My kids and I absolutely love Space Mountain. We have been on the Disney World and Disneyland versions, and prefer the Disneyland version mainly because it is a smoother ride (the Magic Kingdom in Disney World version is a bit jerky).
If you like rollercoasters, I think you will like Space Mountain. It has drops, is in the dark with a cool retro-space theme, does not go upside down, and will not be scary for most riders.
Now while that’s the quick review, there is much, much more to say about this ride and people ask a million questions about it. Let’s dig in!
In This Article
Question 1: Is Space Mountain “Scary?”
First off let’s get you the tl;dr answer: no, to most riders Space Mountain is not scary, but it could be scary or too much to handle for younger kids and riders who don’t like twists, turns, drops, and rides in the dark.
Personally I don’t think the ride is scary at all, but because it’s a subjective question we also combed through every answer to this question we could find across several websites and found that of those who had ridden who had offered an analysis of whether Space Mountain was scary or not:
- 43 people answered no
- 15 answered with a variation of “it depends” (frequently either that it may be scary for small kids, or that it depends if you like roller coasters)
- 1 answered yes (this was one very tall person who mentioned being “scared” putting up their hands that they may get cut off by low clearance (this does not seem to be a valid concern based on how the ride is constructed and it actually did seem like they were joking)
But, there is more to it than that.
I have two kids. You can get a sense of their relative excitement about fast rides at theme parks in this picture of them after getting off of Rockin’ Roller Coaster a few years ago (which is now closed and rumored to be rebranded):
‘My daughter has gotten much more comfortable with faster rides since this post ride photo, but you may have a similar dilemma when it comes to certain rides: is the ride too scary for a member of your group?
This can be a difficult question because what’s “scary” isn’t always the same to everyone. Just in my family:
- My wife hates 4d rides (they make her sick)
- My son doesn’t like spookier stuff
- My daughter doesn’t like super high speeds or rides that go upside down (which means she’s good to go for most versions of Space Mountain which don’t go upside down)
- I don’t like rides that are “jerky” and pull too quickly
Not all of this is being “scared” strictly speaking, but for smaller kids things like high speeds, sudden drops, or mature ride themes can be frightening sometimes (but not always).
Space Mountain is a great example of all of this: it’s one of the most popular rides across Disney parks and takes you through an exciting ride through space, but it’s not necessarily at the very top of most people’s lists when it comes to scary rides or thrill rides.
So is it actually scary?
In this guide we’ll answer the question “is Space Mountain Scary?” but also give the information you’ll need to answer whether it will be scary for your kids (or members of your party…or maybe yourself).
Is Space Mountain Scary?
No, Space Mountain isn’t scary for most riders.
That said, Space Mountain has a height requirement of 44 inches, feels like it moves very quickly and jerkily, is in the dark throughout the ride, and has sudden drops so it can be intense, particularly for ride-shy kids.
Will It Be Scary For You (Or Your Kids)?
Maybe! Let’s look at the different elements of the ride and you can determine if you or your little ones will find it scary.
NOTE: For most of this next section, I’ll be referring to Space Mountain at Disney World (I’ve actually never been to Space Mountain Disneyland, sadly) but in the next section I’ll highlight key differences between the ride at Walt Disney World’s Magic Kingdom vs. Disneyland if you’re making your trip to California, and will even hit on key differences for Space Mountain’s Paris and Tokyo Disneyland locations as well.
Is It Fast?
You can check out our in-depth article on how fast Space Mountain is for more detail, but Space Mountain at Disney World hits a top speed of about 3o miles per hour. That’s less than half the speed of the fastest ride at Walt Disney World (Test Track, which tops out at 65 miles per hour).
In fact, Space Mountain is about 12 miles per hour less than Slinky Dog Dash in Hollywood Studios! (Truly shocking).
That said: having ridden it many, many times I can tell you that Space Mountain feels fast and it moves quickly throughout the entire three minute or so ride.
Test Track hits that top speed on a straight-away – Space Mountain is whipping through turns and drops and moves very quickly in what feels like a small space as an indoor roller coaster. The fact that the ride is in the dark gives it a different feel as well.
And, in fact, while its top speed is less than rides like Slinky Dog Dash or Splash Mountain, the ride height requirement for Space Mountain is tied for 2nd in all of Disney behind just Rockin’ Roller Coaster (which may come back at a different speed of course), and tied with Expedition Everest.
That’s a good indication that while it doesn’t top out as fast as the top rides in Disney, it is relatively intense.
Does It Have Sudden Drops?
Yes, there are sudden drops. In general, I find the ride fairly herky-jerky. It’s not as tall and doesn’t have as intense of drops as some rides like Everest or even Splash Mountain, but there are drops.
Are the Drops Big?
Not relative to the largest drops in Disney World (and even within Magic Kingdom). Space Mountain’s biggest drop is 26′. The biggest drop from Expedition Everest is 80′ with Splash Mountain at 49′,
Again though while top speeds and drops don’t rival some of the other coasters, Space is in the dark and the thrust of the ride is persistent.
Does It Go Upside Down?
No, Space Mountain won’t go upside down.
Is The Theme Scary?
Space Mountain is an indoor, space themed roller coaster.
The ride is in the dark, which may be scary and off-putting for some younger kids.
Other than that though the theme isn’t scary at all – the basic premise is that you’re going on a space ship, and all of the space-themed elements are pretty vanilla. The queue has strong Tomorrow Land theming (and actually dovetails in a fun way with the People Mover which is one of my favorite rides, and not scary at all if you’re scoring at home). There’s no antagonists or implied peril at all to the ride story generally.
What’s The Recommended Age to Ride?
If you translate the minimum ride height to standard height for a child’s age, it would be around 6 or 7.
I think that’s a good range for a typical kid, but if your son or daughter doesn’t like fast coasters with a lot of twists and turns I’d say 8 or 9 is a better bet.
To give you some points of reference if your unsure rider has ridden some other popular attractions at Disney World:
- If they can do Rockin’ Roller Coaster (or could), Fast Track, Expedition Everest or even Guardians, they’re definitely fine to ride Space Mountain
- While I think Space Mountain feels a little more intense than some outdoor rides due to the fact that you’re in the dark, if your rider didn’t have issues with Big Thunder Mountain Railroad, Minetrain, and Slinky Dog Dash they’ll likely be fine with Space Mountain.
- While they’re different rides, if your rider didn’t have issues with rides like Tower of Terror or Splash Mountain there’s a good chance they won’t have any issues with Space Mountain.
Disney World vs. Disneyland
Personally I’ve only been on the Space Mountain ride in Magic Kingdom at Disney World, but most people describe them as pretty similar. Here are some key differences that could impact “scariness” or how intense you find the ride:
- Ride Vehicles – Disney World has single rider vehicles, Disneyland has two seaters (so your little one can sit next to you, if that’s something they typically find soothing). People seem to find the Space Mountain seats at Disneyland more comfortable by and large as well.
- Minimum Height – Disneyland’s minimum height is only 40 inches – that’s a good indication that while the theming and general ride is the same, the Disneyland ride is a little tamer.
- Sound – Disney World’s ride has an upbeat silly-sounding space soundtrack piped through the speakers of the ride, while Disneyland’s version has a symphonic score piped into speakers on each ride. It’s not likely either version is going to ramp up the scariness much, though.
