Space Mountain to close for renovations in April

If Space Mountain is on your to-do list for an upcoming trip to Walt Disney World, be sure to get to Magic Kingdom before April 19, when Space Mountain will be temporarily shut down for what the Disney company has called a “refreshment,” that will last until later this year. According to a recent article in the Orlando Sentinel, Space Mountain will remain closed throughout the summer of 2009.

This will be the first renovation to Space Mountain since the popular attraction opened at Walt Disney World in 1975. The dual tracks of this indoor roller coaster propel riders through space-like darkness (with the only light coming from a few twinkling stars). The sharp drops and turns—in the dark—make the ride a bit disorienting but a lot of fun. Riders on the much milder Tomorrowland Transit Authority (TTA) can hear the screams from the Space Mountain riders as part of that attraction.

The construction work on Space Mountain will include installing new track inside the enclosed coaster, but the layout of the track will remain the same. Other upgrades will include a new enclosure for the ride's queuing area and a new ceiling, so that fans of the ride can look forward to a Space Mountain that’s a bit more 21st century and a lot less 70s Sci-Fi.