February 1, 2025

A Tale of Two Houses

It's really a tale of three houses, but more on that later. Often we forget about the blessings that surround us because we're busy moving onto the next thing we need to do or want to do or even have to do. But this very true story is written as a reminder to our children and friends as a tale of God's love and faithfulness towards us.

Since the passing of my wife's wonderful parents, she has wanted to leave our home of many years to go to one with main floor living spaces. Our kids grew up in a wonderful home with a very large yard, one where we planted every square inch of trees, flowers and shrubs, added fences and paths and a patio and, in later years, a small but charming greenhouse and garden. It was the perfect spot for more than one wedding, numerous parties and BBQs, outdoor dinners with friends and family, large gatherings for church events and more. So many memories wrapped up into a modest house purchased long ago.

The inside was no less perfect for our family of six. Most all the bedrooms were on the top floor with one on the main level and another in the basement where the laundry was located. We were on the top floor with main living areas downstairs. This meant doing laundry required walking from the upper level to the main level and down to the basement several times. Not at all a bad set up but one that became of increasing concern for my wife as we got older and all the kids moved out. Her parents had almost the same set-up in California. Once my father in law fell and was no longer mobile, my wife began to desire a different floorplan for us. 

To say I was resistant would be to put it kindly. We had spent years, over three decades in fact, in that very house. We moved to Colorado before any of our children began school, and our fourth child was born here. Since she grew up in a Kodak family, they moved often to various states as a kid. My father was much the same, although we moved all too often mostly within Orange County. Still, when my mother and I counted the places, I lived in 21 different locations by the time I was 18 years old. Only the last six years was spent in two spots. I never really settled anywhere in my heart. Friends were hard to make as we were constantly shifting around. 

When we got married, we both prayed and asked God to give us one location and one house to raise our children through all their school years. And He honored that request. They grew up with the same friends from school and church and they still have those friendships today.

Fast forward many years later. The house is now just the two of us. No kids and no more pets. The trees are big, the foliage grown in. Spots of lavender, yellow daisies, and roses. New wooden floors, fresh carpet and paint, new modern lighting, a nicely refreshed kitchen, a leaded glass window by the front door, and bead board embellishment on a prominent wall. Our home was finally truly the way we wanted it. 

One day last summer, I was ready. I'm not sure if it was my tiredness over "discussing" the issue or what. But I left my wife know I was ok with the plan, so the search began.

We drove and drove the Metro area, looking at everything that fit our budget, but we also had other priorities. We wanted a house with two living areas so we could host Bible studies and if we desired, could split up men and women for two prayer groups and more personal ministry. We wanted extra bedrooms to host visiting family and friends from all over the world, and lastly, we wanted smaller yard to maintain but whatever we found had to have lots of mature trees. I just couldn't start all over again. 

It was that last piece that eventually caused us to remove new builds from our search list. Every series of models we looked at came with barren plots of dirt and nothing more. I just couldn't go there as our previous backyard was now a mature one and had given us much pleasure be it drinks for two on the patio or large parties and even weddings.

We contacted our realtor, our friend, and had he and his wife take us to a few places. One was nearby in a nice neighborhood, but it was very small and had a basement that had clearly been poorly done, probably been used for a marijuana grow house. The next one was the opposite side of the spectrum- in a beautiful area 15 minutes south of our existing home. It was grand, but it would need both a full basement buildout and an entire paint job on the main floor. The next one just down the street was beautiful but small, and no back yard to speak of. We walked into one owner hosted open house that could have been great, but it was marred by so much furniture and a refrigerator in the living room and dark, dark colors that we couldn't see past it all. 

Our search continued, and we thought we had finally found "the" house. It was about 30 minutes south from two of our local kids. A bit out of our initial price estimate, but it seemed cozy and on a well treed street where, like in the South, the branches from one side of the road touch or almost touch the branches of those planed on the other. We went by it several times even though the owner had just taken it off the market, thinking that it would return. This is common practice in our area, and the holidays were not too far off. We happened to drive by it, when just ahead of us a woman pulled into the driveway. I hopped out and asked if she was the owner and expressed interest in the house. As it turned out, she graciously told me she had just signed a long term rental agreement, and yes, it was a great house.  I was devastated to be honest.

