10 Things You Didn't Know About Space Mountain
Are you ready to journey into the land of tomorrow?
Hello everyone and welcome aboard this intergalactic voyage into the world of Space Mountain!
Opening in the Walt Disney World's Magic Kingdom in 1975, the attraction is a journey into the far reaches of the cosmos. Riders launch from the space port into the limits of outer-space.
Tomorrowland was the perfect place to build Space Mountain as the ride was truly ahead of its time, a technological marvel.
Space Mountain was actually the first ride in the world to be built indoors and it carries a rich history. Real astronauts have not only rode it but helped design and build it.
So let's blast off into on an adventure into Space Mountain...
10. Its Unique Appearance Is Functional
A huge white space port, covered in beams that grows proudly out of the ground in Tomorrowland, Space Mountain is the most futuristic landmark in the Disney parks and perhaps the coolest.
It doesn't just look this way to be attractive. The outside beams are part of the construction. Rather than placing the beams inside the show building, having these outside allowed for more room within to structure the ride's layout. Each of the 72 beams are made from solid concrete and weigh 74 tonnes. They were actually made at the park and hoisted into place.
The show building stands at 183 feet tall, just 6 feet shorter than the castle. Just like the park's centrepiece, Space Mountain uses forced perspective to make it appear even taller. The beams measure 13 feet wide at the bottom and only 4 feet at the top. This gives the illusion of height.
When walking up to the ride the impressive structure helps guests feel that they are in for a huge ride with some pretty steep drops.