It was February 8, 2001, opening day for DCA. The Disney executive (one of them who isn’t with the company any more) and I were in the Media Center, having a couple of sandwiches together. He leaned over the table conspiratorially.
“Tower of Terror,” he said, “is going over there.” He pointed to where Tower now looms over Hollywood Pictures Backlot. “And Rock and Roller Coaster is going over there.” He added, and pointed off in the other direction, toward the soundstage that later hosted "Who Wants to Be a Millionaire – Play It!"
So, he was off by a couple of hundred feet. Or maybe he was pointing at Space Mountain and just didn’t know it. I wasn’t sure how much it would be like RNRC in Florida, but supposed it would be part Space Mountain, part RNRC. I never imagined -- even watching Dick Dale perched on the top of the attraction a few years before, burning his way through a couple of guitar picks -- that Space Mountain was capable of that kind of layover.
Frankly, I didn’t think it would be a good fit. Aerosmith in a facility built specifically for that purpose is one thing, Hoobastank is another. No, no, I love Hoobastank. But if I’m gonna hear music in Space Mountain, how about Space Oddity with all the space effects? How about pitch blackness and Dethklok? Sorry, wrong animation company. You haven’t ridden the Log Ride at Knott’s until you’ve done it with Rob Zombie blasting through all the speakers, like at last Haunt.
Copyright 2007 Disney Enterprises, Inc.
But there was a long line for Space Mountain, and all the FastPasses were gone by three. I regaled the kids by telling them horror stories about how we had to wait in all the lines when I was a kid, and that you had ticket books, and once your E coupons were gone, that was IT.
If it weren’t for the Rockin’ Space Mountain sign and the drug-addled teenager that came up to Seong Ho and started babbling at him, I wouldn’t have thought anything was different about Space Mountain. But the new queue work is gorgeous. I always loved that load area, and really like the improvements. I have yet to see Space Mountain as Space Mountain. That will have to wait til after April 26.
I heard something there I hadn’t heard in years – applause. Car after car returned to the station, and the passengers were cheering. “People used to do that all the time when the ride first opened,” I informed the three tweens that accompanied me. And their faces reflected that special expression reserved for when The Ancients tell those endless stories about how things were when they were young.
Not being a local, I didn’t know who the DJ was, but I liked the setup. My daughter Alice, a budding bass player like her Mom, nudged me when she heard the bass prep. We didn’t totally understand the dancers. It looked very much like Grad Night 1981 effects, and there was a bit of a hippie touch to it. But it was amazing fun. I loved the lights, I loved how the tracks – usually invisible – looked, and the music was wonderful. We too cheered when our car came back in, and all three kids had the same verdict as me: “AWESOME!” Great fun, and since it’s a layover, WDI can make fresh changes to a classic attraction, then bring it back to its default.
Earlier that same day, we’d experienced Rockin’ California Screamin'. We first heard the music from Maliboomer, and it made us wish our FastPasses would ripen a little faster! The music fits especially well, especially on Graebner’s Drop, but the cuts were very obvious. In the Year of a Million Dreams, this is a nice gift for the Disney rockers out there, myself included.
The rethemed versions of Space Mountain & California Screamin' (featuring a new soundtrack & lighting effects) will be open daily through April 26, 2007. After that date, these Disneyland Resort thrill rides will revert to their original soundtracks & lighting.
This layover - in Space Mountain - is awful. It pretty much ruins the ride and dumbs it down. With the tracks readily evident and visible, the thrill and mystery are gone.
This writer needs to actually ride Space Mountain as Space Mountain. He/she will discover just how deficient and poorly conceived/executed this layover is.
Now on Screamin'... it's no big whoop, but it's no more or less of an attraction than it was with the other music. All it represents is a change in music.
That italicized part at the end of the article made me go "phew"...Even though I live in Orlando and have never been to CA, I can't imagine any Space Mountain not having the same soundtrack and darkness. If these redo's were made for the Year of a Million Dreams, why are they closing the new versions April 26th? How long did it take to do the redo, and how long will it take to turn these rides back to the way they were?
Thanks for the update, Shelly!
"This writer needs to actually ride Space Mountain as Space Mountain. He/she will discover just how deficient and poorly conceived/executed this layover is."
I think Fab has ridden Space Mountain a few hundred times in her life....
Some people don't think HMH is heresy. Different strokes.
I love the original Space Mountain. I love when my friends dress up for Halloween, or get a couple wild streaks in their hair for the summer, too. When they go back to normal, I love them that way and think fondly of that wild summer or fun Hallowe'en.
