Question about space mountain
Disneyland: Does Space Mountain have drops or is it just fast??
Can anyone please tell me if Space Mountain has any big drops? I am going soon with someone who is NOT a rollercoaster fan and I have never been on SM, so we're wondering if it a Matterhorn type thing that is just really fast or if your guts drop out at any point? We can handle it if it's just fast but we're the type that stay FAR away from Tower of Terror. Thanks!
It's just a "wild mouse"-type coaster in the dark. You can't see what's coming on the ride, but the drops are short and mild. The tight turns are a bigger issue on the ride, as is the sense of claustrophobia some feel due to the tight quarters and starfield effect. It's a very mild coaster, made much more exciting by the on-ride music. (Though the current Red Hot Chili Peppers track doesn't do much for me.)
I agree. If i can get my sister-in-law to ride and enjoy it, ANYBODY will like it. She wont even get on the crazy mouse coasters at the carnivals.
I am pretty sure there are just 2 mild, quick drops. And i mean really MILD...no worries. :-)
It's identical in concept to Matterhorn actually, no substantial up or down to speak of except for about 1/3 through you go up a short hill rather suddenly. Otherwise it's all about curves. (In fact it'd be quite uninspiring if it weren't for it being in the dark and all the effects. I saw a picture of a scale model once. You might be able to find it if you do a search.)
Yeah. It's not that exciting. The entirety of its excitement is derived from the fact that you're almost always in darkness. It's great. Other than that, it's not too bad.
I mostly go because the stuff at the end, before the gift shop, really brings back memories. Even if you don't go on the ride, it's worth wandering through the exit just to have a good look at the stuff back there. Most people just walk right on through.
Also, it's on a conveyer belt, so you might want to walk close to the scenes so people know to walk around you.
Space Mountain is a pretty tame coaster. There are still plenty of quick turns and bumps, but the overall ride experience is pretty mild. The things that mainly keeps the ride exciting are the special effects and the dark atmosphere. Either way, it's a classic and great ride for anyone from the thrill seeker to the big chicken.
From Chloe !
Posted April 13, 2007 at 11:48 AM
It's pretty fast and has drops. It's a fun coaster that most will enjoy.
There is a scale model of Disneyland's Space Mountain in the Opra House lobby (building that currently houses "Disneyland, the first 50 magicl years" movie).
Here's a pic.
No real big drops, just lots of turns.
http://www.hiddenmickeys.org/PictFrame.php?Images/Disneyland/space-mountain.jpg
The ride is another Disney stroke of Genius.
The ride uses clever psychological factors to make the rider believe that they are truly going far faster then they really are. Namely, low light, pulsating lights, fans, and a tightly wound track.
I have heard speed estimates from CMs of 30-50mph depending on time of year. I would say that the ride probably maxes out at 35 to 40mph. Remember, to build speed you need a lot of straight track and there isn't much of it on this ride.
Nonetheless, speed is pointless when discussing this ride as compared to today's coasters. This is a UNIQUE, CLEVER, and extremely INNOVATIVE ride. The 30 odd MPH you hit feels like 65MPH because of the effects. Disney accomplishes its goal by providing a more mild coaster for the masses while giving the impression that the ride is more wild than it really is.
That's the Genius of Disneyland, illusion.
From rafael g
Posted August 13, 2007 at 4:47 PM
i read a book that claim that SP only goes 24 MPH. when I use to work at DL, they said 35MPH was the max speed. while it is a fun ride, i have seen a lot of people freak out on the ride. but there is no sudden huge drops.
From CJ Koeck
Posted August 13, 2007 at 6:39 PM
Bet most of you didnt know, but the barnstormer goes faster than space mountain does, just a interesting fact I thought. Anyway, there are two very small drops about three seconds apart towards the end of the ride. The second one always toys with my stomach a little bit, but I am not a big roller coaster fan myself and I love this ride
Like everyone said, this is a mild coaster. The second drop is a bit bigger than the first, so just be ready. The soundtrack is reason enough to go on the ride. It makes you think you're going faster than you actually are. Anyways, very fun and very nicely themed. Whatever your choice is, have fun at Disneyland!
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