Being particularly gifted in the height department has its benefits. But it also comes with certain inconveniences—doorways are more dangerous than they should be, and jeans are always too short.
Now, most often, shorter people get the…well, short end of the stick at amusement parks, but Space Mountain holds a particular fear for tall people.
Technically, you cannot be too tall to ride Space Mountain unless you are too tall to fit in the rollercoaster’s rocket. There is no maximum height limit for Disney’s Space Mountain, however, you may need to slouch, squeeze, or adjust your leg position in order to fit inside the ride vehicle.
Some attendants at Walt Disney World allow this; others don’t. Disney World does safety tests to ensure no guest will be at risk of hitting their heads and hands on their rides.
While you know deep down that you won’t be endangered on a Disney ride including space mountain, sometimes it is hard to get the irrational part of your brain to cooperate!
Hopefully, after reading this article, you will be more equipped to silence the little voice in your head screaming about banging your arms or head the next time you are lining up to ride Space Mountain!
Can You Be Too Tall to Ride Space Mountain?
Great news for our extra-length Walt Disney World fans, there is technically no upper limit to the height restrictions in Disney parks.
However, there are some Disney world rides that may be more uncomfortable for taller people due to the amount of space they have within the seats. Space Mountain is, unfortunately, one of the Disney World rides that fall into the more cramped category.
Space Mountain Height Requirement
While the official rules don’t prevent you from riding space mountain, there is a possibility that the ride attendants might not let you on to Space Mountain. This is because of the way the leg space is set up.
The set-up requires your legs to be together to fit under a bar. If you are taller, you might need to put your legs to the side (around the bar, instead of under it), but not all attendants are happy to allow this altered riding position, and to be honest, this should be respected.
You may also be too small, if you are wondering “how tall to ride Space Mountain” the official height requirement for Space Mountain is is 44 inches (113 centimeters) or taller.
Does Seat Choice Influence Leg Room?
There is always a bit of debate over whether the front or back of the ride offers more legroom.
The best tip that I can give you is to ask the attendants on space mountain if there is a seat or row with more room for taller people. After all, these guys are professionals, and they work with the rides on a regular basis.
Do I Have to Ride Space Mountain Bent Over?
Space Mountain is an indoor ride, and they keep the lights off so that you have the full “space” experience.
However, the darkness of the ride gives Space Mountain an enclosed feeling, which can make you feel that at any moment you might hit your head on something.
For taller people, this is more of a worry, and many want to know if they should duck or bend over on the Space Mountain ride.
The answer is no! As long as you fit into the seat, even if you have to have to do some slouching and maneuvering so that your legs fit under or around the seat bar, you should have no reason to hunch over.
Remember, Walt Disney World is all about keeping their guests safe and happy. If they made a ride that would be unsuitable and even dangerous for taller guests, they would definitely put a maximum on space mountain height restriction.
Of course, knowing all of this is not going to stop your instinctive ducking on space mountain unless you have extreme willpower!
Here’s a YouTube video of Space Mountain with the lights on so you can see for yourself if you are too tall!
Can You Put Your Hands Up On Space Mountain?
Maybe you are of the opinion that it’s not a rollercoaster ride if you don’t get to throw your hands in the air. But you’ve been terrified by that pesky myth that your hands will be injured if you put them up on Space Mountain. This is simply not true.
You can put your hands up on Space Mountain without fear of hitting them on anything.
Disney does recommend that you keep your hands and arms within the ride vehicle at all times—for all of their rides, not just Space Mountain. However, they do also know that some people will raise their hands on rollercoasters, and they are not going to teach you a lesson the hard way, just to prove a point.
I cannot stress enough that Disney World is one of the most genuinely user-conscious corporations out there.
As with the height restrictions, if you were not allowed to raise your hands on space mountain, they certainly wouldn’t forget to post signs and warnings everywhere to ensure your safety.
Does Walt Disney World Do Height and Reach Clearance Tests on All of Their Rides
Disney design teams have both considered and confirmed the safety of your hands and head; they even have a specific test for it.
There is a special ride vehicle that gets to ride all of the Disney rollercoasters first; but don’t be jealous of the machine, you only want to go on the ride after it has been tested! This ride vehicle simulates the maximum possible reach of long arms to ensure that no one will be able to make contact with anything while their hands are in the air.
And, of course, if your raised arms are clear, so is your head.
Conclusion: Space Mountain Too Tall Myth
Technically, you cannot be too tall to ride Space Mountain unless you are too tall to fit in the rollercoaster’s rocket.
Taller people, or at least, people with longer legs, might have to adopt alternative leg positions in order to fit in the ride vehicle, but even this is still an accepted practice for riding Space Mountain. However, there are some attendants that will not let you on the ride unless your legs fit perfectly under the bar.
The Walt Disney World Resort is a machine that pre-tests all of the rides before they are opened to the public and makes sure that there is sufficient space between the ride scenery and the maximum height and reach of their potential guests.
The point of this is to ensure that no person will be able to touch any part of the ride frame at any point. Essentially, they do a dismemberment risk test, which is good news for tall people!
Space Mountain vs Big Thunder Mountain Railroad
So be brave plunge into the darkness and enjoy space mountain, and tell your friends you rode space mountain, one of the most famous Disney World rides or if you still fancy a thrill with the lights on take a trip on Big Thunder Mountain Railroad instead!