The next evening, my wife was on one of the real estate sites and decided to up our price range by a mere $10K just to see what would happen. Bingo! A great looking house in our favorite neighborhood popped up. Uncharacteristically, she called our friend and asked for a showing that evening, knowing full well that a house like this one would disappear soon. He set it up. 

The floor plan was perfect, and the neighborhood was one we loved. The inside had its issues but they were easily overcome: It all needed paint, particularly the dining room that was dark brown with gold and silver flecks- including the ceiling painted the same as the walls. A few other rooms were painted in very bold and bright colors we did not like. The kitchen appliances needed replacing as they were dented, scratched, and in disrepair. The cabinets were a bit beat up. Some needed repair or repainting. I wasn't thrilled about the tile flooring throughout, but only because we had installed incredibly beautiful real wood floors in our existing house a few years prior. The backyard was all stone patio with a few full grown trees. No room for new plantings in the ground. The exterior of the house hadn't been painted since it was built twenty years prior- and it looked like it. But these were all fixed with time and some money. Best of all, it was in our price range.

As we were wrapping up our tour, my wife and I felt confident this was the house for us. We could just see ourselves living her! As we were walking out, another family came in for their second look at the house. After a long talk with our friends about the house, we decided to make an offer- and a good one at that. We didn't want to lose this home. The floor plan was hard to find on our general area. And the neighborhood couldn't be beat. 

Once our offer was accepted two days later, it was time for all the inspections. Everything looked great- with one not so minor exception: The sewer line would probably need major repairs in the next few years. Major repairs. The broken and troublesome portion ran from the backyard under the sidewalk to the front of the house and then under the driveway to the street. This meant full tear up on all the concrete and then repouring it. Then things got even worse. The electrical lines next to the sewer were entangled with it, meaning they'd have to be pulled and relaid as well. It could be $20k or it could be $50K plus. It was risky, but we still wanted the house. We weren't sure what to do. Our realtor friend suggested we let the seller know the results of the inspection and see if he would make some financial concession for the repair work.

Naturally, we qualified for the loan as we made enough money but more importantly had no debt and a house to sell that was fully paid for. To help us with it all, the interest rate had dropped, and we were able to take advantage of it.

Two nights later, we met with our friends at our realtor's request. It seemed he couldn't sleep the nights before as he was dogged by the thought that this was a disaster waiting to happen to us. The seller had offered $10K off the selling price. It sounded on the low side to us, especially after the realtor revealed he had done further investigation with the inspectors and construction crews. Seems repairs would probably go to the higher end of the estimates. He recommended we drop the offer due to the results of the inspection. Of course, my wife and I had discussed this being a possibility. Even before we drove for this meeting, as much as we wanted this home, we had concluded we would be humble and accept his professional recommendation. But oh, how it hurt to do so. To let go of the "perfect" house. But back on the market it went.

As timing would play out, I had to leave in one week for a 12 days business trip overseas. Even though we were originally scheduled to close on the house a month after I got home, now, we'd be starting all over when I returned. Ugh!

After the dinner with our realtor friends and letting the house go, I went to bed more than a bit sad. But we stopped and prayed. I said, "Lord Jesus, we trust you know best. So, if this wasn't the right house for us, we know you have one for us. Help us find it."

In the middle of the night, I had a dream. In my dream, I felt as if God said to me, "I've seen what you can do. Now, I'm going to show you what I can do." I did not tell my wife about the dream for two weeks. I kept it to myself, and I continued to wait to see how this would play out. Sometimes it can be what I eat for dinner or any other number of factors that can affect my sleep and my dreams. If this was God, He would have to prove himself.

A house with a similar floor plan popped up on the market. We had driven by it when we were looking, but we quickly dismissed it as it was $30K or so more than the top of what we could afford. In fact, this house was one street away from the one we placed a bid on. This day, however, the seller dropped the price $25K! We were intrigued. Could it be? Would this one work?

Naturally, we contacted our realtor for a showing. On the way over to the house, my wife said, "You know, I've been thinking. All I really want to do in the yard is plant a small bit of lavender and a group of yellow daisies." We had done that years ago, and those two plantings had brought her some joy in the summer with their color and/or scent.

