[Question] Space Mountain backwards & Air System

[DannyLand]

ok, at the end of DLR's Space Mountain, who think that it feels like it's going backwards. I know for sure it doesn't go backwards but who FEELS like it does.

I think it's the lighting or the VERY strong air conditioning system makes it feel backwards.(I know for sure throughout the whole entire ride they have the conditioning air system.) So all that fast wind on the ride is not real.

[HSM Fans]

Re: Space Mountain backwards & Air System

I have never felt that but my family has felt that before and they thought it went backwards too.

[ttztotdca50]

Re: Space Mountain backwards & Air System

The flash at the end blinds you; then the lights at the end go forwards, making seem as though you're going backwards. I know how you feel, It weirds me out everytime haha. And then all of the sudden you realize you're going forwards into the station.

[Datameister]

Re: Space Mountain backwards & Air System

It's a great little effect - all around you, there are streaks of light zipping forward faster than you are, and you're simultaneously decelerating, which makes you feel like you're being pushed forward in your seat, exactly as you'd feel if you were starting to go backwards. Couple that with the blinding flash, and you've got yourself a great end to a great ride!

[WDITrent]

Re: Space Mountain backwards & Air System

Yes- Great simple effect that gets overlooked but, as Datameister says, it's a great end. I don't know if I've ever felt the wind, but I definitely have been concious of the effect. It makes the turn-around to the station much more dramatic as well.

[HiddenMickeyBook]

Re: Space Mountain backwards & Air System

The effect that sometimes gets me is the long 'up' tunnel with the whirlpool lights at the end. If you stare at them and tilt your head, it feels like the whole ride is tilting to that side. I can't look at them at all!

[Sir Didymus]

Re: Space Mountain backwards & Air System

Even the "view screen" above the station works well if you concentrate hard enough on it. I've gotten the whole room to spin before, it was pretty disorienting!

[mycroft16]

Re: Space Mountain backwards & Air System

I love this part of the ride. It's a beautifully disorienting effect that is elegantly simple

[ChessurInWonderland]

Re: Space Mountain backwards & Air System

I love the end of the ride, too! I can't really describe the feeling, but its sort of like a mix of a drop, going backwards, and spinning.

[Alex E]

Re: Space Mountain backwards & Air System

It's a great little effect - all around you, there are streaks of light zipping forward faster than you are, and you're simultaneously decelerating, which makes you feel like you're being pushed forward in your seat, exactly as you'd feel if you were starting to go backwards. Couple that with the blinding flash, and you've got yourself a great end to a great ride!

Couldn't have said it better myself!

[Mojave]

Re: Space Mountain backwards & Air System

Yeah, it's awesome. And I think it's helped even more by the violent tight turns at the end of the ride.

[Datameister]

Re: Space Mountain backwards & Air System

For sure. And the music builds quite dramatically going through those turns, with the effect in question being scored by big perfect fifths. That really increases the effectiveness.

[Alex E]

Re: Space Mountain backwards & Air System

The whole experience really helped contribute to the final effect in Ghost Galaxy.

[WDITrent]

Re: Space Mountain backwards & Air System

Space Mountain is just pure genius. I don't think there's any other way to put it. Everything in the ride is classic Imagineering at its best, in my opinion.

[Imagineer Scott]

Re: Space Mountain backwards & Air System

It should like The Mummy or Everest