Space Mountain!!! To ride or not to ride????

[atnextc]

OK, first off hello to everyone at Intercot.

I happened upon this site when I reading about "George" on PoTC. Anyways......I am 23 and I don't really like heights, and or drops in rides. I have ridden Splash with my son and wife and such but didn't to much care for the drop, yet I can ride Kali River Rapids all day long. The wife keeps trying to get me on Space Mountain, and I can almost talk myself into it, but I always say no I'm not going. BUT my son wants to ride an he is 5, then I start to think that if he can ride It so can I. My questions after all the nonsense above is, is there a big drop in SM, and if so is it at the end, how high is it things of that nature. Any replies would be appreciated.

FYI rides like ToT aint ever happening, but I can ride Big Thunder Mountain without a problem. I will let you guys try to talk me into getting on SM when we go back for the 4th time this year. October baby YEAH!!!

:mickey:

[caryrae]

:welcome:

SM seems like it can be scary mostly because it is dark. I have heard if it wasn't for being dark the ride would be boring. I think it not like the bigger rollercoasters but more like BTMRR lots of little hills and turns. I don't like ToT and RnR but I love SM it is my favorite, just something about not seeing whats coming. I will always try a ride one time cause you never know what you may be missing and you may like it.

[hardingella]

I am that parent who is sitting on the bench waiting for her family to come off the rides all smiling and excited. I do really feel left out sometimes, but better that than being sick for the entire day. Last trip i promised my kids i would ride space mountain. I had to work really hard to get myself on the ride and i am really glad i did. if you can do Thunder Mountain then Space Mountain will be easy, no big stomach in you mouth drops, more twists and turns, if you do feel ill just close your eyes, the flashing lights make it feel faster than it really is.
i found a video on You Tube that shows you the ride not in the dark, maybe that will make you feel better as you can then see everything.

When have done it make sure your family realise the torment you have just put yourself through for them!!!

Do it.:mickey:

[Kairi_7378]

Space Mountain is a relatively tame roller coaster. The neat thing about it is that it is in the dark. I don't remember any Splash Mountain type drops in Space Mountain. There are lots places where you jerk up and down and spin. I think that you should be able to handle it, based on what you've described your fears to be.

[AmberB]

I too am a rollercoaster chicken. The first time I rode Space Mountain I kept waiting for the drop and to be scared to death. I just knew that it would be at the top of every little hill, but happily, it never came. I love Space Mountain now and can't wait to get back to the world to ride it again!

[disneymom15]

I agree, try it. I was afraid to go on it myself until once while on the TTA, I saw SM with the lights on. Piece of cake.

[Nurse Kim]

I am a big chicken too. I was afraid to ride Space Mountain too but I did ride EE. :D Sounds like I will be trying SM on our next trip

[Disney fans..]

I am that parent who is sitting on the bench waiting for her family to come off the rides all smiling and excited. I do really feel left out sometimes, but better that than being sick for the entire day. Last trip i promised my kids i would ride space mountain. I had to work really hard to get myself on the ride and i am really glad i did. if you can do Thunder Mountain then Space Mountain will be easy, no big stomach in you mouth drops, more twists and turns, if you do feel ill just close your eyes, the flashing lights make it feel faster than it really is.
i found a video on You Tube that shows you the ride not in the dark, maybe that will make you feel better as you can then see everything.

When have done it make sure your family realise the torment you have just put yourself through for them!!!

Do it.:mickey:

What did you look up on u tube to find this?
I am yet another parent that is nervous to ride but my kids do, I have told them that I will go this November as soon as we get there!

[KAJUNKING]

i agree space mtn is pretty tame, last year it took a while to talk ds6 to ride but once he gave it a chance it quickly became his favorite ride

[atnextc]

Thanks for the replies. I am also that parent waiting for kids and wifes to be getting off teh ride. I have actually seen SM with the lights on You Tube video, but the video is so jerky you can't really tell what is going on. The one I watched at least was like that.


Thanks again.....who knows I am actually ride it since my wife is pregnant and won't be able to ride it in October.

[laprana]

You should be able to ride SM no problem! There really aren't any big drops at all...more like a series of small dips and small hills that you go down. I think (and I might be wrong :blush:) that you start at the top of the track and kind of wind your way down to the bottom where the end of the track is. You never go upside down. I agree with the others who've said that SM is pretty tame. If you can handle BTMRR, you can definitely handle SM! Good luck and have a great trip! :mickey:

[hardingella]

What did you look up on u tube to find this?
I am yet another parent that is nervous to ride but my kids do, I have told them that I will go this November as soon as we get there!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qoEd8rGhKEM

hopefully this will atke you straight to it.:mickey:

[hubbyofadisneyholic]

My only issue with SM is that it has gotten awfully bumpy and jerky over the years; nowhere near as smooth as RnRC or BTMRR.