Since we arrived about 5 minutes before our friends, we decided to walk up to the front of the house. The exterior paint job was almost the exact same shade of green we had picked out for our current house. The trim was perfect, the door painted with care as well. Full grown trees in front, including a Japanese Maple- which I had loved since my visit to Japan decades prior. I was cautiously getting excited. There was more to come. Along the walkway, just behind the hedge lining it, were two small plantings: Yes, a bunch of lavender and a bunch of yellow daisies right next to each other. I pointed them out to my wife. It stopped us dead in our tracks. Now, I was getting really excited inside. 

Our realtor and his wife pulled up to the house. He came up to greet us, and uncharacteristically said, "What a beautiful house! Much prettier and in better shape than the other one!" Using the door code on the lockbox, we walked inside. What did we find? We were shocked!

The brown, gold, and silver painted room and ceiling of the dining room were instead clean and bright white with a headboard ceiling treatment that was beautiful. The whole house, in fact, was white, having been freshly painted throughout. The living room had been given a board and batten treatment. This was a look my wife had always loved but our old house was laid out in a manner that made doing it impossible. Then, it hit me: as I had taken off my shoes, I realized the whole lower level was hard wood floors throughout. Not an ounce of tile aside from those found in the bathroom. The carpet in the main bedroom was brand new. It was in a style that we really liked but could never afford. Furthermore, the kitchen appliances were in excellent shape, looking brand new as were the cabinets. Every finish, every piece of hardware was just as we had picked out or better. Each part of this house was "our taste". Could it get any better?

Yes, it got better. Every single bedroom was freshly painted, carpeted, and excellently maintained. Bathrooms were immaculate. The best was arguably yet to come.

The backyard was a showstopper! Professionally landscaped with a great patio, a small amount of grass big enough for a picnic, large, mature, and healthy trees and shrubs. Perhaps best of all was a hillside waterfall and pond with a small bridge and outdoor fireplace. I could not believe what I was seeing! It was such a beautiful house inside and out. 

We walked inside, and I turned to our realtor friend, "Can we even do this?" His response was uncertainty because it was higher than what he thought we'd qualify for. And the interest rate had just gone back up that day. Additionally, we discovered the house had solar panels, which meant we would have to qualify to pay off those as well in addition to the asking price. My heart sank a bit, but he encouraged us to wait for more information.

A couple of days later, we made an offer. And then I took off for my overseas business trip. Trust me, the waiting game is harder when you're not home and can do nothing to affect the outcome. 

Just before I left, I told my wife about the dream I had. If it was truly God, I did not want to shortchange Him of the wonderful thing he had done. Honestly, I was afraid to attribute this to God in case it didn't work out. I am not one to be presumptuous about God or believe in the fully unbiblical "Prosperity Gospel" which turns the all powerful God into a cosmic genie in a bottle with endless wishes to grant. But I did think of the following verse- "Delight yourself in the Lord, and he will give you the desires of your heart." (Psalm 37:4). 

Days later, God showed His Hand- and the miracles began. 

While I was overseas, I received a message from my wife. Our offer was accepted. Due to the solar panel issue, things were still uncertain.
After some wise counsel and help from our loan officer (yet another friend), our realtor contacted the seller's agent. The seller agreed to pay off the solar panels. This took the pressure off quite a bit as now we only had to be approved for the agreed upon price. But we were still close to the top as to what we would be approved for. 

A couple of days later, all the inspection documents from a previous tentative purchaser were approved by the lending company. The folks before us had were newlyweds and had gotten cold feet in making the purchase, deciding to buy at a much lower price point. But the inspections were still within a few month timeframe and therefore valid for our pending purchase.

The next day, the seller decided to give us a substantial discount due to a somewhat older furnace even though it was in excellent condition and would lats for many more years.

Then to top it all off, our lender discovered we were still within our rights to make use of the lower interest rate we had on offer for the previous house. 

All things considered, these changes substantially lower the amount we had to qualify for. We were approved for the loan. And we closed and moved in one week after I returned home from overseas.

In the morning over coffee, we still look at each other in amazement for all God did on our behalf... with no painting or repairs necessary! God is good!

January 27, 2025

Adventureland's Shooting Gallery


Here's a blast from the past: Disneyland had not one but two shooting galleries in the 60s through the early 80s. Really! No, Buzz Lightyear doesn't count and neither does California Adventure's Web Slingers. There were two honest to goodness places to fire fake guns. The one in Frontierland and the long defunct one in Adventureland. 


