It is one of the most recognizable attractions at Walt Disney World. Its towering white spires eclipsing Cinderella Castle, and its sleek white walls hide its secrets. In one look you know its dark bowels are filled with Guests’ screams, making its dominating and ominous -age presence almost akin to a haunted house. But what awaits inside is a technological marvel that provides one of the most legendary science-fiction attractions of all time.
For those preparing to take this adventure, Walt Disney World describes it as the following:
“Blast off on a rip-roaring into the furthest reaches of on this roller- in the dark…Dip and careen into the inky blackness as a futuristic soundtrack echoes all around you. Fly past shooting stars and celestial satellites. Roar past streaking orbs of light, wayward comets and migrant meteors. Feel the pull of gravity as you’re drawn into a swirling wormhole!”
This is .
Disney World on January 15, 1975. Over 45 years ago! But it has become a timeless classic. ‘s iconic first opened at Walt
Whether you are about to take your first Disney Vacation or your 1,001st, let’s look back and appreciate some of the most impressive facts about our favorite on your .
Breakdown:
- The First Fully-Indoor Roller Coaster
- Astronaut Consulted
- Walt Disney World got the First Space Mountain
- Space Mountain Cost a Mountain of Money
- Space Mountain Accessibility, Advisories, & Guest Policies
The First Fully-Indoor Coaster
Walt Disney wanted to build a lot sooner than in 1975. But the technology wasn’t available to make it happen.
Walt and his Imagineers already made history by creating the –the first to ever have a tubular track–to Disneyland. But the ability to put a completely indoors was not possible until the 70s.
When it was eventually built at the , would set two firsts. It was the first completely , and–fitting for –it was the first completely computerized . Significant innovations for a meant to display life in the future.
After walking through a queue designed to resemble a spaceport–named “Spaceport Seven-Five” for its 1975 opening year–you board a shuttle and get launched into . Now, is dark. Very dark. So, the normal is in total darkness. Because of that, riding with the lights on has become the “Holy Grail” of Walt Disney World experience.
So, here’s what it’s like to actually ride it with the lights on:
Astronaut Consulted
Disney has always been about quality and “accuracy” to provide the most immersive experience possible. So, it makes sense that if a Walt Disney is going to build a that takes people speeding around , he or she would probably want the approval of someone who has actually done it.
Gordon Cooper, one of the original Mercury 7 astronauts and the first American to spend more than a day in , was brought in as a creative consultant on in 1977.
According to a People magazine article from 1977, Cooper said “ is about as close as you can safely get to actually being in .”
So, if anybody asks, astronaut-approved. is
With that being said, it is not for the faint of heart or a faint heart. As Disney Guests walk through the queue, you hear “ is a turbulent, high-speed -type in the dark with sharp turns, sudden drops and stop,” along with several warnings.
Walt Disney World got the First Space Mountain

After its opening day, joined the ranks of rides like “it’s a small world,” , Pirates of the Caribbean, and the carousel in that you could find it at almost every single around the world. And like “it’s a small world,” Big Thunder, Pirates, and the carousel, each is unique to its .
Related: First Look At Space Mountain and Carousel of Progress 45th Anniversary Merchandise
But Walt Disney World was the first to set the trend, opening the original in 1975. Disneyland in , California, was next, adding to their in 1977. Disney Resort declined to install its own . then became an opening for each new , starting with Tokyo, then Paris, and Hong Kong. But the trend was broken when Shanghai

In fact, Guests can see a tribute to all of the other Disney . attractions at every
On a panel in the queue, there is a list of “Active Earth Stations.”
- Station MK-1
- TL Station 77 ( )
- Discovery Landing Station – Paris
- Ashita Base – Tokyo
- HK Spaceport E-TKT

Each is unique in its own way. The most unique being : Mission II at Disneyland Paris whose steampunk ensemble takes inspiration from Jules Verne’s Classic: Le Voyage Dans La Lune (The Voyage to the Moon). Rather than hosting its own , Disneyland Paris features a steampunk land called Discoveryland.

Disneyland Paris’ is also the only one in the family that goes upside down.
dark a Halloween overlay and a overlay called . has also begun to make a name for itself by introducing overlays into the . Disneyland has given the
has also been made available at Disneyland Paris and .
fastpass at Walt Disney World, Tokyo Disneyland, Disneyland , and Disneyland Paris. is available to
Space Mountain Cost a Mountain of Money

Innovation is expensive. In 1975, it cost the Walt Disney Company $18 million to build .
Let’s put that number into perspective: In 1955, it cost $17 million to build the entirety of Disneyland. Factoring in inflation from 1955-1975, Disneyland’s construction cost $34.1 million in 1975. That means Disney spent more than half of Disneyland’s total budget on the entire complex.
Considering inflation from 1975-2020, would cost over $86 million if it was built today.
But that “Disney World’s initial construction cost. According to constructioncompany.com, the Walt Disney Company spent over $400 million in 1971 to create the . That includes the monorail line, and resort area hotels. Factoring in inflation, the would cost $2.559 billion to build in 2020. ” was really a molehill compared to the rest of Walt
Totally worth it, in our opinion.
Space Mountain Accessibility, Advisories, & Guest Policies
For those Guests who have yet to experience this Disney , there are some safety, accessibility and general Guest Policies you should be aware of.
Disney World , Walt

