You Probably Don’t Know These 9 Secrets About One of Disney’s Most Popular Roller Coasters

Space Mountain's distinctive white conical exterior is always one of the first beacons I see on the horizon as I approach Disney property. It's somehow simultaneously a symbol of both a bygone era and a vision of tomorrow, which makes it the perfect icon to welcome visitors to a place where they can experience the charms of the past and the mysteries of the future all in one magical escape.

Inside, the legendary Disney dark coaster spirals through a field of asteroids and constellations as it zips around sudden turns and down delightfully steep slopes. The glowing ambiance of the attraction's star tunnel queue immerses would-be astronauts in an interstellar space port, with windows offering views of space terrain, cityscapes, and futuristic amenities.

Despite its consistently long lines and whiplash-inducing jolts, Space Mountain is definitely a must-do for first and fortieth timers.

Space Mountain Celebrates Its 50th Anniversary at Magic Kingdom!

Walt Disney World shared a video of a golden fireworks celebration moment for the 50th anniversary of Space Mountain. The ride opened on January 15, 1975 at Magic Kingdom. Since that time, Space Mountain has become one of the most beloved and iconic Disney attractions, and versions of it have been added to Disney Parks around the world.

With Space Mountain's 50th anniversary in mind, let's dive into nine things you may not know about this fan-favorite coaster…

9 Things You Might Not Know About Space Mountain

This Disney “mountain” has become quite famous over the years, but we're unlocking some surprising secrets about its history and a treasure trove of fun Space Mountain facts for fans and neophytes alike. Let's dive into the inspiration, design, and hidden details of this popular attraction!

The attraction is one of the top roller coasters and rides at the parks. It is rated as one of our top Disneyland and Magic Kingdom rides.

Walt Didn't Want “Fast Rides” at the Parks

Originally, Walt Disney didn't believe there was a place for “fast rides” at his family theme park. However, while he was filming the live action movie, Third Man on the Mountain, the Swiss Alps made such an impression on him, he decided he wanted to recreate it with a toboggan run attraction inside a snow-covered “hill” at Disneyland. That hill soon became a 147-foot-tall mountain, and the success of the 1959 addition, the Matterhorn Bobsleds, changed Walt's mind about thrill rides.

He envisioned a space themed version of the Matterhorn's mouse-style coaster—but in the dark—as the center of a Tomorrowland space port. His idea wouldn't come to fruition until after his death, with the opening of the Magic Kingdom.

It's Slower Than You Think

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The novelty of a rollercoaster with virtually no visibility is part of what makes Space Mountain such an exciting attraction. It seems fast because the darkness makes it impossible for riders to see what's coming next. However, this classic thrill ride is actually only a bit faster than the slowest coaster at Magic Kingdom.

Each rocket only reaches a top speed of around 28 miles per hour, while kiddie coaster Goofy's Barnstormer is only slightly slower, at 25 miles per hour. To put its speed further into perspective, Fantasyland's Seven Dwarfs Mine Train, which Disney markets as a family coaster, is actually faster, at 34 miles per hour. However, Disneyland's version of Space Mountain beats them all with a top speed of 35 miles per hour, which is still quite a bit slower than the ride seems while you're streaking through the black of outer space.

Imagineers Consulted Astronauts for Authenticity

To ensure the authenticity of the ride's design, Disney consulted Astronaut Gordon Cooper, who was one of seven original U.S. astronauts and piloted the “Faith 7” spacecraft around the Earth 22 times as part of the Mercury project.

Cooper's expertise provided valuable insight into the realistic details the attraction needed to make it truly special.

First of Its Kind

True to Walt's vision of Tomorrowland, when Space Mountain opened at Walt Disney World in 1975, it was the first computer-controlled roller coaster in the world. Using sensors, Imagineers can track the movement of each individual coaster car and calculate any necessary velocity adjustments based on the weight of the riders inside, preventing collisions on the track. This tracking and braking system can control the distance between each rocket and determine when it's safe to launch the next ride vehicle. Most importantly, the computer knows when to shut the ride down, making it one of the safest coasters you can ride. In fact, most coasters now operate using a similar system.