In 1962, Adventureland added the Big Game Shooting Gallery, and it stayed in operation until the early 80s. The sounds of shots firing into the jungle were just a precursor to the action on the Jungle Cruise nearby. Remember when safaris were more than a bit dangerous and not just a photo opportunity? It was a just a fun diversion, nothing more. 

Westernland at Tokyo Disneyland still has its own version and so does the more than excellent Frontierland at Disneyland Paris. (It is the best of all the Frontierlands!) Imagineering never designed or built one when it came to open the Magic Kingdom at Walt Disney World. And of course, you'd never find one today- especially at Disney's Animal Kingdom!

January 24, 2025

Sweet and Sassy!

If I had to give the perfect description of this little girl, the title says it all! She is a fireball- just like her mother, my youngest daughter. Thankfully, she is incredibly cute and quite charming as well. She's also the baby that shouldn't have been possible. But with God, all things are possible if He wills it to be. Happy Birthday little girl!

January 20, 2025

Big Thunder Mountain Railroad Promotional Poster

It's not every day that the Florida Magic Kingdom adds a brand new attraction. When Big Thunder Mountain Railroad made its debut at the Walt Disney World resort, well, it was truly the beginning of visitors falling in love with the "Wildest Ride in the Wilderness!" 

Imagineer Tony Baxter and team made the best of a bad situation. When the suits dismantled the plans for Imagineer Marc Davis' Thunder Mesa- including his plans for the great musical boat ride, the Western River Expedition in favor of a revised version of Disneyland's beloved Pirates of the Caribbean- Tony tried to save as much as he could. Convincing management that the thrill attraction was worth pursuing as a sort of "Phase One", the roller coaster ride was given the approval. What a wise decision! Fans loved it from opening day. It became a staple of every castle park built. Aside from China's Shanghai Disneyland, of course, which wouldn't dare place anything so American in its Disney park. 

This promotional attraction poster for Florida's original was just the ticket to announce this now iconic experience. 

January 17, 2025

This Real Life Indiana Jones Solved One of History's Greatest Mysteries!

Add this to the "When Real Life is More Fascinating Than Fiction" files: Imagine being a female archeologist in the mid-1900s when men ruled the profession. Then consider what it felt like to be hired by arguably the most powerful government on earth, The Vatican. Add to this the more than enormous task of being challenged to find and authenticate the bones of Peter, one of the most famous disciples of Jesus and Rome's first pope. This is the true story of a small, brilliant Italian Margherita Guarducci. The fictitious archeologist Indiana Jones has absolutely nothing on this woman!


The woman's work and her fierce determination to discover the truth at any cost lie in the heart of the account The Fisherman's Tomb by lawyer and author John O'Neill. Admittedly, Ms. Guarducci comes in rather late in the story, but she plays a rather important part. 

Texas oilman George Strake funded the entire secret excavation. He was contacted by the head of the Roman Catholic Church at the time, Pope Paul VI and asked to fund it in secret, which the devout Texas agreed to do- for decades. With the help of Father Walter Carroll, a young priest, the trio builds at team who begins searching for Peter's remains.

This true story is told against a backdrop of World Wars I and II. The entire saga is filled with intrigue, politics, almost miraculous events and more as friends and enemies within the Vatican itself battle for the credit of what is- or isn't- discovered.


Margherita Guarducci's book, The Tomb of St. Peter, tells her story and covers her findings in detail. (I have not read it.) O'Neill's book reads like the suspense novel it could be, except for the truth of it all.

If you've read my trip report on Rome (here), you'll know these books lead to a magnificent journey available to any traveler who puts in the effort, The Scavi Tour. You'll go under St. Peter's Basilica, bypassing the huge lines, joining a small group of ten to twenty people to the Necropolis. A fully underground Roman street and cemetery filled with ancient buildings, tombs, and one of Christendom's most sought after discoveries.  

After reading the book and seeing it all for myself when at the Vatican, the only question I have is, "Why isn't this a movie?" 

January 15, 2025

The 50 Year Anniversary of Walt Disney World's Space Mountain: What a Story!