Accessibility
Must transfer to standard wheelchair, and then to
Advisories
Due to the nature of the experience, service animals are not permitted on this .
Guest Policies
- Supervise children at all times.Children under age 7 years must be accompanied by a person age 14 years or older.
- Persons who do not meet the minimum of 44 inches (112 cm) may not .
- WARNING! For safety, you should be in good health and free from high blood pressure, heart, back or neck problems, , or other conditions that could be aggravated by this adventure. Expectant mothers should not .
Disneyland

Accessibility
Must Transfer from Wheelchair/ECV
Video Captioning
Guest Policies
- The Single option is available for Guests wishing to experience the by themselves. Guests using the Single option bypass the Stand-by queue, and may encounter a shorter wait time for the .
- Guests must navigate steps when boarding and disembarking the vehicle. To facilitate boarding, a transfer seat and separate loading area is available upon request.
- Switch offered.
- Service animals may not accompany Guests on this .
- Guest-activated captioning is available on selected preshow video monitors in this . Please contact a Cast Member at the location for assistance.
- Wheelchair Access: Enter through the Disney FASTPASS entitlement, proceed to the entrance and ask a Cast Member for boarding instructions. exit and follow the arrows to the left. Proceed to the loading area and contact a Cast Member for boarding instructions. If you have a
- Supervise children at all times.Children under age 7 years must be accompanied by a person age 14 years or older.
- The seating and restraints on this may prohibit Guests of certain body shapes or sizes from riding.
- Persons who do not meet the minimum of 40 inches (102 cm) may not .
WARNING! For safety, you should be in good health and free from high blood pressure, heart, back or neck problems, , or other conditions that could be aggravated by this adventure. Expectant mothers should not .
, Disneyland Paris

Accessibility
- Wheelchair users must transfer into the vehicle (alone or with assistance) – must be accompanied by at least one able-bodied person aged 15 or over
- Expectant Mothers may not .
- Suitable for guests who have difficulty standing
- Authorization to the depends on the type of limb atrophy you have (a full list is available from City Hall, Donald Desk, Studio Services and the Central Reservations Office)
- Suitable for guests with a learning disability, autism, behavioural disorder or mental health disorder – must be accompanied by an able-bodied person aged 15 or over
- Suitable for visually impaired guests
- Suitable for blind guests – must be accompanied by an able-bodied adult aged 15 or over
- Suitable for hearing impaired guests
- Suitable for guests with a debilitating illness or temporary physical impairment
Service Animals Not PermittedDue to the nature of the experience, service animals are not permitted on this .
Interests
Big Thrills, Not To Be Missed, Single Service, PhotoPassTM
Guest Policies
- WARNING! For safety, you should be in good health and free from high blood pressure, heart, back or neck problems, , or other conditions or disabilities that could be aggravated by this adventure
- Expectant Mothers may not
- Supervise children at all times. Children under age 7 years must be accompanied by an adult
- Persons who do not meet the minimum of 120 cm may not
- The seating and restrains on this may prohibit guests of certain body shapes or sizes from riding. Prior to riding, you must secure all loose articles or leave them with a non-
- Transfer Time of 45 seconds will be required for Guest transferring from their wheelchair.
- Due to the nature of the experience, Guest should check with a Cast Member at the for boarding information
- Number of Guests with a learning disability, mental health disorder, behavioral disorder or autism allowed onto the as a group accompanied by at least one helper: 1
- Authorization to the depends on the type of limb impairment. Guests should check with a Cast Member at City Hall or Studio Services
,

Accessibility
- Must Transfer from Wheelchair
Interests
Indoor, Switch,
Guest Policies
- WARNING! For safety, you should be in good health and free from high blood pressure, heart, back or neck problems, , or other conditions that could be aggravated by this adventure. Expectant mothers should not .
- Due to the nature of the experience, service animals are not permitted on this .
- Supervise children at all times. Children under age 7 years must be accompanied by a person age 16 years or older.
- Persons who do not meet the minimum of 102 cm (40 inches) may not .
, Tokyo Disneyland

Boarding Restrictions
- Guests who do not meet the (102 cm) may not .
- Guests may not if they cannot fit properly into the seat, or if the shoulder bar cannot properly be secured.
- To , you should be in good health and free from high blood pressure, heart, back, or neck problems, , or other conditions that could be aggravated by this .
- Expectant mothers should not .
- Persons of advanced age should not .
While there is no doubt it can show its age, and the factor has been trumped over the past 45 years, continues to be a timeless that still finds a way to its passengers and set a milestone in development everywhere.
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Is your favorite at Disney? Where does it rank among your favorite Disney attractions? Let us know in the comments!