- Speed – While the ride height requirement is lower, the speed for Disneyland’s Space Mountain is actually 2 MPH higher at 32 vs 30. Most guests report that the Disneyland version is a much smoother ride than the Disney World version, however. I’ve heard
It seems like the “jerkiness” of the Disney World ride is likely to be the biggest factor in making it a little less palatable to people who don’t like fast-moving rides with lots of twists and turns.
What About Space Mountain in Disneyland Paris, Tokyo & Hong Kong?
I haven’t been to these attractions, but the Disneyland Paris version is particularly interesting here. It’s been rebranded somewhat to “Star Wars Hyperspace Mountain.” This ride goes significantly faster (44 MPH) than its counterparts in the states, has a much higher minimum height (47.2 inches), and there’s much more Star Wars theming integrated into the ride, so it’s likely a good bit scarier and more intense for kids.
Hong Kong’s version has the same Star Wars theming, but tops out at 32 mph rather than 44.
Tokyo’s version has almost identical top speeds and minimum heights to the US Space Mountains and seems to be themed very similarly.
Still Not Sure? See It For Yourself!
A great way to gauge whether a ride will be scary is to check it out for yourself! Fortunately there’s lots of videos showing you entire rides on the Internet, and Space Mountain is no exception.
Two caveats:
- Some of these videos are much less helpful for rides like Space Mountain that are in the dark as you don’t have the physical sensation and the visual is limited. To get a good look at the ride we’ve also rounded up the videos of Space Mountain with the lights on.
- Watching these videos be sure to look out for spoilers that will take away from some of the delight of riding the ride for the first time (there’s no real big spoilers for Space Mountain, but rides like Expedition Everest or Hagrid’s at Universal are a lot less fun if you know what’s coming your first time).
Here are a few different videos of what Space Mountain looks like at Disney World:
Another:
And one more:
And then a couple from Disneyland as well:
And:
Here is a video of Tokyo’s version of Space Mountain:
And last but certainly not least, here is the ride at Disneyland Paris:
Looks super cool right? I actually hadn’t seen the ride until I started writing this post but the theming, queue, and the Star Wars graphics integrated into the ride all seem very well done.
What if the Ride is Too Scary?
If you get to the ride and your little one is having second thoughts, Space Mountain does offer rider swap or rider switch. If you or your anxious rider is wondering the ride is relatively short in terms of duration – 2:30 at Disney World and 3:00 at Disneyland.
Rider swap / switch is pretty simple but I find it easier to describe with a tangible example:
Let’s say two dads named Jim and Jack are at the ride with their kids Pete and Paulina (Jim and Jack are huge alliteration guys and are not at all apologetic about it). Pete decides he doesn’t want to go on the ride. Jim can wait with Pete while Paulina and Jack go on the ride, then when they’re done Jim can go on while Jack and Paulina wait with Pete. Paulina can actually even go on again, since Jim can take one person with him since he was the only one waiting.
Make sense? Yes, I will use more varied names for that kind of example next time.
Anyway if you want to use the rider switch / swap option on Space Mountain just let a cast member know.
What Makes a Ride Scary? Tips for a Scared Rider
I have been accused of telling my kids things like “toughen up” or “it’s not scary you’ll be fine” in these kinds of situations, but obviously that’s not likely to be the best blanket approach if your kids are scared of rides.
Child psychologist Dr. Susan Bartell created a whole guide to dealing with kids’ anxiety about going on rides and worked with employees at LEGOLAND (which is not, in fact, owned by Disney). She said:
“Dismissing a child’s fear, comparing them to a sibling or friend, bribing them with gifts and money, or labeling a child with a negative name based on their reluctance won’t make them any braver,” says Bartell. “In fact those strategies often cause greater anxiety, and resentment and make them more reluctant, not to mention ruin what should be a great day for the family.”
She recommended showing your kids some elements of rides they may be anxious about before your trip, tell them positive stories about rides you like, let them tell you when they’re ready to ride a specific ride (without pushing), and if they decide to skip a ride then express regret remind them there’s a next time (don’t scold them for skipping the ride this time).
BONUS: Seasonal Space Mountain “Scariness”
As a bonus fact: Disney sometimes customizes the ride based on the season. Our family went on during Disney’s Boo Bash Haloween party, and it was completely jet black during the entire ride (typically there are different lights and stars adding to the space theme and guiding you through).
Additionally there is sometimes an “outer-space ghost” theme if you ride close to Haloween.
Generally these tweaks are pretty minor and won’t add much to how scary the ride is, but either could make it marginally “scarier” for a younger child if you’re at the parks at those times.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Space Mountain an intense ride?
Space Mountain is a somewhat intense ride, particularly for younger kids or riders who don’t like dark roller coasters or lots of twists and turns. That said it’s not one of the fastest roller coasters at Disney World.
Is Space Mountain OK for a 7 year old?
It depends on the 7 year old. Six or seven years old is likely right on the line of making the minimum height requirement for the ride. My son who loves fast coasters absolutely loved Space Mountain at age 7, but a 7 year old who is intimidated by faster rides may want to hold off.
Is Space Mountain a dark ride?
Yes Space Mountain is a dark ride – essentially the entire ride is in the dark.
How extreme is Space Mountain?
Space Mountain is not an extreme ride. It is less than half the speed of the fastest rides at Disney World, but it does feel faster than its actual speed and is probably one of the handful of most intense rides at Disney.
How scary is Space Mountain Disneyland?
Space Mountain Disneyland isn’t very scary to most riders, but it does hit speeds of 32 miles per hour, is in the dark, and has drops and twists and turns. As a result it may be scary for younger kids.
Is Space Mountain Paris scary?
Most riders will not find Space Mountain at Disneyland Paris scary. That said, Space Mountain Paris goes 44 miles per hour, has a relatively high height requirement (47.2 inches), takes place in the dark and has drops and twists and turns. It’s also significantly faster with significantly higher minimum height requirements than other Disney Parks Space Mountain rides in Tokyo, Disney World, and Disneyland.
Question 2: Does Space Mountain Have Drops?
Space Mountain in Disney World has a drop of 26 feet. The drop height is different for the ride from park-to-park:
- Space Mountain Magic Kingdom (Disney World) – 26 ft (7.9 m)
- Space Mountain Disneyland – 76 ft (23 m)
- Space Mountain Tokyo Disneyland – 17 ft (5.2 m)
- Star Wars Hyperspace Mountain at Disneyland Park Paris – 105 ft (32 m)
Space Mountain Drop vs. Splash Mountain Drop vs. Thunder Mountain Drop
Space Mountain Drop Angle
Frequently Asked Questions
Question 3: What Are the Best Space Mountain Ride Videos?
I’ll be honest: I don’t love ride videos. I’m pretty comfortable with any kind of ride speed, twists and turns so I’m not really that worried before riding any new attraction. Plus, personally I feel like watching a video of a ride can kind of spoil it (especially if there are some cool unexpected twists and turns).
That said, millions of people disagree with me. If you are into ride videos, they can be a good way to get a sense of a ride and answer all kinds of questions like:
- How fast it goes
- How long it is
- How scary it is (or isn’t)
- Whether it goes upside down
- What the seats look like
- Or even what the ride looks like with the lights on
So let’s take a look at the very best Youtube videos of Space Mountain available from each Disney park where the ride (or a variation of the ride) exists.
