The Evolution of Space Mountain

[@texaswunderkind]

We went to Disney World during the Christmas break of 2020. A cold rain was settling in, and many people left the park. My son and I were able to ride Space Mountain six times in a row, nearly sprinting from the exit back to the entrance each time. It was easily one of the best moments of my life.

[@TrueLifeAdventures]

Interesting how our designs of "the future" often reflect back to the era in which they were envisioned. Much of the future that was imagined in the 70's ends up looking just like the 70's to those of us today who are able to look back. Love it!👍

[@ZeranZeran]

As someone who was born in 93, looking at the past visions of the future actually impresses me so much. Today, everyone seems to want to make VR, software based nonsense that no one will use (Apple Vision Pro, for example) I'd so much rather go see something IN PERSON, even just to see the old vision of the future is more impressive to me than the crap they're trying to pawn off today.

[@Durwood71]

The thing I remember most about this ride is the feeling that at any moment, my head was going to collide with an overhead structure. Things feel _really_ close in the dark!

[@Godric_71]

You made a very good and insightful point. The fact that Walt Disney decided to wait for technology to catch up to them just showcases his brilliance and foresight. The man was an absolute genius.

[@mattdonlan7745]

could you imagine any company today saying we have a great idea but we're going to have to wait 10 years to implement it?

[@thelaughingrat]

"In the future, packages will be sent through BEAMS OF LIGHT!" remains a meme in my family to this day.

[@aortaplatinum]

We almost there, we got digital movies, shows, and games now.

[@ThemeParkStop]

OMG was just about to type this. So glad it's the top comment. It's been stuck in my head for YEARS!

[@ThemeParkStop]

Inn thee futuree, packages will be sent to distant worlds through BEAMS OF LIGGGHT.

[@dontdriveat88]

Okay your household sounds pretty awesome.

[@2beJT]

Space mountain predicted fiber optic internet. Incredible

[@rjohnson80100]

No matter how many new rides get put in the park Space Mountain will be always my favorite.

[@jacksonvogel4005]

Glad to see you again, the hallway music of the ride always gives me nostalgia.

[@chrisgreenwood8188]

O shit here come dat boi

[@BillVol]

Same here. The nostalgia is overwhelming.

[@Dmhlcmb]

I love space mountain. There’s something really special about walking into that well air conditioned lobby full of 60s sci fi after being in the Florida heat and humidity.

[@comment2009]

I rode Space Mountain in the 70's. Family had a 2 day pass (2 sets of ticket books). Day 1 line for the Mountain resembled an L.A. freeway. Day 2 stood in line for the park to open, headed directly to the ride. As I remember the cue was about 20 minutes and behind us it quickly resembled the L.A. freeway. Got a front seat, thanks to dad allowing others behind us to go first. He was good at that. Could easily see the track. Dad and I liked the ride, mom said never again. In contrast mom loved Matterhorn and dad still did not like it. We road Matterhorn back in the 1960's. Nice to see Space Mountain here with the work lights on.

[@Sinistraa]

I just love the style of your videos... professional and very informative. Your speaking voice is wonderful.

[@justinogarza9726]

Space Mountain will always be my favorite Disney Ride

[@TarotMage]

For such a popular ride, what really surprised me at the time of the ride's opening was the lack of merchandising for it. I remember having a t-shirt made of Space Mountain artwork that was on the cover of "Disney News" magazine. When I went to Disney World wearing it I had people literally running up to me asking me where I got the shirt. Sadly, nowadays I'd be told I couldn't wear it in the park because it was an "unauthorized" product. :(

[@jerseyforhawks]

I am of the generation that visited WDW before Space Mountain opened, where they advertised its arrival beforehand with signs on the trainride. What a thrill. Original wait time was a bit over 2 hours, but wow, loved it a lot.

[@Shag471]

The juxtaposition of the big dogs playing on the bed against the words “Sweet Dreams” made me giggle. 😂

[@yotsubafanfan]

My all time favorite ride and the first major rollercoaster I ever rode. I was so scared when I rode it for the first time, and was blown away with the magic of being flung into the stars. A life long love was made. I'm so glad that over the years the WDW version hasn't changed like the ones all over the world.

