NewsTokyo Disneyland

Disney Spending Billions on All-New Space Mountain, Opening 2027

Tokyo Disney Resort is pouring nearly half a billion dollars into completely rebuilding Space Mountain, with the reimagined attraction set to debut in 2027 as part of a massive Tomorrowland transformation.

The iconic indoor roller coaster shuttered on July 31, 2024, and demolition began almost immediately. Guests at Tokyo Disneyland watched construction barriers go up around the Tomorrowland landmark before crews dismantled the iconic spires that had defined the park's skyline for decades.

Tokyo Disney Space Mountain Day
Credit: Disney

According to official filings from The Oriental Land Company, the project carries a price tag of approximately ¥70.5 billion—roughly $461 million—making this the most expensive Space Mountain overhaul in Disney park history. While rumors suggest the attraction may be renamed “Space Mountain Earthrise,” the company is currently referring to the project simply as “Space Mountain (2027).”

NEW: Oriental Land Company is spending ~$461,000,000 (¥70.5 billion) on the all-new Space Mountain coming to Tokyo Disneyland.

The blockbuster investment, part of the park’s redeveloped Tomorrowland, is still officially set to open in 2027.

The investment represents just one piece of Tokyo Disneyland's broader Tomorrowland renovation, which will also include a redesigned plaza area opening alongside the new coaster.

A Global Icon Gets Its Biggest Upgrade

Space Mountain has anchored Tomorrowland at Disney parks worldwide for nearly five decades. The original launched at Magic Kingdom Park in Florida back in 1975, marking a departure from Disney's traditional pattern—this represented one of the first major attractions to debut on the East Coast before being recreated in California.

Space Mountain sign
Credit: Disney

Disneyland in Anaheim followed suit two years later in May 1977, bringing the futuristic roller coaster to the park where Walt Disney himself once walked. The attraction's popularity ensured rapid global expansion: Tokyo Disneyland featured Space Mountain as an opening-day attraction in 1983, Disneyland Paris added its version in 1995, and Hong Kong Disneyland included the coaster when it opened in 2005.

Shanghai Disneyland is the only Disney Resort without a version of Space Mountain.

Different Approaches to Reimagining the Classic

A ferry boat crosses the Seven Seas Lagoon at Walt Disney World Resort, with Space Mountain the background.
Credit: Don Henry, Flickr

Disney parks have taken varied approaches to updating Space Mountain over the years. Some locations have embraced wholesale reimaginings while others have stuck with careful restoration.

Disneyland Paris and Hong Kong Disneyland made permanent changes, transforming their versions into Hyperspace Mountain with Star Wars theming. Disneyland Resort has experimented with the Lucasfilm overlay on a temporary basis, alternating between the original concept and the Star Wars version.

Magic Kingdom and Disneyland Park have closed their Space Mountains multiple times for significant refurbishments. However, both have maintained the attractions' classic space exploration themes rather than introducing new intellectual property.

The walkway to Space Mountain, empty of guests, at Magic Kingdom Park.
Credit: Steven Miller, Flickr

Tokyo's approach is something entirely different—a complete demolition and ground-up reconstruction, the most ambitious Space Mountain project ever attempted at any Disney property.

The Tokyo Difference

The Oriental Land Company operates Tokyo Disney Resort under license from The Walt Disney Company, giving it autonomy over investment decisions and creative direction. This arrangement has historically resulted in Tokyo receiving some of the most elaborate and expensive attractions in the global Disney portfolio.

Space mountain fast pass ticket
Credit: Disney

The $461 million investment in a single roller coaster demonstrates Tokyo's commitment to maintaining its reputation for world-class Disney experiences.

No specific opening date has been announced beyond the 2027 target year. The new Space Mountain will open concurrently with the revamped Tomorrowland Plaza, creating a completely refreshed vision of the future for Tokyo Disneyland guests.

Construction continues behind those barriers that went up in summer 2024, with the iconic spires now gone and a blank canvas awaiting whatever ambitious design The Oriental Land Company has planned for this next-generation Space Mountain.

Which Disney park has your favorite version of Space Mountain? Share your opinion with Disney Fanatic in the comments!

Jess Colopy

Jess Colopy is a Disney College Program alum and kid-at-heart. When she’s not furiously typing in a coffee shop, you can find her on the hunt for the newest Stitch pin.

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