Credit: Ken Lund, FlickrOriental Land Company recently announced that the budget for the new Space Mountain at Tokyo Disneyland, set to open in 2027, has risen to 70.5 billion yen, making it the most expensive attraction ever built by Walt Disney Imagineering. This increase from the original budget of 56 billion yen reflects Japan’s rising construction costs. Currently, this is about $460 million USD, though the weakening yen means this might seem less impressive in American dollars.
The budget increase follows the April 2022 announcement that Japan’s inflation rate had surpassed the Bank of Japan’s 2% target. Inflation peaked in January 2023 at a 41-year high before declining to 2.1% by December 2025.
Many costs for Space Mountain were locked in during the inflation spike, preventing future cost reductions. A new Wreck-It Ralph attraction will open alongside Space Mountain in Tomorrowland with a budget of 29.5 billion yen, or about $200 million USD, despite being expected to reuse existing infrastructure.
The Most Expensive Disney Attraction Ever – Space Mountain
The new Space Mountain at Tokyo Disneyland is set to be the most expensive ride ever created by Walt Disney Imagineering when it opens in 2027. Other attractions that could cost more include Enchanted Tale of Beauty and the Beast at Tokyo Disneyland, Anna & Elsa’s Frozen Journey, and Peter Pan’s Never Land Adventure at Tokyo DisneySea, as well as Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind at EPCOT, Avatar Flight of Passage at Animal Kingdom, and Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance at Disneyland and Disney’s Hollywood Studios.
We only know the estimated costs for rides in the U.S. because the Walt Disney Company does not share official budgets. These costs were mostly set before inflation grew in 2022 and 2023. The Oriental Land Company runs Tokyo Disneyland and shares investment amounts for its projects in quarterly and annual reports, but Disney does not.
OLC provides final costs for the whole expansion but not for each ride individually. Based on total spending, we can guess that the main attractions in Fantasy Springs and Fantasyland Forest cost less than the new Space Mountain.
The budgets for the Walt Disney World attractions mentioned above were also set before inflation. When adjusting for inflation, other rides rumored to be very costly include Pirates of the Caribbean: Battle for the Sunken Treasure at Shanghai Disneyland and Radiator Springs Racers at Disney California Adventure.
A Temporary Crown
Even if Space Mountain is the most expensive Disney attraction ever built when it opens in 2027, it probably won’t hold that distinction for long. The explosion of construction costs means upcoming projects will almost certainly surpass this investment. The Monsters, Inc.
Door Coaster opening at Disney’s Hollywood Studios will likely cost north of $500 million USD, and higher labor costs in the United States compared to Japan mean upcoming projects, including Pandora at Disney California Adventure and Villains Land at Magic Kingdom, are poised to claim the top spot.
Those expenses will largely be incurred five-plus years after Space Mountain with inflation continuing to drive costs upward during that timeframe. The better question may be what becomes the first $1 billion attraction Disney builds rather than whether anything surpasses Space Mountain’s current record.
Space Mountain Construction Progress
Oriental Land Company held a Shinto groundbreaking ceremony for a Space Mountain expansion in May 2023. Construction began in the old bus parking lot, while the original Space Mountain operated until July 31, 2024. During this period, two Space Mountains existed, one under construction and the other being demolished.
The roller coaster track was installed first, with a gravity building constructed around it. Enthusiasts identified a section as a drop track from Intamin, indicating that the new Space Mountain uses an original concept rather than the ride system of Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind at EPCOT, which is made by Vekoma. The new attraction is anticipated to be a family-friendly story coaster appealing to Japanese audiences.
The Reimagined Tomorrowland
According to Oriental Land Company, the new Tomorrowland plaza will express the connection between Earth and the universe, representing an image of a future where humans are in harmony with nature. Guests will enjoy moments of rest and relaxation in a plaza where various icons and design elements create a sense of hope for the future. The all-new Space Mountain entails a reimagined plaza that creates a transformed area of Tomorrowland.
The new Space Mountain will maintain its original concept as an indoor roller coaster but will feature enhanced performance and immersive special effects giving guests more thrills on the rocket ride. The placement farther back from the original location opens up a colossal entrance plaza with a swooping flyover walkway leading to the attraction and several planters creating lovely plaza space, at least when not overflowing with guests waiting for the new ride.
Space Mountain’s Global Legacy
The indoor roller coaster is a staple of Tomorrowland at Disney parks. Space Mountain first opened at Walt Disney World’s Magic Kingdom in 1975 and Disneyland in 1977, making it one of the first attractions in the Orlando parks. It later debuted at Tokyo Disneyland in 1983, Hong Kong Disneyland in 2005, and Disneyland Paris in 1995. Shanghai Disneyland, which opened in 2016, is the only park without a Space Mountain.
Over the years, several parks have reimagined the ride. Disneyland Paris and Hong Kong Disneyland feature Star Wars-themed Hyperspace Mountain, while Disneyland occasionally offers a temporary overlay. Magic Kingdom and Disneyland have closed for extensive upgrades while retaining their original themes, and Tokyo Disney Resort is currently undergoing a major reimagining of the ride.
Timeline and Opening for Space Mountain
If construction pace is any indication, the 2027 opening feels conservative for a coaster that appears to be ready sometime in 2026. The coaster track itself has been finished for some time, suggesting Space Mountain is on track to open alongside the new Wreck-It Ralph ride, which has an official opening season of Spring 2027. Expectations point toward both attractions and the new Tomorrowland area debuting on April 15, 2027, Tokyo Disneyland’s anniversary.
Implications for Other Disney Parks
Tokyo’s Tomorrowland reimagining may serve as a blueprint for upcoming changes at domestic Disney parks. Both Magic Kingdom and Disneyland have aging Space Mountains that may require significant refurbishment. Current updates include Buzz Lightyear’s Space Ranger Spin at Magic Kingdom, and Space Mountain is rumored to be next for major work.
While it’s uncertain if American parks will undertake projects as large as Tokyo’s 70.5 billion yen Space Mountain, the success of this investment and guest reception when it opens in 2027 will likely influence future modernization efforts at Disney parks globally.
The new Space Mountain, the most expensive Disney attraction ever, underscores Oriental Land Company’s dedication to maintaining high-quality experiences at Tokyo Disney Resort. Guests will finally see if the substantial budget results in a next-generation experience when it opens.