Friday, July 17, 2009

Space Mountain and the Staircase


What follows is a brief rant of mine after I just completed my annual visit to Disneyland.

Space Mountain is in Tomorrowland. It features an incredibly futuristic space ride, a queue within a huge, chrome spaceship, and even more things which help to create the illusion of your transportation into the future. However, upon exiting the ride, you are suddenly transported back to the land of today when you are greeted with a staircase.

I have nothing against staircases. I'll run up and down one all day if I need to, but one thing's for sure: they won't exist in the future. This is why I am always taken aback when I see the above photo at the end of the (mostly) futuristic ride.


Heck, even the end of Haunted Mansion is more futuristic with its long, angled, moving platform which doesn't even require your taking a step. This contrasts greatly with the stone age-ending to Space Mountain: stairs.

I know it isn't that big of a deal, but the imagineers are supposed to be magicians who transport you to other places and worlds and time periods. The staircase just completely distracts from that.

Just an observation.

1 comment:

SamLand said...

Alas, most of the time it was just a broken rubber ramp. At least they have the groovy space age center divider!

I do miss getting the foot massage when you placed your feet near the edge.