It is almost unbelievable, but Disney's iconic Space Mountain is 50 years old! 50! On this day in 1975, Florida's Magic Kingdom debuted one of the most popular attractions ever built. Walt Disney World may have been home to the first one, but every single Disney castle park aside from Shanghai Disneyland has it. And for good reason! When television shows as popular as Friends reference it, folks who don't even frequent theme parks are familiar with it. 

Riding Space Mountain has become a rite of passage for American youth. The attraction is so popular, the Oriental Land Company who owns the park has decided to give it a huge update. That's the piece of concept art shown above. It should be, like most everything in Tokyo, fantastic.

 
The original Space Mountain set the standard for all that came after. Upon opening, this roller coaster in the dark was groundbreaking with immediate impact. Whether the building guests see is the classic, iconic structure found in Florida, California, and Tokyo, a similar but slightly different one placed in a cartoonish and now Marvel based Tomorrowland in Hong Kong, or the absolute best one of all- the stunning, elegant Jules Verne styled masterpiece in Paris (which looks spectacular at night with all its neon), the sheer sight of the attraction makes park guests run to it immediately at park opening as well as queue up for it all through the day and night. 

Blasting off through the universe has stayed a must-do experience for any park visitor, but for the very earliest of Disney park fans, this wasn't always the case. As with most things worth the result, the road to success was very long. Very long but worth it!

Read on for this attractions amazing story, tons of concept art, and a few personal photos.

Clem Hall's watercolor version of what would become 
Disneyland's mountain classic.

Concept art with an inside view.

This piece alone sold me on a ride!

A new view planned with Disneyland's new Tomorrowland 98.

It had been almost a decade since Walt Disney had passed away when Space Mountain debuted at Florida’s Magic Kingdom on this day in 1975- even though he had planned it for Disneyland many years prior. Imagineers such as John Hench drew some of the earliest plans for a Disneyland space station and its fast moving rocket adventure. They knew it would happen eventually...

At the opening of the Walt Disney World resort four years earlier, the new park's Tomorrowland section was fairly empty, certainly incomplete and just as sad a state as the original rushed version of California's Disneyland due to shortage of time and money. Smaller attractions were quickly added to the section making it a bit more well rounded, but the best was yet to come.

Certainly, guests found If You Had Wings charming, the Skyway and the Grand Prix Raceway fun, Circle-Vision 360 enjoyable, and Flight to the Moon (later Mission to Mars) provided minor thrills, but the land still lacked that special "E Ticket" calling card. This did not go without notice, but the Imagineers were already quickly working to enhance the area by adding a major blockbuster- and several supporting attractions.

My 2005 photo.

Space Mountain was the centerpiece of a slate of these much needed additions. Like most all of the early classic attractions, its roots came from Walt himself for Anaheim, but the technology wasn't there yet to make it happen. The ultimate space adventure would eventually make it to its originally intended destination a couple of years later in a much smaller, single track configuration than what would first be built in the East. It would not only dominate the Tomorrowland skyline, it would act like a shining beacon to everyone who came to the Magic Kingdom. Guests just couldn't stay away from it!


A larger closer view!
This was used to promote California's version as well.



A nice pencil sketch.


This design is more squashed-
sort of like the mountain found at Hong Kong Disneyland.

In 1969 with American astronaut Neil Armstrong's steps on the moon, America’s refreshed obsession with space travel provided the perfect timing for this major thrill ride to come into existence. The technology needed was coming into its own. Finally.

The future had always fascinated Walt, and this love was reflected in his films, the television series, and at Disneyland. He loved science, space exploration, and new technologies. When the Magic Kingdom was designed, it was only natural that a futuristic themed land would also be in the plans. His Imagineering team had been working on a New Tomorrowland (1967) for Disneyland, and it would make its debut after Walt's unfortunate passing. Even so, the groundwork was being laid for Florida.


New Tomorrowland for the Magic Kingdom.
Carousel of Progress and the Peoplemover join the line up.

As discussions continued with his team about bringing an outer space rocket adventure to the Anaheim park, concept art for Walt’s Space Port began to emerge. As you can tell from all the concept art in this article alone, the Disney Imagineers created many different looks which were considered before settling on its initial timeless exterior. Variations included multi-level walkways, exterior coaster track as well as interior, smooth round roofs, roofs with spires of various sizes, access directly into the mountain, acmes via a covered pathway, etc. Nothing was tossed out, and as we know, no idea was wasted.

