Space Mountain/Tommorowland Transit Authority Refurb Start Date & Tentative End Dates

[Spaceship Tigger]

Not too concerned about SM being closed while we're there, but I'm pretty disappointed to hear about the TTA. That's something we could always count on for a break when the park was crowded...

[disneyorvegas]

I am happy that WDW Space Mtn. will not be totally purged like the one in DL, I like the original set-up, they can just make it slightly smoother and beef up the safety.

I have one question, which may be a stupid one, SM was scheduled for it's annual maintenance this month, for a week or so. Will that still occur, or will it go without any maintenance until it is closed down in April??

[scoot241]

I really hope the queue music stays the same. The Space Mountain entrance music might be my favorite piece in all of WDW.

I'd also like a smoother ride. After riding DL's Space Mountain, WDW's deserves a similar ride. Comparatively, WDW feels like a wooden roller coaster.

Maybe we can get some new meteor effects projected on the ceiling instead of the chocolate chip cookies that fly by, too.

[Mr. Brass Bonanza]

I really hope the queue music stays the same. The Space Mountain entrance music might be my favorite piece in all of WDW.

Me too! When I first read this rehab would involve the queue area, I was like, "oh no!" The cosmic queue music is something that stays in my head and something I look foward to. I also like the cheesy special effects in the windows that make the little astronaut look like he's moving when you're moving.

Imagine...one of my favorite things at WDW is a queue area. Am I nuts? Maybe...but if they yank all that out, I will be soundly disappointed. Change the ride itself all you want, but please keep the queue area the way it is!

[RBrooksC]

http://www.wesh.com/cnn-news/18433002/detail.html

[Trev&Ev Mom]

I am so happy its not January, as originally announced!!!

[Ian]

Have you ridden the Disneyland version?

It's not a thing like Rock 'n Roller Coaster, and it still very much incorporates "cheesy space 70s style". The music isn't rock music at all. I'm sure you can find the soundtrack somewhere on the net.

I totally agree ... the really great thing about the DL version (which I should be riding in ... oh ... about 39 days or so!) is the way it blends newer technology with the older feel.

I, for one, am disappointed that WDW's isn't getting the same treatment. Especially considering the fact that the money they're spending on this rehab virtually guarantees that they won't ever go forward with bringing the DL version to WDW.

[Coach48]

My kids both love The TTA...we're going Apr. 14.Talk about cutting it close!

[January-2007]

This stinks. We'll be there in May. The TTA is always our first ride. I will miss it so much, and DH will miss that and especially Space Mountain.

[CanadianWDWFan]

We are going in August, if TTA is down still my little guy is going to be one unhappy camper!

As for SM, there are always other attractions to go on. But no where to get "around" like the TTA!

[joelkfla]

The internal announcement says that TTA will "operate with varied schedules during the refurbishment...", which seems to say it will not be down for the entire 6 months.

[Tekneek]

The internal announcement says that TTA will "operate with varied schedules during the refurbishment...", which seems to say it will not be down for the entire 6 months.

That seems to mean that you will never know when it is open or closed, without actually walking over to it.

[GrumpyFan]

From the article link above:

"The ride, according to Finger, will retain its classic shape and the track design will remain virtually the same."

This doesn't sound encouraging as far as enhancements go. It sounds as though it will just be a minor refurb as opposed to a major upgrade as some rumors have indicated. However, a news and rumors site, named Screamscape, is reporting the following:

Space Mountain: Mission 2 - Rumor - (1/9/09) While Disney still isn’t saying much, a Screamscape source tells us that Space Mountain will very likely get entirely all new track after all. I know in the past I had heard that they were getting price quotes for both whole and partial replacement and at one point they were leaning towards going the cheap route and just replacing some of the track. According to our source, the new track is necessary due to the new heavier rockets that will feature on-board audio. They also tell us that the queue may end up looking much more like the California version, it should have a new Re-Entry tunnel effect at the end and that we can expect to see station-gates added to the loading areas. Apparently there is also talk about putting in the cool “revolving tunnel” effect on the lift hill, though that aspect has not be finalized since the current version has it’s own uniquely themed lift-hill and there is an effort to preserve some classic elements from the current ride since it is the original.

