What Electronics Company Sponsored The Original Space Mountain Ride At Walt Disney World?
Mount Space Mountain Mount Space Mountain Tomorrowland at Walt Disney World’s Magic Kingdom Park debuted on January 15, 1975. Also, an attraction in Tomorrowland at Disneyland; a grand opening and dedication ceremony was held on May 27, 1977, after a soft opening period that began on May 4, 1977.
Space Mountain is a distinctive type of roller coaster designed to appeal to thrill-seeking young people. It is constructed so that passengers ride in the dark. Since you cannot see where the tracks are going, it is difficult to prepare for the drops and turns, which adds to the thrill. Comets, shooting stars, and other extraterrestrial phenomena add intrigue.
A moving sidewalk at the exit leads visitors past displays depicting the potential future effects of electronics. The mountain is over 180 feet tall and has a diameter of 300 feet. Also an attraction in Tomorrowland at Disneyland, which opened on May 4, 1977.
- First sponsored by RCA at Walt Disney World, from 1993 to 2003 Federal Express was the sponsor in both parks.
- Also an attraction in Tomorrowland at Tokyo Disneyland, which opened on April 15, 1983, and Hong Kong Disneyland, which opened on September 12, 2005.
- At Disneyland Paris, Space Mountain: de la Terre à la Lune opened on June 1, 1995.
On April 10, 2003, the Disneyland attraction closed for a major renovation, to reopen on July 16, 2005. In 2005, the attraction at Disneyland Resort Paris was redesigned as Space Mountain: Mission 2. In the spring of 2007, the ride at Disneyland was transformed into Rockin’ Space Mountain with new lighting, technology, and music.
Who sponsored Disney World’s Space Mountain?
See Space Mountain for an overview of the Space Mountain attractions at each Disney park.
| Space Mountain | ||
|---|---|---|
| Magic Kingdom | ||
| Park section | Tomorrowland | |
| Coordinates | 28°25′09″N 81°34′38″W / 28.41917°N 81.57722°W Coordinates : 28°25′09″N 81°34′38″W / 28.41917°N 81.57722°W | |
| Status | Operating | |
| Opening date | January 15, 1975 | |
| General Statistics | ||
| Type | Steel – Dual-tracked – Enclosed | |
| Manufacturer | Arrow Development | |
| Designer | WED Enterprises | |
| Model | Special Coaster Systems | |
| Alpha | Omega | |
| Height | 90 ft (27.4 m) | 90 ft (27.4 m) |
| Drop | 26 ft (7.9 m) | 26 ft (7.9 m) |
| Length | 3,196 ft (974.1 m) | 3,186 ft (971.1 m) |
| Speed | 27 mph (43.5 km/h) | 27 mph (43.5 km/h) |
| Inversions | 0 | 0 |
| Duration | 2:30 | 2:30 |
| G-force | 3.7 | |
| Height restriction | 44 in (112 cm) | |
| Trains | 30 trains with 2 cars. Riders are arranged 1 across in 3 rows for a total of 6 riders per train. | |
| Sponsor | RCA (1975–1993) FedEx (1994–2004) None (2005-present) | |
| Music | Mike Brassell “Mount Bop” (2010 version) | |
| Trains Per Track | 13 | |
| Disney Genie+ Lightning Lane Available | ||
| Wheelchair accessible | ||
| Must transfer from wheelchair | ||
| Space Mountain at RCDB Pictures of Space Mountain at RCDB |
Space Mountain is an indoor roller coaster with a space theme located in Tomorrowland at Walt Disney World’s Magic Kingdom in Bay Lake, Florida, near Orlando. The dark ride, which debuted on January 15, 1975, is the original version of the iconic attraction that has since been replicated in Disney theme parks around the world, with the exception of Shanghai Disneyland Resort.
- Space Mountain is the oldest roller coaster in operation in the state of Florida.
- From 1975 to 1993, RCA helped fund construction and sponsored the ride.
- From 1994 to 2004, FedEx assumed sponsorship responsibilities.
- Walt Disney first envisioned a space-themed roller coaster for Disneyland in 1959, following the success of Matterhorn Bobsleds.
In the late 1960s, however, technological limitations and planning for Walt Disney World led to the postponement of the project. In the early 1970s, following the initial success of Magic Kingdom, Disney began planning the first thrill ride for the new theme park.
After determining that a replica of Disneyland’s Matterhorn was not feasible, Disney decided to revisit the Space Mountain concept after technological advancements made the project feasible. Since its debut, Space Mountain has undergone a number of modifications, including the installation of new ride trains in 1989 and 2009 and the incorporation of modern roller coaster technology.
Changes in its corporate sponsorship over the years have necessitated a number of cosmetic renovations to its entry, queue, and post-show elements.
| Space Mountain | |
|---|---|
| Opened | January 15, 1975 |
| Land | Tomorrowland |
| Designer | WED Enterprises |
| Manufacturer | Arrow Development Company |
| Guests per vehicle | 6 |
| Ride length | 2:30 |
| Length | 3,186-3,196 ft. (2,211.9 m) |
| Track height | 65 ft. (19.8 m) |
| Maximum speed | 28 mph (45.1 km/h) |
| Height requirement | 44″ (112 cm) |
Space Mountain is an indoor steel roller coaster with an outer space theme located in the Magic Kingdom theme park at Walt Disney World Resort. It debuted on January 15, 1975 and is the original version of the iconic attraction found in all five Disney theme parks around the world.
Who first sponsored Space Mountain?
