To Space Mountain... And Beyond!

Space Mountain is the iconic symbol of Tomorrowlands (and one Discoveryland) the world over. The attraction, originally conceived in 1965 as Space Port, was Walt Disney's idea. He wanted to duplicate the success of the Matterhorn at Disneyland with a roller coaster in the dark, simulating a rocket ride through outer space. It would be a decade before the first Space Mountain became a reality, finally making its debut at Walt Disney World.

The main building of Space Mountain encloses a space roughly 300 feet in diameter, reaching a height of 183 feet (to the top of the highest spire). The structure was built first, and all of the track, trains and other interior elements were then brought in through the side before the walls were completed. (images ©Disney)

One of the most unique elements of the Space Mountain design is the concrete ribs along the exterior. Imagineer John Hench describes how it came about in his book Designing Disney - Imagineering and the Art of the Show:

"In the construction of the building, the engineers selected precast concrete and steel T beams for the main roof structure. They wanted the beams facing inside the building, but I wanted them facing outside, to provide a smooth surface in the interior on which we could project images. The distance between the T beams varies, from narrow at the top to wider at the bottom; on the cone-shaped roof, this gives an appropriately dynamic effect of forced perspective. The resulting exterior design is strong, simple and visually effective."

The original sponsor of Space Mountain, RCA, provided the computer technology that made the ride possible. It became the first computer-controlled roller coaster, allowing the operation of multiple trains on the same track simultaneously, greatly increasing capacity.

Space Mountain made its debut in January 1975 to great fanfare, forever changing the skyline of Tomorrowland and launching a generation of new Disney thrill attractions.