[Imagineer1981]

I also hope they do a good refurb. I'm about 6'5" and rode it for the first time in about 5 years during our trip last week. My legs don't fit all the way under the bar and about 1/3 of the way in I knew I made a mistake. The bar kept pounding into my thighs, so I hope this is corrected. And before anyone assumes anything else, I weigh only 205 so for my size I'm not heavy. I just don't fit and would love to ride it without having pain. Mark

Just FYI, the 2 and 3 and 4 and 5 seats have ALOT more leg room then the front. I am 6'2 (and former Space CM) and I fit just fine. The lap bar is still tight but not nearly as bad as the front.

[scoot241]

From the article link above:

"The ride, according to Finger, will retain its classic shape and the track design will remain virtually the same."

This doesn't sound encouraging as far as enhancements go. It sounds as though it will just be a minor refurb as opposed to a major upgrade as some rumors have indicated. However, a news and rumors site, named Screamscape, is reporting the following:

Space Mountain: Mission 2 - Rumor - (1/9/09) While Disney still isn’t saying much, a Screamscape source tells us that Space Mountain will very likely get entirely all new track after all. I know in the past I had heard that they were getting price quotes for both whole and partial replacement and at one point they were leaning towards going the cheap route and just replacing some of the track. According to our source, the new track is necessary due to the new heavier rockets that will feature on-board audio. They also tell us that the queue may end up looking much more like the California version, it should have a new Re-Entry tunnel effect at the end and that we can expect to see station-gates added to the loading areas. Apparently there is also talk about putting in the cool “revolving tunnel” effect on the lift hill, though that aspect has not be finalized since the current version has it’s own uniquely themed lift-hill and there is an effort to preserve some classic elements from the current ride since it is the original.

I saw Screamscape's rumor earlier this morning. The revolving tunnel is cool, but personally I'd rather keep the current scene for the lift hill.

I'm trying to figure out what they mean by the queue will look much like the CA version. The CA queue isn't much to look at from what I can recall. The first portion is outside, and once you get inside it's just a tunnel (no 3-D star panels or anything) until you get to the loading area and you load in an area that looks like a loading bay with a spaceship in it. The WDW queue is much better IMO except for the loading bay area. This would also require some new structure to recreate the loading bay and enclose the loading area since it's open to the entire dome right now, and you wouldn't be able to watch the cookies, I mean meteors fly by. This is, however, one of the reasons I think DLR's is much darker (the other is because the TTA does not run through it).

[Ian]

I saw Screamscape's rumor earlier this morning. The revolving tunnel is cool, but personally I'd rather keep the current scene for the lift hill.

Yeah, I agree. I really like the lift hill in WDW.

[NotaGeek]

Yeah, I agree. I really like the lift hill in WDW.

Wait until you ride the one at Disneyland. It's AWESOME ... the lift hill is my favorite part! AND ... you can raise your hands without hitting the roof!

[Ian]

Wait until you ride the one at Disneyland. It's AWESOME ... the lift hill is my favorite part! AND ... you can raise your hands without hitting the roof!

You didn't read the whole thread, obviously.

I LOVE the Disneyland version (I've ridden it a few times). And I agree the lift hill in DL is awesome, too, but I kinda want WDW's to retain that part for personal, sentimental reasons.

Has to do with my Dad, who passed away a number of years ago ... long story ...

[teamblackwell]

I guess its a matter of personal preference, but I prefer the WDW version over the DL version. For me, the DL version is too smooth. I like the jerky feel and sudden drops of the WDW version.

[Hammer]

While I would like Space Mountain to be improved, I don't necessarily want a carbon copy of the Disneyland version. See, if Disney made too many of the rides exact replicas at both parks, that would give many people less incentive to go to both parks. This would leave to fewer visitors, which means less money, and we know how Disney cares about about their profits (as any business should). Think about it. Why should someone fly 3,000 miles to California if they could experience the same thing a lot closer in Orlando (or vice versa)? Contrary to how it seems on Intercot, there is only a small percentage of Disney fanatics.