Space Mountain Closes in July, Aika Kanda Reflects on Her Childhood

In 1983, Tokyo Disneyland opened. I made my Disney debut there at age 3 and ever since, Disneyland has been the go-to amusement park for me.

My first roller coaster was Space Mountain. It was in complete darkness, simulating space. Suddenly, gravity hit from all directions, creating a shocking experience. For 40 years, Space Mountain has been my number one roller coaster.

However, this July, it’s ending its run. To thank them for all the fun times, my four close friends from junior high and high school decided, “Let’s ride it together after several years!”

We arrived an hour before opening, but it was already packed and buzzing with excitement. Originally planning to ride Space Mountain at least twice, we got caught up in the atmosphere and decided to challenge ourselves with a “how many rides can we do” mentality from our school days.

 

As soon as we entered, we power-walked straight to Space Mountain. While waiting in line, we used a dedicated app to secure our second ride reservation, ensuring our goal was within reach. “Alright! What’s the next attraction?”

 

Nowadays, popular rides require either waiting in long lines or paying 1500 to 2000 yen for a priority pass to skip the lines. This paid system was new to us and we were shocked that even the Magic Kingdom had become capitalist.

 

However, we’re deep into middle age now, working and taking care of ourselves. Plus, our legs aren’t what they used to be. If paying 2000 yen means less hassle… “Let’s just buy them all!” We went on a spree buying priority passes.

 

Skipping the lines made us realize how much less tiring it was. At that moment, watching students wait 120 minutes in line, I suddenly worried, “Won’t they end up arguing?”

Paying 2000 yen is a finely balanced decision influenced by economic circumstances. If your friend is the “buying type” and you prefer to “wait in line,” it could lead to differences in judgment. Nowadays, I could easily say, “I don’t have the money!” But during adolescence, it’s more challenging. However, saying, “I’ll wait in line, so why don’t you buy and go ahead ?” probably wouldn’t happen either.

Disneyland, supposed to be a fun time, can sometimes lead to divided opinions because of paid priority lanes. Some find them convenient, while others feel they strain friendships. It made me wonder if the old days, when you had to rely on perseverance in line, were actually happier.

While moving around, someone exclaimed, “Hey! Isn’t that a princess?” upon spotting the Disney princesses during a parade crossing. Their cuteness made everyone briefly light up with excitement, but upon seeing the actresses playing the princesses, we all remarked in unison, “They’re still foreigners, huh?