Head-to-Head Challenge: Space Mountain Disneyland vs Disney World!
When one thinks of a Disney Park, you most likely think of a few classic attractions.
Maybe it’s Haunted Mansion or it’s a small world. But usually, one of the first attractions you think of is one of the “mountains.”
While there are five versions of this iconic coaster, today I will be discussing the key differences in Space Mountain at Walt Disney World and Space Mountain at Disneyland.
It will be up to you ultimately to determine which is the best in the country!
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Disney World Space Mountain vs Disneyland Space Mountain Key Takeways:
- Top height: 65 feet (Disney World) and 76 feet (Disneyland)
- Length: 3,196 feet (Disney World) and 3,459 ft (Disneyland)
- Speed: 28 miles per hour (Disney World) and 35 miles per hour (Disneyland)
Keep reading to see who wins in this battle!
What are the Disney Mountains?
For those who aren’t familiar with Disney Mountains, these are Disney roller coasters that have mountain facades.
There is Big Thunder Mountain Railroad and Tiana’s Bayou Adventure.
There’s also Expedition Everest at Animal Kingdom, Matterhorn at Disneyland and then there’s the topic of conversation for today, Space Mountain.
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Space Mountain Disneyland vs Disney World: The History
To start, we would not have any of these space mountain incarnations without Matterhorn Bobsleds inside Fantasyland at Disneyland Resort.
Matterhorn was the first Disney Mountain and opened to rave reviews in 1959.
Due to its success, Imagineering collaborated with Arrow Development Company to realize the creation of Space Mountain.
Early Challenges with Space Mountain
However, numerous challenges arose for Space Mountain. Firstly, the envisioned technology was not yet available.
After the heartbreaking loss of Walt Disney, the company really buckled down to get Walt Disney World up and running. Space Mountain had to take a temporary break.
Walt Disney World Opens in 1971
The Magic Kingdom theme park would go on to officially open on October 1, 1971, and was super successful, even among teens and young adults.
This prompted the company to consider integrating Matterhorn into Fantasyland at Disney World, but it proved to be too big for the current area. Nevertheless, there was just sufficient space in Tomorrowland.
Space Mountain Opens at Disney World and Disneyland
With computer tech making big moves and RCA backing it up, Space Mountain started getting built. It opened on January 15, 1975 and has been a Disney World fave ever since.
Now believe it or not, Space Mountain at Disneyland opened 2 years after the Walt Disney World version in May 27, 1977.
This just happened after they saw how crazy popular the first version was at Walt Disney World, so they decided to go back to the original plan of putting it in Disneyland.
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Space Mountain Construction
The Disneyland project was a go and it was managed by Imagineer Bill Watkins and took 2 years of construction to complete.
This covered the roller coaster, the 1,100-seat space stage, Starcade, and a 670-seat fast food joint, and it all came together for a $20 million price tag at Disneyland.
For comparison, Walt Disney World’s version only cost $18 million to build.
Actually, building Disneyland’s version ended up costing more than the entire construction of Disneyland Park!
Space Mountain Disneyland vs Disney World: The Roller Coaster Stats
With all that being said, let’s briefly go over the roller coaster stats for each attraction!
Disney World Space Mountain Stats
Starting with Space Mountain at Walt Disney World, there are two different tracks unlike Disneyland’s, named Alpha and Omega.
Alpha side stats are as follows:
- Top height: 65 feet (ft)
- Drop: 26 ft
- Length: 3,196 ft
- Speed: 28 miles per hour (MPH)
- Time: 2:30
- G-Force: 3.7
When it comes to Omega side, everything is the same except two key differences.
The track length on omega is 3,186 ft and you don’t experience any G forces on it.
There are 13 trains per track for a total of 30 with 2 cars on Space Mountain in Disney World. Plus, you can have a total of 6 riders per train with 1 across in 3 rows.
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Disneyland Space Mountain Stats
For Disneyland’s version, unlike its sister, its launch system involves a chain lift hill. As mentioned before, it only has 1 track so here are the stats a follows:
- Top height: 76 ft
- Length: 3,459 ft
- Time: 3:00
- Speed: 35 miles per hour
The Disneyland Space Mountain features 12 trains with two cars, and you sit 2 across in rows of 3. When all rockets are used, capacity can hit 2,057 riders an hour.
Space Mountain Disneyland vs Disney World: Key Differences
Besides the differences already stated, there are a few key differences of note between the two sisters.
