Earlier this month, the countdown for the second installment of the D23 Spotlight Series finally ended when D23 Gold Members were treated to a special presentation about Space Mountain and other thrill attractions at the Walt Disney World Resort. A star-studded panel featuring speakers from Walt Disney Imagineering and the Walt Disney Archives made for an out-of-this-world presentation that truly delighted fans of Space Mountain and beyond! After a greeting from Michael Vargo, head of D23, D23’s Justin Arthur took over hosting duties for this space-themed spotlight and welcomed five very special guests.
The event took off with an in-depth look at Space Mountain—the landmark Walt Disney World attraction that marked its 50th anniversary earlier this year and inspired four additional versions around the world—and a galaxy of thrill rides in Disney Parks. Steven Vagnini from the Walt Disney Archives took us on a journey to the origins of the concept— from the minds of Walt Disney and Imagineer and future Disney Legend John Hench in the mid-1960s to the attraction’s eventual debut at Walt Disney World a decade later. With rarely seen materials and footage from the Archives, he spotlighted variations of the attraction around the world!
The next stop on this intergalactic Imagineering introspection was a discussion with Imagineers Chris Beatty, Bette Lombardi, Pam Rawlins, and Wyatt Winter, who explored the influence Space Mountain has had across Walt Disney World and on thrill experiences at large. From their earliest personal memories of the cosmic classic to the attraction’s impact on the Magic Kingdom and beyond, we discovered how the E-ticket adventure has impacted the “mountainscape” of Disney Parks around the world.
The Imagineers also dove into how Disney thrill attractions continue to push the envelope, including how some of the latest adventures, like, Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind and Slinky Dog Dash came to be. The presentation continued with a discussion of the Seven Dwarfs Mine Train, with behind-the-scenes stories, rarely seen photography, and incredible attraction concepts resulting in lodes of Imagineering insight!
Thanks to all of our D23 Gold Members who beamed into our first Spotlight Series at Walt Disney World. We hope to see you all real soon!
Explore upcoming D23 events, including the in-person D23 Spotlight Series and virtual D23 Gold Theater, right here!