Picture of the ride vehicle at Space Mountain in Magic Kingdom at Disney World.

Here are the Space Mountain seats at Disney World:

A picture of the Space Mountain seats.
(photo via Wikimedia commons)

And at Disneyland:

Image of Space Mountain riders 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:

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.