[@neilengel3715]

As a former Space Mountain ride operator, (1978-1980) I can tell you that some of your facts are incorrect. The top speed of the "old 8 seater trains" was 28.7 mph. Now that the trains carry a max of 6 passengers each, the train undoubtedly goes slower. Also, going from 8 seats to 6 had a significant effect on the thruput capacity of the ride, thus making the lines longer. In those days when it was raining outside, we had to shut off the speed ramp at the exit because people would refuse to leave the covered area just at the top outside. That made us have to "slow down the dispatch interval" to avoid guest cramming at the exit. With the old trains the ride with 2 sides running had an hourly thruput of 2880 people. I'm not sure what it is now with the trains with fewer passengers are. However the old trains were dispatched at intervals as close as 21 seconds apart. Another interesting fact is that there were a maximum of 14 trains running on each track at once. Each side had 2 spares for a total of 32 trains. It took 4 operators in the load pit to secure all of the guests with individual car like seatbelts. The change to lapbars was done as a labor saving measure. The queue tunnel that goes under the railroad was not called the Star Corridor. It was called The Quadraphonic Corridor as it was wired for the then popular quadraphonic stereo sound. The zig zag corridor was called the Star Corridor which originally had models of mars, the earth and the moon as well as the spaceship that later appears on the lift hill.

[@1533ramsay]

Remember all of that. 👊👊👊🇺🇸

[@doomsdayend]

I've been so curious about the history of space In Disneyland. I don't remember very well but as a young child back in early eighties I thought I remember pictures of the movie the black hole at the exit of Disneyland, am I right?

[@matthewlange8603]

Do you know when they added the current music for the Star Tunnel? What about when "We've Come so Far" would play?

[@simonbreanda7822]

You mean throughput not thruput!. Destined to remain a button pusher!

[@neilengel3715]

@@matthewlange8603 All I remember was RCA Leads the Way.

[@michaelprice7005]

I would hate to see the structure disappear from the Magic Kingdom. I rode it with my dad for the first time in April of 1975 and when we got off I remember saying "I feel like a robot with no bolts in my knees" because my legs were shaking so much. It was my first ever full-sized roller coaster ride.

[@WorldsFairNYC]

“Oldest ride, longest line, Wooooooooo!”

[@reginaldeberhart8521]

Yes it is..lol

[@driftin6963]

Yes Your Right--even the Nature Boy Loves it....WOOOOOOO!!!!!

[@mumbothestarlow]

One of my favorite Disney rides, I get so nostalgic hearing that star tunnel music, it makes me so happy to hear every time lol. The only problem I have with it is that they took out a lot from the moving walkway section.

[@RobNickel001]

Very cool story. I visited Disneyland at age 10 back in 1977 and Space Mountain was my first coaster. It's one of my fondest childhood memories because it was so mind blowing to this little farm boy from Canada!

[@EM-ec4jo]

Ironically, I love the queue and preshow way more than the ride itself.

[@giovanninasuluh]

I remember riding Space Mountain as a kid in the original 4-seater cars with seatbelts. I was so small that I slid out of the seatbelt and ended up in the nose of the car. I was terrified of the ride for decades after and didn't ride it again until I worked at the park in 1992.

[@giovanninasuluh]

@tinylilmatt there was but, let's just say the late 70s weren't all that famous for safety regs...

[@ThemeParkStop]

Anyone remember the short-lived monitors at the last room before load, showing alien TV stations with alien commercials? Probably was around the time Alien Encounter and Timekeeper was around. It was like the Jaws queue video... but more unsettling.

[@ThemeParksShouldntExist]

Who could forget Space Mountain TV?

[@nextgenwarrior]

Was really hoping to see more of Disneyland's Space Mountain. The 90's theming, queue and soundtrack are still the best it's ever been.

