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After more than twenty-five years of thrilling Disneyland guests, Space Mountain closed down in 2003 for a major renovation. In 2005, the all new Space Mountain was introduced. How is it? Well, as you can see, I gave it a 10, so it must be good. However, I would have given the old Space Mountain a 10 as well. In all honesty, the new version is incredibly similar to the old one. The track layout, the trains, and the speed and intensity are all pretty much identical to the way they used to be. The space theming is I guess a little different, but then again, it is supposed to be space, so how different can it be? There are stars and swirling meteors and the like. The main difference can be found in the soundtrack and in the initial launch into space. The soundtrack has a more old-fashioned nostalgic aura about it now, rather than the previous harder rocking music. This is especially true during the lift hill segments of the ride, which have a truly grandiose feel. The lighting and effects are also different, and admittedly an improvement, during the lift hill launch sequence as well. Despite the two year hiatus for not much of a difference, I can still speak very highly of the Space Mountain ride itself. The coaster rockets through the dark at a speed that feels much faster than it actually is, and the trains do noticeably pick up speed as the ride progresses. Wind blows in the faces of riders the whole time, and there are a couple of neat dips. However, the curves during the second half of the ride really make Space Mountain so enjoyable. The train continuously careens around banked right turns, each seemingly tighter than the previous, until it finally speeds through a banked left turn and returns to earth with a blinding flash of light upon hitting the brake run. Space Mountain was my favorite Disneyland ride as a kid, until Indiana Jones opened in 1995. I thought Space Mountain might reclaim the title with this new incarnation. It did not, but it does remain my second favorite ride at the park, and it should continue to please the masses as it has for decades.
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