Space Mountain, Indoor roller coaster in Tomorrowland, Disneyland, US.
Space Mountain is an indoor roller coaster in the Tomorrowland section of Disneyland in California, US, housed within a conical white dome visible from across the park. The track runs entirely in the dark, with only scattered points of light and projections creating the impression of flight through outer space.
The ride opened in 1977 with six Mercury astronauts attending the ceremony, linking the era of space exploration directly to theme park entertainment. It became the second Space Mountain installation worldwide and introduced a new concept for enclosed coasters at the time.
The name refers to the space novel From the Earth to the Moon, and visitors queue past illuminated models of rockets and planets that recall mid-century dreams of lunar travel. Onboard audio mimics engine sounds mixed with electronic music, reinforcing the sense of piloting through the cosmos.
Guests must be at least 40 inches (102 centimeters) tall to ride, and the loading system allows rapid boarding into individual cars. Wait times tend to be shorter early in the morning and later in the evening when park crowds thin out.
The track layout inside remains invisible to riders as they move through complete darkness with only occasional flashes of light marking the path. The dome roof itself is not a supporting structure for the rails but simply a shell built around the independent steel framework.
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