But as has been mentioned, it is pretty tame by coaster standards. I'm seen everyone from little ones that barely made the minimum height to Senior citizens on it and have never noticed anyone looking in distress afterwards.

[MississippiDisneyFreak]

:blush: I'm working myself up to Big Thunder this year....

[pixiesmimi]

DH has always wanted to get me on SM and I have always said "NO WAY!" I do not ride roller coasters (motion sickness and bad back). It makes him so mad that I won't ride anything but someone has to sit out with the little ones and that is me. :) I read on here last year about someone taking dramamine before going to the parks and being able to ride the coasters with no problems. In August when DH and I went for our anniversary trip with just the two of us, I decided to try everything with DH except TOT and RRC. I took Dramamine before going each morning and had no problems. I promised I would go on SM but just about backed out. I had seen it with the lights on so knew what to expect. My DH always told me not to wear my contacts because they might get blown out so this scared me. I happened to wear my glasses that day and after reading some of the threads on here about glasses was afraid I would lose them. So I took them off and held them while trying to hold the safety bar and looping my bag straps around my arm to keep from losing it. At first they had a hard time getting my bar down and I was in the last car and sat behind my DH. I should have sat in front of him. The ride wasn't bad except the sharp turns one way then the other and I kept feeling like I was going to lose my glasses. If I had just left them on, I would have probably been okay. They had shut the ride down before we got on and this got me unnerved. I was ready to back out at that time. But I got on. It was fine when I got off but told DH that was my one and only ride of SM. I did it for him and would never do it again. (Never say never) :D But if you can ride the other rides and they don't bother you, this shouldn't either. It was just that I had not ridden anything like this in many years because, as I said, I don't do roller coasters, and didn't know what to expect and was all tensed up over it. I'm sure if I rode it again, it would get easier (like Soaring did) and I would get where it didn't bother me. Like it was said before, try it once and see. You may love it. :)

[CaptSmee]

The only problem I have with Space Mtn is that i'm 6'5 and I have to cram my legs into the seat and I get all cramped up and incredibly uncomortable so much that I opt out of riding it now.

[amd780]

I am definitely not a roller coaster person, but I've ridden SM twice. I loved it the first time, because I sat somewhere in the middle of the train, but the second time I was in the back. The back was a lot more turbulent and not as enjoyable, for me anyway. I suggest that if you do decide to ride, request the front or middle seat. The bottom line? I say go for it, and have fun! :mickey:

[atnextc]

Ahh yes, Soaring was interesting when they lift you up as I was unaware of this.....not a fun experience....and the crazy little kiddy roller coaster at dinoland....the name of it escapes me but I didn't even like those drops LOL......I such the non typical guy when it comes to roller coasters. :mickey:

[WelshieLover]

SM is not a much different than Big Thunder. I have seen it with the lights on once while waiting in the queue they turned all the lights on for about 5 minutes or so. The only issue I have with SM is it is not a smooth ride. I really jerks you around and somtimes gives me a headache and/or neck ache. I actually prefer Rock n Roll Coaster to SM because of that.

[GrmGrninGost]

No big drops, lots of fun! :mickey: It is pretty jerky though! Also, at a top speed of just over 28 MPH, it's no Expedition Everest, but it does feel a lot faster than it is. I think this can be accorded to the fact that it is in low light conditions and the quick turns and drops are unexpected. I would definitely try it once! :coaster:

[CAS]

DH has always wanted to get me on SM and I have always said "NO WAY!" I do not ride roller coasters (motion sickness and bad back). It makes him so mad that I won't ride anything but someone has to sit out with the little ones and that is me. :) I read on here last year about someone taking dramamine before going to the parks and being able to ride the coasters with no problems. In August when DH and I went for our anniversary trip with just the two of us, I decided to try everything with DH except TOT and RRC. I took Dramamine before going each morning and had no problems. I promised I would go on SM but just about backed out. I had seen it with the lights on so knew what to expect. My DH always told me not to wear my contacts because they might get blown out so this scared me. I happened to wear my glasses that day and after reading some of the threads on here about glasses was afraid I would lose them. So I took them off and held them while trying to hold the safety bar and looping my bag straps around my arm to keep from losing it. At first they had a hard time getting my bar down and I was in the last car and sat behind my DH. I should have sat in front of him. The ride wasn't bad except the sharp turns one way then the other and I kept feeling like I was going to lose my glasses. If I had just left them on, I would have probably been okay. They had shut the ride down before we got on and this got me unnerved. I was ready to back out at that time. But I got on. It was fine when I got off but told DH that was my one and only ride of SM. I did it for him and would never do it again. (Never say never) :D But if you can ride the other rides and they don't bother you, this shouldn't either. It was just that I had not ridden anything like this in many years because, as I said, I don't do roller coasters, and didn't know what to expect and was all tensed up over it. I'm sure if I rode it again, it would get easier (like Soaring did) and I would get where it didn't bother me. Like it was said before, try it once and see. You may love it. :)

