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2010 Best Theme Park Attraction: Splash Mountain vs. Space Mountain

By Robert Niles
Published: March 23, 2010 at 2:55 PM
Thanks to everyone who has voted in this year's Best Theme Park Attraction Tournament. We've come to the final contest of the first round, a great match-up in Best Themed Ride bracket.

8. Splash Mountain at Walt Disney World's Magic Kingdom

Splash Mountain at Walt Disney World's Magic Kingdom

vs.

9. Disneyland's Space Mountain

Disneyland's Space Mountain


Please tell us in the comments why you voted the way you did.

Later tonight, I'll post the schedule for round two, which begins Wednesday morning at 11 (8am Pacific). Thanks again, everyone, and remember to keep getting out that vote for your favorites!

Readers' Opinions

From Sylvain Comeau on March 23, 2010 at 3:02 PM
I voted for Splash because the Disneyland version of Space is a little too tame for me. And WDW's Splash is the best version, with a more elaborate dark ride portion. This is going to be a close contest, though.
From James Rao on March 23, 2010 at 3:06 PM
Wow, what a tough call.

Space Mountain is a great attraction and a prefect example of WDI's ability to make a ride better than the sum of its parts.

Having written that praise, Splash Mountain is truly a wonder, the ultimate flume attraction on this planet. It gets my vote, fair and square.

From Tyler Stover on March 23, 2010 at 3:07 PM
Oooh, this was a tough call. Two of my favorite themed rides... I ultimately went for Splash, because in my opinion it has a richer theme. It tells a good story, and even the queue helps the setting. The visuals are great, and it has some thrills to top it all off. Space is a really fun ride, and Disneyland's version has very impressive effects and a great design, but I think I enjoy Splash Mountain, at both Disney World and the similar version at Disneyland, just a little bit more.
From 173.10.88.113 on March 23, 2010 at 3:08 PM
DL Space Mountain - the current 'new' version - is one of the finest thrill attractions ever created. yes, it's a "tame" coaster - but the soundtrack & visuals make it *perfect.*

Splash Mountain is pretty good, but DL SM is fantastic.

From Robert Niles on March 23, 2010 at 3:09 PM
Yeah, I saved this one for last. :-)
From Beth Olliges on March 23, 2010 at 3:10 PM
Disneyland's Space Mountain is WAY better than WDW's -- the soundtrack, getting to ride side-by-side, even the track seems smoother! My boyfriend and I enjoy it so much more! But of course this vote isn't against WDW's version of Space Mountain, but against Splash Mountain, and there, for both of us, it's no contest. We just don't see the fun in getting soaked and walking around the rest of the day with squishy shoes (probably leading to blisters) and wet underwear. In all the times we've visited WDW and DL, we've only ridden either version of Splash Mountain once. We did enjoy the dark ride part, and if the end was just a cooling splash like a normal log flume, it would be fine -- why did they have to spoil it by making the last drop a soaking one?
From 70.118.44.204 on March 23, 2010 at 3:17 PM
DL Space is one of my most favorite rides! Splash is great competition, but if you cant ride it year round (Orlando winter was brutal), does it deseve to advance?
From Nick Markham on March 23, 2010 at 3:28 PM
Let's Go Disneyland Space Mountain, this best Space Mountain there is!
From 74.89.52.143 on March 23, 2010 at 3:41 PM
splash mountain IS my laughin place! i always feel that happy feeling when i hear the how do you do song :D
From Brandon Mendoza on March 23, 2010 at 4:25 PM
I voted for Space Mountain reluctantly as I love both Splash and Space. Splash Mtn in Florida is much better than the California one. But Space in California is much better than the Florida version. That being said, I agree with one of the above posters that what tipped me over to Space Mountain is the fact that it can be ridden year round. I don't ever wanna get sick from riding a log flume!
From Joshua Counsil on March 23, 2010 at 5:11 PM
Doesn't get much tougher than this.

Ultimately, I went for Splash. I can't explain exactly why. It feels a little more dilapidated than it used to, and yet it still packs so much charm.

That, and it led to one of the greatest theme park quirks of all time, Flash Mountain.

From 96.225.247.151 on March 28, 2010 at 3:33 PM
I think that Space Mountain at Disneyland is the most immersive ride EVER. Splash Mountain is a good ride too, But I'd go with Space Mountain, it's smoother and you don't get wet. If it was WDW Space Mountain VS. Splash, I'd go for Splash Mountain WDW or DL.

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