Is Hyperspace Mountain Scary?

Of all the questions about rides at Disneyland Paris we get the question we get asked most is “Is Hyperspace Mountain Scary?”. Space Mountain is one of the most popular rides at any Disney park across the world however Disneyland Paris has a slightly different ride being themed and called Hyperspace Mountain. On top of that because this is an indoor ride that you can’t see before you board and because it is one of the many dark rides at Disney people are concerned about the scare factor. In this guide we let you know what to expect to help you decide whether it is scary or not Hyperspace Mountain is scary?

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History of Space Mountain

is Hyperspace mountain scary

There are many versions of the Disney Space Mountain around the world however there is only one Hyperspace Mountain and that is at Disneyland Paris.

The original Space Mountain is located in the Magic Kingdom in Tomorrowland at Walt Disney World and was originally conceived to be a similar ride to Disneyland’s Matterhorn Bobsleds which Disney felt wouldn’t work in the Florida park.

After the success of Space Mountain in Florida, a version of Space Mountain was then opened at Disneyland California, and opened in 1995 at Disneyland Paris to try and attract crowds to the struggling park.

Now that you know where you can ride space mountain we will discuss the main features of the Star Wars Hyperspace Mountain at Disneyland Paris that may or may not make the ride scary. This includes:

ride vehicle layout
darkness
drops and loops
speed

I personally do not find Hyperspace Mountain to be a scary ride and I have ridden this ride with my admittedly dare devil five year old who also didn’t find it scary.

However there are certain elements of the ride that could scare some people. We will therefore discuss the factors that could be considered scary by some in greater detail below.

What sort of ride is Star Wars Hyperspace Mountain?

Star Wars Hyperspace Mountain, at all of the Disney sites around the world, is an indoor dark rollercoaster.

Is the Hyperspace Mountain Queue Scary?

Hyperspace Mountain queue Disneyland Paris

While there is now a trend for immersive queue experiences, I am thinking for instance of the queues for Guardians of the Galaxy Mission Breakout and Rise of the Resistance for instance at the American parks, the Space Mountain is not really an immersive experience at any of the parks.

However I think the queue in Paris might be one of the weakest.

When Hyperspace Mountain was originally designed it was themed, as much of Discoveryland is, to the world of Jules Verne with a steam punk edge.

Space Mountain as it was called then was originally themed on a Jules Verne novella From the Earth to the Moon: A Direct Route in 97 hours, 20 minutes.

The story of the ride originally revolved round the Baltimore Gun Club, a society of weapons enthusiasts who tried to build a Columbiad Space Gun to propel people to space. The ride is you boarding the vessel that is shot into space.

However since its opening Hyper Space Mountain has gone through a couple of refurbishments, the latest to theme it to Star Wars however the queue still is all about the original Verne Novel which makes the queue not only not scary but confusing.

What are the seats like on Star Wars Hyperspace Mountain?

Hyperspace Mountain ride – Disneyland Paris Plus Size

Each car on Hyperspace Mountain is made up of four seats, two in front, two behind. There is then a overhead restraint.

IF you are traveling to Disneyland Paris plus size you may find that the seats are a bit of a squeeze and I would recommend picking a front row seat for more comfort on boarding and exiting the ride if you are larger.

Note: there is a hidden Mickey on the ride car if you are looking for them.

Can you see on Hyperspace Mountain?

Hyperspace Mountain Disneyland PAris

Space Mountain, at all Disney sites around the world, is always a dark ride. And by dark I mean very dark. You will not be able to see at all on any of the Disney rides.

However the difference with Hyperspace Mountain is that there is a short section as you are launched and before you go into the dome of Space Mountain you will briefly have a section where the tunnel is not enclosed and if you look left you can see out towards Fantasyland and Adventureland.

Also as you ride the attractions you will see some lights and digital screens that show a space battle from the Star Wars films.

However overall I would say that if you are scared of the dark then you will find Space Mountain scary.

Does Hyperspace Mountain Go Upside Down?

One thing that unites the Space Mountain rides at Disneyland and at Magic Kingdom is the fact that they do not go upside down.

Therefore Americans at Disneyland Paris are surprised to find out that Star Wars Hyperspace Mountain does in fact have inversions and goes upside down.

There are in fact 3 inversions on Star Wars Hyperspace Mountain.

As such it is the one of the scary rides at Disneyland Paris ride and the scariest Space Mountains anywhere in the world.

Does Hyperspace Mountain Have a Drop?

Star Wars Hyper Space Mountain really doesn’t have many big drops in it however because of the dark there is definitely an illusion which makes you feel like the drops and the speed are greater than they are.

Instead of one big drop you go round and down slowly than one sheer drop.

This ride has continual motion, and there aren’t any moments where you feel like you may drop steeply but I think it is the fact you never know when the drops are coming that makes it feel scarier to some.

Is Star Wars Hyperspace Mountain fast?

Hyperspace Mountain has at its fastest point a speed of 44 mph (71 km/h) per hour. It is one of the fastest space mountains in the world and is one of the fastest rides at Disneyland Paris.

How rough is Space Mountain?

Space Mountain is not a particularly rough ride in my opinion (though I guess you may find it more so depending on your size, both larger or smaller

What’s the Story on HyperSpace Mountain?

Again, as I mentioned above the theming on Space Mountain doesn’t marry well. The queue was not retrofitted in its refurbishments so it is a bit of a fish mash.

While there is still the Columbiad and Jules Verne themed queue once on the ride you are launched into a Star Wars Space battle all to the theme tune of Star Wars.

Is Hyperspace Mountain Scarier Than Big Thunder Mountain Railroad?

When talking about the scar factor on Space Mountain most people will ask for a comparison with Big Thunder Mountain Railroad. I guess as they are both Disneyland Paris rides with a scare factor.

I think the rides are relatively comparable in terms of scariness but because Space Mountain is in the dark it can trick your mind into thinking you are going faster than you are and never know what it coming up people could find it scarier.

For more information on Disneyland Paris Scariest rides check out this post.

Does Hyperspace Mountain make your stomach drop?

Having ridden Space Mountain at several parks I have to say that Hyperspace Mountain has never made my stomach drop. There are lots of drops and turns on this ride but because of the speed and confined space it isn’t particularly intense or intense enough to cause a stomach drop.

Top Tips for Riding HyperSpace Mountain

Space Mountain is one of the most popular rides at Disneyland Paris. As such the queues for this ride can get quite large. Therefore our tips for riding Space Mountain are:

Extra Magic Hours

Is Disneyland Paris crowded in November? Disneyland Paris Crowd Calendar, Is Disneyland Paris crowded in January?

Hyperspace Mountain is one of the rides that is open during Extra Magic Hours, a perk of staying at a Disneyland Paris on-site hotel.

We rode this twice in the first ten minutes when we were visiting Disneyland Paris in December when we headed straight to this ride.

Rope Drop

For those that don’t know rope droping is getting to the park before opening so you can rush to your ride of choice directly. By rope dropping Hyperspace Mountain you should be rewarded with a shorter queue time and also have the chance to ride again later on.

Fore more information on planning your day check out our Disneyland Paris Itinerary.

Premier Access

Disneyland Paris does not have Genie Plus. Instead it has Premier Access where you pay for a single fast pass for a ride rather than for all rides.

Cost of Premier Access at Disneyland Paris costs around 16 Euros per ride per person.

Check height before traveling

If you are visiting Disneyland Paris with toddlers or young children who are particularly tall and who like to ride rollercoasters I advise you checking their height before travel. There is nothing worse than your child being turned away from a ride and being upset.