Someone has to say it.

We LOVE spending time at Disney World. We are the quintessential Disney Adults, and we are very okay with that. However, going to Disney World this much also comes along with a lot of unfortunate experiences. We’ve discussed the unfortunate things that happen to us when we visit Magic Kingdom, but after some reflection… we couldn’t just stop there. We think now is a good time to discuss something many people may not want to admit, and it is the unfortunate things that happen while riding Space Mountain.

Not everything that happens in the dark has to be kept a secret, and other people around you have likely had the same experience. So, there is no shame here — let’s get into it!

Feeling Genuine Fear

The fear doesn’t need to be rational. When you’re completely immersed in the darkness going 25mph, things can feel SCARY. There are a few things on our list that make us mildly afraid or stressed out at the very least.

Let’s start with the most common — being afraid to put your hands up while on the ride. This is a thrilling, high-speed, turbulent roller coaster-type ride in the dark after all, and the darkness really adds another level of fear. When you can’t see anything above you, the idea of putting your hands in the air when you can’t see if you’re going to hit something is VERY real.

It doesn’t stop with hands, though. What if someone is REALLY tall? Well, chances are that they are also afraid of some serious injury… like hitting their head. When asking the DFB team about their unfortunate Space Mountain experiences, someone mentioned that this fear even stops their husband from riding. We totally get it, and if you feel like this — you’re not alone!

Last but not least, a fear for all of our glasses-wearing friends. If you wear glasses and forget to take them off, you may have a similar fear as us. The fear of LOSING your glasses while on the ride. We’ve all had moments of realization, and instead of enjoying the ride, have panicked and held our glasses onto our faces as if our lives depended on it.

Wardrobe Malfunctions

Listen, those ride vehicles don’t make it easy to avoid wardrobe malfunctions.

Specifically, malfunctions for those who prefer to wear skirts or dresses to the park. That is a great way to combat heat, but when it comes to getting on or off Space Mountain, it may lead to some unfortunate circumstances. For example, it feels nearly impossible to go through an entire ride on Space Mountain without flashing someone. Whether it is when you’re loading or unloading the ride, it is real. It happens, and you’re not alone.

Getting Out Of The Ride Vehicle

Have you ever tried to look graceful while getting out of the ride vehicle?

Well, we have. We haven’t had any success with that yet, but if you have — let us know how you made it happen. The way the seats are laid out makes it very difficult to stand up and make a quick, easy exit. If you’re like us, you want to be as efficient as possible and will do your best to make sure you’re not the last one to unload. So, working quick and also trying to be graceful hasn’t worked out for us quite yet… but at least we aren’t last (most of the time).

The PANIC When Kids Realize They Have To Sit By Themselves

We thought this deserved a category all its own.

Have you ever ridden Space Mountain with a kid for the first time? Better yet, have you ever been a child who rode Space Mountain for the first time with NO idea what it was going to be like? If you haven’t,  let us explain. It is TERRIFYING. When you don’t know that you have to sit by yourself, it almost feels like an out-of-body experience. The fear of barely being tall enough to ride and going into complete darkness is truly unmatched when you realize you have to sit alone.

We Realize We Are Getting Older

We didn’t want to be the ones to say it.

However, we can’t ignore it anymore. The amount of pain we feel after riding Space Mountain can’t be because we’ve had one too many rides… it is because we’re getting older.

Whether it is a headache, back pain, or a combination of both (don’t forget your pain reliever!) — it is one of the worst things to come out of the ride experience. We know the ride is jerky and bumpy, but we’d still like to experience the ride without feeling like we experienced the ride. Does that make sense?

We love Space Mountain, but these unfortunate things are TOO real and sometimes can be unavoidable. We hope this makes you feel more seen, because it sure did for us. We’re thinking about what other rides we tend to experience unfortunate things on, so keep checking back in with us at DFB to see what ride we talk about next!

10 Not-So-Magical Truths in Disney World

What unfortunate thing do you experience on Space Mountain? Let us know in the comments below!