Bonus fact: Space Mountain was also the first totally indoor roller coaster in the world!

A Ceiling on Height

Up to the tip of its highest spire, Space Mountain in Magic Kingdom is 183 feet tall and 300 feet in diameter, giving it a massive footprint in Tomorrowland! As big as it is, Disney was careful not to let its height overshadow Magic Kingdom's 189-foot-tall icon, Cinderella Castle, since it was meant to be the most impressive structure in the park.

Ahead of Its Time

Disney renaissance artist John Hench, who worked in several capacities on projects like Fantasia, 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea, and EPCOT Center, originally designed Space Mountain in the early 1960s. Back then, the technology needed to realize the concept didn't exist, so the idea was shelved until after Walt's death.

Imagineers resumed the project once it became possible to model the data with the computer systems available at that time, but it wasn't until 11 years after its conception that the ride finally opened at the Magic Kingdom on January 15, 1975. Since then, Disney has recreated versions of Space Mountain at four other parks around the globe.

Disneyland's Version Is Smaller

Because Disneyland is much smaller than Walt Disney World in scale, an exact replica of Magic Kingdom's Space Mountain wouldn't have fit inside the California park's version of Tomorrowland. So, although Disneyland's version is slightly faster, it's significantly smaller, at 118 feet tall and 200 feet in diameter.

That said, the Disneyland version is often referred to as the superior version of the ride because of its onboard audio and far smoother track.

Hidden Details

The insane amount of hidden detail on Disney attractions is one of the things that make them worth experiencing time after time. Easter Eggs abound in the Space Mountain queue area at Magic Kingdom, so be prepared to make observations upon entry. On the way in, there's a large panel display that reads, “Welcome Space Travelers. Starport seven-five, your gateway to the galaxies.” Starport was the name Walt used to refer to the area in Tomorrowland where the attraction would reside, and 7-5 is a reference to the date when Space Mountain opened at the Magic Kingdom.

To the right of this display, there are three lighted panels you won't want to miss. The first reads, “Active Lunar Stations” and lists the names of real star systems, astronauts, and scientists. Under this, you'll see the heading, “Active Earth Stations,” with a list of the codes for all the Disney Parks Space Mountains: Tomorrowland Station MK-1 (Disney World), TL Space Station 77 (Disneyland), Discovery Landing Station – Paris (Disneyland Paris), Ashita Base – Tokyo (Tokyo Disneyland), and HK Spaceport E-TKT (Hong Kong Disneyland).

On your way out, keep an eye out for the robot work station featuring “Closed Sectors” in the lower left corner of the desk. This is a nod to closed attractions at Magic Kingdom: FL-MTWR (Fantasyland – Mr. Toad's Wild Ride), TL-SK2FL (Tomorrowland – Skyway to Fantasyland), MSU-SB (Main Street, U.S.A. – Swan Boats), FL-MMR (Fantasyland – Mickey Mickey Revue), and TL-M2M (Tomorrowland – Mission to Mars). Under “Open Sectors” in the same area, there are codes for (mostly) current attractions, including: FL-MAWP (Fantasyland – Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh), AL-AFC (Adventureland – Aladdin's Flying Carpets), FL -MPH (Fantasyland – Mickey's Philharmagic), FRL-SM (Frontierland – Splash Mountain), TL-BLSRS (Tomorrowland – Buzz Lightyear's Space Ranger Spin), and TL-MILFaFf (Monsters Inc. Laugh Floor).

RCA Easter Egg

In the beginning, Space Mountain was sponsored by RCA (Radio Corporation of America), which had a very famous logo of a dog called “Nipper” listening to a gramophone. Although the partnership between Disney and RCA dissolved by the early 90s, there's still a tribute to the original sponsorship on the ride. In the exit tunnel, a robot version of Nipper appears in space next to a big screen T.V.

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