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[upinthesky]

Hi all,

Just got back from a whistle stop 2-day visit and had a fabulous time as always. Great to see a Disney Christmas for the first time and get back on Big Thunder after 18 months of missing the wildest ride in the wilderness.

While I was there I learned of the impending refurbishment of Space Mountain (or more specifically it's interior) and its renaming to something long that I can't even remember: Star Wars hyper mountain blah blah or whatever. Some of you will know Disneyland California have just butchered The Hollywood Hotel Tower or Terror to try to make it into something it's not: Guardians of the Galaxy - whatever that is - will be the new theme of my favourite hotel. Earlier this year I signed a petition to try and stop that. Now our amazing Space Mountain is getting the same treatment.

And I say it's time Disney fans said NO!

Space Mountain as we all know is very heavily themed around Jules Verne's From The Earth To The Moon telling the story of a future where humans would be shot toward the moon from a giant cannon. Space Mountain is a work of art in itself and it can be admired just for that, without even the need to experience the ride. The same can be said for the Tower of Terror. It will always look like a Hotel because it IS a Hotel. These are classic attractions shared by generations of Disney fans. I believe retheming will cause these rides an identity crisis. We will have a Mountain reminding us of the original intended and very fitting theme and a ride which starts off in Jules Verne's cannon and ends as something else entirely. I've nothing against Star Wars; in fact I'm a huge fan and I very much look forward to Star Tours 2. But let's keep these themes clear and defined.

This is just not going to work for me and I don't get how Disney think it's going to work either. We're going to end up with a very confused mishmash of themes if this is allowed to happen. This is money talking. This is any excuse to get Marvel and Star Wars into the parks. There's no room so let's shoehorn them in.

I hope and I would imagine Disney people do look at these forums. Let's express our feelings every way we can: letters, emails, forums, petitions. Anything to stop this madness. I for one will chain myself to the railings of the Hollywood Hotel if I ever hear Guardians of the Galaxy rumours lol

Interested in your thoughts.

[msRavenswood]

This is money talking.

You have summed it all up in this small, but very meaningful sentence. Unfortunately, it's all about money and for the sake of it they have no respect for the original work the imagineers did when they first built the ride. Add to this the fact that DLP doesn't have the funds for a Star Wars land and you have this mashed up version of SM.

When new trains were first announced I was hoping they would get the ride back to the 'De la Terre à la Lune' theming, but alas, Star Wars is a cash cow and it will be getting shoved in our faces for many years to come.

[Zee79]

Totally agree. I'm not a star wars fan, enjoyed star tours but my hubby & eldest are & they are both against the retheme. They can't wait for Star Tours 2. Why can't they use the land they have spare out the back for Star wars? They've got a restaurant that doesn't get used why not make that into something. Why try fix something that isn't broken? It's as MsRavenswood said MONEY, they not looking into the long term when the star wars films have died down so not as much hype.

[upinthesky]

Some might say rides do from time to time need replacement and that is true but Space Mountain has been there twenty-odd years and there have never been any calls from fans for a replacement. Enhancements from time to time keep the ride fresh without changing the overall concept.

Discoveryland is a vision of the future and that's where Jules Verne's novel fits in perfectly. Star Wars was set "A long time ago", totally opposite to the general theme of Discoveryland, so even though it shares the space theme with Space Mountain and Buzz Lightyears Laser Blast you could argue it doesn't fit into that area of the park. If you're looking to introduce newer themes into the park why not replace something less iconic and genuinely dated such as Indiana Jones and build a completely new attraction.

[ChipandDale99]

I agree I'm sad they are changing space mountain theme especially as it plays a huge part in the history of the park (discovery mountain and that).

And I say it's time Disney fans said NO!

but unfortunately for us, the majority of Dlp visitor will not really care about it being changed. 'we' on forums know and love all the themeinv of dlp but many of the visitors just focus on the rides with the films they recognise.
It's a similar situation with pirates of the Caribbean. We think it doesn't need dramatically changing to put the characters in. But a lot of 1st/2nd time goers don't understand why it has no characters.

[Andybear]

I agree I'm sad they are changing space mountain theme especially as it plays a huge part in the history of the park (discovery mountain and that).

