as a video arcade, amusements or simply arcade) is a venue where people play arcade games, including arcade video games, pinball machines, electro-mechanical games, redemption games, merchandisers (such as c ...
.
Six of the
original seven ''Mercury'' astronauts attended Space Mountain's opening –
Scott Carpenter
Malcolm Scott Carpenter (May 1, 1925 – October 10, 2013) was an American naval officer and aviator, test pilot, aeronautical engineer, astronaut, and aquanaut. He was one of the Mercury Seven astronauts selected for NASA's Project Mercury ...
,
Gordon Cooper
Leroy Gordon "Gordo" Cooper Jr. (March 6, 1927 – October 4, 2004) was an American aerospace engineer, test pilot, United States Air Force pilot, and the youngest of the seven original astronauts in Project Mercury, the first human spac ...
,
Sen. John Glenn
John Herschel Glenn Jr. (July 18, 1921 – December 8, 2016) was an American Marine Corps aviator, engineer, astronaut, businessman, and politician. He was the third American in space, and the first American to orbit the Earth, circling ...
,
Wally Schirra
Walter Marty Schirra Jr. (, March 12, 1923 – May 3, 2007) was an American naval aviator, test pilot, and NASA astronaut. In 1959, he became one of the original seven astronauts chosen for Project Mercury, which was the United States' f ...
,
Alan Shepard
Alan Bartlett Shepard Jr. (November 18, 1923 – July 21, 1998) was an American astronaut, naval aviator, test pilot, and businessman. In 1961, he became the second person and the first American to travel into space and, in 1971, he beca ...
, and
Deke Slayton
Donald Kent "Deke" Slayton (March 1, 1924 – June 13, 1993) was a United States Air Force pilot, aeronautical engineer, and test pilot who was selected as one of the original NASA Mercury Seven astronauts. He went on to become NASA's first ...
. The lone exception was
Gus Grissom
Virgil Ivan "Gus" Grissom (April 3, 1926 – January 27, 1967) was an American engineer, pilot in the United States Air Force, and member of the Mercury Seven selected by National Aeronautics and Space Administration's (NASA) as Project Mercur ...
,
who had died along with two other astronauts in a tragic launchpad fire ten years earlier.
Largely due in part to the opening of Space Mountain, the
Memorial Day
Memorial Day (originally known as Decoration Day) is a federal holiday in the United States for mourning the U.S. military personnel who have fought and died while serving in the United States armed forces. It is observed on the last Monda ...
day attendance record was set, with 185,500 guests over the three-day period.
The attraction continued operating without much change:
sponsors would come and go, and various minor changes, including the addition of a Goodyear "Speed Ramp" (
moving sidewalk
Moving or Movin' may refer to:
Moving of goods
* Relocation (personal), the process of leaving one dwelling and settling in another
* Relocation of professional sports teams
* Relocation (computer science)
* Structure relocation
Music Albu ...
) in the entrance, happened without fanfare. In 1995
FedEx
FedEx Corporation, formerly Federal Express Corporation and later FDX Corporation, is an American multinational conglomerate holding company focused on transportation, e-commerce and business services based in Memphis, Tennessee. The name "Fe ...
became the official sponsor for the ride, sparking a number of significant alterations. The
queue area
Queue areas are places in which people queue (first-come, first-served) for goods or services. Such a group of people is known as a ''queue'' (British usage) or ''line'' (American usage), and the people are said to be waiting or standing ''in ...
was revamped with
television
Television, sometimes shortened to TV, is a telecommunication medium for transmitting moving images and sound. The term can refer to a television set, or the medium of television transmission. Television is a mass medium for advertisin ...
monitors looping safety videos, the loading station had a new
Audio-Animatronic
Audio-Animatronics (also known as simply Animatronics, and sometimes shortened to AAs) is the registered trademark for a form of robotics animation created by Walt Disney Imagineering for shows and attractions at Disney theme parks, and subsequent ...
robot FedEx worker, and other scenic areas were modeled to include FedEx trademarks.
