Space Mountain is a roller coaster attraction in Tomorrowland at Tokyo Disneyland at the Tokyo Disney Resort in Urayasu, Chiba, Japan. It opened on April 15, 1983, Tokyo Disneyland's opening day. It is the first Space Mountain attraction to open on the same day as the park it is located in. The track layout of Tokyo Disneyland's Space Mountain is identical to that of Space Mountain at Disneyland, and was thematically identical to the 1977Disneyland version until 2006, when the attraction was closed for refurbishment. Space Mountain reopened with an updated, more futuristic theme, on April 28, 2007.
From its opening in 1983 until late 2006, Tokyo Disneyland's Space Mountain was an almost exact clone of Disneyland's Space Mountain as it had opened in 1977. Apart from some outside architectural elements (with the absence of the Space Stage and Peoplemover track) with the exception of both having the same shape and dimensions, the interior was the same, although there were some different effects. The track layouts, rocket designs, and original special effects and elements were the same as the Disneyland version.
The new Space Mountain has a more sci-fi futuristic look to it, there are new effects and a new space port which features a futuristic space ship hanging from the ceiling. The ride has changed but the effects are built on top of the original ride effects. Like the Disneyland counterpart, it now includes a hyperspeed tunnel at the end of the ride where they will also take your photo. Ever since 2009 for the holiday season, the exterior at night becomes a light show with Christmas music playing in the background but the actual ride remains unchanged.
Incidents[]
On December 5, 2003, a roller coaster train derailed as it was returning to the station. No riders were injured, and the ride was closed pending an investigation. In January 2004, an investigation completed by Oriental Land Company, the park's owner/operator, determined that an axle on the train had failed because its diameter was smaller than the specifications for the part required. The attraction re-opened in February 2004, after 17 park officials were reprimanded for the incident.
Trivia[]
The ride is featured in the Japanese Super Famicom game Mickey no Tokyo Disneyland Daibōken.
