Space Mountain - 33rd Anniversary!

Thirty three years ago today, Space Mountain opened at Disneyland. About two months after it opened, my grandparents took my brother and me to the park to check it out. I still remember sitting in the front seat with my grandfather for that very first ride and the excitement of not knowing exactly what to expect.

Below, is the park entertainment guide that I saved from that day.

Here's a photo that I took with my Kodak 126 Instamatic camera during that visit. Doesn't the whole Space Mountain Complex look bright and shiny and new? Hey Disney, bring back the Speed Ramp, the Space Mountain Stage, and the Space Place Restaurant!

Prior to this visit, I was clipping and saving everything that was written about the new attraction, including this L.A. Times article that reported on the opening day ceremony and "inaugural flight."

This photo ran in the local newspaper. I have saved these newspaper clippings for thirty three years!

I bought the Space Mountain set of Pana-Vue slides about thirty years ago, but never realized until now that the people in this particular slide are the same people in the photo above. I wonder where these people are today? Hey, that guy in the second row is looking at the camera.....BAD MODEL!

When I ride Space Mountain today, I often think back to when I rode it that first time with my grandfather. My grandparents actually took us back to the park eight months later and I was able to ride it with him again. (I also rode Colossus at Magic Mountain for the first time with my grandfather after it opened in 1978....but that's the subject for a future post!)

Happy Birthday, Space Mountain!