Grand Opening of Space Mountain 1975

[Ryan Towle]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MK2gYf4GJnI

[RedheadWriter]

Me and my favorite ride at MK are the same age.....
This was cool. Thanks!!!
Rachel

[2Epcot]

I enjoy watching old Disney stuff like that. Thanks.

[Ian]

Boy, it sure was a different company back then. What fanfare they had for a new coaster! There's nothing like that these days.

[Iluvpooh]

So cool. I wonder if any one can help me-I am lookingfor the 2001 in room video with the park hopper on it. Any one know where I can find a link?

[GrumpyFan]

Boy, it sure was a different company back then. What fanfare they had for a new coaster! There's nothing like that these days.

I was thinking the same thing. I know this was over 30 years ago, but still it seems a bit over the top for a Roller Coaster opening!

[2Epcot]

I was thinking the same thing. I know this was over 30 years ago, but still it seems a bit over the top for a Roller Coaster opening!

I was at the grand opening for Star Tours at Disneyland about 20 years ago and it had a similar big opening ceremony. I don't remember it having any fireworks, but I do remember lasers and such ... it was also a pretty big production.

[Ian]

I was at the grand opening for Star Tours at Disneyland about 20 years ago and it had a similar big opening ceremony. I don't remember it having any fireworks, but I do remember lasers and such ... it was also a pretty big production.

Those are the things that used to set Disney apart from other theme parks.

Everything they did they went all out and made you feel like you were really part of something special.

I miss those days. Now they pretty much just make you feel like they want your money.

[JPL]

I actually have this show on DVD via tranfer from my recording of it from the Disney Channel and it really is a great show. It just seems overall that Marketing of the parks on TV these days has diminished greatly we are left with the generic commercials and the Annual Christmas Parade which if you watch earlier versions of it was much better than the current inception.

Everything they did they went all out and made you feel like you were really part of something special.

I think the 2 best examples of this were Mickey's 60th Birthday Celebration and WDW's 20th Anniversary. I would even say the 25th Anniversary to an extent when they gave a you a first visit badge and a free litograph just for registering. After the 25th it seemed more like come visit our new gimmick to take your money Although I think the way they handle the 25th Anniversary of Epcot seemed to show a return to form as it was done more for the fans than as a marketing blitz.

[magicofdisney]

Didn't they offer similar fanfare (sans the balloons-for obvious reasons) when they opened Expedition Everest?

[JPL]

Didn't they offer similar fanfare (sans the balloons-for obvious reasons) when they opened Expedition Everest?

Yes but it was only a Press Event no Network TV special, no special events for the guests although it was covered on the Travel Channel and Science Channel with making of specials, like no other attraction in recent history.

[ibrowse17]

Very cool, thanks! I can remember being there as a kid not long after it opened, and riding it for the first time. The next year it was closed, but we rode the Wedway through and saw it all lit up. It seemed more scary to me then than it had when I rode it

[IloveDisney71]

I was thinking the same thing. I know this was over 30 years ago, but still it seems a bit over the top for a Roller Coaster opening!

Wow - things were pretty "corny" in the 70's. I hope that comment doesn't offend anyone but that clip was pretty funny! I remember Disney making a bigger deal out of special events, but I didn't remember it being so "over the top". I was really young in the 70's.

[devoted93]

Yes but it was only a Press Event no Network TV special, no special events for the guests although it was covered on the Travel Channel and Science Channel with making of specials, like no other attraction in recent history.

It didn't have a special, but the day it opened they aired one of the morning shows (Good Morning America, maybe?) from Expedition Everest and about half the show was dedicated to the ride, talking to the people who designed it, etc.