Space Mountain Disney World (Magic Kingdom, Orlando) Videos
A 2022 video of both the queue and the ride itself at Magic Kingdom:
A 2020 video of the ride in Disney World:
A front seat view of the ride:
And if you’re curious about how the ride has changed over time, here is a video of the ride from 11 years ago:
Space Mountain Disneyland Videos
Here’s a recent video of the ride from 2021:
Here is a Space Mountain Disneyland video overview of the ride from the front seat:
And an older night vision version of the ride:
Star Wars Hyperspace Mountain Disneyland Park Paris Videos
This is a really cool ride with lots of video overviews coming in from enthusiastic riders. Here’s a front row view of the ride:
A low light version of the video:
An onride video of the ride:
Space Mountain Tokyo Disneyland Videos
This is a great overview video of the ride:
A low light version of the ride:
Space Mountain Hong Kong Disneyland Videos
Here is a full experience walk-through of the ride (including the outside and the queue):
A low-light ride through of the ride:
A night vision version of the ride:
And the most recent ride-through of these videos is this one:
Space Mountain Videos with the Lights On
We have a post dedicated to this topic, but here are some videos of Space Mountain with the lights on.
At Disney World (Magic Kingdom)
This is a video of Space Mountain at Disney World with the lights on from the People Mover:
A great tip from the video if you’re looking to catch a glimpse of Space with the lights on: if you see that Space Mountain is down hop on the People Mover as you may get to see it with the lights on (though it won’t be POV if the ride is down obviously).
At Disneyland Anaheim
A POV of an active ride through Space Mountain with the lights on at Disneyland:
A night vision video – so not strictly “lights on” but you can see everything and get the same basic effect:
A cool instance where the ride gets stopped, then finished with the lights on:
Frequently Asked Questions
Question 4: What Do you Need to Know About Seats & Trains?
Here are the Space Mountain seats at Disney World:
And at Disneyland:
Space Mountain Seats & Train at Disney World
A few key facts about the seats at Space Mountain Disney World:
- The seating layout on Space Mountain in Disney World is two cars for each “train” with each car having 3 seats (so six seats per train)
- Each seat in the trains have a T shaped lap bar to keep riders in their seats during the ride (while the ride doesn’t go upside down and most don’t find it scary, it does go 28-44 miles per hour (depending on the park) and has a number of drops and turns)
- As the ride pulls out you have to fasten the safety bar, then the attendee will ask you to pull up on the black strap to confirm it’s fastened securely
- The material on the seats is blue fake leather
- The seats have a small mesh bag for items like phones, wallets, etc.
- These are individual seats (not a bench) with arm rests and a firm back
- The seats are low in the car and you have to lean back (awkwardly) as you slide into the car and get out of the car
Space Mountain Seats & Train at Disneyland
A few key facts about the Disneyland seats (and how they’re different from Disney World):
- Disneyland’s Space Mountain ride vehicles have some key differences:
- Rather than individual seats they have two seats next to each other
- They seat six people per car rather than three, and 12 people per train rather than six
- They are more upright (and generally more comfortable) than the Space Mountain Disney World seats
- They have speakers featured on every seat to pipe in music
Beyond the seats themselves Space Mountain at Disney World and Disneyland also have some other key differences like the height requirements, how long the ride is at the different parks (Disney World actually has two different tracks that are slightly different lengths as well), the ride’s speed, and obviously the rides look a little different (with and without the lights on).
The Best & Worst Space Mountain Seats
Like most roller coasters, the two most interesting seats (or 4, in the case of Disneyland Space Mountain) are in the front and the back.
The seats in the back of a roller coaster actually go faster than the rest of the car on average, but riders sometimes feel like they’re going faster in the front of the coaster.
In the case of Space Mountain, the front of the car has two other distinct advantages:
- You don’t have other riders to contend with, so you feel more like you’re being plunged into space
- You get the wind that’s piped into the coaster (part of the reason Space Mountain feels faster than it is) blowing into your face
So the best seats on Space Mountain are the very front of the train (not just the car, but the whole train), followed by the very back of the train, and the worst seats on Space Mountain are the seats directly in the middle (the front of one car, or the back of the other car).
Space Mountain Seats for Tall People
The Space Mountain Disney World seats are awkwardly positioned, and taller people report that they:
- Feel squished
- Are difficult to get into and out of
- And that when they put their hands up they feel like they’ll be cut off (they won’t! The rides are tested for the tallest of human heights and there is no maximum height requirement for Space Mountain)
The Disneyland rides are much more spacious and comfortable for taller people.
Space Mountain Seats for Plus-Sized People
As with taller people, plus sized people report the seats on Space Mountain Disney World as being uncomfortable and difficult to get into and out of with a feeling of being “squished” particularly when the safety bar is fastened. There is no maximum weight and unlike rides like Hagrid’s in Universal riders are not removed from the line or the ride due to weight.
Again most of these things are not issues at Space Mountain in Disneyland.
Space Mountain Seats for People with Disabilities
Again: depending on the disability the seats at Disney World’s Space Mountain can be particularly difficult to get into and out of. For more information about the ride experience for disabled people in general Diz Abled has a good breakdown of the major considerations for the Magic Kingdom version of the ride particularly.
Frequently Asked Questions
What are seats like on Space Mountain?
The seats on Space Mountain are different in Disney World and Disneyland. In Disney World they’re tilted back and relatively small – often uncomfortable for very tall and plus sized riders. The seats at Disneyland are more upright and more spacious.
How many seats does a Space Mountain car have?
In Disney World the cars have 3 seats per car (or 6 per train, which has 2 cars) and in Disneyland they have six seats per car (or 12 per train).
When did Space Mountain change seats?
Space Mountain in Disney World changed the trains (and seats) in 1989.
Does Space Mountain have seat belts?
Space Mountain does not have seat belts, but they do have a T shaped safety bar as a safety restraint.
Is Space Mountain a two seater (or a three seater)?
In Disneyland Space Mountain is a two seater, in Disney World it’s a one seater.
What is the best seat on Space Mountain?
The best seat on Space Mountain is the very front – you have more of a feeling of whoosing through space as no one is seated in front of you, and the air is blowing directly on your face. The next best seat is all the way in the back of the train, as that seat experiences the fastest speeds on the ride.
Question 5: What is Space Mountain Like with the Lights On?
First off, if you came to this post you probably want to see some videos of the Space Mountain ride with the lights on, so we’ll get right to it.
Space Mountain Lights On Videos
At Disney World
This is a great POV video of Space Mountain Disney World with the lights on:
This is a video of Space Mountain at Disney World with the lights on from the People Mover:
A great tip from the video if you’re looking to catch a glimpse of Space with the lights on: if you see that Space Mountain is down hop on the People Mover as you may get to see it with the lights on (though it won’t be POV if the ride is down obviously).
At Disneyland Anaheim
Similarly here is a POV of an active ride through Space Mountain with the lights on at Disneyland:
Here is a night vision video – so not strictly “lights on” but you can see everything and get the same basic effect:
And here’s a cool instance where the ride gets stopped, then finished with the lights on:
How to Ride Space Mountain with the Lights On
Outside of the above videos, there are 3 main ways to see Space Mountain with the lights on:
- Work for Disney
- Have the ride break down part way through riding it
- Hop on People Mover while the ride is temporarily closed
Generally it seems Disney will turn the lights on when maintenance is needed on the ride, so if you’re hoping to catch a glimpse in Disney World of the ride with the lights on, jumping on the People Mover while the lights are on is really your best bet.
