I need to make a confession that might get my Disney fan card revoked: Space Mountain, once my absolute favorite attraction in Disney World, now leaves me feeling like I’ve been tossed in a washing machine with a bunch of bricks.
Space Mountain
There’s something uniquely disorienting about holding onto childhood nostalgia while your adult body screams in protest. I still remember my first ride on Space Mountain — the anticipation building as I finally reached the height requirement, the wonder of blasting through simulated space, and the pride of conquering a “big kid” coaster.
But somewhere between my thirties and forties, something changed. My back started filing formal complaints. My neck submitted its resignation letter. Yet I kept returning, convinced the magic would overcome the misery.
Space Mountain is one of the most famous rides in Disney World – an indoor roller coaster in the dark, designed to feel like you are hurtling through, well, space. For many of us, it was the first “grown up” roller coaster we ever tried. What I’m about to share might be Disney adulting heresy, but I suspect many of us are suffering in silence.
Space Mountain
The Brutal Physical Reality of Space Mountain
Let’s be honest about what riding Space Mountain actually feels like: a series of unexpected jerks, jolts, and lateral movements that would make a chiropractor wince. But why is it so rough? The technical explanation isn’t complicated. Space Mountain opened at Magic Kingdom in 1975, using track technology that predates modern computer-designed coaster systems. The rigid vehicles offer minimal shock absorption and no head protection, and the sparse padding is pretty outdated when it’s up against all of those bumps and drops.
Space Mountain
What’s particularly interesting is that modern coasters deliver significantly more intense experiences—higher speeds, bigger drops, actual inversions—yet somehow feel smoother. In the same park, Magic Kingdom, the TRON : Lightcycle Run coaster ratchets up the thrill factor significantly, but offers a serenely smooth ride. Perhaps most telling is that other Space Mountain variations worldwide deliver significantly better experiences. Disneyland’s version in California, while still vintage, underwent more recent track modifications that reduced the jarring transitions. At Disneyland Paris, Hyperspace Mountain, as the indoor coaster is known there, now has a Star Wars theme. The European version was built in the 1990s, and features a launch and inversions – and, again, a much smoother track. These alternatives prove that the concept itself isn’t flawed—just this particular execution at Magic Kingdom.
TRON Lightcycle / Run
And let’s acknowledge the uncomfortable truth: riding Space Mountain gets exponentially worse as you age. What once felt like exciting bumps in your teens become potential medical incidents in your thirties and beyond. The awkward riding position—hunched forward, knees up—might work for younger, more flexible bodies, but for anyone with even minor back or neck issues (and isn’t that everyone over 40?), it’s a recipe for a week of ibuprofen.
Modern Alternatives That Won’t Destroy Your Spine
If you’re looking for space-themed thrills without the subsequent physical therapy, there are mercifully better options available. Universal’s Velocicoaster delivers genuine intensity with remarkable smoothness. SeaWorld’s Manta lets you soar like a ray without rattling your bones. Even Disney’s own Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind in EPCOT provides a superior experience in an indoor coaster, with its controlled rotation vehicles and modern track design.
Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind
Breaking Up with Space Mountain
There’s something liberating about finally admitting that a classic no longer deserves your time or physical sacrifice. I’ve broken up with Space Mountain, and my spine has sent me flowers in gratitude.
This isn’t about dismissing Disney traditions or failing to appreciate history. It’s about acknowledging that our enjoyment shouldn’t require physical suffering. The best Disney experiences create lasting memories through wonder and storytelling—not through how many days we spend recovering afterward.
Space Mountain under construction at Disney World in 1975
Disney could learn something valuable from guests who are honest about these experiences. The company’s success comes partly from its willingness to evolve and improve, even when that means reimagining beloved classics. Admitting the flaws in Space Mountain doesn’t diminish Disney magic—it creates space for something even better to emerge.
