Space Mountain Refurbishment Details Emerge | WDW News Today

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Space Mountain Refurbishment Details Emerge

June 9, 2009 5:09 pm

As reported by the Orlando Sentinel:

Walt Disney World is now more than a month into the seven-month rehab of Space Mountain, and details are trickling out about the changes in store for the venerable roller coaster.

The resort last week filed a construction notice thought to be tied to the Magic Kingdom’s indoor coaster; it calls for the installation of an “interactive queue” and audio-visual upgrades. The notice has touched off speculation that Space Mountain could be in line for an electronic-game-filled queue similar to the one Disney installed at Epcot’s Soarin’ in 2007.

Disney officials, who have been relatively tight-lipped about the Space Mountain changes, previously had said only that the 34-year-old attraction would get a new queue enclosure. They also have said the renovations will include new track — though the layout will remain the same — and a new ceiling.

The Reedy Creek Improvement District puts the rehab’s value at $12.3 million. The ride is scheduled to reopen Nov. 21.

While the interactive exhibits in the queue come as a bit of a surprise, it is has been rumored for sometime that the end of the queue where the attraction loads will be enclosed to make the overall on-ride experience much darker. While the Orlando Sentinel article doesn’t have many details, inside sources have suggested that there will be few other special “surprises” in the queue, ride, and even the exit portion when the attraction returns this winter. Stay tuned to WDW News Today as we get more information on the ongoing refurbishment of Space Mountain.

UPDATE: D23 just posted the following:

New track, a new ceiling and audio-visual upgrades will be in store when Space Mountain re-opens on November 21 after a planned refurbishment.

Topics: The Magic Kingdom |


Latest Forum Replies:

  1. Maybe they will finally get rid of that dented 3D starfield window...you know...the second one in the beginning of the queue after you pass through that first room? I've been noticing this for what seems to be over a decade. Anyone know what I am talking about???      by Flux88Kevin
  2. I think I know what you are talking about a lot of the SM Queue needs some help.      by jheyman
  3. Quote:
    Originally Posted by jheyman View Post
    I think I know what you are talking about a lot of the SM Queue needs some help.
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by Flux88Kevin View Post
    Maybe they will finally get rid of that dented 3D starfield window...you know...the second one in the beginning of the queue after you pass through that first room? I've been noticing this for what seems to be over a decade. Anyone know what I am talking about???
    Yes. You're talking about what is called the "Star Corridor" most people know it as 'the 2nd part of the line' or call it by its music loop, 'Star Tunnel'. they are dented to look like you're looking through thick plexie-glass in a space station. As for the rest of the queue, the font entrance needs to be "UnFe- Exed" (familiar with F-X1 intergalactic shipping?) and the 3rd part, the "Space Warp" portion, you cant see much so lights would help, and it will probably be "interactive-ised" come Nov. As for the "Star Corridor", it's 1)under the WDW Rail Road 2) quite literally, a tunnel, so there isn't much room to expand 3 )classic 1970's and loved (mostly the music).
    I hope that they:
    1) don't change the queue music
    2) don't make it look like DLR's
    3) Put on SOBAT
    4) use Gurichino or whatever his name is for the SOBAT (if they do that)      by Imagineer2017
  4. hahaha. I knew that the corridor was called the star corridor. I'm specifically talking about the 2nd window in said corridor (I believe there were 6 of them). That window, for the longest time, has a very visible dent in it, so that the effect was warped in the place where the dent is. I guess it is hard to explain....but it feels like for at least the last decade, I have looked for that dented starfield window and seen it every time.      by Flux88Kevin
  5. Quote:
    Originally Posted by Flux88Kevin View Post
    hahaha. I knew that the corridor was called the star corridor. I'm specifically talking about the 2nd window in said corridor (I believe there were 6 of them). That window, for the longest time, has a very visible dent in it, so that the effect was warped in the place where the dent is. I guess it is hard to explain....but it feels like for at least the last decade, I have looked for that dented starfield window and seen it every time.
    Thats what I thought you mean a damaged star window as opposed to an outdated effect, thanks for not making me feel crazy!      by jheyman
  6. Quote:
    Originally Posted by jheyman View Post
    Thats what I thought you mean a damaged star window as opposed to an outdated effect, thanks for not making me feel crazy!
    what do you suggest as an updated effect then?LED screens?
    I like the windows. thats classic 1975 man!      by Imagineer2017
  7. I don't know the SM queue hasn't been anything to speak of in quite a long time....I wouldn't mind seeing it gutted and let the imagineers do thier best with it.      by jheyman
  8. Quote:
    Originally Posted by jheyman View Post
    I don't know the SM queue hasn't been anything to speak of in quite a long time....I wouldn't mind seeing it gutted and let the imagineers do thier best with it.
    GAA!
    sorry i like the star corridor.
    don't you remember the last refurb (SSE)
    still, i don't see what the worst could be. maybe my Star Tunnel MP3 will mean even more nothing...      by Imagineer2017
  9. Quote:
    Originally Posted by Imagineer2017 View Post
    GAA!
    sorry i like the star corridor.
    don't you remember the last refurb (SSE)
    still, i don't see what the worst could be. maybe my Star Tunnel MP3 will mean even more nothing...
    And The Haunted Mansion before that. That came out spectacular. And the first half of SSE is pretty nice now too!      by dlnewstoday
  10. Quote:
    Originally Posted by dlnewstoday View Post
    . And the first half of SSE is pretty nice now too!
    that's because they didn't gut it out and add new things. The 2nd half is awful. i much preferred the boy and girl communicating via computer and most certainly loved the fiber optic city. Birth of the computer is dull. The touch screen is too... I dont know... it just isn't as powerful as "spaceship earth glowing with interaction". I cant stop listening to the old music on my MP3.The new score isn't very moving. Jeremy Irons was an awesome narrator, Judi Dench is way to upbeat.
    still, how badly could they mess up the queue?      by Imagineer2017
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