Take your contacts or glasses out? No need. I've worn one or the other on some of the biggest rides on earth and it wasn't an issue. Space Mountain has no drops, no loops, no rolls. It's kind of the small carnival coaster in the dark. That's all. Have fun!:thumbsup:

[yjgirl715]

I agree with a previous poster- you should really try any ride that your on the fence with at least once- then if you don't really like it you of course don't have to try again. With that being said- I love rides and SM is still one of my top ten rides- even tho there is not a lot of big hills or loops etc it's still cool the way the darkness plays tricks on you. Good luck with your decision. Have a great time and don't forget to give us Intercotees a report.

[pixiesmimi]

Take your contacts or glasses out? No need. I've worn one or the other on some of the biggest rides on earth and it wasn't an issue. Space Mountain has no drops, no loops, no rolls. It's kind of the small carnival coaster in the dark. That's all. Have fun!:thumbsup:

With all the years that DH has ridden space mountain, he always said that as fast as it went that I would need to take my contacts out because he knew that I had trouble with the wind blowing in my eyes and losing them. I chose not to wear them that day and then, after reading some of the threads on here about people losing their glasses on rides, I didn't want to take any chances since I didn't know anything about the ride. He rode in front of me and didn't know I had taken them off until we stopped. Afterwards, I thought that was a mistake and I shouldn't have taken them off because I could have just as easily lost them while trying to hold on to them. Well, at least I know now for next time (if there is a next time) and also won't sit in the rear. It was very jerky and I felt like I was coming out of the car. Someone said one time that you should ride in the middle seat and I couldn't remember if it was the middle seat or last seat and chose the wrong one.:blush: At least I tried it, once. :)

[Marek 4]

I have always ridden with glasses and have had no problem at all. The first time I went, I was too scared to ride. But the second time I got up the courage to try (I don't like big coasters). It was so much fun! No big drops. I haven't been since 1999, so I can't say how jerky it has gotten, but I thought it was pretty smooth back then. I also discovered I loved Big Thunder Mountain and Splash Mountain (even with the drop!). Try it once. The ride isn't that long.

[bruin1344]

i dont remember any big drops like splash mountain or tower of terror, i think thunder mountain is a little tamer than it but you should be fine on space mountain

[atnextc]

Space Mountain® Trivia

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The tallest point of Space Mountain® is 180 feet
Longest Drop: 35 feet
Maximum Speed: 28 m.p.h.
Trip Time: 2 minutes, 47 seconds
The speed of the trains is greatly affected by the weight of the train, but it also has to do with the time of day. In the mornings, the trains are what we call cold. The grease on the wheels is thick and looks like play-doh or some type of black putty, during the day however, the trains heat up and the grease gets thin like a water type lubricant causing the trains to go much faster at night. The only exception to this rule is if we have a breakdown which would cause all of the trains to become "cold" again.

[atnextc]

I think i consider 35 to be a good size drop:mickey:

[Imagineer1981]

OK, first off hello to everyone at Intercot.

I happened upon this site when I reading about "George" on PoTC. Anyways......I am 23 and I don't really like heights, and or drops in rides. I have ridden Splash with my son and wife and such but didn't to much care for the drop, yet I can ride Kali River Rapids all day long. The wife keeps trying to get me on Space Mountain, and I can almost talk myself into it, but I always say no I'm not going. BUT my son wants to ride an he is 5, then I start to think that if he can ride It so can I. My questions after all the nonsense above is, is there a big drop in SM, and if so is it at the end, how high is it things of that nature. Any replies would be appreciated.

FYI rides like ToT aint ever happening, but I can ride Big Thunder Mountain without a problem. I will let you guys try to talk me into getting on SM when we go back for the 4th time this year. October baby YEAH!!!

:mickey:


Big thunder is actually worse the SM...SM is just intense because its dark

[ParkMan]

I'd sit in the middle of the "train" somewhere. Perhaps the back of the 1st car, maybe the front of the 2nd car.

