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Magic Kingdom’s Space Mountain is a unique attraction that immerses you in the excitement of an interplanetary voyage made even more thrilling by the feeling of zero gravity and a front-row view of a simulated space flight. There are dozens of rides and best things to do in Disney World, but Space Mountain is THE ride to be on! Through its dips and turns sending you into pure darkness, with soft echoes of an ultramodern soundtrack surrounding you, this ride will have you wanting to head right back into line for a second go at it once you get off!
Read my Guide on Space Mountain in Disney World
Targeted Audience
Space Mountain is a fan favorite amongst all guests heading to Disney World, but it is especially popular for teenagers and adults who love a dark and rip-roaring expedition into space! Magic Kingdom is uber kid friendly so at times they do not offer the best thrill rides as they do not want to scare their guests away. Despite this, Space Mountain is the perfect getaway for anyone looking to experience a more daring passage during their time spent in the Park.
Location
Space Mountain is located in Tomorrowland in Magic Kingdom. It displays a huge structure from the outside so you will not be able to miss it when making your way toward it. There are several forms of transportation to get into Tomorrowland, but if you are walking like the majority of the parkgoers, it takes about three minutes to get from the Tomorrowland Transit Authority PeopleMover to Space Mountain.
Important Facts To Know Before Entering The Ride
My family and I have never had a problem with it since we are on the smaller side concerning height, but I have heard several complaints that the lap bar and the seats are way too small for taller people. Because of this, if you are taking a large portion out of your day to wait in the long line outside of Space Mountain and you are a taller individual, I would suggest calling ahead of time to see if you may be uncomfortable on the ride.
Although the duration of the ride only lasts three minutes, it does reach a max speed of 27 MPH with several dips and careens, so you do not want to feel uncomfortable for large portions of the ride. Additionally, do not fall for the bate of thinking once you get inside Space Mountain that you are ready to get on the ride. Like us all, I have waited in a lengthy queue outside of the ride’s “indoor line”, not knowing that once I pass the door to come inside, there is just another thirty-minute wait coming my way.
To prevent yourself from suffering the distraught that I and my family members have felt over and over again, expect your wait to always be longer than you originally expected it to be! One trick that I have found extremely helpful to mitigate this is to get early entry into Magic Kingdom and to head over there right away as the lines fill up fast! This way you do not have to spend an hour waiting to get on a three-minute ride, albeit a great one at that.
Highlights Of The Ride
Gloomily, for thrill seekers like myself, this ride does not go upside down at all. On the other hand, nevertheless, it does reach high speeds and takes place in complete darkness, so it is surely one of the stimulating options that Disney World has to offer. When getting on the ride, you will first notice that your legs do not dangle as they would on a traditional roller coaster ride. In Space Mountain, they are laid out in front of you. This makes the ride to be that much more exhilarating as you twist and turn throughout the pure darkness in space. The futuristic tunes in the background firmly intensify the ride as well as keeps you fully engrossed in the riveting ride throughout.
Facts About The Ride
- It is one of the older rides in Magic Kingdom, originally opening back in 1975.
- The first rollercoaster in the world constructed fully inside was Space Mountain. It paved the way for a variety of rides to be built around the globe indoors, deviating from their original design.
- The building itself is 300 feet around, one of the largest spaces filled up for a ride in Disney World
- Computers completely handled Space Mountain, making it the first thrill ride to do so. Nowadays, it is common to see coasters being handled this way, but in the ’70s, this was an uncommon ground for coaster creation.
- Disney originally came up with the bright idea of this coaster in the ’70s and sought the help of astronaut Gordon Cooper (who participated in Missions Mercury 9 and Gemini 5) to create the actual structure that guests would ride on. This massively helped give it the genuine space feel that you perceive when on the ride.
- This ride has several jerks and turns to it as it is an older ride, so if you suffer from motion sickness, I would suggest not going on Space Mountain as it can easily make you sick while in the dark.
Final Verdict
Space Mountain is a staple of Magic Kingdom in Disney World. The building is quite massive, so you can’t miss it while in the Park, so do not pass up on it lightly. It is the quintessential ride for a daredevil like myself but also is not scary enough to make you want to close your eyes and scream for the heavens. For this, I highly recommend it to all parents and children that are looking to go on an adventure like no other together in one place! Lastly, I know I did mention the long wait that accompanies this ride, but in all honesty, the best rides and attractions come with extensive lines at any amusement park, so Space Mountain will well be worth your while.