[@dooneygirl7259]

NGW totally agree. DL’s is far superior in every way. Everything about WDW’s Space Mtn is disappointing 😒

[@luuchoo93]

Dooneygirl 72 I disagree. Space Mountain in WDW has a far superior queue, which is totally immersive, nostalgic music, interactivity, etc DL’s Space Mountain queue looks like an ugly outdated mall. It’s sad. The attraction itself has two versions in Florida, and only one in California.The seats in Florida are the same as Matterhorn, which are much more tight and leave most of the body feeling “unprotected” when riding in the dark and with sudden turns. The entire attraction is much scarier in Florida. DL has only 2 pros: a cool soundtrack for the ride, and a Holiday overlay. Everything else is much better in Florida, by far

[@lourdesokoro4158]

@@luuchoo93 strongly agree

[@Gobble_de_Goop]

@@dooneygirl7259 - Did they fix the issue with the terrible projection at the WDW Space Mountain? I rode it in the 90s and early 2000s, and the space projection then was awesome. By 2012, 2013 and 2016 the projection was so faint you couldn't even see the stars.

[@C1NDR0N3]

i was just thinkin last night you hadn’t posted anything in awhile and I was missing your content. thanks for delivering

[@itr0863]

man those soothing horns you hear when you walk into space mountain, just bring it all back.

[@sonimatic]

Please don't modernize Space Mountain, to me it's a nostalgic rose tinted view into what my childhood self thought the future would be like. And it's the most nostalgic ride I can think of in my life.

[@letsplayclassicgames5024]

@@national1866 Agreed! Test Track 1.0 had great immersive theming that really made for a great experience. Was very disappointed when I unknowingly walked in to Test Track 2.0 a few years ago.

[@BansheeResearch]

@@letsplayclassicgames5024 at this point a cars themed ride would be better like RSR except it would be more like time trials

[@GMoney-B]

Eric Esty I used to always think the same thing and lament and cringe at those types of changes. However I went on the Star Wars version of space mountain in California, and it was absolutely incredible and a blast with the opening music from Star Wars in the tunnel. They had some extremely amazing projection effects too. Some that would show a tie fighter or x wing projected on the wall fallowing you all the way around a turn. Absolutely incredible and so so so much fun! Made me feel like a kid going to Disneyland again. :)

[@shannond7437]

Eric Esty Disney World definitely needs to modernize the actual coaster. The ride is literally painful!

[@elizabetht9734]

It's the only ride I've never forgotten.

[@HotCurryMouth]

I screamed and bawled my eyes out the first time I rode this ride as an 8 year old. I thought I was going to die 😂

[@OnlyOneKenobi]

What can I say other than congratulations! YOU'VE done it. You've made the best historical documentary on Space Mountain (I my opinion) to date on KZbin! I've been waiting for one as good as this 👍 Good work! Great pace, timing of information drops... awesome! ☺ O.O.K 💙👌 Only One Kenobi

[@Spksss]

I always love seeing a new video from this channel! I love the longer in-depth videos :D

[@richardford3310]

as a member of the original operations management team I can say this documentary is not only comprehensively accurate but very well done indeed

[@michaelbruce2372]

Not to argue with an original cast member...but I first rode it in late 1989 and it still had the 8 passenger trains at the time. I was also an employee of WDW from 1999-2003 and at space mountain 2001-2003. That said it is NOT "comprehensively" accurate as several spots in the time line are slightly off. For example the trains were still 8 passenger in 1989 and Fedex didn't leave in 2004, as most traces of fedex were pretty much gone by 2003 having started the process already in early 2002 etc. and the sponsorship had ended before 2004. Anyway still quite well done, just needs some fact checking and cleaning up. love the old video just wish there was some old audio in there as well that wasn't covered by narration. etc. I also found the ride to rely on the operators heavily(especially in the control tower position) to keep it from cascading and wasn't as automated as you suggested, though very advanced for sure through most of its first 10 years but by the 90's was a dinosaur of computer control and hadn't really advanced/updated any by the time I was there. I remember someones $10,000 wig getting blown off during her ride, falling on the track and shutting us down for 4 hours as we evacuated both sides, found her wig and waited for the the engineers to clear wig hair out of the sensors, train wheels etc. Sat up in my reset zone for A side up at the top just over the lift hill with my new sorta boyfriend at the time for hours. Also B side still had places where you could easily flat palm touch the walls/rivets and structures as you rode by especially around the retrofitted evacuation elevator on that side...totally an accident waiting to happen. During my time, there was a story floating around that a guests wedding ring got caught on one of those screws or rivets and ripped the ring and the skin/tissue off of his finger leaving bone showing, probably impossible to verify as Disney is really good at covering up minor incidents, and rightfully so as most are completely the fault of the guest for ignoring safety warnings/instructions. My initials/name are on the back wall behind A side unload btw with dozens of others. Though who knows if they painted over all that by now.