The Walt Disney World attraction Space Mountain (Magic Kingdom) The Space Mountain concept was derived from the Matterhorn Bobsleds, the first “mountain” attraction to open at Disneyland in 1959. The success of The Matterhorn persuaded Walt Disney that thrilling rides did have a place in his theme park.
- WED partnered with Arrow Development Company, the same firm that had assisted in the design of the Matterhorn’s roller coaster systems many years prior.
- The initial idea was to have four separate tracks, but the available technology and the amount of space required versus the amount of space available within Disneyland rendered this impossible.
The death of Walt Disney in December 1966 and the new emphasis on preparing for the newly announced Disney World project forced WED to put Space Mountain’s design on hold indefinitely. The Magic Kingdom’s early success and unexpected popularity among teenagers and young adults prompted WED to begin planning thrill rides for the new park shortly after its October 1971 opening.
- A new Matterhorn Bobsleds attraction was considered, but it would not fit within Fantasyland in Florida.
- Eventually, designers returned to Space Mountain’s design.
- Tomorrowland at the Magic Kingdom had the appropriate amount of available land, and computing technology had significantly advanced since the initial design phases.
However, it was determined that the mountain would be constructed on the opposite side of the train tracks that serve as the park’s perimeter. Card Walker, the CEO of Walt Disney Productions, persuaded RCA chairman Robert Sarnoff to sponsor Space Mountain; RCA was contracted by Disney to provide the communications hardware for the Walt Disney World Resort, and their contract stipulated that if Disney presented an attraction of interest, RCA would contribute US$10 million to support it.
The Disneyland Matterhorn Mountain Bobsleds inspired Walt Disney World in Orlando to create a more intense collection of thrill rides. The popularity of the fast-paced West Coast attraction inspired Disney to expand the original vision of the park to include more intense and advanced experiences.
Walt Disney World’s Magic Kingdom opened in 1971 with much of the same family-friendly focus as its predecessor, but Imagineers rethought Walt’s request for a high-intensity rollercoaster attraction after noticing an increasing teen-adult guest demographic. Construction on Space Mountain’s east coast officially began in December 1972, prior to its opening in January 1975.
On the tracks of the Tomorrowland Transit Authority Peoplemover, a marching band performed in honor of the opening of this space-themed roller coaster; pretty cool, right? Many individuals are unaware that its Orlando debut occurred two years prior to its 1977 Disneyland debut.
- Both versions were originally intended to be the centerpieces of their respective Tomorrowland homes; however, they were strategically placed further away to make room for additional future attractions.
- Disney’s technological limitations in the 1960s were rapidly becoming obsolete as a result of significant technological advancements since the project was shelved.
They had no idea that these innovations in theme park entertainment were just the start for Disney. Space Mountain quickly became a guest favorite in all Disney parks, including Paris, Tokyo, and Hong Kong, solidifying the importance of thrill rides for Disney’s future.
Sponsorship deals came and went, but Space Mountain remained relatively unchanged. The involvement of various third parties would result in minor modifications, such as the FedEx sponsorship that remodeled Disneyland’s queueing area to include television screens with safety videos and audio-animatronics, but many guests would be more likely to recall modifications to the attraction’s iconic soundtrack.
The 1990s addition of a sci-fi horror score meets surf movie montage soundtrack featuring Dick Dale was incorporated into the Disneyland ride experience as a single piece of music. This would result in the first of many modifications to the attraction, including the 2015 debut of the seasonal overlay Star Wars: Hyperspace Mountain.
In early 2009, the original attraction at Magic Kingdom was closed for an extensive refurbishment that included interactive elements, modifications to the waiting area, and the replacement of sections of track. Several months after the reopening in November 2009, an energizing new musical score was added.
The soundtrack was titled “Mount Bop,” and Disney’s marketing efforts focused on its “Starry-o-Phonic” sound presentation. A number of tributes to the cherished EPCOT attraction Horizons were also added to Space Mountain following the refurbishment. In 2017, a Single Rider lane was added to Disneyland, but to the dismay of many guests, this feature was never added to Magic Kingdom’s attractions.
Space Mountain at Magic Kingdom is the oldest active roller coaster in Florida, which is fascinating when you consider how many there are and how well Space Mountain is maintained. Space Mountain, unlike other rollercoasters in their original rickety wooden form, feels fresh, new, and exciting every time you ride it, which is one of the reasons why it remains a guest favorite.
Thank you for joining me for another session on the Brief History of Disney. I hope you found this as interesting as I did in anticipation of the upcoming Space Mountain merchandise launch for Mickey Mouse: The Main Attraction. Now, when you are rapidly clicking the purchase button, you will have a better understanding of the collection’s appeal.
How much did Space Mountain at Disney World cost to construct?
Space Mountain’s construction began on December 15, 1972, and cost approximately twenty million dollars. Alpha and Omega are the only two built tracks. Each is a mirror image of the other, with the exception that Alpha is 10 feet longer to accommodate the layout.
The entrance and egress were constructed close to the Skyway station. During this time, the remainder of Tomorrowland as it exists today was also constructed. The back half of the WEDWay Peoplemover as well as the Carousel of Progress and Astro Jets were being completed. On January 15, 1975, Space Mountain opened with a massive ceremony and dedication event.
There was a 2,000-member band that marched and played music while on the PeopleMover tracks. During the event, 1,000 doves were released alongside 50,000 balloons. Notable attendees included Scott Carpenter (Mercury 7 astronaut), Gordon Cooper (Mercury 9 and Gemini 5 astronaut), and Jim Irwin.