A new rumor is floating around that Space Mountain is next up for a track rebuild. The rumor comes from a new wdwmagic article, but it has been something that has been floating around for quite some time. In fact, initial rumors of a track rebuild stretch back nearly a decade, but have been reignited recently. For our part, we first hinted at a possible retrack of the classic attraction more than a month ago when examining the quiet Tomorrowland refresh. Now, as more smoke fills the air, it seems more and more likely that a rebuild of Space Mountain is coming. The big question is: will Space Mountain be rebuilt or reimagined?
Space Mountain Rebuild Rumor
IN THIS ARTICLE:
- Rumors that Disney is planning a Space Mountain rebuild, though nothing has been confirmed
- The rumor raises the question of a simple retrack versus a full reimagining with a new track layout
- We look at what a rebuild could mean for closure timing based on the recent Big Thunder Mountain Railroad model
As of publish time, Walt Disney World has not announced any refurbishment for Space Mountain. Everything below is speculation, including whether a retrack is happening at all. That said, Disney has made it a point recently to reinvest in its classic attractions alongside new expansions. Space Mountain fits that pattern pretty neatly.
Reinvesting in the Classics
Back in May, we took an inside look at how Disney World has been investing hundreds of millions of dollars per year in maintenance and refurbishment projects. Disney hosted media for a presentation that included an early look at the work planned for Walt Disney’s Carousel of Progress – the latest classic to receive investment.
On its surface, a retracking of Space Mountain is a no-brainer. Disney recently had a very successful retrack of Big Thunder Mountain Railroad, and Space Mountain is in need of work. But what if Disney wanted to take things a step further?
A retracking of the indoor attraction would be no small feat. It would likely include creating additional space for machinery, perhaps even cutting into the facade itself. I’m not privy to the existing access points for Space Mountain, but there was a massive crane required for the retracking of Big Thunder Mountain Railroad. I’d imagine that Space Mountain would require something similar. That said, Disney did a wonderful job of building Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind indoors. That alone shows it is possible to leave the Space Mountain facade intact.
Space Mountain Reimagining vs Retrack
Creating a new access point to the attraction would require a significant amount of investment, so why not go all-in? What would going all-in look like for Space Mountain? It could look like a completely new track layout, new ride vehicles, and new on-ride effects. While a turn-for-turn, bump-for-bump remake of the current track could be possible, Disney doesn’t face the same constraints that it did with Big Thunder Mountain Railroad. Namely, the track layout would need to remain the same as it winds through the mountains. Space Mountain would be more of a blank canvas. The only requirement may be that the exterior facade looks the same and that the PeopleMover remains in place.
If that was the direction given to Imagineers, a reimagining of the attraction could go much further than a retrack. A retrack alone would likely lead to new or refreshed ride vehicles. Disney would have the opportunity here to increase capacity by introducing side-by-side seating like at Disneyland. Furthermore, Walt Disney World could opt for the reimagining route and introduce a completely new track (singular) layout.
If the new Space Mountain includes new vehicles and a new track layout, Disney might as well invest in some new or reimagined scenes for the ride. Maybe the new Space Mountain includes immersive starfields and projection-mapped effects. Any updates would likely be built out to support the very popular seasonal overlays seen during Mickey’s Not-So-Scary Halloween Party and Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party.
Chances of a Space Mountain Rebuild & Closure Timing
As of publish time, we would put the chances of some sort of Space Mountain rebuild, be it a retrack or a reimagining, at a high likelihood. Disney has been on a tear lately with reinvesting in classic attractions. While we don’t think that Space Mountain is unsafe, it could use some help.
If a rebuild does move forward, we’d guess the attraction stays open through the end of 2026. A closure would likely follow in early 2027. That would match the Big Thunder Mountain Railroad model of a closure following the holiday season. A full track replacement at Big Thunder Mountain Railroad kept that attraction closed for 16 months. A Space Mountain project could take considerably longer, given the possibility of a full reimagining.
We would expect Space Mountain to reopen well before Villains Land, which isn’t projected to open until 2030 or later. We’d also expect it to reopen before Piston Peak National Park, projected for 2029. It’s worth underlining that nothing here is official. No closure has been announced. Further, Walt Disney World has not responded to a request for comment on the future of Space Mountain. We will update this story as more information becomes available.
Of course, as with any rumor, you should treat the information in this article as unofficial unless and until Walt Disney World confirms it. As of publish time, no closure has been announced, and Walt Disney World has not returned a request for comment about the future of Space Mountain.
As always, keep checking back with us here at BlogMickey.com as we continue to bring you the latest news, photos, and info from around the Disney Parks!
It needs a worse rebuild than Big Thunder did. Update ride system and sensors so it doesn’t go down all the time, fix the glow-in-the-dark side panels on trains that no longer work, replace track with a smoother track that it needs badly and would be less wear on the trains (less downtime), fix speakers and projectors that don’t work anymore in the ride, updated effects that you can actually see… fix re-entry tunnel that doesn’t work half the time…. and the post-show is embarrassing… even some IP in there would be better than what is there now.
And one of the biggest things… fix the people mover barriers and make them transparent so people can actually see the ride as they go through the people mover like you used to be able to. They only put up the wall that is there now because some idiot threw something into the Space Mountain queue area from the people mover. Just make it some cheap thin plexiglass like they have in thee ballroom scene in the haunted mansion that you can see though. Not much money, they still can’t throw something from the ride, and people can see the trains on the attraction from the people mover… is that so tough?