Attraction Profile: Space Mountain (Walt Disney World and Disneyland)

One of the most iconic Disney attractions is a weenie (main visual attraction) that sits in almost everyone Tomorrowland. Yes, I am referring to Space Mountain. Guests probably know that Space Mountain was around since the 1970's when both Disney World and Disneyland opened their own versions, but there is a long, storied history behind the attractions on both coasts.


On a personal note, I first went on Disneyland's Space Mountain back in 2005 after about a year-and-a-half of not going to the Park and when I finally made it to the original Space Mountain in Florida two years later, I had an even memorable time. Whenever I go to a Magic Kingdom-style Disney park, I just have to visit Space Mountain (unless it's closed). Space Mountain was a vital aspect of my relationship to Disney and it still inspires me as of this writing.


However, this isn't my Space Mountain story, it's the story of one of the greatest theme park attractions.


So let's go back in time to not the space-obsessed 1970's, but to a simpler time. Let's head back to 1959 when the Matterhorn Bobsleds opened at Disneyland in California.


Walt Disney was hesitant to have a roller coaster in his theme park because they were a common fixture on boardwalks, midways, and shady amusement parks in major cities, but since he designed and opened the Matterhorn, it gained enough popularity to prove to Walt that roller coasters were welcome in his park.


Walt understood that Disneyland wasn't a typical amusement park (it's a theme park, darn it!) and the theming that his company was known for had distinguished not only attractions, but the experiences.


The "Matterhorn" principle (the very idea of building a Matterhorn-type thrill ride with a slightly different theme) caught on and had influenced the development of the plans for a Tomorrowland refurbishment.


Since Tomorrowland was increasingly seen as dated in the early 1960's and Walt wasn't exactly thrilled with the fact that the land was rushed open with its streamlined, mid-century design, this meant that a redesign of Tomorrowland was due in the near future.


One of the attractions suggested for the refurbishment was the Space Port, also known as "Tomorrowland Mountain", "Tomorrowland Space Adventure", and ultimately in June 1966, "Space Mountain". In fact, John Hench, who painted one of the original renderings of Space Mountain, actually pitched that name to Walt during one of the meetings.

John Hench's initial concept for "Space Port" (circa 1964-5, property of Disney).

1964 Concept painting of the New Tomorrowland project, property of WED/Disney. Notice the "Ford"sign above one of the People-Movers. That year, WED unveiled an exhibit for the Ford Pavilion at the New York World's Fair called "the Ford Magic Skyway" alongside three other pavilions. 

Circa 1965-6 Herb Ryman painting of Space Mountain's swanky modern exterior in the very area it would stand in a decade. Property of Disney.

John Hench's late 1964/early 1965 concept art of NT, as seen in the 10th Anniversary Disneyland guidebook from 1965.  

Similar to New Orleans Square, this attraction was a "theme center" with various other attractions in addition to the planned E-Ticket adventure, "Space Voyage", which would be an 8-track roller coaster that simulated a rocket ride both indoors and outside of the complex. This was at the time going to be one of WED's most ambitious projects.

"Tomorrowland Mountain", according to a WED/Disneyland publication from 1967, would serve as a "spaceport and theme center" where guests would board rocket ships to "experience the sensation of racing through distant space" and it would stand up to 18 stories. Wow, that's tall!

The original plans for the theme center, according to Mike Cozart, included the eponymous E-ticket (Space Mountain), the Rocket Jets inside the complex, a space-themed shooting gallery, the Flight to the Moon ride, the Space Place/Bar (a fast food restaurant), even a dance floor (sponsored by 7-Up), and other possible attractions.




The Space Port theme center was further in danger when the computing technology required to design Space Mountain was not efficient enough to build the anchor attraction within a few years, especially for the number of tracks planned and while the scope of the attraction was downsized from the original size, the real estate needed for the attraction wasn't enough.

Circa 1967-8 photo of the Space Mountain model developed by WED. This can be seen in WED's 1967 Annual Report, which was published in early-1968.

Imagineers review Space Mountain model (circa 1968)

However, the project wasn't built along with New Tomorrowland in 1967 and when its expected opening as part of the second phase of NT's expansion in 1968 didn't come, it remained listed as a future attraction on Disneyland maps for years...and years, but a project Walt began in Florida was welcoming of this new attraction with its unique shape taking up space on early Magic Kingdom and Vacation Kingdom literature and even WED annual reports.

From the cover of the 1969 WDW Preview booklet, we can tell that Space Mountain was supposed to be one of the major attractions at WDW before it opened.

Courtesy of WED/Disney. This 1969 concept illustration of the exterior of Space Mountain at Walt Disney World was featured in early WED literature concerning the Magic Kingdom in Florida, including the 1969 Walt Disney World Preview Booklet given to stockholders at their annual meeting in Los Angeles. Look at the spires and the enormity of such a project.  