Soundtrack
In 1996, composer Aarin Richard and show producer
Eddie Sotto Edward Anthony "Eddie" Sotto III (born 1958) is an American experiential designer, mixed-media producer, and conceptualist.Patton, Phil"Rethinking Auto Showrooms: Shark Tanks, Anyone?" ''The New York Times'', October 25, 2006 Sotto was formerly the ...
teamed up to create an onboard music track. The creative vision was to fuse two iconic musical forms of the 1960s –
sci-fi
Science fiction (sometimes shortened to Sci-Fi or SF) is a genre of speculative fiction which typically deals with imaginative and futuristic concepts such as advanced science and technology, space exploration, time travel, parallel universe ...
horror music and
surf music
Surf music (or surf rock, surf pop, or surf guitar) is a genre of rock music associated with surf culture, particularly as found in Southern California. It was especially popular from 1958 to 1964 in two major forms. The first is instrumental s ...
– into a sensory ride experience. All of the music written for the 1996 version was based on "Le Carnival Des Animaux: Aquarium" (
The Carnival of the Animals
''The Carnival of the Animals'' (''Le Carnaval des animaux'') is a humorous musical suite of fourteen movements, including "The Swan", by the French composer Camille Saint-Saëns. The work, about 25 minutes in duration, was written for private ...
), written by
Camille Saint-Saëns
Charles-Camille Saint-Saëns (; 9 October 183516 December 1921) was a French composer, organist, conductor and pianist of the Romantic music, Romantic era. His best-known works include Introduction and Rondo Capriccioso (1863), the Piano C ...
. The first section of the ride's music was synthesized and entirely devoted to the sci-fi aspect as the rockets left the station to begin their slow climb to the top of the mountain.
After the vehicles crested the third lift hill, a rocking surf rendition of the piece kicked in as gravity pulls the vehicles down through the ride's interweaving turns, hills, and dips. (Guitarist
Dick Dale
Richard Anthony Monsour (May 4, 1937 – March 16, 2019), known professionally as Dick Dale, was an American rock guitarist. He was a pioneer of surf music, drawing on Middle Eastern music scale (music), scales and experimenting with reverb eff ...
was brought into the Disney Imagineering recording studio to play his famous surf guitar riffs for this section of the music.) As the rockets reentered the loading station, a brief musical finale concluded the experience with a soft, synthesized rendition of "Aquarium."
In 2005, the Dick Dale soundtrack was replaced by an original composition by composer
Michael Giacchino
Michael Giacchino (; born October 10, 1967) is an American composer of music for films, television and video games. He has also served as a director for television. He has received many awards, including an Oscar for his work on '' Up'' (2009), a ...
that is synchronized to the track. Like the former soundtrack, the opening portion has a sci-fi sound with
theremin
The theremin (; originally known as the ætherphone/etherphone, thereminophone or termenvox/thereminvox) is an electronic musical instrument controlled without physical contact by the performer (who is known as a thereminist). It is named afte ...
influences during the ascent switching to a beat-driven score during the high-speed sections of the attraction.
Renovations
In 1997, the exterior of the structure was painted in a
green
Green is the color between cyan and yellow on the visible spectrum. It is evoked by light which has a dominant wavelength of roughly 495570 Nanometre, nm. In subtractive color systems, used in painting and color printing, it is created by ...
,
gold
Gold is a chemical element with the symbol Au (from la, aurum) and atomic number 79. This makes it one of the higher atomic number elements that occur naturally. It is a bright, slightly orange-yellow, dense, soft, malleable, and ductile met ...
,
copper
Copper is a chemical element with the symbol Cu (from la, cuprum) and atomic number 29. It is a soft, malleable, and ductile metal with very high thermal and electrical conductivity. A freshly exposed surface of pure copper has a pinkis ...
, and
bronze
Bronze is an alloy consisting primarily of copper, commonly with about 12–12.5% tin and often with the addition of other metals (including aluminium, manganese, nickel, or zinc) and sometimes non-metals, such as phosphorus, or metalloids such ...
, to match the recent facelift to Tomorrowland, and the Goodyear Speed Ramp was removed, but the main ride itself was unchanged (Space Mountain's changes were rather minor compared to other changes made in the 1997–1998 facelift).
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.
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.
On July 15, 2005 (with "soft openings" starting July 1), only two days before Disneyland's official
50th Anniversary, Space Mountain reopened from a major refurbishment that started in April 2003. The mountain was restored to its original white.
A re-opening ceremony was held that day which featured a guest speaker,
Neil Armstrong
Neil Alden Armstrong (August 5, 1930 – August 25, 2012) was an American astronaut and aeronautical engineer who became the first person to walk on the Moon in 1969. He was also a naval aviator, test pilot, and university professor.
