Walt Disney World Resort guests have noticed a surprising update to Space Mountain, Magic Kingdom Park's beloved indoor roller coaster that just celebrated its 50th anniversary. While Disney remained quiet about major changes to the ride during its milestone birthday, guests are now reporting a significant shift in their experience aboard the iconic Tomorrowland attraction.
A Historic Milestone for Space Mountain
Opening on January 15, 1975, Space Mountain has been a Tomorrowland staple for half a century. The intergalactic thrill ride was the first roller coaster ever built at Walt Disney World Resort, paving the way for versions at Disneyland Park, Tokyo Disneyland, Disneyland Paris, and Hong Kong Disneyland. While some international versions have undergone major transformations—like Tokyo's ongoing rebuild and Disneyland Paris' shift to Star Wars Hyperspace Mountain—Magic Kingdom Park‘s original version has remained largely unchanged.
Last month, Walt Disney World Resort acknowledged the attraction's golden anniversary with a celebratory fireworks moment and social media tribute. @ScottGustin posted the video on X (formerly known as Twitter):
Walt Disney World shared video of a golden fireworks celebration moment for the 50th anniversary of Space Mountain. The ride opened on Jan. 15, 1975.
Walt Disney World shared video of a golden fireworks celebration moment for the 50th anniversary of Space Mountain. The ride opened on Jan. 15, 1975. pic.twitter.com/aPk9KsWS6q
— Scott Gustin (@ScottGustin) January 15, 2025
However, there might have been more to the celebration than Walt Disney World Resort publicly acknowledged. Instead of a flashy refurbishment or commemorative overlay, it seems Disney quietly made a different kind of upgrade.
Space Mountain Just Got a Lot Louder
Frequent Space Mountain riders are noticing a dramatic increase in the ride's onboard audio. One Reddit user, u/randomseeker1346, sparked discussion after asking: “Has Space Mountain noticeably turned up the music since the 50th anniversary?”
They continued, “For many years now, Starry-O-Phonic Sound has not been very loud inside of Space Mountain and in 2024 the music was almost silent to nonexistent…However, after the 50th anniversary event, I noticed they turned up the music all the way—like when Starry-O-Phonic Sound first came out in 2010.”
Other Disney Parks fans chimed in to confirm the change, with some suggesting that Walt Disney World Resort made the adjustment before the anniversary.
“Now that you mention it, I did notice the music last time (albeit a year ago),” u/DingGratz commented.
Another user, u/dasterdlydeeded, even claimed that a Disney cast member confirmed the adjustment: “We were there for Halloween and Christmas and just assumed it was for the theming, but a CM confirmed that's the normal volume now.”
Disney Remains Silent on the Change
While some guests appreciate the boosted soundtrack, others are caught off guard by the sudden difference. As of now, Walt Disney World Resort has not publicly acknowledged or confirmed any updates to Space Mountain's audio system.
Have you noticed any changes on attractions at Magic Kingdom Park, EPCOT, Disney's Hollywood Studios, or Disney's Animal Kingdom Theme Park? Let Disney Fanatic know in the comments!
