PDA

View Full Version : Space Mountain



Saratoga75
10-20-2003, 07:52 PM
I dont know about anyone else, but I've definately been missing Space Mountain. The last time i was there Despite every other ride open (before the big thunder tragedy) it just wasnt the same. I was speaking to a friend of mine that works for Walt Disney in Burbank, CA to hear that Disney Imagineers have no clue as to the opening date. Worst case scenario is reopening in Jan 2006 (totally missing Disney's 50th, someone over there better get there stuff together!!!) One reason for the unknown date is the Resources right now are being spread thin with finishing the semi rehab of Splash Mountain, finishing Tower of Terror over at DCA, working on the seasonal events at Haunted Mansion, and work on Big Thunder Mountain following the tragic accident, among some. I hope Matt Ouimet can bring some real leadership to the Disney Resort!!! I dont know about the rest of you, after all this i sure could have dealt with the current Space Mountain for a few more years!!!!

SoCalDisneyLover
10-20-2003, 08:00 PM
Why don't they spend some stinkin' $$$ to improve the resort? I realize it's all about economics, but wouldn't they generate more revenue by fixing things quicker, and also attempting Anything to draw more attention towards Tommorowland? It is shameful that a multi-million $ corporation like Disney won't invest what it takes to make this a World Class Theme Park, like it once was. If they don't care now, they probably won't care Ever.

zapppop
10-20-2003, 08:11 PM
Originally posted by Saratoga75
I dont know about the rest of you, after all this i sure could have dealt with the current Space Mountain for a few more years!!!!
Hmm...

Well, seeing how the last roller coaster ride that didn't get repairs derailed and killed a guest, I think I can wait a year or so. I miss Space Mountain but prefer it be safe to operate so I can ride it many more times.

Saratoga75
10-20-2003, 08:18 PM
zapppop well obviously your refering to Big Thunder, about a little over a year prior to the accident I remember Big Thunder going under an apparent "major overhall" with work done on the tracks and so forth in which it was closed for several months. Of coarse I want space mountain to be safe for all of us obviously overhalling the ride (especially the track) wouldnt have taken nearly as long as re-doing it. I still dont get the complete reasoning behind re-doing the ride.

TheatreTech
10-20-2003, 08:37 PM
I too miss Space (surprise, surprise). And common sense says that we all want it to be done right and most of all saftly, but, I wanna ride it now . From what i understand (correct me if i'm wrong) by reading Al's article on Miceage (http://www.miceage.com/allutz/al082203a.htm) , they are still disassembling the track. (The pics were posted on 8/22/03, doesn't say when they were taken.) So, they, in theory, are slightly further than shown (they could be working around the clock or only on weekends for all we know), but, either way, isn't rebuilding going to take longer than dismantling. When did they start by the way?

Saratoga75
10-20-2003, 08:43 PM
Theatretech, i heard that just a few pieces of the track are remaining as of a week ago. The ride closed in April. . i dont think they really began to do most of the work till June or so. . . with all the other stuff going on (splash mt, big thunder, tower of terror, etc) i doubt there working full time. . sounds like they want to get splash back online for the christmas season, and tower of terror for 04. . . yah building should take longer than dismantling. . but how diffrent can the ride be in the current building? there's only so much you can do!

Not Afraid
10-20-2003, 08:47 PM
Originally posted by Saratoga75
. . but how diffrent can the ride be in the current building? there's only so much you can do!

Apparently, the ride will not be any different ride-wise, but the track will be structuraly improved - something that was much needed. Remember they closed the ride early because of the structural problems. It was on it's last leg.

TheatreTech
10-20-2003, 08:57 PM
Originally posted by Saratoga75
Theatretech, i heard that just a few pieces of the track are remaining as of a week ago. The ride closed in April. . i dont think they really began to do most of the work till June or so. . . with all the other stuff going on (splash mt, big thunder, tower of terror, etc) i doubt there working full time. . sounds like they want to get splash back online for the christmas season, and tower of terror for 04. . . yah building should take longer than dismantling. . but how diffrent can the ride be in the current building? there's only so much you can do!
Exactly!
It's good to hear that most of the track is gone.;)

Don't get me wrong, i'm glad that they are working on other attractions at the same time. Actually i'm impressed with the porgress of TOT. And, Splash is a necessary for all human survival (@ DL anyway:) ). In the end i'm excited for both Space and TOT. I don't have any concerns about tower of terror, but, i hope space mountain is worth waiting for. (as of now i remain optimistic and plan on attending the parks for the opening days of both "new"* attrections)


*"new" meaning different and unexperienced by me. ;)

SoCalDisneyLover
10-21-2003, 06:18 AM
For all the "progress" on TOT, it's not going to open any earlier than anticipated. They're certainly not ahead of schedule, and it won't be open until at least mid-April, from what it sounds like, which is exactly when they've planned on all along.

TheatreTech
10-21-2003, 01:24 PM
Originally posted by SoCalDisneyLover
For all the "progress" on TOT, it's not going to open any earlier than anticipated. They're certainly not ahead of schedule, and it won't be open until at least mid-April, from what it sounds like, which is exactly when they've planned on all along. By progress i didn't mean ahead of schedule, just that (not that i'm an expert in building construction) the main structure went up in a fairly short amount of time. True, there is still work on the outside and the inside will also take some time. (The more time they spend on the inside, the more detail there should be,....in theory;) )

Icy Bacon
10-21-2003, 04:43 PM
Here's what irks me... 300 miles to the north of DL, Paramount's Great America is taking out the Stealth roller coaster (115ft tall, pretty big and long with the log flume around it staying open the whole time) and replacing it with a nicely themed 11-slide waterpark in six months. WHY is it taking Disneyland, with over 7 times the annual attendance of PGA more than five times as long to replace Space Mountain!?!

Not to mention, Stealth so far has been completely taken apart in just over one month and shipped without damage across the country for reassembly... DL doesn't even need to be careful with Space Mountain, so how come the new ride isn't open NOW? It sure could be with just a little more effort and money...

sediment
10-21-2003, 05:48 PM
I can think of a couple of reasons:
1. Limited personnel and equipment, due to other already scheduled projects. This should be solved by adding personnel and equipment, but budgets are more important when this project's return on investment is near 0%.

2. It's inside a building. More logistical concerns than an outdoor coaster. For example, the track is taken off, taken to the ground to a small truck which takes it out the small door. Contrast this with: Take the track off with a crane, put it right onto a large truck, which, once it's full, will start driving across the country.

3. It's replacing what's there, so whatever is staying (the foundation, the trestles, the walls, etc.) can't be messed up.

4. Annual passes. Revenue is not dropping by Space Mtn unopened. People are still coming! People are still renewing the APs!

5. Stealth may have been built with eventual dismantling and moving in mind. Space Mountain probably was not. (With good reason.)

CoasterMatt
10-21-2003, 07:29 PM
Stealth's disassembly and removal was pretty quick, because it didn't have the disadvantage of being inside a building in a very tight place. Getting new track for Space Mountain also takes time, if this would have been a planned closure and replacement, it could have been fabricated in advance, instead of being scrambled for. It's a good thing that Vekoma needed the money and had the manufacturing capacity available to provide the new track as relatively quickly as they will be doing. Initially, more of the original track was going to be kept, but as engineers inspected it, they found that it wasn't as salvageable as originally thought.