Disney Park Announces Permanent Closure of Classic Ride

One of the most iconic Disney theme park rides will be permanently shut down at Tokyo Disneyland. The Oriental Land Company, which operates Tokyo Disneyland, has announced that Space Mountain will permanently close as part of a planned renovation of that park’s Tomorrowland. Space Mountain will be replaced by an “entirely new” version of the ride, which will retain its original indoor roller coaster concept, but will feature more immersive special effects and enhanced performances. Space Mountain will close in 2024 and the new ride will open sometime in 2027. A single piece of concept art showing off the new Space Mountain can be seen below: 

Space Mountain was originally built at Walt Disney World as an indoor roller coaster back in 1975. The ride has been replicated at every Disney park save for Shanghai Disneyland, which has a TRON Lightcycle Power Run roller coaster instead. The indoor ride has become synonymous with Disney parks, as the distinctive mountain-like building that houses the ride is usually one of the more prominent sights within various Disney parks. Several other parks’ versions of Space Mountain have received substantial overhauls, although this marks the first time that an original Space Mountain was replaced entirely. 

As for the rest of Tokyo Disneyland’s parks, the new Tomorrowland will aim to blend Earth and the universe. According to the press release announcing the renovation, Tomorrowland’s new plaza “will express the connection between Earth and the universe, representing an image of a future where humans are in harmony with nature. Guests will be able to enjoy moments of rest and relaxation in this plaza where various icons and other design elements create a sense of hope for the future. After dark, the area will draw guests into a spectacular world of light and soundscapes.”

Expect to hear more information about this big renovation in the near future. We’ll also keep an eye out to see if Disney announces any other planned renovations to other Space Mountains located around the world.