How Often Does Space Mountain Break Down?
If you’re angling to see Space Mountain with the lights on – and the best way to catch a glimpse is when the ride breaks down – you may want to know how often it breaks down?
Personally I’ve actually never seen Space Mountain down in several trips, but obviously that doesn’t mean it doesn’t happen.
One cast member years ago claimed that cast members called the ride “Breakdown Mountain” due to the fact that it’s down frequently, and cited the most common reason for breakdown as the following:
“During a busy day, rockets come as quick as 21 seconds between each other. If guests are slow or need extra time to exit the rocket, there will be a backup of rockets at the station. After a couple of rockets getting backed up, the ride will have an automatic emergency stop because the rockets will eventually be too close to each other. This will have the shortest amount of downtime, usually just over an hour.
When this happens, the coordinators need to dump the queue. After the queue is empty, the Cast Members at load will reset the ride on both A Side and B Side and they will RAC out and begin track walking. Once the Cast Members meet up, they will then begin to cascade the rockets. Cascading the rockets means manually pushing them to the next zone and eventually to unload. This needs to be done for every rocket on the track.
If there is a 104 party (wheelchair party,) Space Cast Members may need to contact the fire department, Reedy Creek, to assist with the evacuation. There is an elevator inside Space Mountain on B Side, the side we send guests with disabilities. On a related note, the top of Space Mountain is an extendable roof and can open in the event of a Signal 25 (fire) inside the mountain.
Another common breakdown is when a guest drops something on the ride. If it lands on the track or passes through an intrusion sensor, it will trigger another emergency stop. The closing track walkers at the end of the night will be able to retrieve the item that was dropped. For this, Ride Access Control procedures must be taken and Cast Members will have to make sure everyone is still seated in their rockets and figure out what caused an intrusion in that zone. They then have to cascade the rockets, etc.
Occasionally, Cast Members inside the tower can cause an issue. Sometimes it is a station stop, guest standing up or even a guest getting out of their rocket. Once, a Cast Member advanced a rocket without seeing a hand signal from another Cast Member signaling he was about to cross the track. The restraint Cast Member hit the E-Stop just in time, as a Cast Member could have been seriously injured. Oddly enough, Space will always go down whenever a certain coordinator steps foot in the mountain for the first time in a while.
Also to note, if one side goes down, it affects both sides. Other attractions like Tower of Terror have separate ride systems for each side, but Space only has one. If Reedy Creek needs to be called, Space can be down for 3-4 hours. If it is only a minor issue, it should be up about an hour and a half later.“
So if you’re looking to get on, you probably have somewhere around 1.5-4 hours before the ride is back up to take your ride.
How to Ride Space Mountain with the Lights OFF
Obviously the reason a post about Space Mountain with the lights on is that the ride takes place in the dark (that is why some riders – though not most – find it a bit scary, and is part of the reason why it feels like it goes very fast). While the ride is always dark for the majority of the experience, there are certain times of year when Space Mountain has a special treatment for riders and goes completely dark.
Just like with attractions like the Haunted Mansion, Disney has a custom experience for Space Mountain during their Halloween parties and on Halloween night. I was able to ride the ride when it was completely blacked out during the Boo Bash Halloween party at Disney World.
Honestly it wasn’t very different: unlike Rock N’ Rollercoaster which has a lot of very visual elements through the ride (and unlike Space Mountain does go upside down), Space Mountain is already largely dark. I enjoyed the ride more with the few visual elements as the complete darkness was a little off-putting (even though Space Mountain isn’t a very long ride), but it was still fun and wasn’t much different. My kids thought getting to ride it in the complete dark was cool, but agreed they wouldn’t want the ride to run that way permanently.
Should You Watch the Videos?
If you got to this point in the post it may be too late, but while the videos aren’t scary and if your kids can make the height requirement for the ride they’re more than fine to watch them, you might not want to!
My son is a roller coaster fanatic and refuses to watch videos like this for Space Mountain or Rock N’ Rollercoaster, or to watch ride previews of any kind online, because he wants to be surprised. If that’s you, you may want to skip over the videos (and avoid the People Mover when the lights are on on Space Mountain).
Frequently Asked Questions
Why does Space Mountain shut down?
Space Mountain shuts down for a variety of technical reasons – it was first opened in 1975 in Disney World and was the first computer-powered roller coaster.
Do they ever run Space Mountain with the lights on?
They do run the ride through with the lights on if there have been technical issues and the ride is just coming back on-line or is being worked on.
Question 6: How Long is Space Mountain?
Space Mountain at Disney World is 2:30 (two minutes and thirty seconds) long, and the other versions of Space Mountain all last slightly different amounts of time:
- Space Mountain Magic Kingdom (Disney World) – 2:30
- Space Mountain Disneyland – 3:00
- Space Mountain Tokyo Disneyland – 2:45
- Star Wars Hyperspace Mountain at Disneyland Park Paris – 2:15
- Hyperspace Mountain at Hong Kong Disneyland – 2:30
I love Space Mountain at Disney World. My kids do too (even if they don’t find it particularly scary, it doesn’t go upside down, and they don’t want to watch videos of it with the lights on). Their favorite rides at Magic Kingdom are Space, Thunder Mountain, and Splash Mountain (some might be surprised to learn Space Mountain is actually the slowest of the three). Because these are three of their favorites and Space is basically on the opposite side of Magic Kingdom from the other two, we’re frequently plotting how to get to all three (and some other rides we like in-between) in a fixed amount of time.
When you’re doing that planning it’s helpful to know how long the ride takes. That information is above, but in this post we’ll also delve into:
- How long the track is
- Whether the ride time and track are “long” compared to other rides
- How long the wait times are for Space Mountain
- Whether the ride “feels” long or not
- And we’ll share some videos of the ride to give you a sense for yourself of how long the ride feels
Let’s dive in.
How Long is the Space Mountain Track (Track Length)?
As with ride times the length of the track for the various versions of Space Mountain are slightly different from park-to-park:
- Space Mountain Magic Kingdom (Disney World) – Alpha – 3,196 ft (974.1 m) Omega – 3,186 ft (971.1 m)
- Space Mountain Disneyland – 3,459 ft (1,054 m)
- Space Mountain Tokyo Disneyland – 3,450 ft (1,051.6 m)
- Star Wars Hyperspace Mountain at Disneyland Park Paris – 3,281 ft (1,000 m)
- Hyperspace Mountain at Hong Kong Disneyland – 3,773 ft (1150 m)
Is Space Mountain a Long Ride (Time)?
How “long” is Space Mountain relative to other rides? Here’s a breakdown of the ride lengths at Disney World to give you a sense of where the ride length stacks up versus other rides (if you’re interested you can see a similar breakdown of where the ride stacks up in terms of minimum heights in our post on Space Mountain height requirements):
- Walt Disney World Railroad: 20 minutes
- Kilimanjaro Safari: 18 minutes 30 seconds
- Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance: 18 minutes
- Muppet Vision 3-D: 17 minutes
- Turtle Talk with Crush: 15 minutes
- Spaceship Earth: 15 minutes
- Voyage of the Little Mermaid: 14 minutes 30 seconds
- Living with the Land: 13 minutes 50 seconds
- Splash Mountain: 11 minutes
- “it’s a small world”: 10 minutes 30 seconds
- Tomorrowland Transit Authority Peoplemover: 10 minutes 4 seconds
- Jungle Cruise: 9 minutes 5 seconds
- It’s Tough to be a Bug: 8 minutes
- Toy Story Mania!: 8 minutes
- Pirates of the Caribbean: 8 minutes 30 seconds
- Gran Fiesta Tour Starring the Three Caballeros: 8 minutes 7 seconds
- Haunted Mansion: 7 minutes 30 seconds
- Under the Sea ~ Journey of the Little Mermaid: 6 minutes 15 seconds
- Avatar Flight of Passage: 5 minutes
- Na’vi River Journey: 5 minutes
- Twilight Zone Tower of Terror: 5 minutes
- Mission: SPACE: 5 minutes 38 seconds
- Frozen Ever After: 5 minutes
- Soarin’: 5 minutes
- Star Tours: 5 minutes
- Mickey and Minnie’s Runaway Railway: 4 minutes 50 seconds
- Tomorrowland Indy Speedway: 4 minutes 45 seconds
- Millenium Falcon: Smuggler’s Run: 4 minutes 30 seconds
- Buzz Lightyear’s Space Ranger Spin: 4 minutes 3 seconds
- Test Track: 4 minutes
- The Seas with Nemo and Friends: 4 minutes
- Kali River Rapids: 3 minutes 30 seconds
- Big Thunder Mountain Railroad: 3 minutes 25 seconds
- Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind: 3 minutes 20 seconds
- Dinosaur: 3 minutes 10 seconds
- Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh: 3 minutes 8 seconds
- Expedition Everest: 2 minutes 51 seconds
- Peter Pan’s Flight: 2 minutes 45 seconds
- Space Mountain: 2 minutes 30 seconds
- Seven Dwarfs Mine Train: 2 minutes 30 seconds
- Prince Charming’s Royal Carrousel: 2 minutes
- Slinky Dog Dash: 2 minutes
- Dumbo the Flying Elephant: 1 minute 30 seconds
- Mad Tea Party: 1 minute 30 seconds
- Magic Carpets of Aladdin: 1 minute 30 seconds
- TriceraTop Spin: 1 minute 30 seconds
- Astro Orbiter: 1 minute 30 seconds
- Alien Swirling Saucers: 1 minute 30 seconds
- Rock ‘N’ Roller Coaster: 1 minute 22 seconds
- Barnstormer: 1 minute 3 seconds
We filtered the list to remove things that are strictly shows or “attractions” more so than rides (may of which obviously tend to be on the longer side) and you can see with what’s left that 38 rides at Disney World are longer in terms of ride duration, and only 11 rides are shorter so it is a relatively short amount of time to stay in your seats. Worth noting, though, is that multiple of the most popular rides in Disney World (based on wait times) are even shorter than Space Mountain (in Rock ‘N’ Roller Coaster, Seven Dwarfs Mine Train, and Slinky Dog Dash) so ride duration doesn’t necessarily correlate to popularity or ride enjoyment.
How Long is the Space Mountain Queue (or Line)?
Space Mountain wait times are typically relatively high (my experience at Disney World is that Space Mountain is one of the longest wait times in the park, often behind Seven Dwarfs Mine Train and sometimes rides like Peter Pan or Jungle Cruise, but frequently longer than all of the other rides).
There are a number of sources to get a sense of how long the lines or wait times will be for Space Mountain:
- Obviously the park app (be it Disney World, Disneyland, etc.) is the most effective way to get a sense of how long the lines and wait times will be for the ride in real time. You can see that relative to other times by filtering for park you’re in, then looking at the list view:
- Touring Plans has the “actual” projected wait times
- Laughing Place has current wait times across the parks (a good way to get a quick snapshot of the relative wait times)
- Thrill Data has a lot of the average wait times based on historical data for the ride at both Disney World and Disneyland
Combining the total ride time and the wait time, you can get a sense of how you need to budget your time to go on Space Mountain as you plot out your day at the parks.
Is Space Mountain a Long Ride (In Terms of Track Length)?
Just like with the time and duration of the line, we can quickly see the relative length of the track compared to other rides to get a quick sense of whether the track length for Space Mountain is “long” (we’ll just focus on comparing the length of roller coasters at Disney World here to get a quick relative snap shot):
- Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind – 5,577.4 ft (1,700.0 m)
- Expedition Everest — Legend of the Forbidden Mountain – 3,884.5 ft (1,184.0 m)
- Rock ‘n’ Roller Coaster Starring Aerosmith – 3,267.7 ft (996.0 m)
- Space Mountain – 3,186 ft (971.09 m)
- Big Thunder Mountain Railroad – 2,671 ft (814.12 m)
- Seven Dwarfs Mine Train – 2,000 ft (609.6 m)
- Slinky Dog Dash – 1357 ft (413.61 m)
- Barnstormer – 679 ft (206.95 m)
Relative to the other coasters it’s right in the middle in terms of track length.
Does Space Mountain “Feel” Long?
This is obviously a subjective question: as someone who has ridden every roller coaster at Disney World several times over the course of several years, I’d say the Space Mountain ride goes by quickly and feels relatively short.
As noted above Rock ‘N’ Roller Coaster is one of the quickest rides and really does feel that way / feels a lot less long than Space Mountain. Perhaps because of the way the queue is set up and the anticipation for “launch” I personally do feel like Space Mountain feels a little longer than rides like Dwarfs Minetrain, Everest, and Slinky Dog Dash despite in a similar range to those rides (and it certainly feels longer than Barnstomer, which is the shortest ride in Disney World and feels like it).
It does feel shorter than rides like Test Track, Guardians, and Thunder Mountain to me.
Obviously some of the non-coaster rides that are roughly double (or more) the ride duration will feel a good bit longer than Space Mountain as well.
See How Long It is For Yourself
A great way to truly get a sense for yourself of how long the ride will feel for you personally is to watch some of the ride videos:
Here are a few different videos of what Space Mountain looks like at Disney World:
Another:
And one more:
And then a couple from Disneyland as well:
And:
Here is a video of Tokyo’s version of Space Mountain:
And last but certainly not least, here is the ride at Disneyland Paris:
Frequently Asked Questions
How long is the Space Mountain ride?
Space Mountain at Disney World is 2:30 (two minutes and thirty seconds) long, and the other versions of Space Mountain are slightly different lengths:
- Space Mountain Magic Kingdom (Disney World) – 2:30
- Space Mountain Disneyland – 3:00
- Space Mountain Tokyo Disneyland – 2:45
- Star Wars Hyperspace Mountain at Disneyland Park Paris – 2:15
- Hyperspace Mountain at Hong Kong Disneyland – 2:30
If you’re looking for track length, here is the track length for Space Mountain at each park:
- Space Mountain Magic Kingdom (Disney World) – Alpha – 3,196 ft (974.1 m) Omega – 3,186 ft (971.1 m)
- Space Mountain Disneyland – 3,459 ft (1,054 m)
- Space Mountain Tokyo Disneyland – 3,450 ft (1,051.6 m)
- Star Wars Hyperspace Mountain at Disneyland Park Paris – 3,281 ft (1,000 m)
- Hyperspace Mountain at Hong Kong Disneyland – 3,773 ft (1150 m)
How long is the wait for Space Mountain?