I found that if you sit in the very front, you get the "thrill" of not knowing when the turns come. If you sit in the back, it's a bit rougher because you get bounced around a bit more (not that it's really rough in the first place). This way you get the "easiest" experience the first time. Then you can decide if you want more.

[azdisneymom]

Like others I am the one who waits at the other end for family members to get off the ride. I have ridden SP. It is not a particularly scary ride but for some reason I always feel really sick afterwards. I won't ride again - it is not worth feeling bad for the next hour or so. :blush:

[rnin02]

If you can do Big Thunder Mountain, you can do Space Mountain. They are so similar, as far as the feeling you get from them...they feel like they are going superfast, but they aren't, and SM has the extra little something by being dark. Give it a whirl, you won't regret it!

And for the poster whose DH told her not to wear her contacts...I think I would just close my eyes if I were you. That's what I do on most of my roller coaster rides, I am extremely sensitive to getting dust, dirt, etc in my eyes when my contacts are in, which is probably 99% of the time because I hate wearing my glasses. I keep my eyes open for the slower parts of a coaster, then when the speed picks up I just close them, haven't lost a contact yet.

[pixiesmimi]

And for the poster whose DH told her not to wear her contacts...I think I would just close my eyes if I were you. That's what I do on most of my roller coaster rides, I am extremely sensitive to getting dust, dirt, etc in my eyes when my contacts are in, which is probably 99% of the time because I hate wearing my glasses. I keep my eyes open for the slower parts of a coaster, then when the speed picks up I just close them, haven't lost a contact yet.

Yeah, that is usually what happens to me. That is why DH told me not to wear them because he said if I closed my eyes, I would miss the lights and such. But if I closed my eyes, I would get even more motion sickness. Next time I will just sit in the middle somewhere. The last seat was indeed the jerkiest. I should not have ridden there for my first trip.

What made it worse is just as we were starting to get in the cars, the lights came on and they told the CM's to step away from the tracks and there was a problem. The CM's left the area and left the rest of us standing there. What? It isn't safe for the CM's but is for the rest of us standing in line? :confused: One of the CM's kept looking up and saying there was a car stuck on top and talking about this and that. Oh, yeah, just what I wanted to hear when I was already nervous! :( But I was determined and waited it out and they finally got it running again. I was just saying to myself, at least I'm not in that car stuck up there. :) It is hard to believe when you are in it that it is only going 28 mph and isn't that big. Guess that goes to show you that vision or the lack of is what creates the excitement.

[rain]

I went to Disney for the first time at the age of about 31 and was deathly afraid of any roller coaster or ride with a drop. However, I went with my wife and was determined to let her have a good time. I decided beforehand that I would ride any ride there if she wanted to. Here is what I learned. The rides at Disney are built around the family. Walt wanted 5 year old kids to have just as much fun as 25 year olds. The roller coasters seem tame now. After riding each ride several times my eyes have opened to the fun that roller coasters can be. Disney broke me into the roller coater world because they are doable unlike may Cedar Fair or Carowinds rides that really turn you around and upside down. After 3 or 4 trips to Disney the only ride I am skittish on now is ToT and I did ride that once.

[DisneyBunch]

Think Big Thunder Mountain with a space theme.:darth::yoda::chewy::trooper::ewok:

[GBBT]

[QUOTE=hubbyofadisneyholic;1688919]My only issue with SM is that it has gotten awfully bumpy and jerky over the years; nowhere near as smooth as RnRC or BTMRR.[quote]


This is my feeling also.We've been going as a family for 11 yrs.As I've gotten older,it gets harder for me to ride SM.I guess I'm going to have to buck up and ride when my 10 yr.old DS decides he's ready to ride it.:( So ride it while you're young.:D

[PopDivaPaige]

The ride is mainly dark, so I couldn't really tell if there was a big drop or not, though I doubt there was. I loved Space Mountain, it was a blast! It is pretty much all dark, so the only thing I suggest you don't do is put your hands in the air on the ride. Since it is impossible to see through the darkness without a flashlight, you never know if part of the coaster is above your head or not.
:coaster::coaster::coaster:

[eeyorelover63]

i personally love the ride!!!!! i think u should ride it with your kid :hug:and just have fun!

