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disneyfan369
04-02-2007, 12:28 PM
I was watching the Travel Channel yesterday and they said that Space Mountain has two tracks. Is this true? I've never heard anything about it. And if there are two, is there a way to ride both tracks? Would I ask a CM to ride on a specific track?

Jerry2
04-02-2007, 12:33 PM
Yes there are two tracks, one on the left and one on the right. When you get to the entrance to the main waiting area (the room where you actually board the ride) you will see the queue split. I believe both rides are supposed to be the same but a lot of people will tell you that they have a preference.

Donald A
04-02-2007, 12:37 PM
Yep, two tracks same layout. You can watch it on youtube going with the lights on!

Speedy1998
04-02-2007, 12:37 PM
That is true, there are two different tracks, one for each loading area. I do not think you can anymore, but you used to be able to choose, and the CMs would tell you which was the more intense ride (This was back in the 80s) Last time I was on it, you could not choose. I suspect if you asked the CM though they would let you ride the side that you did not ride on the first time.

magicman
04-02-2007, 12:37 PM
You will choose either the left or right side about 3/4 of the way through the line/queue.

Folks will tell you one side is scarier than the other, but they are identical except that the turns go in different directions (according to a CM I asked on our last vacation).

caryrae
04-02-2007, 12:41 PM
I found this a few days ago about the track layout.

Space Mountain - Magic Kingdom

This roller coaster is an 2 1/2-minute trip traveling at top speeds of 28 miles per hour inside a building 300ft wide and 180ft tall. The Florida version has two identical but mirrored tracks and guests are seated one behind the other in 6 seat cars. (The California version has only one track with passengers seated side by side).

magicofdisney
04-02-2007, 12:42 PM
I've done both and for whatever reason, I prefer the left track.

Speedy1998
04-02-2007, 12:48 PM
Folks will tell you one side is scarier than the other, but they are identical except that the turns go in different directions (according to a CM I asked on our last vacation).


I find it intresting that CMs say this now, because back in the 80s the CMs used to tell you they were different, the one on the right was supposed to be a rougher ride with bigger drops. I wonder if they redid the track layout, or if not enough people were riding one side of it. When I was a kid I rode it so much I could tell the difference between the sides. As an adult I usually only manage to get on it once per trip.

LudwigVonDrake
04-02-2007, 12:51 PM
The tracks are supposed to be mirror images of each other. One side is slightly longer (10-15 ft.)so it can cross over but that's about it :mickey:

Disney Doll
04-02-2007, 02:09 PM
When we were there for the PIrate and Princess Party this Feb, we were randomly chosen for a tour of the Space Mountain control tower. The CM giving our tour said the tracks are the same, but one with a few extra feet of track to get to the ride started. I'm not sure if that has always been the case, but apparently now there is no difference.

PeterPan
04-02-2007, 02:35 PM
There never was any difference - the two tracks have always been identical, but mirror images of one another. I don't care what a CM might have told you - they were probably teasing you, anyway. All turns, all drops are identical, except opposite. Used to be called Alpha and Omega. They have never re-worked the tracks in any way (WAY WAY WAY too expensive an undertaking - the tracks are intertwined and it would be almost impossible to change one and not the other).

By the way, Space Mountain at Disneyland has undergone major rehab, and is smooth as glass and has a fabulous sound track (like RRC) that can CHANGE. I think there are three variations to the sound track, one is advertised to be featured at night (more rock-music-like) and one is more star-wars like.

xipetotec
04-02-2007, 03:02 PM
I was watching the Travel Channel yesterday and they said that Space Mountain has two tracks. Is this true? I've never heard anything about it. And if there are two, is there a way to ride both tracks? Would I ask a CM to ride on a specific track?


Yes, when you board the ride, you are asked to go either to the right or the left. IMHO, the one on the left is crazier. But maybe that's all in my head. :thumbsup:

MOJoe
04-03-2007, 02:55 PM
Last year at 1 a.m. EMH's my son and I rode both sides of SM back to back. We both swore that the right side was a more intense ride. Isn't that the side where the car seems to leave the track for an instant? Mirror image, maybe, but there is a distinct difference to each side.

mcjaco
04-03-2007, 03:59 PM
By the way, Space Mountain at Disneyland has undergone major rehab, and is smooth as glass and has a fabulous sound track (like RRC) that can CHANGE. I think there are three variations to the sound track, one is advertised to be featured at night (more rock-music-like) and one is more star-wars like.

Rockin' Space Mountain stinks. It takes all the fun out of SM. It's like RRC Lite, and listening to the Red Hot Chili Peppers is not what I call Disney, at least not in Disneyland. They have concert lighting all over that lights up the dome and you can see the track in front of you. :down:

As for MK's SM, as said above, it's the same track, each side mirrors each other. One is a bit longer to cross over the other. The only major change has been the trains. They went from the Matterhorn bobsled type trains, to individual seating.

mttafire
04-03-2007, 04:20 PM
Rockin' Space Mountain stinks. It takes all the fun out of SM. It's like RRC Lite, and listening to the Red Hot Chili Peppers is not what I call Disney, at least not in Disneyland. They have concert lighting all over that lights up the dome and you can see the track in front of you. :down:

As for MK's SM, as said above, it's the same track, each side mirrors each other. One is a bit longer to cross over the other. The only major change has been the trains. They went from the Matterhorn bobsled type trains, to individual seating.
This is the first complaint ive ever heard about the new S.M. at Disneyland. We LOVED it. It is my hope that the rehab that the M.K. Space M. is about to undergo will be the same as D.L.:mickey: I have heard that the M.K. Space M. is very close to the refurb date..?