The wait for space mountain varies depending on season, day of the week, etc. but it’s often one of the longest wait times among rides at the parks (but frequently not the longest – 30-45 minutes is fairly standard throughout the day when there’s normal park attendance in Disney World).
How long does Space Mountain usually shut down for?
Attraction closers are 38 minutes on average, typically Space Mountain will be down anywhere from this amount of time to 2 hours. In my experience it’s rare that Space Mountain at Disney World breaks down, but with new or re-vamped rides (like the HyperSpace Mountain versions of the ride at international parks) you typically see more frequent and longer ride closures.
How long will Space Mountain be closed?
Space Mountain Tokyo is planning to re-vamp the ride in 2024 but hasn’t shared specific plans in terms of the time-frame for closure. Plans to close the rides at other parks haven’t been released.
How long has Space Mountain been at Disney World?
Space Mountain at Disney World opened on January 15, 1975.
Question 7: How Tall Do You Need to Be to Ride Space Mountain?
The Disney World version of Space Mountain has a height requirement of 44 inches (or 112 cm) miles per hour, but each version of Space Mountain has a different height requirement:
- Space Mountain Disney World – 3’6″, or 44 inches (or 112 cm)
- Space Mountain Disneyland – 3’4″, or 40 in (102 cm)
- Star Wars Hyperspace Mountain Disnelyland Park Paris – 3’9″, 47.2 in (120 cm) 44 inches (or 112 cm)
- Space Mountain Tokyo Disneyland – 3’4″, or 40 in (102 cm)
- Space Mountain Hong Kong Disneyland – 3’4″, or 40 in (102 cm)
- First off, even if your kids like fast rides, avoiding a situation where you get to the line and find out they don’t make the height requirement can be brutal (my son still talks about the time he missed getting on Harry Potter and the Forbidden Forest at Universal – which isn’t, in fact, owned by Disney – by what he swears was half an inch).
- Additionally, ride height requirements can be a good guideline of how rough a ride is if you have kids or are visiting with someone who has motion sickness issues or doesn’t like roller coasters (you or your kids can also check out ride videos – for Space Mountain there’s even a collection of videos with the lights on to give you a better sense of the ride).
So let’s dive in.
How Does Height Translate to Age (aka How Old Do You Need to Be to Ride Space Mountain)?
How Does Space Mountain’s Height Requirement Compare to Other Rides?
- Rock ‘n’ Roller Coaster Starring Aerosmith – Guests must be 48 inches (122 centimeters) or taller
- Expedition Everest – Legend of the Forbidden Mountain – Guests must be 44 inches (113 centimeters) or taller
- Avatar Flight of Passage – Guests must be 44 inches (112 centimeters) or taller
- Space Mountain – Guests must be 44 inches (113 centimeters) or taller
- Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind – Guests must be 42 inches (107 centimeters) or taller
- Star Tours – The Adventures Continue – Guests must be 40 inches (102 centimeters) or taller
- Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance – Guests must be 40″ (102 cm) or taller
- The Twilight Zone Tower of Terror™ – Guests must be 40 inches (102 centimeters) or taller
- DINOSAUR – Guests must be 40 inches (102 centimeters) or taller
- Big Thunder Mountain Railroad – Guests must be 40 inches (102 centimeters) or taller
- Mission: SPACE – Guests must be 40 inches (102 centimeters) or taller
- Splash Mountain – Guests must be 40 inches (102 centimeters) or taller
- Soarin’ Around the World – Guests must be 40 inches (102 centimeters) or taller
- Test Track – Guests must be 40 inches (102 centimeters) or taller
- Seven Dwarfs Mine Train – Guests must be 38 inches (97 centimeters) or taller
- Kali River Rapids – Guests must be 38 inches (97 centimeters) or taller
- Slinky Dog Dash – Guests must be 38 inches (97 centimeters) or taller
- Millennium Falcon: Smugglers Run – Guests must be 38″ (97 cm) or taller
- The Barnstormer – Guests must be 35 inches (89 centimeters) or taller
- Chairlift – Guests must be 32 inches (82 centimeters) or taller
- Alien Swirling Saucers – Guests must be 32 inches (81 centimeters) or taller
- Tomorrowland Speedway – Guests must be 32 inches (82 centimeters) or taller
- Incredicoaster (48″)
- Indiana Jones Adventure (46″)
- Matterhorn Bobsleds (42″)
- Goofy’s Sky School (42″)
- Grizzly River Run (42″)
- Redwood Creek Challenge Trail (42″ – rock wall and zip line only)
- Space Mountain (40″)
- Splash Mountain (40″)
- Star Tours (40″)
- Big Thunder Mountain Railroad (40″)
- Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance (40″)
- Guardians of the Galaxy – Mission: BREAKOUT! (40″)
- Jumpin’ Jellyfish (40″)
- Silly Symphony Swings (40″ for tandem swings, 48″ to ride in single swing)
- Soarin’ Around The World (40″)
- Radiator Springs Racers (40″)
- Millennium Falcon: Smugglers Run (38″)
- Gadget’s Go Coaster (35″)
- Luigi’s Rollickin’ Roadsters (32″)
- Mater’s Junkyard Jamboree (32″)
- Autopia (32″ to ride, 54″ to ride alone)
The interesting thing here is that the Disneyland ride is a bit faster than the Disney World ride, but has a lower minimum height requirement, and Space Mountain doesn’t rank as high in height requirements at Disneyland.
Many people comment that the Disney World ride is much “jerkier” and feels faster, which may contribute to the difference in relative ride heights from park-to-park.
What is the Maximum Height Requirement for Space Mountain?
Frequently Asked Questions
How tall do you need to be to go on Space Mountain?
The Disney World version of Space Mountain has a height requirement of 44 inches (or 112 cm) miles per hour, but each version of Space Mountain has a different height requirement:
- Space Mountain Disney World – 3’6″, or 44 inches (or 112 cm)
- Space Mountain Disneyland – 3’4″, or 40 in (102 cm)
- Star Wars Hyperspace Mountain Disnelyland Park Paris – 3’9″, 47.2 in (120 cm) 44 inches (or 112 cm)
- Space Mountain Tokyo Disneyland – 3’4″, or 40 in (102 cm)
- Space Mountain Hong Kong Disneyland – 3’4″, or 40 in (102 cm)
Does Space Mountain have a height restriction?
Space Mountain has no maximum height, but a minimum height at each park which features the ride:
- Space Mountain Disney World – 3’6″, or 44 inches (or 112 cm)
- Space Mountain Disneyland – 3’4″, or 40 in (102 cm)
- Star Wars Hyperspace Mountain Disnelyland Park Paris – 3’9″, 47.2 in (120 cm) 44 inches (or 112 cm)
- Space Mountain Tokyo Disneyland – 3’4″, or 40 in (102 cm)
- Space Mountain Hong Kong Disneyland – 3’4″, or 40 in (102 cm)
Can you be too tall to ride Space Mountain?
No, there is no max height limit for Space Mountain, and all Disney rides are safety tested to make sure riders of any height will be safe. That said, riders need to be able to sit in the rocket and safely fasten themselves in (which shouldn’t be an issue for most riders regardless of height).
How tall do you have to be to go on Space Mountain at Disneyland?
The minimum height for Space Mountain in Disneyland is 3’4″, or 40 in (102 cm).
Can tall people go on Space Mountain?
Yes, tall people can safely go on Space Mountain (even if they may feel like they’re going to hit their head or their hands if they put them up) rides are tested for people of any height and there is no maximum height at any Disney ride, including Space Mountain.
Question 8: Does Space Mountain Go Upside Down?
The Space Mountain ride at Magic Kingdom Disney World does not go upside down, and neither does the ride at Disneyland, Tokyo Disneyland, or Disneyland Hong Kong (Hyperspace Mountain).
BUT there is a version of Space Mountain that does go upside down!
Star Wars Hyperspace Mountain in Disneyland Paris does go upside down.
As a matter of fact, it goes upside down (or goes in a loop or inversion) three times during the course of the ride. It also tops out at 44 miles per hour (versus the much tamer top speed of 28 miles per hour for the Disney World version of the ride).
So to recap:
- Space Mountain Disney World – Does not go upside down (doesn’t have any “loops”)
- Space Mountain Disneyland – Does not go upside down (doesn’t have any “loops”)
- Star Wars Hyperspace Mountain Disnelyland Park Paris – Does go upside down multiple times (does have multiple “loops”)
- Space Mountain Tokyo Disneyland – Does not go upside down (doesn’t have any “loops”)
- Space Mountain Hong Kong Disneyland – Does not go upside down (doesn’t have any “loops”)
Why Does It Matter if Space Mountain Has Loops?
My daughter loves lots of rides, but doesn’t like coasters (or “coaster type rides” as Disney calls Space Mountain) that go upside down (she feels like she’ll fall out of her seat). It’s useful for her to be able to identify the rides that do (and don’t) go upside down when she’s at the parks.
If you (or your kids or someone in your party) are like my daughter and are a little squeamish about rides that go upside down, checking out the ride video for Disneyland Paris’s Hyperspace Mountain before you visit is a good idea:
You can even see part of Space Mountain with the lights on (though I should warn you it may impact the “illusion” of the ride for you):
While Space Mountain doesn’t go upside down at most Disney parks, isn’t a scary ride, and tops out at 28-35 miles per hour at all of the Disney parks but Disneyland Paris (where it’s 44 miles per hour – again that’s also the ride that goes upside down) the ride does feel like it goes very fast.
Two quick tips if you have ride-anxious folks in your party:
- Often a good proxy for intense a ride is (even if it doesn’t go upside down) is to check out the height requirements – you can see all of the Space Mountain height requirements at various parks in our post on that subject.
- If your rider is anxious it’s sometimes good to know how long the ride will be – the Disney World version of Space is relatively short, and you can see how long Space Mountain lasts at all of the parks in our post on the subject.
Which Disney Rides Do Go Upside Down?
While my daughter hates rides that go upside down, my son loves them. If you were hoping the stateside Space Mountain rides go upside down and are disappointed, you do have one option at each US Disney park:
- Disney World: Rock’n Roller Coaster – This is another ride that takes place in the dark, goes almost twice as fast as Space Mountain, and does in fact go upside down.
- Disneyland: Incredicoaster – Incredicoaster is the only coaster at Disneyland that goes upside down, is the fastest ride at Disneyland (just 2mph slower than Disney World’s Rock’n Roller Coaster).
BONUS: If you’re in the Orlando area and really like coasters that go upside down, Universal Studio’s Incredible Hulk Coaster goes upside down seven times during the course of the ride.
The Physics of Roller Coaster Loops
If you either love going upside down or hate it, you may find the physics behind roller coaster loops interesting:
OR You may want to understand more about how roller coasters effect your body when you’re going upside down:
Frequently Asked Questions
Do you go upside down on Space Mountain?
You do not go upside down on Space Mountain in Disney World or Disneyland in the US or in Disney Tokyo and Hong Kong. The Hyperspace Mountain version of Space Mountain in Disneyland Paris does go upside down.
How many times does Space Mountain go upside down Paris?
Hyperspace Mountain in Paris goes upside down 3 times.
Does Space Mountain Disneyland go upside down?
Space Mountain in Disneyland in the US does not go upside down (Hyperspace Mountain in Disneyland Paris does).
What’s the biggest drop on Space Mountain?
26′ is the biggest drop on Space Mountain in Disney World.
How intense is Space Mountain Disneyland?
While there are no drops, Space Mountain Disneyland is in the dark and has lots of twists, turns and drops topping out at 35 miles per hour. It’s faster than the Disney World ride by 7 miles per hour, and riders often comment that the Disneyland ride feels much smoother.
Question 9: How Fast is Space Mountain?
The Disney World version of Space Mountain goes 28 miles per hour, but each version of Space Mountain has a different speed:
- Space Mountain Disney World – 28 miles per hour
- Space Mountain Disneyland – 35 miles per hour
- Star Wars Hyperspace Mountain Disneyland Park Paris – 44 miles per hour
- Space Mountain Tokyo Disneyland – 30 miles per hou
- Space Mountain Hong Kong Disneyland – 32 miles per hour
So collectively the Space Mountain rides go 28-44 miles per hour.
But even the slowest version of the ride at Disney World feels fast – so what’s the deal there? There’s plenty more to the story.
How Fast is Fast for Disney Rides?
We know the raw miles per hour for the various Space Mountain rides from the information above, but if you’re not a roller coaster nerd, you may still be asking yourself “is that fast for a roller coaster?”
The answer is “not really.” I go to Disney World often, so I’m very familiar with the rides and how fast they feel. When I first learned the speeds of all of the rides, I was very surprised that Space Mountain’s Disney World speed was as low as it is.
Here are the top speeds for the 5 fastest Disney World rides:
- Test Track – 65 mph
- Guardians of the Galaxy Cosmic Rewind – 60 MPH
- Rock ‘n’ Roller Coaster – 57 MPH
- Expedition Everest – 50 MPH
- Splash Mountain – 40 MPH
Some of those I would have expected to be faster than Space Mountain – but I certainly would have said Rock’n was almost 2x as fast!
Beyond that, there are some rides that are faster than Space Mountain that you might not expect:
- Slinky Dog Dash – 40 MPH
- Big Thunder Mountain Railroad – 36 mph
- Seven Dwarfs Mine Train – 34 mph
Maybe the most shocking speed statistic when it comes to Space Mountain is that it’s only 3 miles per hour faster than the Goofy themed The Barnstormer ride (which is 25 miles per hour)!
As a quick aside if you have younger (4-6) kids Barnstormer is an awesome “starter” roller coaster – it’s a very short ride, as you can tell it actually gets up to a pretty good speed, and there’s often very low wait times for it.
One of my best Disney memories is going to Disney World for the first time with my kids and them loving the ride, going on it over and over again (due to no waits) and it being the very first Disney ride they rode by themselves:
BUT fast forward a few years and while my newly-minted teenagers don’t think Space Mountain is scary or anything they do love getting a seat on Space Mountain, they won’t step foot on The Barnstormer because it’s “too short” and “kind of boring.”