[BoricuaBell]

OK, this is my story: I had been a chicken for roller coasters all my life. Never went on them when I was an adolescent 'cause I would always think that I would be sick all day and that wasn't my idea of fun (sound familiar???). I would always remember the first time Space Mountain opened and people who were nervous would vomit in line! I never forgot this. It's just that I hate drops so much! It wasn't until I got married at 28 that I saw my husband, who had never travelled anywhere in his life, get on every single roller coaster and have so much fun! Then I studied people who were coming out of them, like Space Mountain or even Splash Mountain!!! I said "life is too short" and started with Aerosmith's Rockin' Roller Coaster...:rocker: yes, a big one. And I did it. I regret so much not taking the chance when I was younger!!! Now, the only fear that I have left is Tower of Terror, but I have seen people come out of it crying, so I gotta work on that fear next december!!! :goodbad:

Regarding Space Mountain, it just feels like a moderate ride. No drops at all, just some jerks and that's it! Believe me, it's scarier to drive with my younger sister at the wheel. So go for it!

[Daddy Mouse]

Don't ride it especially if you won't feel well afterwards. My wife rode a ride that she considers a :ack::faint: She then felt sick for the next couple of hours. So I ride solo on alot rides. No big deal.

[atnextc]

I don't get "sick" i just get that feeling going down hills that my stomach is coming out of my mouth......after the drop is done im fine :) :mickey:

[brownie]

Space Mountain is in the dark, but I don't think there are any large drops in it.

[Jasper]

The bottom line is that if you can do Big Thunder Mountain than you should easily be able to do Space Mountain. Remember, Walt Disney World is all about catering to families of all kinds so they never do anything so outrageous that it will drive families away.

[Mousemates]

I don't get "sick" i just get that feeling going down hills that my stomach is coming out of my mouth......after the drop is done im fine :) :mickey:

I'm in the give it a try crew....chances are you will have a great time and wonder why you waited so long.

[dumbo ears]

the only mildy scary part about the ride is the darkness. Its a great ride and the max speed is 29mph which is nothin. there is no long drops. its mostly just sharp turns

[TBone]

It's very tame. I saw it once with the lights on and it was no too scary looking. It doesn't seem as dark in there as it used to be either when on the ride.

[disneymom2000]

I guess for a coaster it is pretty tame. I have ridden it about 5 times in all my trips but I really never noticed until this last trip how much it shook my neck. I am trying to be more aware of the sensations of all the rides so I can write my journals. Another thing we kept hearing about is when you put stuff in the net pockets of the car sometimes they get thrown out during the ride. My nephew put his half drank coke (bottle) in it and it wasn't there when he went to get off the ride. I hope no one got hit by it but you never know.:confused:

[GhostHost999]

I'm not a big coaster fan, but I think you should be fine riding Space Mountain. It never gets above 30 mph...there are no outrageous drops, and if heights is a concern, don't worry because you won't be able to see anything anyway. You will get jostled a bit laterally as the ride does have sharp turns, but aside from that I think you'll have a great time if you give it a try.

[Little Round Bale]

I think once you try SP you will like it. DD was scared till she tried it the first time. BUT.... once you get to the ride I think the tracks on the left are more of circle track than drops.

[atnextc]

Ok guys time to bring back this thread. I was at teh world from October 22nd to the 28th. We waited until the last day to ride SM, we started the day on it, and after the first ride our fast passes for it again were 10 minutes later. Then we closed the day on it.

I personally didn't like it. Step son loved it though. Its not bad just way to jerky and I don't like the seating on it but thats just me.

:mickey:

[cal5755]

Well good for you for trying it!! Hope you had a great vacation!

[thrillme]

Mild ride...No "big" drops just a series of downward "spirals"...one way then the other only it's in the dark so you're not sure which way you're turning.

DO IT!

My law is if you get scared...ride it 5 times then you won't be scared anymore:D

[rmsongs]

If you are OK on BTMRR, SM will be nothing. I was never a coaster person until my DD (9 at the time) wanted to try SM, but she was afraid to go on alone. By process of elimination, I was elected to go with her and I loved it. It's now one of our "must do's" every trip. I was shocked to find out it only goes 28mph because it does seem faster; I'm guessing everyone who posted here that it seems faster because it's in the dark is right on the money. The weird thing about it for me is that you can kind of sense the beams over your head and I always duck at the top of the hills - and I'm barely 5'7". :D

[Polynesian Dweller]

I have only two things that bother me a bit about the ride.

First is the seating. Getting out is the issue. When I get in its like a two step process. 1. Sit down. 2. Wiggle a bit to get my feet positioned to brace myself. That makes me get down a little bit further in the seat. Reversing that to get out always seems to be a bit of a struggle (and I am in shape).

Second is the jerkiness. There always seems to be at least one fast turn with a jerk that I don't brace right for and my neck takes a jolt. It takes a few minutes to have that stop hurting.