[@benjaminshamel9383]

I was SO scared of this at first when I was a little kid in the 90s, but as I grew older, I loved it more and more, and now it remains my favorite ride at Magic Kingdom aside from The Haunted Mansion. I hope they do something like update it technically, but keep the theme. I think a TON of people would be pissed if it closed, I think it's still one of their most popular attractions (or, rather, it was in 2011 when I was last there, but I guess a lot has changed just since then!), I mean at least a symbol of Magic Kingdom. I do think it needs ride track and computer systems updates and all that fun stuff; I'd still like the design of the vehicles to remain the same, but yes please, for the love of God, SMOOTH THE TRACK!!!

[@Rossturnerphoto]

Space Mountain went from being the ride I was afraid to go on as a kid to my favorite ride as a teen and young-adult. Now in my 40s I don't make it to Disney World like I used to but it would still be my favorite if I went back.

[@MattMcIrvin]

13:54 Nice, prescient bit of futurism there... that thing on the coffee table looks like the hulking "desktop replacement" laptops of the early 2000s.

[@GMoney-B]

Exactly what I was thinking. The imagineers were ahead of their time! Haha

[@Localtraveler2376]

I was inside this in the 80’s and they had some sort of problem. They turned the lights on! It was interesting to see how small and compact it was.

[@Drebe73]

Still cant believe they removed the people mover. It added such beautiful movement in the land. Love that we still have it in WDW. Loved this video, my heart racing and a big smile on my face.

[@drpiv]

Space Mountain - oldest ride, longest line! Whoooo!

[@twstf8905]

When my family went to Disneyland in 1980 and 1983 Space Mountain was a necessity before we went on anything else. Of course, I was only 4 and then 7 lol so it's all pretty nostalgic to see it now. Ah, the 80's lol right?! 😂

[@fw5455]

Space Mountain was a necessity in 1980 because it had "just" opened within a few years.

[@blindlemon9]

Thanks for the nostalgia. My family took a rare vacation to DW when I was a young kid in 1976. I loved everything about Space Mountain, even the “chocolate chip cookie” asteroids projected across the ceiling of the queue. Over twenty years later, Space Mountain is still the greatest ride ever. I just wish that Disney had retained the 1950s sci-fi theming of the rockets, with the red and white noses. Now it’s generic gray and blue. The other ride changes have all been excellent, but my childhood memories of the just-opened Space Mountain remain rose-tinted.

[@1533ramsay]

Forgot about the cookie. Remember standing in line and asking "is that a cookie?" Lol. By that point the excitement grew because you could see and hear what was about to be experience...👍👍👍

[@mr.pencilsharpener8004]

This is the best version of Space Mountain. Change my mind.

[@KoopaTroopa1]

No you’re correct

[@BigAL68xyz]

Space Mountain is still my favorite ride at MK! I'll probably be 60 when we go back next, but I'm still gonna ride it!

[@mike9147]

Thanks for posting this. I've been riding Space Mountain since it's beginning. I have forgotten the ride the way it was back in the day and must say I miss the way it was. I always enjoyed looking up from the wait lines and seeing the coaster glide through the darkness. Not sure why they closed the view!?! I also miss the moving floor out to the exit :(

[@lysem4392]

Someone wrote in the comments that they loved this ride so much that they went on it six times in a row. My experience was the opposite. I went to Disney World in 1977, while all the original exhibits were still there. I wish I could remember them. All I remember is what seemed like an eternity of terror. I truly felt like I was being thrown to the ground from a great height, again and again. That was my first and last ride on a roller coaster.

