Originally Posted By TDLFAN Hello everyone... I went to TDL this past week to check out what's happening at the park this month. The big news of course was last month's re-launching of Space Mountain, now featuring a newly remodeled and redesigned queue, boarding platform and special effects, the ride's vehicles have been refurbished with new color and glow in the dark graphics. A new logo of the ride and some merchandise has also been created. Plus, in order to keep within theme with the current Find Stitch event, Space Mountain has also been ... (for lack of a better word) graffitied by Stitch. CMs are also sporting a new costume for the ride. So what did I think of the new version of Space Mountain? Very nice, while keeping true to the original ride (no music) and here are some of the interesting but subtle changes made... Spoilers ahead.... Not much is different from the moment you enter the line for the ride... but Cms have new outfits and new TV monitors in the queue have replaced the 20th century old fashion signs. Once you go up the walking lift, a new logo and Coca Cola video show awaits you. After you are actually inside the building... things have not changed much in the narrow queue leading to the main platform... there are new Coke billboards and different lighting. The big change here is the "darkening" of the space window that would allow guests in the queue to see the rockets and "star" effects in the main portion of the ride. Now, the window is tinted black and you can't see anything. Once you get pass this area, a new small TV monitor has been added to remind guests of the safety rules and health regulations before arriving in the main queue area. Once in the queue area, the changes are nice. The lighting has been reduced by the use of dark blue lights. The entire area is darker now, and this allows for the newly installed effects to have a glow in the dark feel to them. 4 sets of "running" lights have also been installed above on the ceiling that provide a kinetic feel to the area every so ofter. The old spaceship above the platform has been replaced with a newer and much sleeker silver model that features some cool moving graphics on it's sides and underside as well. New glow in the dark glass gates have been installed as well to prevent accidents at the boarding area. Now the ride itself... the track remains the same as before... however, in tune with the "electricity" theme here... as we go into the first lift, we now see what appears to be small electric generators, complete with electric bolts, then.. the former meteor (whoosh! whoosh!) tunnel now features new visuals. As we head into the main lift... electric lightning bolts can be seen enveloping the tunnel as we ascent to the top of the track. Once at the top.. the old planet like spheere is gone, and a new laser like visual of a nebula is seen at the top. As I mentioned before.. the ride is now MUCH darker than before and both times I rode, I was seated at the front seat, and I could barely see the track ahead. While the vehicles do not feature music, there seems to be a sound effect of wind inside the dome, that added some depth to the experience. (Or maybe I imagined it?) The old green and very lit "EXIT" sign that was once too close to the track, has now been turned off as well.. and the entry tunnel is a similar experience to that found at DL and HKDL... shooting stars of sorts that appear to follow us as we slow down and arrive back into the boarding area. There is also a big flash there at the re-entry tunnel, but NO photos of guests riders are being sold anywhere. As we exit Space Mountain, not much is new but the ligthing and new billboards advertizing Coke. There is one little thing I miss from the original Space Mountain show... During the ride, you did go pass a projection of the same spaceship that sat above the boardind area.. (same one they still have at DL) hovering there in outer space. But that little projection (and the lights that went along with it) are now gone, since that particular prop has been replaced with the new silver ship. Oh well... All in all, the newly refurbished experience gets a B+ from me. As for the rest of the park... One entire block of World Bazaar is closed for refurbishing.. this includes the toy kindomme store, Penny Arcade, Modern Memories and even the newly opened Bakery located at the former Sweetheart Cafe area.. Must be some massive re-theming of this entire block. Likewise most of Westerland's block is also closed for refurbishing... from the candy store, to the Bear Jamboree (now on hibernation I guess) and all the way to the western gear shop. Over in Adventureland... POTC is closed as they prep the ride to re-open with the new Jack Spareme overlay... which I hope it turns out similar, if not better, than what DL got, which itself was better than WDW's cheap remake. Fingers crossed. Nearby... inside the Home Store, a refurbished section of that store now features POTC merchandise... from Jack Sparrow stuff, to "We wants the Redhead Minnie" plushes.. and tees...etc etc. I also caught another showing of Stitch's Huli Huli Parade, a very fun parade to enjoy, and also caught some of the other "decor" caused by Stitch around the park... stuff I didn't see before. Stitch BTW.. also makes a cameo appearance during the Mickey Mouse Review, when he crashes the Alice in Wonderland scene, and also.. he left an overturned can of paint next to Cinderella, as she is turned into a Princess-wannabe in the Bibbidi-bobbidi scene... Look for those Stitch pranks when you visit...and they will be there until the end of July. Today... the park was nice and not too crowded, and very clean as usual. Sadly, I had to leave early as I was on my way to Hong Kong..to check their Pirate Takeover event at HKDL, and that mateys is another trip report with another photo album attached to it.. so check that out in the HKDL section... In the meantime, check out these photos and see all of the stuff I have mentioned above... Enjoy. <a href="http://albums.photo.epson.com/j/AlbumIndex?u=4334673&a=32524001" target="_blank">http://albums.photo.epson.com/ j/AlbumIndex?u=4334673&a=32524001</a>
Originally Posted By Elderp I want to know what you do for a living that allows you to regularly fly from CA to Japan to China.
Originally Posted By TDLFAN CA? I have not been to CA since mid 2005! I hardly ever go to CA. But my reasons for traveling are off this topic. Discuss the report ONLY please.
Originally Posted By WorldDisney He's an international drug dealer Elderp. When he goes to Japan to make his drop to the Yakuza, he then hits Winnie the Pooh for a few hours. Not a bad life: great money, travel and you meet interesting people .
Originally Posted By wangaroa A little off topic, maybe, but is TDLFAn ever not rude? I mean, we all love that "sassy"-ness he brings, but why all the time?
Originally Posted By Megara <<A little off topic, maybe, but is TDLFAn ever not rude? I mean, we all love that "sassy"-ness he brings, but why all the time?>> I don't think he is rude at all... he is just being honest.
Originally Posted By Megara Great photos TDLFAN, as always. 109 days to go !!! Cannot wait. Thanks again.
Originally Posted By gurgitoy2 Thanks for the photos! I like the new spaceship in the loading area. The green lighting is nice too. Too bad there's no new soundtrack, but still, it's a nice update. So, the MK's is the worst, at this point.
Originally Posted By gurgitoy2 Well, the lift hills, and the "energy" pulsing from the ship along the walls.
Originally Posted By TDLFAN Oh you meant the 'motion' lighting that cuts thru the ceilind every so often...
Originally Posted By SuperDry I got to ride the new Space Mountain a few days ago. TDLFAN covered it pretty well. I think they did a good job - I really like the new costumes and the new logo. Actually, all of the changes are good - sponsor video, loading area, etc. The only thing that I would say was a disappointment was lack of ride audio.
Originally Posted By TDLFAN Look at it this way Superfry... You will *never* be disappointed about the audio being out on any given visit to the ride... as is frequently the case with DLP's Space and DCA's CA Screaming...