Model of Space Mountain (Courtesy Walt Disney Imagineering, circa 1967-1969)

WED painting of Space Mountain (circa 1971) by Clem Hall. I couldn't pin down an exact date, but the suggestion that this was from 1974 is too late in the game and the other suggestion that it was painted in 1970 or 1971 when Clem Hall was commissioned to conceptualize the exterior.

When the Magic Kingdom in Florida was designed in 1967 and 1968, Space Mountain was pushed towards the Florida Park. Early models and pre-opening literature for WDW included Space Mountain, presumably as a part of their own theme center.

Early WED model of the Magic Kingdom, circa 1969-1970, with Space Mountain as part of an unrealized Tomorrowland layout that persisted on paper as late as 1971. Worthy of noting that the area with the auto racing ride between Space Mountain and the 20K Lagoon was known as "Holidayland".

The telecommunication firm, RCA, had sold Disney the televisions, intercoms, radios, and other specialized gadgets, according to their 1968-9 Project 90 report, for Walt Disney World, which included the facilities and hotels, and they agreed to a deal with WED in about 1969 or 1970 to sponsor an attraction with a price tag around $10,000,000. The catch is that RCA had to approve the attraction. RCA was quickly sold on sponsoring Space Mountain and construction began on 15 December 1972 with an expected opening date of April 1974 and then late 1974 before settling on January 1975.

One of the early WED models of SM (circa 1971-2)

Left to right: Marty Sklar, Tony Baxter, George McGinnis, and John Hench review the model for WDW's Space Mountain in 1973.

Construction in WDW's Tomorrowland was a constant for three years. Meanwhile, it was suggested back in California that Disneyland would receive its Space Mountain after all and by late 1973, according to a mid-1971 memo. However, construction in Disneyland's Tomorrowland had been intermittent between 1967 and 1973, when the Carousel of Progress was closed down for its move to Florida and the opening of a replacement attraction ("America Sings") in June 1974.

Aerial shot of the progress done on Space Mountain, 16 July 1973. Within a year, the exterior was mostly finished and the actual attraction was under construction.

Not only a lovely shot of the Contemporary Resort (which was placed there purposefully to be seen from inside Tomorrowland), but also the construction on both Space Mountain and the WED Way People-Mover track (1973).  

This late 1973/early 1974 exterior shot shows the progress on Space Mountain (Disney)

 This 1974 view of the interior of Space Mountain shows that the track was either under construction or completed with an Imagineer or construction worker eyeing his own work. Courtesy WED/Disney.

Imagineer hard-at-work on a rocket for Space Mountain. I presume this was in the Central Shops at WDW (1974).

Publicity photo, courtesy WED/Disney (1974). This is the infamous "Star Tunnel" that leads WDW guests through Space Mountain.

However, the construction on Space Mountain in Florida was wrapped up in 1974 with the track being tested and the final details being fine-tuned, but it was initially expected to be up and running on the East Coast in April 1974 according to a February 1973 project schedule. Needless to say, the construction was delayed with the oil crisis of late 1973.

The Feb. 1973 schedule of planned projects, published by Disney. Notice how Disney expected the MK to look by 1979.

Space Mountain was running for cast members and even some fortunate WDW guests in December 1974.

Despite the delays, Space Mountain opened along with the recently-moved Carousel of Progress on 15 January 1975 in a grand ceremony with celebrities, dignitaries, and scientists in attendance. In fact, it was the highlight of a 1975 episode of Disney's primetime show.

15 January 1975 saw the Grand Opening of Space Mountain with Mickey Mouse the Astronaut.

Goofy and Mickey, donning their flight suits, have just returned from their premiere trip through space (15 Jan. 1975).

Opening day photo of WDW guests boarding their rockets for an "out of this world" adventure (15 Jan. 1975).

Six months after opening, construction began on the Disneyland version on 15 July 1975 and construction wrapped up with another high-profile grand opening on 27 May 1977, just five days after the original Star Wars was released in theatres. On 4 May 1977, Disneyland's version had its soft opening.



As with other attractions, cast members are allowed to test the ride before opening and as per the one at Disneyland, Imagineer Bill Watkins took the maiden voyage in early 1977.

Imagineer Bill Watkins takes the first ride on Disneyland's Space Mountain during its testing phrase

Duplicates of the Disneyland version have been replicated at Tokyo Disneyland (1983) and Hong Kong Disneyland (2005). Another tidbit about Space Mountain is that it was the first roller coaster to be designed with the aid of a computer and the Matterhorn Bobsleds was refurbed in 1977-1978 with the technology used on both Space Mountains.

In conclusion, Space Mountain is one of the most iconic attractions on the Disney theme park landscape.