Space Mountain’s Moon Story Returns to Disneyland Paris

Disneyland Paris is bringing the Moon back to Space Mountain. Star Wars Hyperspace Mountain closes at the end of 2027 for a refurbishment lasting several months, and when the coaster reopens it’ll carry the attraction’s original name and story: Space Mountain – De la Terre à la Lune.

Walt Disney Imagineering Paris is designing the refreshed aesthetics now. The work goes well past a paint job. Indoor sets and props, an enhanced queue, and new effects all return the mountain to its 1995 vision, with the story shifted to an idealized era of the first voyages to the Moon in Discoveryland’s steampunk style. Special effects will enhance the blast sequence out of the 22-meter-long Columbiad Cannon.

What’s Changing Inside the Mountain

Steve Bramson’s score comes back fully remastered, and that’s the detail that got me. Hearing that music swell again as the cannon fires is going to wreck a lot of people who rode this thing in the ’90s. The redesigned queue puts trains back in view, pulling guests into the story before they board, and beloved elements return alongside new scenic details. More than 30 years of technology advances feed into the project, including the exterior dome lighting installed in 2025 that already reshaped the building’s nighttime look.

The attraction opened in 1995 with a blend of thrills, world-first innovations, retro-futuristic design, and a storyline drawn from Jules Verne’s “From the Earth to the Moon.” It evolved across the years into new destinations and galaxies, and for the past decade guests have flown a secret Rebel Alliance mission as Star Wars Hyperspace Mountain.

Imagineering’s Take on the Project

Keith Rector, Senior Manager, Creative Art Direction at Walt Disney Imagineering Paris, framed the job as reimagining an icon rather than simply restoring it. “When Space Mountain first opened in 1995, it set a new standard as one of the most groundbreaking and immersive roller coasters across all Disney Parks,” he said. “While staying true to the spirit and legacy of the original voyage, this new version will make use of all the innovations and cutting-edge technology introduced over the years in the attraction, to deliver an even more exciting experience for our guests.”

Part of the New Magic Program

Space Mountain – De la Terre à la Lune marks a milestone in New Magic, the initiative recently launched at Disneyland Paris to improve the guest experience and refresh classic attractions. The most recent addition is enhanced scenery along the banks of the Rivers of the Far West in Frontierland, built from Disney Legend Marc Davis’ original designs. Several other projects sit at various stages of development and will be unveiled in phases.

Shark Take: a 2027 closure sounds far off, but this is a multi-month refurbishment on the resort’s headline coaster. If Hyperspace Mountain is a must-ride for you, plan a Disneyland Paris trip before the end of 2027.

Source: Disneyland Paris News