Imagineers Herb Ryman and John Hench each came up with their own designs but they would be slightly blended for the final result, leaving earlier designs by Clem Hall to be left to Disney art books for coffee tables throughout America.  

Wow!

Once the mountain's unique design was settled upon, a detailed model was built, giving the Imagineers a chance to view how the attraction would fit into the Magic Kingdom. the decision was made to take guests under the railroad tracks and into the mountain. This trick was used to good effect at Disneyland with the Pirates of the Caribbean and The Haunted Mansion. Guests were slowly taken out of the ordinary and into another world. In this case to a space port, one somewhere in a galaxy far, far away... and long before Star Tours thrilled guests.
 
Exterior changes to Epcot's old Universe of Energy building.
 

One of the major benefits of this particular configuration came from the attraction's placement just outside the park perimeter. Guests from the Magic Kingdom parking lot, the Contemporary Resort and the Polynesian Village Resort could view the gleaming white spires of the mountain from the other side of the Seven Seas Lagoon with little clutter of other attractions vying for attention. It was the perfect siren call for a new and innovative attraction.

(Current changes to the World's transportation systems have made the impact less powerful. Arriving at the Magic Kingdom via bus so close to Space Mountain lessons the wow factor to a large degree. What hasn't changed is the visual impact from viewing it high atop the Contemporary Resort from its California Grill restaurant deck.)

At Epcot, the Imagineers re-envisioned the old Universe of Energy building to house the new Guardians roller coaster. Like Space Mountain is viewed from the outside of the Magic Kingdom, guests arriving at Epcot from the main entrance can see the attraction. They may just not know it. That big blue box that punctuates the skyline and is visible from most anywhere in the park is what houses the coaster. It's not beautiful to say the least. 


A model for the Magic Kingdom version.
Notice the rockets outside the structure?


With much fanfare after a couple of years of construction, Space Mountain opened, becoming an instant theme park icon and the new "must do" attraction. Imagineering and the money men knew they had a hit on their hands, so they took advantage of "The blessing of size” as Walt said, and enabled the Imagineers to build a full dual tracked thrill ride for the Magic Kingdom. The new coaster was a serious bid for the teen market who found much of the Magic Kingdom and its emphasis on slow moving attractions and shows not of interest. 

Audio-Animatronic musicals like Tropical Serenade (Enchanted Tiki Room), Country Bear Jamboree, and The Mickey Mouse Revue, were still popular with young families and older guests, but it was time to round out the attraction roster and add to their reputation. Mission accomplished!
 
Perhaps its the same mindset that caused the character infusion into Epcot. Mainly due to lack of investment and refreshing in the park's major attractions,  Florida's second Disney park was losing attendance. It needed a big, big draw to bring people back in- particularly teens who seemed to be too young for the drink around the world game during the various Food & Wine Festivals and too old for simple character interactions. Expedition: Everest did wonders for attendance at Animal Kingdom. A coaster was needed for Epcot. Then, there's the Marvel factor. Disney suits were hot to make the most of their acquisition as quickly as they could. Guardians fit the legal issues.



Great view of the Mountain from Florida's Peoplemover.
One reason their Tomorrowland is better than Disneyland's-
for the time being.

The most recent attraction poster for the Florida mountain.
New poster for a new century.

Some art from the old official Disney blog.


The popular Magic Kingdom coaster attraction has seen very few changes over the years, save the removal of the sponsorship from the company that helped fund it, RCA. Park leadership spent years relying on it to keep the crowds coming as they neglected to make significant investments into the Magic Kingdom. Beyond opening Big Thunder Mountain Railroad in 1980, funds were only made available for changing out smaller rides until finally a New Fantasyland made its appearance in 2012. That's 30 years of neglecting its flagship theme park in Florida.

A few years ago, a quick refurbishing to Space Mountain meant a change in the music, new stereo sound, and a sparkling new attraction poster. Nothing else. The ride itself remains very rough. Much like Disneyland's classic Matterhorn Bobsleds, an entirely new track is needed. Long time Disney park fans know that maintenance is not a strong suit at Walt Disney World. When Tron Light Cycle Run finally opened, the suits may decide it is time to close Space Mountain for some much needed enhancements and revisions. If nothing else, it needs to be done for guest safety.