[@pyrexmaniac]

My family visited WDW in 1976. My brother and I looked forward to the brand-new Space Mountain attraction....it was an "E" ticket, after all. We waited about half an hour to ride. To our utter dismay and extreme disappointment, our day at the park ended at the conclusion of the Space Mountain ride.....my mother had split her pants open while disembarking, leading to our departure from the park for several hours. Boy, oh boy, was I pissed!!!

[@skippertrey]

Loved this! Can you do another video on the differences between the different Space Mountains?

[@matthewrichards8497]

Yes! And perhaps more history and details on the one at Disneyland.

[@darkstorminc]

I got to ride rhe one at Disneyland in the late 70s amd loved it. It may be slow but it is one of my favorites. Same for DW SM.

[@stanley_427]

I can't imagine how hard it must have been to find each individual photo and piece of film for everything you were talking about.

[@jeffbrubaker5228]

I was there the summer of 75. I was 11 years old at the time and my parent's took us on vacation to Disney World. My father and I waited three and a half hours to get on Space Mountain. It was the scariest ride! It was mostly in total darkness. At that time, you sat tandem and there was nothing to hold on to. You can see what I'm talking about at 14:57. You were just strapped in. No bars to hold on to. I returned there with my daughter in 2006 and they tamed it down a bit. It wasn't total darkness anymore and there were all kinds of safety bars to hold on to. Still great fun!

[@Chrisdrumz]

Summer of 76. 4 years old. Disneyworld. I remember it quite well. The lights,the animatronic dudes in the station and then the ride starting and being TERRIFIED. Screaming and crying😂 Went again 9 years later(to Disneyland) and thinking it wasn't scary at all but it WAS fun😁

[@markbrown9458]

Pretty cool looking "futuristic" lap top @ 13:56.

[@memethyst]

space mountain has always been my absolute favorite :) it just makes me so happy. i love the music, i love the aesthetic of the queue, i just love it all so much. what i don't love is how they got rid of the moving walkway at the end of the ride... though walking up the short ramps isn't as bad as the temporary fix of walking all the way around the back of the building and over the train tracks.

[@AverytheCubanAmerican]

I love the Star Tunnel music, it's nostalgia. My favorite version of Space Mountain is the one in Paris. The design of that one looks so cool

[@BruinPhD2009]

Have you been to Disneyland Paris since the ride became Hyperspace Mountain? It is really intense, especially for a Disney coaster, but great fun.

[@LoveStallion]

The Paris version is so much fun. The launch at the beginning. Inversions! An outdoor loading area! Very different right.

[@lourdesokoro4158]

@@LoveStallion yep! it's my home park! never gets old

[@adamjones-ps]

Kinda surprised you didn't mention anything about the ride turning into Hyperspace Mountain for 2 years. Still very informative. Thanks for posting.

[@deanwilliams867]

I remember the first time I went to Disney was 1973 I was six years old at the time our family took the Auto Train down from Pennsylvania at that time Space Mountain was just starting to be built it wasn't until 2004 when I finally got to ride Space Mountain I've been to Disney World many many times I currently live in Florida about 90 miles away it's still my favorite ride next to the Haunted Mansion !

[@allanaw5894]

I went on a field trip here in 2019, there was this really popular girl in my class and i was scared so she held my hand on the ride lol I felt so special, I later realized she was either being really nice to me that day or it was because i had a nicer phone than her lol

[@Kodachrome40]

I rode back in 1978. When you first walked in there was a film projected on a screen of astronaut Gordon Cooper telling you what to expect on the ride.

[@davidbakerscuba]

I really miss watching the green lighted ride vehicles zipping by while I’m waiting in the queue line.

[@coasterfreakrob]

I am so disappointed that the open ceiling to the ride area has been covered over with just a view of outer space. As a kid, I was fascinated by watching the glowing rockets zoom around on tracks I couldn't see. It made the attraction seem huge! Space Mountain was always my favorite attraction at Disney World as even from a very young age I was fascinated with both roller coasters and outer space. Honestly, if I ever heard that they were permanently closing Space Mountain, I would empty my bank accounts to take an emergency trip to Disney World to ride it again.

[@FrankieWashburn]

I knew the rockets used to glow! You could also see them on the Peoplemover. Glad I’m not the only one who still remembers.

