Original Space Mountain Theme is Returning to Disneyland Paris

The original Space Mountain ‘From the Earth to the Moon’ is returning to Disneyland Paris! Star Wars Hyperspace Mountain will close at the end of 2027, and the ride will return to its classic look and soundtrack, but with some fresh updates.

When Space Mountain first opened in 1995, it drew inspiration from Jules Verne’s 1865 science fiction novel. The book follows Baltimore Gun Club members after the American Civil War who try to reach the moon using a large cannon, a Columbiad, to shoot a projectile with three people inside into space.

Jules Verne worked with experts to make his book as realistic as possible, and he actually predicted some aspects of modern space travel more than a hundred years before Apollo 11.

Even the queue was themed after the novel, with a Victorian look and feel. Guests walk through the chambers of the Baltimore Gun Club and see the plans and drawings of the Columbiad and the journey to the Moon. They then boarded Victorian-style “moon train” carts and were launched from the Columbiad Cannon at  0 to 44 mph in just 1.8 seconds.

It was actually the first roller coaster to feature on-board music, with a synchronized audio track that plays during the ride. Composer Steven Bramson created the soundtrack, drawing inspiration from John Williams’s film scores and the music from 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea to give the ride a Victorian atmosphere.

Space Mountain ‘From the Earth to the Moon’ closed in 2005 and reopened as Space Mountain: Mission 2. The ride swapped its Victorian theme for a new futuristic look, and the original Jules Verne story was replaced with a more generic space mission. The soundtrack was also changed to match the new futuristic theme, as guests now travelled to a supernova instead of the moon.

Finally, in 2017, Space Mountain: Mission 2 became Star Wars: Hyperspace Mountain. The music was switched to a medley of John Williams’ Star Wars score, and the mission changed to spying on an Imperial Star Destroyer.

Star Wars Hyperspace Mountain will close at the end of 2027 and begin its transformation back to the original classic inspired by Jules Verne’s From the Earth to the Moon.