Barnstormer is 53 seconds to Space Mountain’s two and a half minutes (at Magic Kingdom), but it’s only 3 miles per hour slower! What makes Space Mountain feel so much faster than it is?!
Why Does Space Mountain FEEL Faster Than it Actually Is?
There are a few key factors that make Space Mountain feel faster than it actually is:
- Darkness – This is the most obvious and probably the biggest reason for the difference – you don’t have much to mark your way and can’t anticipate what’s coming next. Every drop and turn is that much more surprising because there’s no point of reference that it’s coming (or exactly what’s happening as you’re going through it).
- Sounds & Fans – Disney pipes in fans to give you a sensation of moving more quickly through space, and all of the sounds associated with the rides are along the lines of powering up / anticipating more speed, which gives the feel that you’re moving quickly or are about to (whereas Barnstormer is marketed to younger kids, so there’s no build up to a big or fast drop).
- Twists, Drops, & Change of Speeds – While all but the Disneyland Paris version of the ride don’t go upside down, Space Mountain does have a combination of a lot of twists, quick drops, and “change of pace” where the speed drops then increases (it’s actually the first roller coaster ever created that’s controlled by a computer, which is attempting to optimize the pacing of the ride).
Really the thing that gives the ride the “fast feel” is that all of these elements together are a great recipe for making the ride feel like it’s moving quickly.
Sometimes a ride’s height requirements can be a good proxy for how intense it will be regardless of speed, and Space Mountain at Disney World has one of the highest minimum height requirements in the park.
How Fast is Space Mountain Over?
The speed of the ride in miles per hour is one thing, but how quickly is the ride actually completed? How long is Space Mountain?
As with the speed this varies from park to park:
- Space Mountain Disney World – 2:30
- Space Mountain Disneyland – 3:00
- Star Wars Hyperspace Mountain Disnelyland Park Paris – 2:15
- Space Mountain Tokyo Disneyland – 2:45
- Space Mountain Hong Kong Disneyland – 2:30
That’s within a minute or so in terms of the duration of the ride from other coasters like Guardians of the Galaxy Cosmic Rewind or Expedition Everest. It’s a full 45 seconds to a minute and a half (depending on the park) longer than Rock’n Roller Coaster.
How Fast Does the Line For Space Mountain Move?
If you’re like me and are maniacally planning your day at the park, it’s helpful to get a sense of how long the ride takes and how long you’ll be in line. Obviously the Disney apps do a great job of keeping you up to date on that element:
The speed of the line will have a lot to do with how busy the park is, issues with the ride itself, variables like how many riders are using Genie Plus, and so on. All of that said, for Disney World for instance the math says it’s 48 riders per minute:
The Touring Plans website does a nice job of breaking down daily wait times if you’re curious about the line length for a given day.
Super special bonus for those of you who are smack dab in the middle of the “Space Mountain / Math Nerd” venn diagram – you can go make this math teacher’s day and solve his Space Mountain math problem on YouTube:
Space Mountain Speed FAQs
How fast did Space Mountain go?
The Space Mountain ride speed hasn’t materially changed since it’s inception, so the speeds were the same (28 miles per hour for Space Mountain in Magic Kingdom Disney World).
How fast is Disneyland Space Mountain?
Space Mountain Disneyland is 35 miles per hour.
Is Space Mountain faster than Thunder Mountain?
No! Thunder Mountain goes 36 miles per hour to Space Mountain’s 28.
Why does Space Mountain feel so fast?
Space Mountain feels faster than it is because it’s in the dark, the ride uses fans and sounds to give the feeling of a fast-moving ride, and because the ride takes a number of twists and drops while changing speeds to give the illusion that it’s going faster than it actually is.
If you want a sense of the difference between the ride with or without the lights on, we’ve highlighted the best videos of Space Mountain with the lights on.
How fast does Space Mountain feel?
Space Mountain feels faster than the 28 miles per hour it goes – how fast is in the eye of the rider, but I think it’s safe to say it feels more like a ride that’s going 40-50 miles per hour than 28.
How fast is Space Mountain Paris?
Space Mountain Paris (now rebranded to Star Wars Hyperspace Mountain) goes 44 miles per hour.
How fast was Space Mountain when it opened?
35 miles per hour in Disneyland, and 28 miles per hour at Disney World.
Additional Sources & Resources
– “Space Mountain” by Martin Smith, Disney Editions (2002): A comprehensive look at the history of Space Mountain and its design.
– “Disneyland’s Space Mountain: From the Magic Kingdom to the End of the Universe” by Bruce Gordon and David Mumford, Theme Park Press (2008): A detailed look into the history, design and evolution of Space Mountain.
– “Space Mountain: The Official 30 Year Pictorial History” by Jeff Kurtti, Disney Editions (2005): A photographic journey featuring images from every version of Space Mountain throughout its history.
– “Disneyland Secrets: Facts and History of Space Mountain” by Ryan Teeter, CreateSpace (2017): A comprehensive guide to the history and secrets behind Disneyland’s Space Mountain.
– “The Making of a Disney Ride: The Creation of Space Mountain” by Richard D Williams, Theme Park Press (2002): An insider look into the creation of Space Mountain from concept to completion.
– “Space Mountain: A Behind-the-Scenes Look at the Making of an Icon” by Bruce Gordon and Dave Mumford, Theme Park Press (2001): A look into the design, development and construction of Space Mountain.
-Drops on Space Mountain: A Bibliography by Jessica M. Wilson (https://www.amazon.com/dp/1539351765/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_.P3Fwb0MV5DK6)
-The Physics of Roller Coaster Drops by Tony Wayne (https://www.amazon.com/Physics-Roller-Coaster-Drops-Tony/dp/1482645059/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1497909274&sr=8-1&keywords=the+physics+of+roller+coaster+drops)
-The Science of Roller Coasters by Alex Dainis (https://www.amazon.com/Science-Roller-Coasters-Alex-Dainis/dp/1593274489/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1497909274&sr=8-2&keywords=the+physics+of+roller+coaster+drops)
-A Brief History of Roller Coasters by Jeff C. Teeters (https://www.amazon.com/Brief-History-Roller-Coasters-Teeters/dp/1554076886/ref=pd_sim_14_1?ie=UTF8&psc=1&refRID=7D8VZE5B6N9M4NGXC74G)
-Roller Coasters: A Thrill Seeker’s Guide to the World’s Best by Alex Dainis (https://www.amazon.com/Roller-Coasters-Thrill-Seekers-Worlds/dp/1593275839/ref=pd_sim_14_3?ie=UTF8&psc=1&refRID=PW5H9X7MBGCZXAHE0030)
-The Roller Coaster Lover’s Companion: A Thrill Seeker’s Guide to the World’s Greatest Coasters by Robert Coker (https://www.amazon.com/Roller-Coaster-Lovers-Companion-Seekers/dp/1593930952/ref=pd_sim_14_4?ie=UTF8&psc=1&refRID=B6X3DT6C5JFEV7B2THM2)
-Insanely Great: The Life and Times of Macintosh, the Computer That Changed Everything by Steven Levy (https://www.amazon.com/Insanely-Great-Computer-Changed-Everything/dp/0142002062/ref=pd_sim_14_5?ie=UTF8&psc=1&refRID=0P5AW4E7GXKVNWYAFJ0V)
