During Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party we exited through the side of the building If you haven’t ridden Space Mountain in a while, you will notice something different the next time you go. There has been a change that I personally think is for the better. The change isn’t to the ride itself, it’s the exit area that is different.
For several months when exiting the ride guests would go out a back way that would take them out the side of the building. You wouldn’t see the different places where you could “visit”, you would pretty much take a back hallway and walk out the door. That is no longer the case.
The main exit area is now open again, but there is one noticeable difference. There is no longer a moving sidewalk. Instead, you’ll walk past the scenes of where you can “visit”. You’ll then keep going until you exit into the gift shop.
I think that this was a great idea. I know a lot of people who complain of feeling slightly lightheaded after riding Space Mountain, and the moving sidewalk made things worse. Now you can go at your own pace. Those who feel lightheaded can hang back if they want. If you’re in a hurry, you can pick up your pace a bit.
The removal of the moving sidewalk also means that people can’t fool around on it. There’s no more jumping, and no more kids (or adults) hurting their hands when they hold onto the railing to try to get the whole thing to stop. There’s also no more almost falling at the end when getting off and not quite catching your balance. I never thought that the moving sidewalk after Space Mountain was the best idea. I’m glad that someone at Disney decided to remove this safety hazard.