Back to our story. At Disneyland in Anaheim, California, the astounding success of the attraction in Florida meant one just had to be built in Anaheim. It only made sense as Walt first intended the space adventure for this park. 

With land being more limited, the mountain was squeezed into a Tomorrowland that had a slice of room for growth. The smaller ride footprint demanded a similar but much smaller mountain, so there would not be the visual wow factor upon approaching the building. As Disneyland designers tend to do, they made good use of the problem and added a stage, a restaurant, and even a game arcade to round out the expansion. For the attraction itself, paring down was necessary. This also meant only single track and less ride capacity, a queue with a different loading zone, and a much tighter flight route. In spite of the changes, the public's response was no less incredible.

I love attraction posters!

Prior to the opening of California Adventure, it was possible to enter the Disneyland parking lot area right next to Space Mountain. Since I lived nearby, I took advantage of the opportunity to drive by regularly, collecting Disneyland guidebooks and memorabilia
 
And I was always watching projects under construction.

When the attraction finally opened in 1977, I was among the first to ride. And what an enormous line it was! (Years later, I was also at the opening of the Indiana Jones Adventure as well.) At one point, the queue snaked all the way down Main Street. Hours passed as flights were on then off again during its test period. The initial flight experience was quite the rush at opening. The atmosphere was much darker, and the rockets much faster.


One of the earliest renderings of the attraction- for Disneyland.
Another Clem Hall creation.


The 1967 version of Tomorrowland was epic, but by the end of the 20th Century, the Imagineers were tasked with enhancing the land. Imagineer Tony Baxter was given the difficult task but with a very limited budget. A newly bronzed Space Mountain appeared after the transition alongside the most recent addition, the now defunct Rocket Rods. A couple of cheaply built cloned attractions from Florida completed the project. The revised land was not well received, and the epic mountain soon painted back to its original white scheme. 


Copper mountain from Disneyland's Tomorrowland '98.


New art for a revised Tomorrowland. 

With someone else's cash to burn and carte blanche access to the plans from Imagineering, Disney worked alongside the Japanese investors handpicking attractions from two differently designed Disney kingdoms. Tokyo Disneyland was an instant hit. Even with access to the larger Florida version, the Japanese executives chose California’s much smaller attraction as the one to be duplicated. When the park opened in 1983, visitors found this space journey to have an entirely different feel, a blending of both American parks and few unique elements at opening. 


With Disney, it's usually better in Japan!

Tokyo's mountain and the proposed remodel that never happened.

In a strange twist that lasted for decades until the addition of The Enchanted Tale of Beauty and the Beast, Tokyo Disneyland's Tomorrowland remained relatively untouched but in contrast to Florida, every single attraction was kept in pristine shape. Parkwide. What a show of respect for its guests and for the Imagineers who work so hard to bring a premium experience. The Oriental Land Company knows its business and does it well!

With the building of the amazing Tokyo Disneysea taking priority, its Magic Kingdom styled park retained its 1970s-ish take on the future. Plans for a revision - including a new exterior treatment for Space Mountain- were scrapped. In the long term, this may have worked to its advantage. 

How do you build a Disneyland in one of the most magical cities on earth? This was the challenge handed to Tony Baxter, and he and his team succeeded beyond belief. In the world's most beautiful city, Paris, the most beautiful of Disney kingdoms makes is home.

For years, European fans had to travel to the Sunshine or Golden State for a Disney vacation experience. Later, they could go to Japan. Once Disneyland Paris opened in 1992, it was a different story. Despite all predictions of doom and gloom, Discoveryland, the Parisian version of Tomorrowland, dazzled guests with its Jules Verne inspired roster of attractions. The entire park is a work of art.

Discovery Mountain was on the agenda but not there on opening day. Debuting in 1995, the iconic white mountain was swapped out for a steampunk inspired adventure but with the iconic attraction name. In contrast to previous versions, this one began outdoors next to a shimmering lagoon with its own Nautilus submarine. 


My photo of the best Space Mountain yet!
At opening, the Jules Verne styled attraction 
and its gorgeous soundtrack made it specular!


The attraction inside was as different from its cousins as was its exterior: the open air loading station sends its rockets into a smoke-spewing cannon as guests are launched upwards into the mountain. The views over Discoveryland are amazing, but they are nothing compared to the thrills found inside!