[@Viking_Luchador]

Disneyland Paris had a great Space Mountain (and probably the best Tomorrowland in the world) until they decided to just slap the Star Wars label on everything

[@johnwatson3948]

I was on Space Mountain in the 1970’s. After it started my safety belt clip somehow came undone and I had to hold myself down with only the side grips - remember rising up and almost out of the recliner seat - very exciting. I remember the animatronic teenage girl on her bed - wish they showed the fake flat-screen TV she was watching with a fake mop-top rock band music video.

[@giovanninasuluh]

I had a similar experience back then. I thought it was just me.

[@thomaswilson3437]

I took my really tall 3 year old son on this in 1989. Because he was so young I was worried that it might be too much for him. But, he really wanted to ride so off we went. I kept my hand on his shoulder the whole time it he kept yelling that he was ok. When we got off I asked how he like it, and he said it was alright. Then we went on the roller walkway to leave, and that’s when he got excited. He loved that part, and told his mom all about it over and over again....go figure.

[@quietdemon8138]

I’m sure Space Mountain and Tron will coexist side by side plus their exteriors have similar minimalist designs so they compliment each other and don’t look out of space while also fitting into the whole Tomorrowland theme

[@russellgentile4719]

Awesome nostalgia piece thank you! Love all the old school video/ride revisits.

[@davem3789]

Just got back from Disney and rode Space Mountain two days ago. Nice info here. Thanks

[@Alpha1545]

Some how or another the group I went with did not know that the ride just opened to the public. We waited 2 hrs. so not exactly 1st. The ride was awesome! Totally blew my mind. I was a young punk. Would ride it again today.

[@laurie4275]

Thanks for the trip back in time. I remember the original ride. When it first opened, only my big brother was brave enough to enter. Took me a couple years to work up my courage. And even tho its entirely in the dark, I still keep my eyes closed! 😆

[@susanf915]

Boy do I remember the Matterhorn-style seating. Hit a drop just as I tried to look up and head-butted my very short dad square in the nose. Poor guy ended up walking around with an ice pack on his nose. He was a good sport about it, but damn, that had to hurt. Next time we went to Disneyland (back at home) he made me sit with my mom on the Matterhorn. (Also embarrassed the shit out of me by telling that story every single time someone brought up Disney World for the next twenty year.)

[@Toast0808]

12:52 In 1981, which was the first time I rode the Florida version of Space Mountain, the RCA song wasn’t played in the tunnel queues leading to the loading area, it was only played in the speed ramp exit tunnel. It’s burned into my memory, “RCAAAAAAA.......LEADS THE WAYYYYY, LEADS THE WAYYYY”. At the exit, not the entrance. There was no RCA advertising in the entrance tunnel either. It was all at the end. And Nipper was there, at the end, too.

[@OnlyOneKenobi]

Yet another GREAT quality documentary by you! Well executed, I loved it! (And one of my favourite topics too! 😉) I see you as one of the originals on KZbin, since I saw your channel before many of the others.... seems wrong you're not already on 100k subscribers already.... coz man, you deserve it! 😉 O.O.K 💙👌🏻

[@jeffg9999]

Yeah, the Florida one could be smoother. Especially at one point. I was told by George years ago that there was a "mistake" in the track and you would know where it is when you ride it. The CA version didn't have that mistake. They learned a lot from building the first one.

[@celinevanruyskensvelde7448]

Would love to see a video of the version on Disneyland Paris (if you haven’t made that yet). Great videos.

[@johnroy9654]

when I first went to Space Mountain as a child, I was terrified because it was in the dark, and you didn't know what kind of roller coaster it is. It's actually a rather tame roller coaster, but it is like walking through a room with your eyes closed, you become very cautious. I spent hours standing in line for it.. but once it was time to go on the ride.. I didn't get on it out of fear.

[@TheJer1963]

I remember riding that back in 75. It was pretty cool for a then 12 year old. The castle let me down as you could only walk in the front and straight out the back. Thought we were going to see the whole thing.

[@MrGlobaldave1]

Thanks for this bit of DL history. The time I rode it and exited at the unload area, there were a few people of various ages trying to recover from getting sick... yes a need to upgrade & add barf stations. Space Slime!!

