The New Space Mountain

[Patricia]

You people have seriously gone off topic..

Space Mountain:

On Disney's blog today..

We have more details to share about the Space Mountain attraction at Walt Disney World’s Magic Kingdom Park as renovation work wraps up.

As you know, the classic Space Mountain experience still exists — it’s just being updated with new technology and 21st century gadgetry. Inside the attraction, there’s new lighting as well as special “darkening” effects. And you’ll see updated color schemes for rocket capsules, line and load areas. Imagineers worked with Walt Disney World Facilities Asset Management for even more enhancements, including new paint, carpet, seat fabric and other décor elements.

But what caught my attention during a recent walkthrough were details about track upgrades. It’s the same track layout and overall look and feel but workers integrated new technology into the track while not changing the classic Space Mountain ride experience. “As technology evolves, it helps us enhance those elements without losing any essence of the attraction,” Walt Disney Imagineering Senior Show Designer Alex Wright says.

You should also know that a ride photo system will capture guests during their space flights on Space Mountain. It’ll utilize Disney’s Photopass, allowing you to access, share and purchase photos during and after a visit.
Alex says he thinks you’ll be “pleasantly surprised” with the enhancements. The attraction is scheduled to reopen on November 22. Let us know what you think in the comments.

[Scar]

OK, so one of the premier attractions at WDW was closed for 7 months so they could:

- Change the lighting
- Redecorate
- Upgrade the track while keeping it the same... whatever that means
- And be able to sell overpriced photos


Cool

[lockedoutlogic]

OK, so one of the premier attractions at WDW was closed for 7 months so they could:

- Change the lighting
- Redecorate
- Upgrade the track while keeping it the same... whatever that means
- And be able to sell overpriced photos


Cool

ahhh...but at least we got to the "meat" of the "upgrades"....

on ride photo....what will they think of next?!?

[lockedoutlogic]

You people have seriously gone off topic..

Space Mountain:

On Disney's blog today..

We have more details to share about the Space Mountain attraction at Walt Disney World’s Magic Kingdom Park as renovation work wraps up.

As you know, the classic Space Mountain experience still exists — it’s just being updated with new technology and 21st century gadgetry. Inside the attraction, there’s new lighting as well as special “darkening” effects. And you’ll see updated color schemes for rocket capsules, line and load areas. Imagineers worked with Walt Disney World Facilities Asset Management for even more enhancements, including new paint, carpet, seat fabric and other décor elements.

But what caught my attention during a recent walkthrough were details about track upgrades. It’s the same track layout and overall look and feel but workers integrated new technology into the track while not changing the classic Space Mountain ride experience. “As technology evolves, it helps us enhance those elements without losing any essence of the attraction,” Walt Disney Imagineering Senior Show Designer Alex Wright says.

You should also know that a ride photo system will capture guests during their space flights on Space Mountain. It’ll utilize Disney’s Photopass, allowing you to access, share and purchase photos during and after a visit.
Alex says he thinks you’ll be “pleasantly surprised” with the enhancements. The attraction is scheduled to reopen on November 22. Let us know what you think in the comments.

sorry about getting off topic......but interior redecorating of a roller coaster really doesn't allow for much expansion of thought

[Stu29573]

FYI, They've just posted that Photopass will NOT be used with the onride photo system. Since none of the other rides use Photopass either, this isn't surprising...

[Figment!]

They've just posted that Photopass will NOT be used with the onride photo system.Since none of the other rides use Photopass either, this isn't surprising...

I believe Test Track still uses PhotoPass for its on-ride pictures ...


...but yes, the Disney Parks Blog appears to have rescinded their announcment that the Space Mountain on-ride picture will be available on Photo Pass. It is interesting though that the comment is only struck through and not totally removed

[lockedoutlogic]

I believe Test Track still uses PhotoPass for its on-ride pictures ...


...but yes, the Disney Parks Blog appears to have rescinded their announcment that the Space Mountain on-ride picture will be available on Photo Pass. It is interesting though that the comment is only struck through and not totally removed

Wow....they have figured out a way to slash the budget....after the rehab

Walt would be proud

[seanyred]

I get that is everyone is underwhelmed by what appears to be a mostly cosmetic refurb, but could we save judgment until we ride it? Or better yet if anyone on here was at the soft opening I would like to hear your opinion. When I get back from trip next week I will be sure give my honest opinion.

