The upcoming Patty Jenkins movie, Rogue Squadron, makes me think of the Ultimate X-Wing Fighter experience, Hyperspace Mountain at Disneyland! Space Mountain was always a favorite, a “safe” roller coaster that was a smooth, exhilarating ride. The enclosed steel tube track (patented by Disney Imagineering) all fitting in the sci-fi dome that was also featured in the movie Tomorrowland (2015). I like the queue once you enter the complex itself. It feels like a space station with corridors and then you get a peek like a horizontal panel where the rockets roar and there is a rumble heard from the track. You know what is going to happen with you. Then, it goes to the final part of the queue with the long rocket like a space probe attached to the ceiling. After you board the rocket sleds, two seat capsules, comfortable, you move to the launch dispatch with ride ops checking you.
Next, it’s up lift hills, strobes, and finally out into the “outer space” of the dome. You bank around an orange geodesic cube, I’m still not certain what is that object, and why it’s there. Many swift turns and drops and with the lights out, it is difficult to predict where they are, even with years of riding it. There is more strobes, hyperspace, Star Tunnel?, as the ride returns to the launch bay. Disney Press published Space Mountain: A Graphic Novel by writer, Bryan Q. Miller, and artist Kelley Jones in 2014. There was attempts at upgrades. Rockin’ Space Mountain in 2007 was just annoying, headache-inducing noise as you go through the ride, the best part was when the music stopped. They changed to Red Hot Chili Peppers and that was fun, but I still like the ride in the silence of space (except the screams).
Hyperspace Mountain, 2015, photo by the author.
There was in the Halloween season, Space Mountain: Ghost Galaxy in 2009 and continues to this day. It was ported from Hong Kong Disneyland which first had the overlay in 2007. An overlay is the basic ride track intact, but scenary, audio, and projections are added. The ride is just projections with the coasters zipping too fast past them, not interested going past that first ride, maybe if they put spooky music in the queue, cobwebs, some kind of animatronic, and really a story on why Space Mountain is haunted. Which brings us to Hyperspace Mountain in Disneyland, an overlay, the ride layout is unchanged, but given a new environment like the Haunted Mansion with the Nightmare Before Christmas change, Haunted Mansion Holiday. It first opened in Disneyland Paris in 2007 as Star Wars: Hyperspace Mountain.
For the Season of the Force at Disneyland, there was heavy promotion of Star Wars: The Force Awakens in 2015, and one of its features was Hyperspace Mountain. Outside of the dome there was a video with Admiral Ackbar who debriefs you that a Star Destroyer was detected in the orbit of Jakku, so this is the final battle of the Empire. He is sending 77 Squadron to destroy it, 77 is of course a nod to the theatrical opening of Star Wars, I don’t call it A New Hope. There are profiles of a Star Destroyer, X-Wing, and Jakku that is also on the screen in the loading area. You board the rocket sled, pass the dispatch station, and then start up the first lift hill with the Star Wars Main Title getting you hyped. You hear the call-ins of 77 Squadron. A female voice notes, “This is Blue Leader, all wings report in.” The other pilots report; “Blue Six standing by”, “Blue Two standing by”, “Blue Four here”, alien voice says, ”Blue Three standing by”, and “Blue Seven standing by.”
Admiral Ackbar adds, “Good luck, pilots.” You enter the orange tunnel that is now a star field. Blue Leader, “All wings prepare to jump at my mark. Punch it!” It shifts into star streaking by and the blue of hyperspace. If you ever wanted to make a hyperspace jump, Star Tours is good, but you are just sharing with other passengers, Millennium Falcon: Smuggler’s Run has the switch to shift you into hyperspace, but to be in a two-man ship and jump, intense! Projections has Jakku pass to the right and TIE fighters roaring around you! Not 3D, this is in front of you! Then, you are inside the dome, it’s cold, you don’t walk out of the other two attractions mid-ride. Blue Leader asks, “What was that?”, a pilot remarks, “They’re coming out of nowhere!” Then, you get the Imperial March theme. The stars are streaking around you as the rocket sled banks.
The queue for Hyperspace Mountain, 2015, photo by the author.
Ackbar reports, “Enemy fighters coming your way!”, then Blue Leader, “All wings fall back!” You see the projection of the Star Destroyer with TIE Fighters. A technician reports, “Three marks coming at .04!” The battle has begun around the Star Destroyer. We can’t have Admiral Ackbar without him saying, “It’s a trap!” Blue Leader calls out, “Evasive maneuvers!”, a pilot says, “Hold tight! I’m going in”, you start to make a wild turn, the fun of the rollercoaster is there, but amped up by a Star Wars battle! X-Wings zip by and also a TIE fighter. It is just a drop and intense turns, the blasterfire from TIE fighters is heard, plus star streaks.
Blue Leader warns a pilot, “Watch your back!” The pilot audio is a little distorted since the ride is going so fast. You see X-Wings engaging with TIE fighters. A pilot screams out “I’m hit!, I’m hit!” We get to the sharp turns towards the end of the ride. Blue Leader says, “Keep fast and keep it moving!” An X-Wing destroys a TIE fighter. An X-Wing pilot screams out, “They’re right behind me!” You see a large TIE fighter swoop overhead. A pilot adds, “He’s right behind me!” A TIE fighter explodes as another pilot says, “I got him!” Very bright TIE fighter laser fire scorches past you. Blue Leader gives the command, “Let’s blow this thing and go home!” Bright X-Wing fire streaks toward the Star Destroyer and blows up!
Then you you turn and enter the hyperspace tunnel before returning to the loading area. You hear Ackbar(?) saying “Great job out there and May the Force Be With You Always!” I hope Patty Jenkins has taken a ride in Hyperspace Mountain. Maybe we can find out who is Blue Leader and the rest of the squadron. They sound interesting. I can see the ride changed by the Rogue Squadron film like the Star Tours update, Hyperspace Mountain: Rogue Squadron? I’m certain Jenkins can bring what has always been missing from Star Wars, a female main character pilot, if so, Rogue Squadron will be canon for me! Don’t miss your chance to fly into a Star Wars battle with Hyperspace Mountain!
#SpaceMountain, #Disneyland, #HyperspaceMountain, #AdmiralAckbar, #77Squadron, #BlueLeader, #PattyJenkins, #RogueSquadron
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