...
, who received a plaque that read "Presented to Mr. Neil Armstrong for his courage and adventurous spirit that continues to inspire all mankind to reach for the stars". The plaque also features the Disney quote "It's kinda fun to do the impossible". The new Space Mountain featured new rocket sleds, new special effects and a storyline.
The completely rebuilt track is exactly the same layout as originally designed by Walt Disney Imagineer Bill Watkins in 1976. The only original track from the 1977 ride extends from the back end of the station, to the top of third lift, and the storage and spur tracks, as evidenced by the weld marks on these two track sections where the original and new tracks were joined together. The foundation was laid 30 feet deeper, and floor of the mountain was lowered about ten feet to make evacuation procedures easier, making the ride much safer than before. The rockets no longer glow in the dark. Before the major overhaul, Space Mountain's track was manufactured by Arrow Dynamics. The new track was manufactured by
Dynamic Structures
Dynamic Structures of the World is an American company with a history of steel fabrication dating back to 1927. They create amusement rides, theme park rides, observatory telescopes and other complex steel structures.
History
Dynamic Structures ...
.
In 2015, the ride was given a ''Star Wars'' overlay titled Hyperspace Mountain, which has come and gone over the years. Among the changes are that the ride vehicles are now referred to as "reconnaissance vessels", the setting being the planet Jakku from ''
Star Wars: The Force Awakens'', and the pre-flight safety video featuring a briefing from
Admiral Ackbar
Fleet Admiral Gial Ackbar is a fictional character from the ''Star Wars'' franchise. A member of the amphibious Mon Calamari species, Ackbar was the foremost military commander of the Rebel Alliance, and led the attack against the second Dea ...
.
In December 2017, Space Mountain would receive a new
single rider
Single rider refers to lines at theme parks attractions for people riding by themselves, reducing the amount of time spent waiting in line for an attraction. When a single-rider line is in use, empty seats on the ride vehicles are filled using i ...
entrance.
In 2018, the regular queue line was extended into the upper level of the former Starcade, featuring a large futuristic
space telescope
A space telescope or space observatory is a telescope in outer space used to observe astronomical objects. Suggested by Lyman Spitzer in 1946, the first operational telescopes were the American Orbiting Astronomical Observatory, OAO-2 launched ...
on display amongst the Starcade's original 1977 murals.
Experience
The ride begins in the loading station where guests board the trains. The station is designed to resemble a hangar and contains a full sized starship suspended directly over the load area. The original version of the hangar ship was modeled after the starship from the film ''
2001: A Space Odyssey''. In 2005, the starship was altered to a more science-fantasy design. Once the trains are loaded, they move forward to a holding area, where a lap bar check is made and so the train may wait its turn to start the circuit. When the rocket is released, the red strobe lights surrounding the train flash and it makes a right turn, before climbing the first lift hill. At the top, two strobe lights flash on and the rockets enter a tunnel of flashing blue lights to signify the transfer of power to the trains. Leaving the tunnel, the train then climbs the second lift hill, a long tunnel filled with screens. As the trains begin their climb, red beams stretch along the screens and spin as a galaxy is seen swirling at the very top of the tunnel. As the trains crest the lift, the galaxy swirls up and vanishes. The music climaxes as the trains emerge into the main part of the ride, the inside of the dome. Trains make a U-turn before ascending one more small lift hill. A countdown begins as the vehicles crest the hill and the rockets are sent into a high-speed ride through the dome. The ride consists of many turns and small dips with the illusion of speed given by the fact that the track is barely visible to the riders. The ride approaches the end by plunging in a series of tight right hand turns, gradually picking up speed. With a sudden left turn, the trains enter the re-entry tunnel with many colorful stars flying towards them and two flashes of light as the onride photo is taken. The trains hit the final brake run and make a final right U-turn back into the station.
Rockin' Space Mountain
![Space Mountain night](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/1/1b/Space_Mountain_night.JPG)
Also part of this major "new" Space Mountain was a nighttime transformation of the attraction to ''Rockin' Space Mountain'', in which the calmer soundtrack of the attraction in daytime hours was replaced at night with a driving rock soundtrack, and different special effects. The original version of Rockin' Space Mountain, called ''RockIt Mountain'', premiered for
Grad Nite
Graduation is the awarding of a diploma to a student by an educational institution. It may also refer to the ceremony that is associated with it. The date of the graduation ceremony is often called graduation day. The graduation ceremony is a ...
