Good Parenting (no, it's true! I saw it!)

[Amphigorey]

I seem to recall that back when Space Mountain first "launched" back in the '80s at WDW it was pitch black and MUCH faster. Apparently they slowed the ride down due to feedback from guests who had been scared sh*tless. I know from my experience, either I got used to it or it definitely has been made less scary in the last 20 years.

Space Mountain runs by gravity, so I doubt it was faster when it opened. In order for that to be true, the track would have to be different - and as far as I know, it's exactly the same as when it opened.

[mechurchlady]

Actually they can slow a roller coaster ride vehicle by using brakes and can even slow it to a stop.

[Ms. Matterhorn]

Space Mountain runs by gravity, so I doubt it was faster when it opened. In order for that to be true, the track would have to be different - and as far as I know, it's exactly the same as when it opened.

Research shows that there is less gravity now than there was twenty years ago.
;)

[felinefan]

Are you sure of that? Over the last 20 years, people have been getting heavier, so that would mean there's MORE gravity, not less! :D:

[GRUMPY PIRATE]

Are you sure of that? Over the last 20 years, people have been getting heavier, so that would mean there's MORE gravity, not less! :D:

Hmmm, go see Wall-E!!

The less gravity, the more mass you can "accumulate" and still use the same muscles to walk around!

If there was MORE gravity, you would burn more energy overcoming it to move around, thus losing some of your mass err weight!

[Rob562]

Space Mountain runs by gravity, so I doubt it was faster when it opened. In order for that to be true, the track would have to be different - and as far as I know, it's exactly the same as when it opened.

Also, the trains have been replaced since Florida's Space Mountain opened. Originally they were closer to the Matterhorn bobsleds with in-line two-person seating. New wheel/axle designs or a lighter/heavier chassis could mean a slower/faster ride.
And the original trains only had seatbelts rather than lapbars, so perhaps you felt more "open" and thus faster.

Lastly, in regard to the darkness, it's no illusion. It *is* lighter inside the Mountain than it used to be. During one of the refurbs (mid-90's when FedEx became the sponsor, I think), they removed the roof of the lifthill, allowing all of the ambient light to reach the ceiling of the Mountain and filter back down into the track area. For a while, there were also TVs in the queue giving off light, but those were removed a few years ago.

Current rumor/info about the impending multi-month Space Mountain refurb is that they'll be installing a ceiling over the queue area so that you can't see the track at all (thereby cutting off the light coming from the queue and boarding area).

-Rob

[Ms. Matterhorn]

If you want to go faster on the Matterhorn, you load the sleds with eight LARGE people. We used to have sleds full of heavy people go so fast we'd get a zone intrusion and cause an auto e-stop.

[Goofyernmost]

Research shows that there is less gravity now than there was twenty years ago.
;)

I'm pretty sure that's my fault. I've put on a lot of weight over the last 20 years so I am using much more gravity then I used too. Sorry!

[DisneyMom]

Hmmm, go see Wall-E!!

The less gravity, the more mass you can "accumulate" and still use the same muscles to walk around!

If there was MORE gravity, you would burn more energy overcoming it to move around, thus losing some of your mass err weight!

I AM burning more energy.....Let's go eat! ;)

Mmmmmm....cupcake in a cup!!!

[milucha123]

I don't know whether to find it amazing that there's actually a good parent out there, or incredibly sad that we see so many bad ones that we're bewildered when we see one good one . . . Kudos to the good parents out there like this father!