Space Mountain Report

Trip Report: Disneyland Paris - From The Earth To The Moon - SPACE MOUNTAIN

by Frank Kremer (fkremer@ufhis.enet.dec.com)

Posted in rec.arts.disney.parks on 6 Dec 1995

This is a report of my and my girlfriend's impressions of SPACE MOUNTAIN. We have been at Disneyland Paris from June 1 1995 until June 4 1995. We stayed in the "Newport Bay Club" resort hotel. It was my fifth visit and my girlfriend's first visit at Disneyland Paris.

Normally the park closes in June at 6:00 pm, weekend at 8:00 pm. Since the great opening of SPACE MOUNTAIN at the 1st June, the park is every day open from 9:00 am until 11:00 pm. So you can ride SPACE MOUNTAIN in the evening and avoid queues! That`s perfect! These times are valid from June 1 1995 until September 1 1995.

We took a flight from Munich to Paris at 7:05 am and approached the airport Charles-de-Gaulle at 8:40 am. The weather in Munich was rainy, in Paris sunny and warm. We arrived at our hotel at 10:05 am and went to park after Check-In and deposit our baggage in our room at 10:30 am. Right after passing the entrance to the park, we heard a dumb "boom" and could catch a first look at the top of SPACE MOUNTAIN. So we went down Main Street to Discoveryland to ride it. There was a large queue in front of SPACE MOUNTAIN, so we decided first to go to the other attractions and return in the evening to SPACE MOUNTAIN. Remember, my girlfriend was the first time in Disneyland Paris, and so there was a lot I want to show her. By the way, her favourites are PHANTOM MANOR and, of course, SPACE MOUNTAIN.

9:15 pm: We`re back in Discoveryland and went straight ahead to SPACE MOUNTAIN. At this time there is no queue and we embark our carriage after going through (!) the scenery inside SPACE MOUNTAIN. While your way through, you can watch the other astronauts by their journey through the galaxy. Now it is the best time to admire the perfect scenery supported by the music score, during the ride you will have no time for this, trust me!

SPACE MOUNTAIN is one of the highest buildings in the park, only the castle is higher. SPACE MOUNTAIN is 36 metres high and I assume it`s diameter is about 30 m. Outside SPACE MOUNTAIN is a giant cannon, which fires the astronauts in their carriages every 36 seconds on top of SPACE MOUNTAIN, where they drop in. The ramp inside the cannon is 22 m long and you pass it in 1.8 seconds. The diameter of the cannon is 5 m. Average cruising speed is 70 km/h.

After leaving the embarkment area, we had a short ride into the cannon, waiting for blast-off. For a few seconds you have a great look over Discoveryland. The start of the carriage is similar to a start with an aircraft from an aircraft carrier. Short before the carriage drops into SPACE MOUNTAIN, it breaks and when it drops in, there is for a few seconds no gravity! That`s a great feeling!

During the trip through the galaxy, we passed two loopings and one sidewinder-looping. I realized the first looping, I realized the sidewinder, but I don't realized the second looping, because I lost orientation, my girlfriend too, but I saw the second looping while walking through the mountain. After some steep drops and slopes we could see in front of us the moon and the carriage stops for a moment. As I looked down on my right, I saw the carriage hangs straight up the wall!!! I have never seen this before! After this stop there was a short, but very intensive, ride back to the embarkment area, where we tried to disembark. We were a little shaky on our legs as we leave SPACE MOUNTAIN.

Because there were so less people in the park, we went to Star Tours again. But this time, right after SPACE MOUNTAIN, Star Tours was only nice.

A hint: Do all other rides or shopping, you want to do, BEFORE riding SPACE MOUNTAIN. Right after SPACE MOUNTAIN everything else is boring! There is only one thing you should better do AFTER SPACE MOUNTAIN: eating.

The story of SPACE MOUNTAIN is based on Jule Verne's novel "From The Earth To The Moon" and I think the set decorators did great work on catching the atmosphere of the novel. Disney managed it to combine Hi-Tech with the romantic touch of the novel.

I have been for two years ago in WDW and ride SPACE MOUNTAIN there. Compared with DLP the one in WDW is harmless!

SPACE MOUNTAIN is definitive the greatest adventure of the galaxy. It is an breath-taking attraction you never have been in before and a second unique highlight apart "Buffalo Bill's Wild West Rodeo Show". Both attractions are ONLY in Disneyland Paris and every Disney fan has to visit them.

By the way, as a special there was on Saturday, 3rd June, an open-air concert with Elton John to celebrate the opening of SPACE MOUNTAIN.

I hope this report gives you an impression and a motivation to visit DLP (again).

Frank Kremer (one of the first astronauts of SPACE MOUNTAIN)