[WDWfanatic742]

Not only that but its still in soft opening and they clearly haven't revealed the final product...but geez, be happy that they did anything to the ride in the first place. They could have just left it alone and never have had to deal with all these negative comments all over the web...

Face it, at least they didn't do a thing wrong with this refurb, ala SSE's ending.

[lockedoutlogic]

Not only that but its still in soft opening and they clearly haven't revealed the final product...but geez, be happy that they did anything to the ride in the first place. They could have just left it alone and never have had to deal with all these negative comments all over the web...

Face it, at least they didn't do a thing wrong with this refurb, ala SSE's ending.

With all do respect...you are giving the management, both in Orlando and in Anaheim (and their wall street masters), too much credit.

yes...they could have done nothing...but they have dangled this redo out there....publically...for several years.

And it appears they have done little. That's a good way to look like a buffoon

but you're rigt... we'll see

[bradk]

For the record, it was a misunderstanding. The attraction was never meant to use PhotoPass. It DOES have an onboard photo which will have to be purchased, but someone at the blogs automatically linked the photo to PhotoPass. honest mistake.

Test Track remains the only attraction using PhotoPass technology although the system was built into place at Space Mountain so it COULD support PhotoPass should they decide to switch over in the future

brad
(author of the definitive guide to photopass)

[lockedoutlogic]

For the record, it was a misunderstanding. The attraction was never meant to use PhotoPass. It DOES have an onboard photo which will have to be purchased, but someone at the blogs automatically linked the photo to PhotoPass. honest mistake.

Test Track remains the only attraction using PhotoPass technology although the system was built into place at Space Mountain so it COULD support PhotoPass should they decide to switch over in the future

brad
(author of the definitive guide to photopass)

I'm surprise they all haven't been switched to photopass....the photopass system is one of the smartest, money generating ideas that they've come up with in the history of the parks....

why not give people the chance to buy for months instead of the 15 seconds it takes to walk outta the ride?

license to print...in my opinion

[WDWfanatic742]

I think we all could think of more to do that would look better, and I bet Imagineering wanted to do more as well. But from what I have read, they did as much as they could with the budget that was given to them which looks like kept on getting cut time and time again. I could be SO much happier if they did anything with the track or add audio to the cars or just some of the effects that DLR's has, but I'm happy that we got something at least. Seems to be a theme lately...

[2Epcot]

I still rate, MK's as the best. It's layout is more thrilling, and the dueling track makes it memorable. DL's is right turn, drop, right turn, drop, repeat, repeat, repeat, etc. It's an a kiddie coaster with sound enhancements to make you think it's better than it is.

I'll take those right turns, and repeats, over a bumpy ride in the dark. As I've said before I will not ride WDW's version again, until it gets a proper upgrade.

But as I said, I agree with you on the DL vs. WDW comparison. I think it has more to do with the fan bases for each than anything else. DL fans are hardcore Disney fans who often harken back to the Walt era and expect everything to be perfect all the time. They saw what happened when they let things slide out there. It was a mess.

But WDW fans are, for whatever reason, much easier to please. My guess is they don't have that deep rooted historical relationship with the park (and the company as a whole) the way the DL people do, so they don't really know what they're supposed to be getting.

Having been a member of Intercot for 3 1/2 years and just this past summer joined another Disney board that is more Disneyland focused ... I can say that you are right on target Ian. Both boards have almost the same number of members, however the other board gets at least 10 to 1 more post over this site... These are very hard core fans, who will break apart every detail of every attraction at the park. When the fans are that into the resort, Disney can not get away with much. I still love Intercot, and WDW, but I see how the fans can really have an impact on the way a resort operates.

[Ian]

I still love Intercot, and WDW, but I see how the fans can really have an impact on the way a resort operates.

As lockedoutlogic has pointed out on numerous occasions, Disney World is the cash cow of the Disney empire.

People just go there and fork over huge piles of money, regardless of what they get. Why? Because most people regard going to Disney World as a must-do at some point in life.

And, for whatever reason, the East Coast Disney dweebs just never developed that sense of responsibility in terms of holding the company accountable to Walt's ideals. The West Coasters embrace that in spades and it's worked for them.

Unfortunately, I just don't see that ever happening in WDW. They'll run that place into the ground, milking every nickel out of it in the process.