Photographer/artist unknown-
but what an image of Paris' version!

The track layout included multiple inversions- the first for a Disney park anywhere- and the addition of a majestic musical score to accompany the journey. This new twist on an old favorite brought in the crowds. Some could even debate Space Mountain saved the resort. It certainly did bring in the crowds.



Although the exterior building concepts remained largely the same, the Imagineers presented several different ideas for what was to be built inside the mountain. In addition to Space Mountain, ideas ranged from a Nautilus adventure including a restaurant inside the submarine, to a unique use of the technology that makes The Twilight Zone Tower of Terror so popular for an additional attraction themed to a different Jules Verne novel. All would be found inside the mountain.

An appropriate poster for a Jules Verne themed mountain!
(For more information and concept art, 
track down the wonderful book 
Disneyland Paris, From Sketch to Reality by Alain Littaye and Didier Ghez.)

Yes, these images are of what was planned to be found
inside the mountain!

Dining with Nemo? 
Yes, not with the fish, but with the Captain.
Upon our first visit to Disneyland Paris in 1998, Space Mountain: De la Terre à la Lune, and Phantom Manor were at the very top of my must-do list. I must say, I did not expect every corner of the park to be as beautiful as it was. Every aspect has been brought to its fullest potential. It is a work of art from every view, every angle, every aspect. No other Magic Kingdom comes close. Well done, Tony and team! Well done.

Once I finally entered the Space Mountain queue and hopped aboard the rocket, the ride was as scenic and incredible as I had imagined it would be! Smooth as silk! The Jules Verne man in the moon smiled as we zoomed by, bringing a smile to my face. I couldn’t wait to ride it again and again! I promptly returned to the queue for another trip. 


Viewing the mountain and watching the Columbiad cannon send explorers on their journey was every bit as compelling as seeing the beautiful Eiffel Tower. I couldn’t take my eyes off the attraction. Original music by John Debney is the perfect icing on the proverbial cake, or should I say butter on the croissant. 

Discoveryland and its mountain are beautiful during the day but like most things, absolutely spectacular at night. With its magnificent lighting, this Space Mountain was the ultimate execution of the trendsetting concept. Period. Until a "reintroduction" of the attraction and a new theme.

When we visited the park once more in 2007, we were shocked to find that the original story had given way for "Mission 2". It was a poor design and marketing choice, as much of the stunning set pieces and effects had disappeared as well as the original majestic theme music. Perhaps it will return one day.


The opening of the first Disneyland in China, Hong Kong Disneyland (2005), provided an opportunity for building yet another version of the Magic Kingdom classic. It would be the first kingdom to open with this attraction, but the park opened to a collective thud of a response. 

Due to budget adjustments and misguided opinions of what makes a Disney park, it remains short on attractions. Newer additions of a new Frozen themed land, Grizzly Gulch, Mystic Manor, and even a bigger castle bring a more complete experience, but the park is still lacking. For now.

The attraction poster for Hong Kong Disneyland's Space Mountain.

The setting of this Chinese Tomorrowland is more akin to a Saturday morning cartoon than previous versions of the future. The mountain adventure itself is a near duplicate of California's, albeit in a more compact form. In a brand new take on the mountain's use and design, it also houses a show based on the main character from Lilo and Stitch. The mountain may be the only original Hong Kong Tomorrowland attraction to be spared by the relatively new Marvel takeover. 



Is this a good look for Tomorrowland?
 
Space Mountain remains so popular and an instant draw, that the Disney suits decided a comparable attraction would help Epcot Center's dwindling attendance. With some obvious similarities, how does Space Mountain hold up to the newer Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind? The comparisons are too many to list, but after all, imitation is the sincerest form of flattery. I'd say the original Magic Kingdom adventure is going nowhere- except hopefully down for rehab and a brand new track.

Once the new Japanese exclusive version of Space Mountain is complete, the next question is: Where will the next other worldly mountain show up? No one knows for sure. For all the questions we may have, one thing is certain. Space Mountain will continue to draw and thrill millions of visitors all over their world in their quest to explore the universe!


(Top photo by Tripster. All concept art and Tokyo Disneyland photos copyright The Walt Disney Company; all other photos by Mark Taft)