Utilizing the animation projection infrastructure used in the Halloween-themed Ghost Galaxy overlay, laser effects, and a newly recorded arrangement of assorted John Williams scores performed by the London Symphony Orchestra, the attraction puts guests into a dogfight between X-Wing starfighters and TIE Fighters at the start of the Battle of Jakku.[4]
The attraction queue is mostly left in its standard form, though graphics and a brief pre-show and safety film set up the simple story.
Admiral Ackbar sends out a brief transmission to a group of reconnaissance pilots to investigate an Imperial Star Destroyer in orbit around Jakku. He also announces the Blue Squadron will provide support for the mission.
After boarding the reconnaissance vehicle (played by Space Mountain's rocket vehicles rather than a completely new vehicle design), the recon team make a jump through hyperspace. Upon arrival at Jakku, a group of TIES ambushes the team almost immediately. The recon vehicle ducks and weaves its way through the dogfight and assorted laser-fire from either side. With the TIE squadron destroyed, Blue Squadron can make a critical destructive hit on the Star Destroyer's bridge area and make a quick jump through hyperspace back home.
Behind the scenes[]
Space Mountain originally opened at Disneyland on May 27th, 1977, two days after A New Hope first premiered in theaters. The second of its kind, with the Walt Disney World original opening two years earlier, Space Mountain became one of the central landmarks of Disneyland's Tomorrowland area and Walt Disney World's Tomorrowland area. In 2005, as part of Disneyland's 50th Anniversary, the attraction underwent a significant overhaul with a complete rebuild of the track, a new in-vehicle sound system, and new digital projection infrastructure that would allow for alternative versions of the attraction, starting with a short-lived version known as "Rockin' Space Mountain". A few years later, a more involved Halloween overlay borrowed from Hong Kong's park, "Space Mountain Ghost Galaxy", would add additional projection hardware in 2007 and became a more successful tradition.
In 2015, to promote The Force Awakens and act as a stop-gap until the Star Wars-themed expansion of the two parks both opened, Disney announced a promotional event called "Season of the Force" located in the Tomorrowland area of the park, consisting of an update to Star Tours: The Adventures Continuefeaturing elements from the new film, a clip show of the entire saga entitled Path of the Jedi, an update to the Jedi Training Academy show drawing elements from Star Wars Rebels entitled Trials of the Temple, the Star Wars Launch Bay exhibit and Hyperspace Mountain.
The Imagineers consulted with Lucasfilm Story Group to ensure the attraction would fit into the canon timeline and decided to tell the story of the space battle portion of the Battle of Jakku, which also appeared in the novel Lost Stars and the Star Wars Battlefront video game[5]. New starfighter animation and musical arrangements of John Williams tracks were produced for the overlay and the temporary attraction opened on November 15th, 2015.
As of March 2017, the overlay is still running at Disneyland, and it is believed by many that it will remain until Star Wars Land opens in 2019, drawing the ire of many fans who have accused Disney of caving in to pressure from stockholders to inject the park with more intellectual properties. MiceAge reported on March 3, 2017, that there are plans for the overlay to close on Memorial Day Weekend in 2017 and reopen as the regular Space Mountain alongside the rerouted Disneyland Railroad and Rivers of America for the busy summer season, then return as a seasonal overlay in December in time for the release of Star Wars: The Last Jedi. Whether the overlay remains in place remains to be seen
Easter Eggs[]
The 77 Squadron takes its number from 1977, both the year when Star Wars: Episode IV A New Hope first premiered and when Space Mountain first opened at Disneyland park.
The Walt Disney Story • Aladdin's Oasis • Swiss Family Robinson • Big Thunder Ranch • Mike Fink Keel Boats • Nature's Wonderland • Mickey Mouse Club Theater • Autopia • Skyway • Ariel's Grotto • Disney Afternoon Avenue • 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea • Rocket Rods • Circle-Vision 360° (America the Beautiful • Wonders of China • American Journeys) • Rocket to the Moon • The World Beneath Us • House of the Future • Submarine Voyage • Flying Saucers • Adventure Thru Inner Space • Carousel of Progress • America Sings • Innoventions • Super Hero HQ • Star Tours • Rocket Jets • Beauty and the Beast Live on Stage • The Magic, the Memories and You • PeopleMover • Starcade • Magic Journeys • Captain EO • Honey, I Shrunk the Audience • Star Wars: Path of the Jedi • The Disney Gallery • Disneyland Dream Suite • Country Bear Jamboree • Toon Park • Main Street Electrical Parade • Light Magic • Paint the Night • America on Parade • Flights of Fantasy Parade • Aladdin's Royal Caravan • The Lion King Celebration • Hercules Victory Parade • Mulan Parade • Motor Boat Cruise • Viewliner Train of Tomorrow
Animation Academy • Art of Animation • Hong Kong Disneyland Railroad • Hong Kong Disneyland Band • Main Street Vehicles • Ragtime Piano • The Annex • Building a Dream: The Magic Behind a Disney Castle
Festival of the Lion King • Jungle Drumming • Jungle River Cruise • Karibuni Marketplace • Liki Tikis • Moana: A Homecoming Celebration • Tarzan's Treehouse
Seasonal:A Celebration of Coco • A Magical Frozen Snowfall • Adventureland Oasis Party • Alien Invasion • Captain Jack Sparrow's Pirate Boot Camp • Demon Jungle • Disney Friends Springtime Processional • Disney Music Program • “Frozen” Festival Show • “Frozen” Village • Glow in the Park Halloween Parade • Graves Academy • Horrors of the Amazon • Inferno Dance Party • Mickey's Halloween Time Street Party • It's a Small World Holiday • Jack Skellington’s Villainous Gathering • Journey to the Halloween Town • Jungle River Cruise: Curse of the Emerald Trinity • Lightning McQueen Live! • Main Street Haunted Hotel • Marvel's Mission: Dimensions of Danger • Mickey's Halloween Time Street Party • Mickey's House • Mickey's WaterWorks • Nightmare in the Sky • Pirate Takeover • Pirates of the Caribbean Ghost Trail • Royal Christmas Ball • Santa Mickey's Toy-riffic Street Party • Star Wars: Tomorrowland Takeover • Space Mountain: Ghost Galaxy • Stitch's Summer Dance Bash • Stitch and Friends Summer Surprise • The Nightmare Experiment • The Revenge of the Headless Horseman • Tinker Bell Castle Illumination • Tomorrowland Party Zone • Turtle Talk with Crush • Villains Night Out!