Space Mountain is a beloved old friend since childhood. This is a fun, temporary layover, and when Space Mountain goes back to its default, I'll be grateful and love it, too.
The SM redos are a simple enough layover designed for the off-season. I can't imagine changing lighting and soundtrack takes more than a couple days tops. In terms of how long it took initially... Well, the band wasn't decided when the AP holiday newsletter came out, but the concert-style lighting was probably in the works by then.
I thought it was cool as a temporary change, but nothing tops the original. Screaming? Eh, those upside down coasters are a bit much for me.
I'm just hoping all this experimentation leads to a show building specifically designed for layovers one day.
I rode "Rockin" Space Mountain and I completely agree with blueohanaterror. The attraction was not designed for this. Seeing the track layout was interesting because it's so lit up in there now. However, it ruins the entire efffect. I don't know where the music was in sync with the ride, it felt as if the music was just blarring at me as we rode along. In fact, the way to enjoy this ride is to load the original music into your ipod, play it as your riding it with your eyes "closed". Maybe they can do an overlay with Frank Sinatra singing "Fly Me To The Moon". At least that song would make more sense than what's in there now.
God, when Space Mountain started with that awful spiel and then that awful band that uses the same chord progression in every song, my friends and I burst into laughter.
It's pretty horrible. And the lighting on the inside is obnoxious. I'm 22, and I played in an riot-grrl garage band for several years. I like my rock n' roll just fine, but please, keep it away from my Disney. And if you must, please, choose a better artist. I liked wedway's "Fly to the Moon" suggestion. Or, bring back the surf guitar. Even that was more rocking.
Shelly is clear about one thing and that is she hasn't ridden SM since its reopening in July 2005. Had she done that, she would have experienced many rides with great applause. The replaced track, darker interior and new sound track were a huge upgrade. Despite relatively tame speeds, SM was back better than ever.
I have no problem with overlays. Some work and some don't. I would still like to see what Rockit Mountain was going to be (at least this also doesn't presume to be Space Mountain!) My opion is that this overlay doesn't work. I hope it doesn't return after its temporary run.
I'm a lifetime local in So. Cal and a annual passholder for over 18 years. I've been on my favorite Disney 'coaster "Rockin' Roller Coaster" in Orlando on three different visits. I love the sound stage and queue area.
I got to ride the Rockin' Mountain last Sunday and I was very disappointed. It may be that I'm too old, but the music was not appealing and the visual overlay seemed more 60's than current. It was cool to hear DJ Joe Benson, but Rockin' Mountain didn't feel like Disney.
Even with Aerosmith in Rockin Rollercoaster, it felt very whimsical. The themeing got you into the mood and the ride itself was thrilling. When I rode Rockin' RC the first time, I had no idea there was a loop and barrel rolls awaiting me. The sound track, complete darkness ,and the lit signs that seem to appear then disappear it all worked. A dark Disney ride gone turbo :)
I've been on Space Mountain enough to know the turns by feel. I've been stuck on the ride enough to have seen the interior with the lights on. (years ago I remember seeing Mickey balloons stuck to a vent in the ceiling) On Rockin' Mountain I thought the lights along the track were cool. If there were just muted enough not to light up the track, you could play games with riders as to where the next turn would be :)
I do miss the Space Surf guitar sound track from Space Mountain.
I miss the surf guitar too.
Nobody was applauding on our return to the loading dock.
And yes, as the poster above correctly noted, Shelly has not ridden "Space Mountain as Space Mountain" since its redo. When she DOES enjoy it that way, she'll realize this thing is just terribly inferior.
But some posters don't read too carefully, apparently.
I love the new overlays. I'm not sure why this is such a big deal, as everyone who is up in arms about it also knows that it's temporary. I applaud Disney for trying things and giving me new experiences to look forward to when visiting.
I love a good coaster, though I'm not an obsessed fan of them-a loop is a loop after a while. But Space Mountain always holds a special place for me. Not just because it was a Walt concept or a Hench design, but that it was my Grad night ride (Class of '77-that's me!). It's the only coaster I ever applauded and still do. I have not ridden either new overlay version, and have no interested in doing so. Do I care that they are "tampering with a classic"? Not really. They are experimenting, and as Walt said, we will make mistake, but we will learn from them. This overlay failed, and it's just for a while longer anyway. Maybe the next change will really work.
I rode it today and thought it was great(then again just being at the park with no crowd and 75° weather was amazing). Is it better, no. Its still enjoyable and I wouldn't mind seeing the occasional overlay to SM in the future.
Hey Shelly, Did I see you on Space Mountain at Grad Nite 1981?
Yep I was there LOL.
wec