[@mokthemagicman]

Cool video but nothing was said about the removal and change to the mirrored infinity incline tunnel that was originally in the Disneyland CA Space Mountain. Now it has an animated projected warp tunnel effect.

[@ericlondon5731]

As a young teen in the late 70's, I went to Disney with family and a beautiful neighbor girl, unaware of my idolization. In front of us was a huge new ride that was famed for its horror and doing so in the dark. I HATE all rollercoasters. Yet, the seating arraignments on Space Mountain had my neighbor seated right in front of me, complete with an intoxicating perfume. I went through the whole ride totally oblivious to the gut slinging dark roller coaster's ability to instill fear. After leaving the ride, to this day I only remember her. She of course, in typical teenage fashion, forgot I was even along on the trip, or indeed alive at all. Asked for years afterward by anyone what I thought of the ride it's self : I have no clue, ...........do not remember anything else. I've heard it is a good ride..........

[@michaelstern8657]

I loved the “in lap” seating from the eighties. Like you, I specifically remember how my “teenage crush” had to squeeze between my legs and the grip I held during those sudden dips and turns. I’m sure you and I aren’t the only guys who found this to be their favorite ride.

[@Lethgar_Smith]

Magic Kingdom Space Mountain ride operator '88 - '89. I was there when they changed out the cars from the old 8 seaters to the new 6 seaters. This was done to make loading of the trains easier and more efficient. A lot of guests did not want to sit between somebody else's thighs. This would cause delays and trains being sent out half full. Tom Cruise and his then girlfriend Nicole Kidman came through on the ride the first day the new cars were put in use coming right off of shooting Days of Thunder. They were escorted to the front of the line by one of those VIP girls in the riding outfits. Remember those? (Dude is really short) He apparently had been on the ride the day before and as I lowered the new lap bars down on he and his girlfriend he said something to me and I had to ask him to repeat what he said because it's really loud on the loading platform. He repeated himself and I still didn't catch what he was saying. Then as the train launches and disappears around the corner is dawns on me what he was saying. "I liked it better the other way" he was saying as he leaned forward and put his hands on Nicole's seat in front of him and leaned over to the side to smile at her. So, Tom Cruise was complaining to me that Nicole Kidman was not able to sit between his thighs on Space Mountain. My brush with "greatness".

[@AshN293]

I hadn't known the moving walkway part at the end had been removed, so we were sad to find out when we went this February. My family always enjoyed making faces at the cameras 😛

[@cjmanson5692]

You forgot to mention the addition of atmospheric music along the ride tracks sometime after the 2009 refurbishment. (The "Stary-O-phonic Sound" addition)

[@gregsemon]

You completely left out the hilariously cheesy “news channel” that played in the queue during the 90’s

[@1533ramsay]

Funny how people remember different things. The RCA music runs though my head ...😜

[@iWrick8111]

Yes I remember that as well from Disneyland. I can only remember two of the actors that were on it, the late Glenn Shadix from Beetlejuice and Kelly Coffield from In Living Color, forgot who eles.

[@RetroFett]

Featuring "Saved by the Bell"' Mario Lopez... for real!

[@1990hondarc30]

My Dad helped to build the ride and I was one of the first kids to ride Space Mountain

[@kennymesa6683]

Just came up on this video and wow im so impressed and happy of what this channel has become! keep up the Great work buddy!

[@kodyeldridge5847]

If you ever return to the "keep epcot weird" series, may I recommend the Wonders of life pavilion? specifically though, the "Making of Me" show with martin short.

[@icdisney1964]

I remember the first time I heard the ghost galaxy thing at disney; I was pretty little and then I heard the monster noises in tomorrow land and was terrified

[@fabrisseterbrugghe8567]

I went on it the year it opened. The seatbelt and grab bar style was interesting. I still remember the nice people who helped pry my fingers off the bar. I'd grabbed so tightly for so long that they'd locked.

[@amandaengelman5168]

Ok, so I didn't lose my mind. I swore I remembered riding Space Mountain in my mom's lap as a kid, but then I saw the current cars, and that wouldn't be possible. I figured they just let me ride that way because it was the 80s, and nobody cared about safety in the 80s. This makes much more sense.

