LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla. – Space Mountain is celebrating the 50-year anniversary of its opening date, Jan. 15, 1975, at the Magic Kingdom in Walt Disney World.
On Wednesday, Disney Parks shared a video on its social media channels of a golden fireworks celebration at Tomorrowland for Space Mountain’s golden anniversary.
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The attraction has been a staple of Walt Disney’s original futuristic vision and was inspired by the first Disney Mountain, Matterhorn, in California’s Disneyland, called the “Matterhorn in outer space.”
When Matterhorn Bobsleds debuted at Disneyland in 1959, the steel track allowed for sharp turns and weaving in and out of craggy caverns. That breakthrough blueprint would inspire the thrilling concept of Space Mountain.
Guests are taken through the deep parts of space through a high-flying ride featuring two different tracks.
Track Alpha has a length of 3,196 feet while Omega is 3,186 feet and both run at 27 mph. While it may feel like you could travel to the moon due to the air conditioning and high-speed winds, it would actually take 22 rides every day since 1975 to reach the moon!
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Space Mountain serves as the oldest-running computer-operated roller coaster in Florida and is just one foot shorter (183 feet) than the NASA Space Shuttle.
The space adventure was praised by astronauts on opening day.
“We astronauts are here today to salute all those who permitted us to see the Earth as a precious blue jewel in the blackness of space,” said Col. James Irwin, Lunar Module pilot on Apollo XV.
The ride serves as a rite of passage for many families and their children, with a height requirement of just 44 inches. It offers an exciting thrilling experience for the whole space crew.
The attraction isn’t just limited to U.S. parks, it can be found at five of the six Disney Resorts across the globe.
Both Disneyland Paris and Hong Kong Disneyland are currently home to Hyperspace Mountain, a Star Wars adventure through the galaxy.
For the 50th anniversary, guests can look forward to new merchandise such as pins and clothing.
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