2006 as part of the
Happiest Homecoming on Earth.
Rockin' Space Mountain premiered during the "
Year of a Million Dreams
Disney Parks, Experiences and Products, Inc., formerly Walt Disney Parks and Resorts Worldwide, Inc. and informally known as Disney Parks, is one of The Walt Disney Company's five major business segments and a subsidiary. It was founded on Apri ...
" Celebration, and was promoted alongside Rockin' California Screamin, a similar modification to
Disney California Adventure
Disney California Adventure Park, commonly referred to as California Adventure or by its acronym DCA, is a theme park located at the Disneyland Resort in Anaheim, California. It is owned and operated by The Walt Disney Company through its Park ...
's
California Screamin'
Incredicoaster is a steel roller coaster at Disney California Adventure in Anaheim, California. Manufactured by Intamin, it opened to the public as California Screamin' in 2001. It is the only roller coaster at the Disneyland Resort with an in ...
roller coaster began January 3, 2007 and ended April 26, 2007. Contrary to the original plans for the attraction to only be "Rockin'" in the evening, "Rockin' Space Mountain" ran during all operating hours of the park. Rockin' Space Mountain did not use the Dick Dale soundtrack. This soundtrack, however, makes one final appearance on Disneyland's 60th Anniversary 3-CD box set.
On December 28, 2006, Disneyland announced that the soundtrack to be featured for "Rockin' Both Parks" were two songs by the Red Hot Chili Peppers. Space Mountain received an edited version of the band's
1989 song "
Higher Ground". The song was remixed to "heighten every twist, turn, rise and drop of the attraction." Rockin' Space Mountain's counterpart at Disney's California Adventure, Rockin' California Screamin', used a remixed version of the Red Hot Chili Peppers' "
Around the World".
The main differences between the regular and Rockin' Space Mountain include: a different soundtrack, new projections within the mountain, and many lights alongside the track. Riders began their journey with "Uncle" Joe Benson, a radio disc jockey from the Disney-owned
95.5 KLOS, introducing the riders to the "Space Stage" where the
Red Hot Chili Peppers
Red Hot Chili Peppers are an American rock music, rock band formed in Los Angeles in 1983, comprising vocalist Anthony Kiedis, bassist Flea (musician), Flea, drummer Chad Smith, and guitarist John Frusciante. Their music incorporates element ...
would be "broadblasting live." Just like the original, the Star Tunnel was there. The "rocket rockers" continued the flight with a "sound check" with guitar riffs accompanied by projections of bright colors and sound waves. While looking up the second lift hill, the spiral galaxy was no longer in place, but instead riders saw a sun going nova. Finally, once riders crested the lift, the sun would explode. Once on the 180 degree turn next to the asteroid, there was a few seconds of no screaming.
This allowed riders to hear the sound of screaming riders and the soundtrack from other trains in the mountain. The soundtrack then transitioned into the song, "Higher Ground" at the bottom of the third lift hill. During this lift hill, "Uncle" Joe Benson would come back to say "No matter which planet you're from, we're about to rock your world. And it's all gonna happen in 5, 4, 3, 2, rock and roll!" Some of the new special effects included colored strobe lights, projections of dancers and other bright visualizer images.
Many colored lights lined the tracks strobing in sequence and projecting on walls and the surroundings. Re-entry and the station remain mostly unchanged except for some added instruments (drum set, air/electric guitar, etc.) floating in space with the astronaut in the "planet orbit" screen. Another notable change to the station was that the "neon" lights that flash when a rocket train is "launched" to the right remain on and do not shut off, which made the station a tad bit brighter. Also, the front attraction sign included "Rockin'" above "Space Mountain" while a color-changing light illuminated the spire above the sign at night. The design of the on ride photos were changed as well, which included the Rockin' Space Mountain logo, and many musical notes floating in space around riders.
Space Mountain Ghost Galaxy
In September 2007, Hong Kong Disneyland debuted Space Mountain Ghost Galaxy, a Halloween-themed overlay of the ride that featured new special effects and projections, and centered around a nebula ghost chasing riders throughout the course of the ride. The ride proved to be a massive success among park guests. Back in Anaheim, in September 2009, Disneyland decided to bring the overlay for their halloween season. The overlay returned in time for Halloween every year until 2018.
