About the name change

"Discovery Mountain," as they planned to call it, was to be much more than a hand-me-down Space Mountain from other Disney parks. It would be an all-new attraction: something bigger and better than previous models that would strengthen the overarching motif of Discoveryland. The new name, however, failed to generate excitement in Europe. Philippe Bourguignon expressed concern that it sounded too much like a museum exhibit. Many of the park's customers (and cast members) were also reluctant to embrace the name. Despite repeated assurances that the ride would be "much more technical and much more fun than the Space Mountains in our other theme parks," they feared that Discovery Mountain would be something less than its legendary predecessors if its differences were substantial enough to warrant a name change. After much discussion, Michael Eisner authorized the official renaming of Discovery Mountain. Henceforth, he decreed, it would be Space Mountain. The signs and electrified marquee reading "Discovery Mountain," which had already been installed, were quickly replaced. But the more understated "DM" monograms etched into the space vehicles and handrails were permitted to remain as the symbol of a future that been swept into the past.

The change to Space Mountain from Discovery Mountain was a difficult one for the design team. The original reason to call it Discovery Mountain was to clearly define it as a totally new attraction. The decision to continue the use of Space Mountain was strictly a marketing one. The idea being that we have an existing marketable name in Space Mountain.

The name of Space Mountain was changed from Discovery Mountain just before opening. Some in upper management felt that Disney guests would be confused and not go on the ride. The name was on the marque and had to be replaced. That's why "Space" on the marque looks wrong. As you noted, there are graphics on the vehicle and elswhere left over from when the name was Discovery Mountain. Personally, I feel that the Discovery Mountain name works in Discoveryland and I always use that name when refering to that ride. It helps reduce confusion.

Originally the ride was going to be called Discovery Mountain, but at the last minute the name was changed to Space Mountain De la terre a la lune. As a result, there are DM logos all over the attraction (e.g on the trains, and on warning signs on the walls) which don?t fit in, and shouldn't be there.

Another inside bit of information that not a lot of people may catch is something I noticed about the trains on Space Mountain at Disneyland Paris. The original name of the ride was supposed to be Discovery Mountain, but sometime in the developemental stages it was changed to the traditional Space Mountain. However, on the sides of the trains, "DM" is printed in very decorative letters. Could this be because the trains were completed before the name was changed, and the "DS" stands for Discovery Mountain? Regardless of this minor flaw, I found this Space Mountain to be the absolute, hands down, best of any Disney thrill ride, ever. I didn't think that anything would beat Tower of Terror in my book, but when that train shot into the darkness at 50 mph., there was no doubt in my mind.

I confirm the fact that the original name of this attraction was "Discovery Mountain." The letters "DM" are actually printed on the side of the vehicles, just like on the side of some barriers outside the attraction. Moreover, I've got an advertising which has been edited before the opening of Space Mountain and on which the attraction is named "Discovery Mountain." I've also seen a TV show presenting Space Mountain. We could see technicians working inside the attraction. They had security helmets on which the letters "DM" were also printed... I still don't really know why they changed the name, and what puzzles me more is why they changed it so late...

As we all know the french-german relationship is not as wonderfull as most people would like it to be. So here a idea why they changed the name from "Discovery Mountain" to "Space Mountain" in the last minute. The offical "shortcut" of Discovery Mountain as printed on the cars is "DM" which is the same as for the german currency - maybe the french didn't wanted it therefore.