Oriental Land Company recently announced a budget of 70.5 billion yen for the new Space Mountain at Tokyo Disneyland, making it the most expensive attraction ever built by Walt Disney Imagineering. This figure exceeded the initial estimate of 56 billion yen due to inflation in Japan.
At current exchange rates, that amounts to about $460 million USD, but the key point is that the spending is happening in Japan, solidifying this project as the biggest-budget Disney attraction in history, regardless of currency fluctuations, ahead of its 2027 opening.
Inflation Destroyed the Original Disneyland Budget
The Space Mountain project was announced in April 2022, coinciding with Japan’s inflation surpassing the Bank of Japan's 2% target for the first time in years. Inflation peaked at a 41-year high in January 2023 before gradually declining to 2.1% by December 2025, the lowest since March 2022. However, this decrease doesn’t benefit Space Mountain's budget, as the higher labor and material costs were incurred during the inflation peak.
Similarly, the new Wreck-It Ralph attraction in Tomorrowland saw its budget balloon to around 29.5 billion yen (approximately $200 million USD), far exceeding initial estimates for a ride reimagining. This has left many questioning the allocation of such a large budget.
Most Expensive Disney Ride Ever
When Space Mountain opens in 2027, it will almost certainly be the most expensive attraction Walt Disney Imagineering has ever built up to that point. The only other rides that might have cost more are Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind at EPCOT, Avatar Flight of Passage at Animal Kingdom, and Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance at Disneyland and Hollywood Studios, but we only have rumored costs for those American attractions instead of officially disclosed budgets as we get from Oriental Land Company.
OLC actually releases investment amounts for their expansion projects in quarterly and annual investor reports, whereas The Walt Disney Company does not. The best we ever get from Disney are rumors, offhand comments during earnings calls, or background statements when expansions open.
OLC releases final budgets for expansions as a whole but not for individual attractions within those projects, but we can still figure out from the total numbers that Space Mountain is more expensive than previous Tokyo Disney Resort headliners.
Won't Hold the Disneyland Record Long
Even though Space Mountain will be the most expensive Disney attraction ever built when it opens in 2027, it's probably not going to hold that crown for very long. Construction costs keep exploding, which means upcoming projects are almost guaranteed to surpass this investment pretty quickly.
The Monsters, Inc. Door Coaster opening at Disney's Hollywood Studios will likely cost over $500 million USD. Higher labor costs in the United States compared to Japan mean projects like Pandora at Disney California Adventure and Villains Land at Magic Kingdom are going to claim the top spot.
Those expenses will be incurred five-plus years after Space Mountain, with inflation continuing to drive costs upward, so honestly, the better question is what becomes the first $1 billion attraction Disney builds instead of whether anything beats Space Mountain.
What's Actually Being Built
The new Space Mountain is being constructed behind the original one, which remained open until July 31, 2024. This allowed for an eight-month overlap with both Space Mountains operational. The roller coaster track, identified as Intamin-made, was installed first, confirming that this new version is a unique design. Unlike the originally assumed Vekoma-made variation of Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind.
When It Opens at Disneyland
The construction pace suggests that the new attractions at Tokyo Disneyland could open as early as 2026. They are expected to debut on April 15, 2027, for the park's anniversary.
The redesigned Tomorrowland plaza aims to represent a future where humanity harmonizes with nature, featuring a large entrance area and a flyover walkway. This reimagining could serve as a model for updates at Magic Kingdom and Disneyland. Both parks will need renovations to Tomorrowland soon. The 70.5 billion yen investment is the most expensive Disney attraction ever built. Underscoring the Oriental Land Company's commitment to maintaining Tokyo Disney Resort's high-quality experience.
