Magic Kingdom Lands

Description And Comments

Totally enclosed in a mammoth futuristic structure, Space Mountain has always been the Magic Kingdom's most popular attraction. The theme is a space flight through dark recesses of the galaxy. Effects are superb, and the ride is the fastest and wildest in the Magic Kingdom. As a roller coaster, Space Mountain is much zippier than Big Thunder Mountain Railroad, but much tamer than the Rock 'n' Roller Coaster at Disney's Hollywood Studios or Expedition Everest at the Animal Kingdom.

Roller coaster aficionados will tell you (correctly) that Space Mountain is a designer version of The Wild Mouse, a midway ride that's been around for at least 50 years. An extensive refurbishment, scheduled for completion in late 2009, will add new lighting and effects, an improved sound system, and a completely redesigned queuing area with interactive games to help pass the time in line. The track is being replaced as well, but the new one will retain the same paths as the old. There are no long drops or swooping hills like on a traditional roller coaster, only quick, unexpected turns and small drops. Disney's contribution essentially was to add a space theme to The Wild Mouse and put it in the dark. And this does indeed make the mouse seem wilder.

A teen from Colchester, Connecticut, wrote us about her bad hair day:

WARN Space Mountain riders to take off hair scrunchies. I lost my best one on it and couldn't get it back. This ride was fast, curvy, and very hairdo-messing.

Maybe we're getting old, but when we rode Space Mountain this year we found ourselves agreeing with this Raleigh, North Carolina, reader:

If I were in charge, the name would be "Space for Rent Mountain." I found this jerky and worn-out coaster to be quite painful to ride - I had to clasp my hands around my next to minimize the pain. And I rode Rock 'n' Roller Coaster and Expedition Everest three times each.

A Texas mother of two advises working up to Space Mountain:

You might want to start all children off on Goofy's Barnstormer, then work up to Thunder Mountain and Space Mountain. We tried Space Mountain first because there was no line, and it ruined the boys for the rest of the trip. It was certainly not the Space Mountain I rode in 1984.