BelleandtheBeast
04-03-2007, 11:38 PM
I have ridden it before and never knew this, thanks for the little bit of trivia.

trackbarroness
04-04-2007, 09:20 AM
Yes, when you board the ride, you are asked to go either to the right or the left. IMHO, the one on the left is crazier. But maybe that's all in my head. :thumbsup:

you go left or right befor the Control Tower not after you board the trains. :cool: Both tracks are mirror images of each other except that they go in opposite directions of each other.
someone said that one side might feel more intense then the other depending on which hand is your dominate hand(left or right). I don't know about that because I've ridden both sides and on diferent days B side seems more intense then A side then visa versa. Have any of you ridden Space Mountain with the lights on? :cool:

mcjaco
04-04-2007, 10:23 AM
This is the first complaint ive ever heard about the new S.M. at Disneyland. We LOVED it. It is my hope that the rehab that the M.K. Space M. is about to undergo will be the same as D.L.:mickey: I have heard that the M.K. Space M. is very close to the refurb date..?

The ride itself, is great. It's the one of the smoothest Vekoma's out there. It was the Rockin' layover that's just terrible. Red Hot Chili Peppers in Disney? And in Tomorrowland? What's this all aboot?

dumbo ears
04-04-2007, 11:51 PM
its true that there are 2 tracks. i have ridden both and there is no real difference besides that one is on the right and one is on the left.

markb
04-05-2007, 03:45 AM
Yes, when you board the ride, you are asked to go either to the right or the left. IMHO, the one on the left is crazier. But maybe that's all in my head. :thumbsup:

Oh good. I'm glad it's not just me that thinks that :blush: :rotfl:

WDW_Obsessed
04-05-2007, 10:39 AM
I've done both and for whatever reason, I prefer the left track.

Fummy..I also prefer the left track! And even funnier is that I never even know that there was two tracks until this year! I think I've only ever rode the right side for the last 20 years:mickey:

Imagineer1981
04-06-2007, 05:24 PM
I used to work there for 4 years, they are exactly the same...mirror images of each other except left side (A side) is 10ft longer at the end. You rarely get to choose a side if it is really busy, and if it is slow, we close down A side and only run B side (the right)...again mirror images of each other, but I like the A side

battle beast
04-07-2007, 01:54 PM
interesting.

GINNY69
04-07-2007, 02:59 PM
Yes there are 2 tracks at Space Mountain.. I did both tracks because there was absolutely no line at the time and I liked the left side it seemed like drops were better than the right side.. The right side seemed to be more rough too.. I don't know thats my opinion..



.

:mickey:

disneyfan369
04-08-2007, 11:59 AM
Yes there are 2 tracks at Space Mountain.. I did both tracks because there was absolutely no line at the time and I liked the left side it seemed like drops were better than the right side.. The right side seemed to be more rough too.. I don't know thats my opinion..



.

:mickey:

Thanks for that opinion, Ginny.:goofy:

CM~Mserrano
04-18-2007, 10:03 PM
Just like everyone else has said, both sides are exactly the same, although one major difference as to the "roughness" of the attraction is really who you are riding with. If you're in a car with... erm, some more heavyset people on it, your car will go faster, just a little bit and it's all gravity. Just a little bit more speed will make the ride a bit wilder though. I've also noticed the same thing for thunder, everest, rrc barnstormer... all the coasters.

Former CM at Mission:Space
~Meredith

wrfd18
04-18-2007, 11:22 PM
Dumb question but when everyone is saying left or right side is it when you are in line before the split or once your in the specific side line and looking at the loading area?

TikiBuzz
04-18-2007, 11:41 PM
Stay to the left. Just I have found it for some reason to be more enjoyable. Most people I have talked to say the same.

CAS
04-19-2007, 12:26 AM
Maybe I'm missing something.

When you split in line the queues load onto different tracks (that never merge), the lift hills are visibly right next to eachother, and you can see them break off in opposite directions at the top.

Maybe I'm missing the obvious in saying...I didn't know it was a secret that 2 tracks exist, unless my night vision is better than average. Being said, it's also clearly visible that the tracks are mirror images if you just look up.

disneyfan369
04-19-2007, 08:06 AM
Maybe I'm missing something.

Maybe I'm missing the obvious in saying...I didn't know it was a secret that 2 tracks exist, unless my night vision is better than average. Being said, it's also clearly visible that the tracks are mirror images if you just look up.


I've never been on Space Mountain, which is why I was asking. I'll be going on it multiple times in August, though! :mickey:

CAS
04-19-2007, 08:15 AM
Ahhh. now it makes sense :thumbsup: