Space Mountain
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Space Mountain
Magic Kingdom · US · Arrow Development Custom indoor steel coaster
UNOFFICIAL · NOT PARK-ENDORSED
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Fast facts
- Space Mountain is an operating enclosed steel coaster at Magic Kingdom in Lake Buena Vista, Florida. coasterpedia.net
- The attraction opened on January 15, 1975, as Magic Kingdom’s first roller coaster. d23.com
- Its two indoor tracks rise to 19.8 metres and reach a top speed of 43.5 kilometres per hour. coasterpedia.net
- Neither track includes an inversion; the ride is a succession of enclosed turns and drops in darkness. coasterpedia.net
- Theoretical hourly capacity is reported at approximately 2,000 visitors. parklore.com
- The attraction was built at an estimated cost of twenty million dollars. inparkmagazine.com
The story of Space Mountain
Space Mountain was conceived as an indoor steel roller coaster for Tomorrowland, carrying an older idea of a futuristic mountain into a form that modern computer control could make practical. Walt Disney Imagineering identifies it as the first computer-controlled thrill ride. sites.disney.com· d23.com
When Space Mountain opened at Magic Kingdom on January 15, 1975, the great enclosed structure gave the park a new kind of landmark: a coaster whose track was hidden from view, allowing every turn to arrive without warning. The attraction was developed with Arrow Development and built as a twin-track steel ride. d23.com· coasterpedia.net
The opening was marked by astronauts, fireworks, a two-thousand-piece marching band, and the first official ride by Apollo 15 astronaut Colonel James Irwin. It was a considerable undertaking for its day, with an estimated cost of twenty million dollars. disneyexperiences.com· inparkmagazine.com
Space Mountain has continued in operation as one of Magic Kingdom’s enduring engineering achievements. Its mirrored indoor tracks, modest top speed, and carefully managed darkness have allowed the original design to remain recognisable across the decades. coasterpedia.net· sites.disney.com
Sources
- coasterpedia.net Preferred source
- d23.com Acceptable source
- parklore.com Acceptable source
- inparkmagazine.com Acceptable source
- sites.disney.com Acceptable source
- disneyexperiences.com Acceptable source