The modifications to the attraction were apparent when first encountering the ride building. Several different projections could be seen on the mountain, accompanied by synchronized audio. Six projections played, with several Halloween-themed color schemes appearing between these projection shows:
*The first projection showed the dome becoming a dull grey, with cracks and breaks forming on the dome. Suddenly, the dome seemed to crumble and fall into nothingness. Then, a green grid appeared at the top section of the dome, accompanied with a loud humming sound.
*The second projection showed an alien arm resembling that of the nebula ghost running, pushing against the dome from the inside.
*The third projection showed yellow scratch marks appearing on the dome.
*The fourth projection showed lightning bolts shooting up the left side of the dome, then the right, the middle, and finally the entire dome itself.
*The fifth projection showed the dome being turned into a bluish-purple radar, with explosions that appeared on the dome, resembling activity of the nebula ghosts.
*The sixth (and more rare) projection turned the entire mountain into a space scene, with swirling stars and nebulas projected across the surface.
Inside the Space station, the planet screen at the front of the station had been changed to reflect the overlay, as well. While viewing the planet, a green "storm" appeared over the planet, causing interruptions to the video feed. Static appeared, then a blue screen, reminiscent of the Windows
Blue Screen of Death, saying "LOSS OF SIGNAL...," "SEARCHING..." and "SIGNAL ESTABLISHED".
As guests began their ride, they were met with a more eerie version of the ride's soundtrack. The first lift is changed to have monochrome green lighting, and the subsequent power transfer tunnel is now completely dark. Once ascending the second lift, the nebula ghost roared at guests and shocked them with lightning. Upon reaching the main ride building and ascending the final lift, the ghost appeared one more time, which marked its chase after park guests. Throughout the ride's layout, guests would catch glimpses of the ghost attempting to capture them. At the re-entry tunnel, the ride flashed with distinctly greenish lights, similar to the first lift. As guests entered their final turn towards the station, the nebula ghost's face appeared one last time, which caught unsuspecting guests off guard.
Ghost Galaxy was not the first Halloween-themed overlay for Space Mountain at Disneyland. Before Ghost Galaxy, in 2007, a Halloween-themed overlay of the ride debuted for cast members known as Space Mountain Nightmare Nebula. Unlike the elaborate retheming of Ghost Galaxy, Nightmare Nebula was limited to simple decorations and a pitch-black ride experience. After poor reception, the overlay did not return the following year in 2008.
Hyperspace Mountain
On November 16, 2015, a ''
Star Wars
''Star Wars'' is an American epic film, epic space opera multimedia franchise created by George Lucas, which began with the Star Wars (film), eponymous 1977 film and quickly became a worldwide popular culture, pop-culture Cultural impact of S ...
''-themed overlay known as Hyperspace Mountain debuted as part of "Season of the Force"—an event celebrating the release of ''
Star Wars: The Force Awakens''. The overlay featured a soundtrack with selections from
John Williams
John Towner Williams (born February 8, 1932)Nylund, Rob (15 November 2022)Classic Connection review ''WBOI'' ("For the second time this year, the Fort Wayne Philharmonic honored American composer, conductor, and arranger John Williams, who wa ...
's score of the ''Star Wars'' films, with projections depicting a mission towards the planet Jakku (a site introduced during ''The Force Awakens'') to investigate the presence of an Imperial-class
Star Destroyer
Star Destroyers are capital ships in the fictional ''Star Wars'' universe. Star Destroyers were produced by Kuat Drive Yards, later Kuat-Entralla Engineering, and serve as "the signature vessel of the fleet" for the Galactic Republic, Galactic Emp ...
as commanded by
Admiral Ackbar
Fleet Admiral Gial Ackbar is a fictional character from the ''Star Wars'' franchise. A member of the amphibious Mon Calamari species, Ackbar was the foremost military commander of the Rebel Alliance, and led the attack against the second Dea ...
, flying through a hyperspace jump and battling with
X-wing
The X-wing starfighter is a name applied to a family of fictional spacecraft manufactured by the Incom Corporation from the ''Star Wars'' franchise. Named for the distinctive shape made when its s-foils (wings) are in attack position, the X-win ...
s and
TIE fighter
The Twin Ion Engine (TIE) fighter is a series of fictional starfighters featured in the '' Star Wars'' universe. TIE fighters are depicted as fast, agile, yet fragile starfighters produced by Sienar Fleet Systems for the Galactic Empire and b ...
s.
