A legendary Disney theme park attraction is closing for a lengthy refurbishment.
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Filled to the brim with iconic dark rides and thrilling attractions, the Disney theme parks feature a ride made for everyone. However, few Disney rides are as iconic or as popular as Space Mountain.
The first iteration of this classic coaster opened at the Walt Disney World Resort in 1975, just a few short years after Magic Kingdom made its debut. Space Mountain was an instant hit, becoming one of the most popular attractions in Disney history.
As time goes on and the Walt Disney World Resort continues to grow and evolve, Space Mountain still remains as popular as ever, though the coaster is certainly starting to show its age.
The same can be said for Tokyo Disney’s version of Space Mountain, which will soon be closing for one of the largest refurbishments Disney theme park fans have ever seen.
Space Mountain Closing This Week At Disney
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In 2022, the Toyko Disney Resort revealed it would be closing its version of Space Mountain, a bombshell announcement that shocked the Disney theme park community.
However, instead of getting rid of the attraction, the Tokyo Disney Resort will invest hundreds of millions of dollars in it, rebuilding Space Mountain from the ground up and providing guests with the most advanced and modern iteration yet.
The current version of Space Mountain closes forever on July 31, 2024, meaning guests only have a few hours left to enjoy the space-themed adventure.
Concept art (shown below) reveals a wild and fascinating new take on the ride’s exterior, with plenty of changes happening on the inside as well.
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Tokyo’s Space Mountain is reportedly in desperate need of a new coaster track, as the ride has used the same track throughout its lifetime. Manufactured by Arrow Dynamics, Tokyo’s Space Mountain uses a tubular steel track similar to Magic Kingdom’s Space Mountain, as well as the Matterhorn Bobsleds, a coaster found at the original Disneyland Park.
The last update Tokyo’s Space Mountain received came in 2006 and involved mostly aesthetic changes.
These tubular track systems are quite antiquated when compared to modern-day coasters like Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind at Disney’s EPCOT or some of the newer rides at Universal Studios such as Jurassic World VelociCoaster and Hagrid’s Magical Creatures Motorbike Adventure.
Space Mountain has been operating at Tokyo Disneyland for over 40 years, solidifying itself as one of the resort’s most iconic and popular rides, just like its American counterparts.
A version of Space Mountain is present at both U.S. Disney resorts, as well as Disney Paris, Hong Kong Disney, and the soon-to-close version at Tokyo Disneyland.
In addition to overhauling Space Mountain, the Tokyo Disney Resort will renovate its Tomorrowland area. This massive project is not expected to be completed until 2027.
Will you miss Space Mountain? What is your favorite Disney roller coaster?
