The Perfect Time to Ride Space Mountain in Disney World

Space Mountain is arguably the most intense roller coaster in Magic Kingdom.

While some feel Tiana’s Bayou Adventure is more thrilling because of the drop or that Big Thunder Mountain Railroad is because of its wild track, Space Mountain is in pretty much pitch darkness, which is pretty intense. However, it’s one of the most popular rides in the park, which means it can get some pretty high wait times. If you’re trying to find the best time to ride it with the lowest wait time possible, here are the best times to hop in line!

Early Entry/Rope Drop

Early Entry is open to Disney World hotel guests every single day of their trip in every park. You can enter whichever Disney World park you’d like 30 minutes before other guests and experience the attractions in Fantasyland and Tomorrowland, which is where Space Mountain is located!

This means that heading straight to Space Mountain during Early Entry is a fantastic way to ride it with a low wait time — you may even be able to ride it more than once before it gets too long!

However, if you don’t have Early Entry, rope dropping (a.k.a. being among the first to arrive early in the morning) Space Mountain is also a great way to still experience it with a lower wait time than you may see throughout the rest of the day. Just make sure you factor in the time it’ll take to get from the Transportation and Ticket Center to Magic Kingdom and be as close to the front of the rope drop crowd as you can be!

Right After It Reopens

Just like all Disney World rides, Space Mountain is prone to closures when it has technical or mechanical issues. Sometimes, it’s only closed for half an hour, while other times can be multiple hours.

If it’s closed when you walk up, you can ask a Cast Member outside if they have an idea when it’ll be reopening. While most times they can’t tell you an exact time, they’ll usually hint if it’s going to be soon or if it’s going to be awhile. If they’re hinting it could open soon, you may want to stick around, because getting in line right when it reopens means it’s likely a walk on! 

It’s a little hard to time it out, but if you can hit it right, it’s fantastic!

During Fireworks

Many Disney World guests don’t want to miss out on the fireworks to ride attractions, so between half an hour to five minutes before the fireworks begin, you might start to notice wait times going down for popular attractions. This is because everyone’s heading over to grab their spot for the fireworks!

This is another great time to ride Space Mountain with a lower wait time, but ONLY if you personally are okay with missing the fireworks, too. Happily Ever After is a wonderful, magical show, but if fireworks aren’t your thing, or you’ve seen it tons of times before and don’t mind missing it, then jump in line!

After the Fireworks

However, if you do want to watch the fireworks, don’t panic! Many guests choose to leave after the fireworks because they feel their park day is over or they’re tired and want to get into bed. But oftentimes, the park is open for another hour or so after the fireworks, which means it’s a great time to get in line for any attraction — especially Space Mountain!

Our recommendation? Watch the fireworks from somewhere on the right side of Main Street U.S.A. or the Hub, closer to Tomorrowland. When the show ends, quickly (but DON’T RUN) make your way over to Space Mountain. As you’re walking over, check your My Disney Experience App though to ensure it’s not wildly high. If it’s 40+ minutes, you may want to reevaluate and wait another half hour before riding to allow more time for people to head out of the park.

Worst case, you can hop in line for the right a MINUTE before the park closes and still be allowed to ride!

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When is your favorite time to ride Space Mountain? Tell us in the comments!