And I say it's time Disney fans said NO!

but unfortunately for us, the majority of Dlp visitor will not really care about it being changed. 'we' on forums know and love all the themeinv of dlp but many of the visitors just focus on the rides with the films they recognise.
It's a similar situation with pirates of the Caribbean. We think it doesn't need dramatically changing to put the characters in. But a lot of 1st/2nd time goers don't understand why it has no characters.

I so agree with what you say about Pirates of the Caribbean.  I know a few people who've been to DLP who thought that the ride was based on the films and couldn't understand why Jack Sparrow wasn't in it.  They were were surprised and when I told them the films were based on the ride.

[A&S&O]

With regards to Star Wars in the park, i'll repeat what I and others have said - It belongs in the other park. They should have bit the bullet and used the money to move Star Tours to the studios.

Disneyland Paris is changing from a Theme Park to an amusement park. Lots of amusement rides, with nothing coherent to join them up.

[upinthesky]

With regards to Star Wars in the park, i'll repeat what I and others have said - It belongs in the other park. They should have bit the bullet and used the money to move Star Tours to the studios.

Disneyland Paris is changing from a Theme Park to an amusement park. Lots of amusement rides, with nothing coherent to join them up.

Totally agree. Why not bin Armageddon? A very ordinary attraction by Disney's standards and a big footprint in the park. Or bin Blockbuster. Again a big footprint when there are plenty of other restaurants. You could move Stitch Live to where Armageddon is and have an even bigger area for Star Wars.

Why is it we can see it but not Disney! They need to rethink this before it's too late.

[whatsupanders]

Having been on the Hyperspace Mountain in California and Hong Kong, the experience is really fun. I don't see why it won't be the same in Paris. Mission 2 is tired to begin with. This is just an overlay, not a permanent addition. Enjoy while it lasts - it'll be a definite improvement over Mission 2.

[YenSidBot]

Anything new is a plus , we can all moan  but lets all look at the bright side for a change

[Andybear]

With regards to Star Wars in the park, i'll repeat what I and others have said - It belongs in the other park. They should have bit the bullet and used the money to move Star Tours to the studios.

Disneyland Paris is changing from a Theme Park to an amusement park. Lots of amusement rides, with nothing coherent to join them up.

Totally agree. Why not bin Armageddon? A very ordinary attraction by Disney's standards and a big footprint in the park. Or bin Blockbuster. Again a big footprint when there are plenty of other restaurants. You could move Stitch Live to where Armageddon is and have an even bigger area for Star Wars.

Why is it we can see it but not Disney! They need to rethink this before it's too late.

Armageddon is one of my favourites. 

[Rocketeer]

Have to agree with most of whats said.

I've go no issue with Star Wars being represented more - in fact if they can utilise it to bring in more guests, then all well and good. However, and this is a big caveat, it should not be at the expense of perfectly fine attractions - such as Space Mountain.

If they wanted a Star Wars coaster, then Rock'n'Rollercoaster is a fine candidate. As others have also suggested, AES (although not terrible IMO) is probably past its sell by date now.
I guess it looks like I saying that the Studios needs 'A Galaxy Far Far Away' more than Parc Disneyland. OK, you've got Star Tours already there, and there is a reasonable amount of land behind the Star Tours, so if it had to go there, then I'm also fine.
Just don't start shoehorning IPs onto attractions that don't need them.

Money has also been an issue raised. It is the 'tale as old as time' when it comes to DLRP. No doubt converting Space to Hyperspace is cheaper, hence why they're doing it - but I would rather that money be better spent creating new experiences in addition to what we already have.

And to echo another point, sadly those that make the decisions don't seem to understand nor listen to the concerns of fans. I'm trying not to go all sniffy - but I think I'll have to.....if 'Joe Q. Public' have no issue with something like Hyperspace or the horrendous DCA Tower overlay (Breakout) then the voices of us dedicated fans just fall by the wayside. Unfortunatly its the sad state of affairs when it comes to the park. If they know that some 'cheap' / thin premise overlay will somehow improve attendance for relativly little money then who cares if its a "much loved attraction with the nerds".