What to Expect on Space Mountain at Disneyland
Disneyland’s version closed suddenly in 2003 as the ride had become unstable.
It got a whole new track thanks to Dynamic Structures, and it still has that Bill Watkins layout.
The builders dug the foundation 30 feet deeper to make evacuations easier when needed. Plus, depending on the season or a special event, it offers different experiences.
At Halloween time, you can look forward to Space Mountain Ghost Galaxy for a spine-tingling ghostly adventure in outer space.
Another version debuted in honor of “The Force Awakens” debut called “Hyperspace Mountain.”
Hyperspace Mountain is still super popular with Disney Guests, so the park continues to switche between this version and the regular one all the time.
Just so you know, the theme “Spaceflight” used to be done by Dick Dale until the 2003 revamp, when Michael Giacchino took over.
Fun Fact: Something of note is that the grand opening for the Disneyland version was attended by 6 of the seven original Mercury astronauts. The space mountain exit is also very lackluster.
What to Expect on Space Mountain at Disney World
Walt Disney World’s version got a cool $12.3 million dollar makeover back in 2009. The loading station saw the most action with all the changes happening there.
Gates were put in, and a roof was added to keep the light out, and they also made the Tomorrowland Transit Authority exit longer with a wall.
The music for this version is “Mount Bop” by Mike Brassell and includes elements from the Giacchino score for Disneyland.
The skyway terminal was partially demolished to make room for a bigger entrance. Plus, they jazzed up the tunnels with cool sound effects and even threw in an on-ride camera.
Main Difference Between Space Mountain Disneyland vs Disney World
One of the biggest difference between the two Disney Space Mountain rides is the post show exit.
When you’re on the moving walkway at Disney’s Magic Kingdom, you can check out different vacation spots accessible via the Tomorrowland Transit Authority on Space Mountain.
This provides a glimpse into the future of experiences. It also includes nods and references to former attractions, “Horizons” and “20,000 Leagues Under the Sea.”
While the Disneyland Resort Space Mountain exit is unremarkable and just leads you through a few hallways back out to Tomorrowland.
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What to Know Before Your Space Mountain Experience
Now that you gone through the Space Mountain Disneyland vs Disney World battle, let’s go through a few of the most commonly asked questions.
is space mountain scary?
Based on my experience it’s more thrilling than scary. It’s a great beginner roller coaster for kids with the most intense thing about it is that it takes place in the dark (since we’re traveling through space.)
does space mountain go upside down?
Space Mountain does not go upside down for Disneyland and Disney World. Neither version has loops or inversions in their current designs.
What is the height requirement for Space Mountain?
The height requirement for Disneyland is 40 inches and Disney World’s Space Mountain is 44 inches.
Is Space Mountain wheelchair accessible?
Both versions of Space Mountain are accessible but require transfer from wheelchair.
Can Disney Genie+ be used on Space Mountain?
Yes, both Space Mountain versions are available for this option. Price varies by date and specific park.
Does Space Mountain have a single rider line?
Both versions currently do not have a Single Rider Line.
Is Space Mountain an outdoor or indoor coaster?
Both versions are indoors. In fact, the Walt Disney World version was the first ever indoor coaster in the world!
How Fast is Space Mountain?
Disneyland’s Space Mountain reaches speeds of up to 35 miles per hour while Walt Disney World’s Space Mountain reaches a max speed of 28 miles per hour!
I know that sounds slow for a roller coaster, especially since the ride feels so much faster.
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Space Mountain Disneyland vs Disney World: Who Wins?
As you can see, while both different in their own way, there were truly never such devoted sisters.
But Space Mountain is a staple at any Disney Park, that’s why there are so many versions.
In fact, Tokyo Disney plans to demolish their current version in 2024 to completely rebuild a brand new version in 2027.
It is usually a child’s first “big kid” coaster at a Disney Park. Plus, it is truly beloved as one of Walt’s ideas.
So basically, you can’t lose by experiencing both!
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About the Author
Victoria is a professional solo traveler here to make your solo trips as stress free AND enjoyable as possible for you.
She has over 5 years of Disney and Non-Disney travel experience and was featured by POPSUGAR as one of the Top 50 Black Disney Creators you should follow.
She is a Proud Native to Baltimore, Md but always will call Disney World home.
(Original Article Date: January 27, 2023/Updated by Editor on May 1, 2024)