[Hammer]

You know, many people on here wax poetically about DL, but in my 2 trips out there, it hasn't bowled me over. CMs in DL supposedly are better as they grasp Walt's ideal? I've had more bad CM experiences in my 2 trips to DL than in all of my numerous trips to WDW. Yes, Space Mountain and Pirates are better there as well as the Matterhorn, but that's doesn't make me want to fly 3,000 miles that often. I plan to give it another chance (which is saying something as I do not give many things a 3rd chance), but my expectations are not high.


One of the problems, I think, is now that Burbank controls the purse strings, they aren't inclined to give double the money for WDW, which is what should happen as there are 4 theme parks and 2 water parks to maintain in FL, versus 2 parks in CA. I'll see for myself in December how I feel about the changes.

[bradk]

it's my understanding.. and this didn't come from any official sources.. that PhotoPass is not being initially used for non-technical and monetary reasons. it's more of a sensitivity issue.

as silly as it seems, it can easily be argued that PhotoPass can do things that no other company like Kodak can do, but the ride photo isn't something revolutionary or highly specialized.

probably the same sort of thing that's keeping PhotoPass off of DCL

[DisneyFanaticDargon]

Ok so, I got to ride Space Mountain as part of a soft opening yesterday and here is my reaction.

Everything I figured would be the case IS the case. The queue is almost identical to the way it was before, minus the interactive section towards the very end. The loading area is the only thing that is drastically different, as you can no longer see the track above you (which is, in my mind, part of the reason that it wasn't as dark as it could have been in the initial version).

The ride itself is pretty much unchanged. There are different sound effects in the blue tunnel. The mountain itself is darker, and there seems to be more stars. The re-entry tunnel is still the same effect they've used since 1975. The exit area is identical. The escalator portion has some new scenery/touched up scenery. The green screen tunnel on the exit escalator has been painted a hideous shade of neon lime green and the former TVs have been shoddily covered up with a banner.

California is still leaps and bounds ahead of this one and TDO really dropped the ball here. I know we're in a bad economy, but this ride is the way it is now because Disney was worried about all the whiners and complainers they would have had to deal with going "Oh my vacation is totally ruined because SPACE MOUNTAIN WASN'T OPEN and I'll never ever ever have the chance to get on it again."

To which I respond with, "Big deal. California closed theirs for almost 2 years and the world didn't come to an end. Deal with it."

Disney needs to stop worrying about what their guests think in the short term and instead think about the long term profits that could result from giving Space Mountain the upgrade that it TRULY deserves despite a much lengthier closure. They need to start focusing on quality again. Giving into the complainers and rushing a refurb to have it open for Christmas, especially after seeing what the end result was (which is to say, it's pretty much the exact same ride) has proven to me that TDO has really lost its way in terms of delivering a unique and memorable experience so many years after an attraction has opened.

One last thing...before anybody responds with "it's not officially finished yet"...note that it's supposed to reopen next Saturday. There's no way you could get me to believe they're going to throw in some drastically huge upgrade in less than a week.

Edit: Forgot to note that the on-ride photo is in one of the most nonsensical places possible: at the turn in the "launch" tunnel that takes you onto the lift. In my picture I looked like a deer in headlights because it wasn't even a remotely exciting part of the ride yet.

[DizneyFreak2002]

As lockedoutlogic has pointed out on numerous occasions, Disney World is the cash cow of the Disney empire.

People just go there and fork over huge piles of money, regardless of what they get. Why? Because most people regard going to Disney World as a must-do at some point in life.

And, for whatever reason, the East Coast Disney dweebs just never developed that sense of responsibility in terms of holding the company accountable to Walt's ideals. The West Coasters embrace that in spades and it's worked for them.

Unfortunately, I just don't see that ever happening in WDW. They'll run that place into the ground, milking every nickel out of it in the process.

Ian, sadly, you are right... However, we CAN have an impact.. What we need is an Al Lutz type blog on WDW... We need to point out the shortcoming.. We need to embarrassment management in Orlando.. We need, well, you get the picture... Only then can we, the East Coast Disney dweebs, have a true impact on WDW...

[WDWfanatic742]

Just to add some things from what I have read online that I don't think have been added here. They updated most of the plastic screens as you enter in the first queue room from outside. The ball pit is still there. The esculator ride has some new props and inculding a few Horizons refrences as well (Mesa Verde ). The green wall looks to be more of a green screen and the tarp is covering the cameras at this time. Although I hope something else changes when they take away that tarp, because that green wall is BRIGHT.

Safety Video is still there, instead of 4 small screen, there is 1 big screen. The video is still the same as before, but that can be put in overnight. Air gates were added as well.