Over at Tokyo Disneyland, another vintage version of Space Mountain closed in 2024 for a major renovation. Disney is promising us “an enhanced ride experience and immersive special effects” for the re-imagined Tokyo version of the ride when it reopens in 2027. And in Disney World, another popular Magic Kingdom ride – Big Thunder Mountain Railroad – is currently closed for improvements including a new (and surely smoother!) track. Disney, take note: Maybe just maybe Space Mountain could be next?
Big Thunder Mountain Railroad under construction in Disney World
So I’m throwing down the gauntlet: Which classic Disney experience would you finally admit isn’t worth it anymore? Is it the submarine voyage that is a neck-breaking experience for tall people? The spinning teacups that make many moms and dads nauseous? Or perhaps another attraction that nostalgia has protected from honest assessment?
Sometimes the most magical thing we can do is admit when the magic has faded—and make room for new experiences that don’t require a visit to the chiropractor afterward.
New Rules for Space Mountain That Disney Adults Are Begging For
Join the DFB Newsletter to get all the breaking news right in your inbox! Click here to Subscribe!
WE KNOW DISNEY.
YOU CAN, TOO.
Oh boy, planning a Disney trip can be quite the adventure, and we totally get it! But fear not, dear friends, we compiled EVERYTHING you need (and the things to avoid!) to plan the ULTIMATE Disney vacation.
Whether you're a rookie or a seasoned pro, our insider tips and tricks will have you exploring the parks like never before. So come along with us, and get planning your most magical vacation ever!
Our handy (and portable!) ebook guides make sure you get the best deals and can plan a vacation of a lifetime.
Keep in mind some people like jerky roller coasters. Back in my younger days the big criticism a lot of people had of the newer metal track coasters was that while they may be faster and more intense from that perspective, they lacked the yanking and banking of the older wooden track coasters.
You are just a wimp!! However, I totally agree with you???
I have to agree with your sentiments regarding Space Mountain. I think I’ve had my last ride on the WDW version. I’ll still go on Disneyland’s variant, but sadly, the neck and back pain just isn’t worth the thrill anymore.
I am laughing at this because ten years ago, I told my son in law that I didn’t like Space Mountain anymore because it was too rough. I was about 60 and he was thirty…..he was stunned!! Fast forward to today when he is forty and he now agrees with me! What a difference ten years makes.
The really bad news? Expedition Everest is now too rough for me and Big Thunder railroad as well. I am hoping Big Thunder will be a smoother ride after the renovation. Oh, and Frozen Ever After in Epcot? Too jerky for my back too! Gargh…this getting older is a bummer.
I had the same problem so I asked a couple of cast members the best place to sit if I still wanted to try to ride. They suggested the first car, and being the first person in the row. It has worked twice now! Much less of a feeling of jerking and discomfort! I’m in my 50’s and now I will ride again.
I agree! I love roller coasters but between the jerky ride and the uncomfortable seats, I haven’t ridden it in years. My body is grateful!
I first rode Space Mountain when I was about 30. Hated it then & never rode it again. It reminded me of the old carnival ride The Wild Mouse-rough , jerky & unpleasant. I love coasters & at 66 still ride Rock n’ Roller Coaster & Guardians of the Galaxy, but never SM.
Despite coming out a mere 2 years after WDW’s version, Space Mountain in DL is an infinitely better ride. Besides sitting side-by-side with your spouse, kid, BFF, etc., it has higher backs (which hold you in place better) and it plays music, which makes for a more engaging – and changeable – experience. Soooo much more fun! And, FYI, you can get out of the cars with more of your dignity intact.
Maybe weird but true: the entire line experience of Space Mountain DL is so iconic to me, so deeply nostalgic, I now walk through the line, sometimes twice, and then exit instead of riding. I’m almost 50, the last ten years of riding it and being uncomfortable finally dissuaded me from doing it again. I’m not going to say I’ll never ever try it again absolutely… I mean I was just there and rode Matterhorn, which to me is the jerkiest roller coaster I’ve ever ridden.
I can relate to a lot of what the writer is talking about being in my 50s now. There will always be a place for Space. Navi River is my jam now, especially if you sneak … well we can’t give away our secrets can we.