[@rediscoveryrecords1348]

Anyone know where you can hear the spacey waiting music that you heard as you waited in line inside in the 80s and 90s? I remember as a kid it being very eerie with sound effects like pulsars flying by and occasional communications from the bridge about spaceships. Being really into ambient space music 30+ years later, this waiting ride music really influenced me. Anyone have any clue online where u can hear the original music?

[@JeffFrmJoisey]

Great video!! Very informative!!! Done well!!! I learned some info about Space Mountain that I never knew before!! I always suspend belief, logic and sense of direction once I get to the bottom of the entry's ramps and stairs. I know how the building is laid out, yet my mind has invented its own version and visualizes the building much larger than it is. The ceiling over the queue blocking guests' view of the ride in space was added in the 2009 refurb, when most of the back and forth queue was removed. Before then, sometimes it would take 45 minutes just to get thru the queue room!!! At least the videos on the CRT monitors were a little funny to keep you happy while you waited and snaked thru the queue!!!

[@gillespieeverafter2690]

I love your videos so much! The nostalgia is so great!!

[@christine3043]

Thank you for the very detailed video. I rode on it the first year it opened in the Magic Kingdom. I was very young and my dad went on it with me....with his broken leg in a cast. I can still remember getting into the ride vehicle. Since then I have been on the MK and DL ones countless times. It remains a favourite ride. I am going to DL this summer so I am anxious to ride it there since my last time there was in 1995. I wish they'd not taken away the moving sidewalk ramp at the end. Not sure why they did that. The ending is much more boring than it used to be. I hope they change it before I am at MK next.

[@yes_head]

LOL, watching this I kept thinking "RCA? I don't remember that... FedEx? Wha...?" Then I realized this is only about the DisneyWORLD version of the ride. I grew up in OC in the late 70s and spent many summer days at Disneyland, and I probably rode Space Mountain at least once every visit (and sunk plenty of quarters into the arcade games!) I remember how back in those days the ride was heavily used to cross-promote Disney's "Black Hole" movie. Thanks for the trip down memory lane.

[@elliothuh669]

The ride is slow but it pulls alot of g's in those sharp turns. I was in a little accident in 2003 brakes failed and we hit the rocket in front. No one was seriously injured. They refurbished it soon after. Recently got back on it this year. It's a safe ride. Considering how much these rides are run. And it was totally fun and worth riding.

[@johnvance3688]

The best park history channel!! Keep it up buddy👍🏻

[@JCOdrjones]

:v

[@Particulator]

I remember visiting Space Mountain in the late 70's and there was many health warning for those afflicted with bladder and cardiac problems. We were told to remove glasses and that the piece of rail with the buggy outside near the entrance was actually a section of the ride at witch you were supposedly go at 70mph but now I just learn that the max speed was ONLY 30mph. My brother and mom didn't want to make the ride after seeing the warnings.... rofl

[@MouseMickey1992]

Great video!

[@1533ramsay]

Wow, I was there for all of it...."RCA Leads the Way, Leads the Way". Still runs through my head...😜👊🇺🇸

[@benbacon7654]

Seriously?! That's so cool!

[@jacobsmith7498]

California’s space mountain queue has never been this elaborate

[@theequalizer4justice879]

Space Mnt, All time Great ride💜

[@Toast0808]

“The simulation would be broken if the cars went outside”....and then Disney builds a Tron Light Cycle Power Run coaster that goes outside and back in again for no good reason, breaking the immersive theme of being inside the computer. Last I checked, the Light Cycles didn’t come out of the computer into the real world and then back in again in the movie.

[@gw78787]

Good video! Thanks for doing it!

[@taffysaur]

My sister’s favourite ride, and one that traumatised me as a child (I love it now).

[@RealSkyDiver2]

Just look for the Paris version for the ultimate Space Mountain Version that comes closest to its original theme. Still one of my favorite coaster I ever been on for superior to the other ones.

[@crabstick250]

Nicely done!! I first went to Disney World when I was 10 in 1974; and I was sooo pissed off that I could see it (being built, they had the huge shape built) but not ride it.