Seasonal:A Merry Stitchmas • It's Good To Be Bad With The Disney Villains • La Parade de Noël Disney • Mickey et le Big Band de Noël • Mickey's Halloween Celebration
Seasonal:Chantons La Reine des Neiges • Disney's Maleficious Halloween Party • Disney's Showtime Spectacular • Dr. Facilier's Carnival-Loween • Following the Leader with Peter Pan • Goofy's Skeletoons Street Party • Frozen Summer Fun! • The Forest of Enchantment: A Disney Musical Adventure • Le Voeu de Noël de la Princesse Aurore • Mickey's Magical Celebration • Mickey's Winter Wonderland • Mickey and his Magic Halloween Night • La Parade d'Aladdin • Wishes
Resorts
Disneyland Hotel • Disney's Hotel New York - The Art of Marvel • Disney's Sequoia Lodge • Newport Bay Club Hotel • Disney's Hotel Cheyenne • Disney's Hotel Santa Fe
Television:Star Wars: The Clone Wars • Star Wars Rebels (videography) • Star Wars: Forces of Destiny • Star Wars Resistance • The Mandalorian • Star Wars: The Bad Batch • Star Wars: Visions • The Book of Boba Fett • Obi-Wan Kenobi • Andor • Tales of the Jedi • Star Wars: Ahsoka • The Acolyte • Star Wars: Lando • Star Wars: Rangers of the New Republic • Skeleton Crew • Star Wars: Young Jedi Adventures Video Games:Club Penguin Star Wars Takeover • Star Wars Battlefront • Star Wars: Tiny Death Star • Star Wars: Assault Team • Angry Birds Star Wars • Angry Birds Star Wars II • Star Wars: Scene Maker • Star Wars: Commander • Disney Infinity: 3.0 Edition • Star Wars: Uprising • Star Wars Rebels: Recon Missions • Star Wars: Mobile App • LEGO Star Wars:The Force Awakens • Star Wars: Force Arena • Star Wars Battlefront II • Disney Magic Kingdoms • Roblox • Star Wars: Squadrons • The Sims 4 Star Wars: Journey to Batuu • Star Wars Jedi: Survivor• Kingdom Hearts IV Books:Star Wars The Adventures of Luke Skywalker, Jedi Knight • Ahsoka • Star Wars: Bloodline • The Art of Rogue One: A Star Wars Story • Battlefront II: Inferno Squad • Lost Stars • Star Wars: The High Republic Comics:Marvel Comics • Star Wars Adventures • Star Wars: Forces of Destiny Cancelled projects:Star Wars: Attack Squadrons
Imperial/First Order:Imperial Shuttle • Imperial Star Destroyer • TIE Fighter • TIE Advanced x1 • TIE Bomber • TIE Interceptor • TIE Advanced v1 • TIE Defender • First Order TIE fighter • First Order Special Forces TIE Fighter • TIE Striker • TIE Silencer • TIE Whisper • TIE Brute • Kylo Ren's command shuttle • AT-AT • AT-ST • AT-ACT • AT-DP • First Order AT-ST • First Order AT-AT • AT-M6 • Super Star Destroyer • Imperial Speeder Bike • 614-AvA Speeder Bike • Imperial Landing Craft • Imperial Freighter • First Order Star Destroyer • Imperial Interdictor • Zeta-Class Cargo Shuttle • Supremacy Miscellaneous:StarSpeeder 3000 • Slave I • Nightbrother • Colossus
Locations
Tatooine • Death Star • Yavin 4 • Hoth • Dagobah • Yoda's Hut • Cloud City • Bespin • Death Star II • Endor • Ryloth • Naboo • Coruscant • Jedi Temple • Kamino • Geonosis • Kashyyyk • Mustafar • Mandalore • Lothal • Lothal Jedi Temple • Bracca • Jakku • Starkiller Base • Takodana • D'Qar • Luke Skywalker's Jedi Temple • Ahch-To • First Jedi Temple • Tree Library • Mirror Cave • Atollon • Garel • Malachor • Malachor Sith Temple • Wobani • Ring of Kafrene • Eadu • Scarif • Jedha • Dathomir • Dantooine • Cantonica • Canto Bight • Crait • Batuu • Exegol