The overlay was temporarily removed on September 6, 2016, for the Ghost Galaxy overlay. Hyperspace Mountain was brought back the following November then was removed again on June 1, 2017.
Its most recent return engagements in 2018, 2019, and 2022 have been to celebrate "May the Fourth" and Disneyland's After Dark Event Series "Star Wars Nite". The 2019 return engagement saw an updated Hyperspace Mountain, which featured more projected scenes, lasers, and other effects. This updated Hyperspace Mountain returned for its 2022 engagement.
Hyperspace Mountain Engagements
* November 16, 2015 - September 6, 2016
* November 1, 2016 - June 1, 2017
* May 4, 2018 - June 3, 2018
* May 4, 2019 - January 6, 2020
* April 30, 2022 - July 4, 2022
Accessibility information
The park website lists for guests to transfer from wheelchair or
electric convenience vehicle "by themselves or with assistance by members of their party". A maximum of 3 groups can ride at a time or a maximum of 12 people (if three or fewer groups). A track transfer table installed for the 2005 reopening permits positioning of a rocket at the ready platform, enabling unlimited time for accessibility loading and unloading contrary to the time-critical ambulatory-guest load process.
Incidents
On August 14, 1979, a 31-year-old woman became ill after riding Space Mountain. At the unload area, she was unable to exit the vehicle. Although employees told her to stay seated while the vehicle was removed from the track, other ride operators did not realize that her vehicle was supposed to be removed and sent her through the ride a second time. She arrived at the unloading zone semi-conscious. The victim was subsequently taken to Palm Harbor Hospital where she remained in a coma and died one week later. The coroner's report attributed the death to natural causes: a heart tumor had dislodged and entered her brain. A subsequent lawsuit against the park was dismissed.
In 1983, an 18-year-old man from Quartz Hill, California, fell off Space Mountain and was paralyzed from the waist down. A jury verdict found that Disneyland was blameless in the accident. During the trial the jury was taken to the park to ride Space Mountain, and several of the cars were brought into the courtroom to demonstrate how they work.
On August 2, 2000, nine people suffered minor injuries when a wheel on a Space Mountain car became dislodged and the ride's safety control systems caused the train to stop abruptly. This was Space Mountain's first mechanical problem since its opening in 1977.
In April 2013, Disney voluntarily closed Space Mountain,
Matterhorn Bobsleds
Matterhorn Bobsleds are a pair of intertwined steel roller coasters at Disneyland in Anaheim, California. It is modeled after the Matterhorn, a mountain in the Alps on the border between Switzerland and Italy. It is the first known tubular steel ...
, and
Soarin' Over California
''Soarin, also known as ''Soarin' Around the World'', ''Soaring Over the Horizon'' and ''Soaring: Fantastic Flight'', is a flight simulator, motion simulator attraction at Disney California Adventure, Epcot, Shanghai Disneyland, and Tokyo Disn ...
due to OSHA-related issues so employee safety protocols could be reviewed. Downtime for each attraction differed, with Space Mountain being closed the longest at one month. The safety review stemmed from seven OSHA fines that were initiated from a contractor injury in November 2012, where the worker fell down the outside of the Space Mountain building and broke several bones.
On January 29, 2019, a man was on the Space Mountain rollercoaster in Disneyland when he climbed out of the ride and jumped down while it was moving in its ascent up the lift hill. The man was uninjured.
See also
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List of Disneyland attractions
Disneyland is a theme park, conceived by Walt Disney, within the Disneyland Resort in Anaheim, California. As of March 2017, Disneyland has 53 attractions with 49 rides (The term "attractions" is used by The Walt Disney Company, Disney as a catc ...
References
External links
Space Mountain at Disneyland Official Page*
Space Mountain Fan Site / 3D Recreation
{{Disney mountains
Disneyland
Disneyland is a amusement park, theme park in Anaheim, California. Opened in 1955, it was the first theme park opened by The Walt Disney Company and the only one designed and constructed under the direct supervision of Walt Disney. Disney in ...
Roller coasters introduced in 1977
Buildings and structures in Anaheim, California
Tourist attractions in Anaheim, California
Disneyland
Enclosed roller coasters
Roller coasters at Disneyland Park (Anaheim)
Steel roller coasters
Tomorrowland
1977 establishments in California
2005 establishments in Hong Kong