Does anyone else dislike Space Mountain? isnt it just overrated.

[jeepnjudy]

I quit riding it a few yrs ago.
We rode SM in Disneyland the first time this past fall.
I was so surprised at how different and better it is at Disneyland.
I like it way more then SM at WDW.
The track is totally different and a smoother ride then the Magic Kingdom version at WDW.
The cars are different too.

I agree...SM at DL is wayyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyy better! Much smoother and you can ride with another person right next to you!

 

[lroger01]

I like Space Mountain! The dark queue with the space music and holograms is pure Disney. As for the ride I've found riding as far back in the second rocket is best. There is just enough ambient light around that you can see the first rocket and watch for course changes and drops. A little warning and the jerking is much much less.

 

[Bullseye]

Love Space Mountain.

Ditto... Love Space Mountain

 

[Lmans77]

I rode it in 2012 and didn't like it because of the jerkiness. It was down for refurbishment on one of our next trips, and then we just avoided it. Tried it again this March because DS was finally big enough. I loved it this time. It felt less rough. I was in the first car and it definitely was a bit intense but not in a bad way.

 

[Baptist]

They need to turn Space Mountain into HyperSpace Mountain like in Disneyland. The addition of the Star Wars theme is amazing.

 

[maltdizzy]

Living near DL for years ruined SM, Pirates, and a few other rides at WDW.

The shut SM down at DL for well over a year to put the new ride in maybe 15 years ago. Time to do the same at WDW. DL did the same for their current BTMRR.

 

[Zippa D Doodah]

First of all, I am tall so have to bend my legs up quite a bit to get in. Then the ride shakes me up and makes my back sore. Not saying I will never ride it again, but I don't mind leaving it to the under 50 crowd.

 

[ldymcbth]

It's so much better at Disneyland. The one at WDW is so rough - I ride it so my kids have someone with them, but I would never just ride it for my own enjoyment. Too jerky and rough. The DL one is smooth and much more fun, and with additions like Ghost Galaxy - just great! I wish they would redo WDW.

 

[mister morrow]

just figured out today that they took out some of the sound effects in the WDW version, i don't know why i am so upset about it

 

[diamondcharl]

I used to love it. Rode it every time at DW. Last time I went in Jan I screamed like a little baby. I don't know if its because I am older now (49) or its rougher than I remember. I couldn't shake the feeling that I was going to get decapitated. I don't know if my perception is on the fritz or what, but it messed me up for at least an hour after riding. Maybe next time I will ride with my eyes closed and see if that helps.

 

[ParksPixar&Pizza]

im not a fan personally, im more of a river cruise fan.

Has always been my favorite ever since I was younger! I hadn't been on it in A WHILE before last year and it seemed like it went a lot faster, anyone experience that? I was talking to someone in line and he said he thinks they sped it up a little.

 

[22Tink]

Love SM in Disneyland, one of my favorites! Not so much in WDW. Way to rough and jerky for me!

 

[bryanb]

Rough ride. Why is that? Have they done that on purpose or just bad engineering?

FUN FACTS!

The Space Mountain at WDW is actually the cousin of Matterhorn Bobsleds at Disneyland. The Matterhorn was the world's first tubular steel roller coaster, built in 1959. Originally, Imagineers wanted to build a Matterhorn at the Magic Kingdom, but it would not fit in Fantasyland. Therefore, they decided to make a space-themed version of that ride instead.

So it's quite the opposite of bad engineering. Decades ago, these rides were actually feats of remarkable engineering that pushed the envelope on rollercoaster design.

Space Mountain at Disneyland (called "Hyperspace Mountain") is a completely different ride system and track layout. It happens to share some similarities in the ride building and space theme, but otherwise it's not even the same roller coaster and isn't the best comparison.

So when you compare MK's Space Mountain with it's true Disneyland counterpart, you'll see why many people say the same thing about the Matterhorn... that it's jerky and rough. And yet it remains one of the most popular attractions there too.

 

[BridgeBuilder]

In recent years, have they decreased the amount of lights/special effects? It seems like when I went in 2004, it was a lot more "lit-up" (almost looked like a laser tag place, if that makes sense). Now its just...dark.

 

[MVC1225]

Huge coaster fan and have been on close to 100 different coasters.

However, I HATE MK's Space Mountain. It's not a good quality coaster, tiny drops, so jerky, and very uncomfortable seats. I rarely ride it anymore.

Disneyland SM is tons better and I like that quite a bit.

Disneyland Paris's SM is one of the most painful rides I've ever been on to the point I felt physically ill after riding so I guess MK's could be worse.

 

[mikedoyleblogger]

Love Space, it's a classic Disney attraction in my mind. That said I wish they would just bite the bullet and take it offline for a year and do a massive refurb ala Disneyland. Yet prevailing knowledge is that won't happen untill tomorrowland gets an overall update.

That was the whole plan with the last major refurb several years ago. But TDO value-engineered the plan all the way down to trackside music and a few replaced sections of track.

 

[mikedoyleblogger]

I love WDW's Space Mountain for the same reason I love DL's similar Matterhorn Bobsleds. Both are old, jerky, painful, and have awkward seating. But they both are also iconic and classic, with great theming and atmosphere. That kind of makes up for the rough ride.

Like some others here, I do think DL's SM is better, but it's also a totally different ride, so it's really not a fair comparison. The more direct comparison is with Matterhorn, since it's the ride system WDW's SM was based on.

I also agree DL Paris' SM is more painful than WDW's. At least MK's SM doesn't knock you in the head! The Paris version kills you like a really bad Vekoma corkscrew with hard OTR restraints banging your ears back and forth. Over and over for two minutes.

 

[mikedoyleblogger]

They need to turn Space Mountain into HyperSpace Mountain like in Disneyland. The addition of the Star Wars theme is amazing.

It's only temporary. Not a permanent overlay.

 

[kilroy1966]

Usually this is the first ride I go to at rope drop. I'm 60 and will keep riding until I can't climb out of the ride vehicle anymore.

 

[lilkimmyk]

I went on Space Mountain when I was 12, my late teens and the last time when I was 28. I like roller coasters, especially wooden ones which are jerky and bouncy, but SM has never appealed to me. It's an odd jerky, uncomfortable to me. I honestly have never been able to understand what all the hype has been about.