It’s easy for us to take Disney attractions for granted, especially classics that don’t show their age. Space Mountain remains one of the most popular attractions at Walt Disney World, and it opened more than 43 years ago. The outer-space theming and sharp coaster design make it a thrilling but still accessible experience. That’s not an easy balance to strike, and Space Mountain is one of the best examples. Former Imagineer Bill Watkins designed the tracks for Space Mountain attractions on both coasts and is largely unknown to many guests.
Watkins’ work as a ride engineer was instrumental in making Space Mountain a success. This attraction was the first all-computer design, which Watkins describes in this fascinating article for the Progress City, U.S.A. blog. It is clear that Watkins understands the science behind putting together a great rollercoaster, and that helped immensely with Space Mountain.
Watkins spent two decades at Walt Disney Imagineering from 1966 to 1985, which was a transitional period for Disney. Along with Space Mountain, Watkins worked on Big Thunder Mountain Railroad, the WEDWay PeopleMover, and designs for the openings of Epcot and Tokyo Disneyland. He was kind enough to answer my questions about Space Mountain and a lot more during an e-mail interview this week. It was a real thrill to learn more about Watkins’ work and glimpse what it took to create these remarkable attractions.
Interview
What interested you about working in the theme park industry?
I had been working in aerospace where I designed some mechanical test equipment, but in recent years, I had been managing space simulation projects at Wright Patterson AFB, Goddard Space Flight Center, and The Manned Spacecraft Center. I missed the mechanical design. A very small ad appeared in the LA Times for someone to design amusement rides. I applied and found that it was Disney. I took along a photo of a race car that I was modifying and that turned out to be the thing that impressed them most. At that time, there were no graduate engineers in the show & ride department. I also was a registered mechanical engineer in California and Ohio.
How did you get started working at Walt Disney Imagineering?
First, there was a project that involved a mine train, and Arrow Development had built a test track in Mountain View. I began studying gravity ride design and had developed some principles that I thought should be applied. Arrow had built the Matterhorn ride. Their approach there was to use large pipe and install track anywhere and any shape that would fit. Then they would add drive units to add or absorb energy to control the speed and propel the vehicles around the course. I was not impressed with this, and after discussing it with them, began developing a different approach. First, smaller pipe that looked more like track rails and was much easier to form.
I began to study the mathematics of pure gravity rides and the proper design of curves with transitions that would be smooth. Disney was using computers for animation and business purposes, but there were none in our department. Dave Snyder helped me on that. He got a dial-up modem, which would communicate with a mainframe in Omaha. He spent two days with me, teaching me to program. That’s over simplifying. The program in that computer, RUSH, was kind of a teaching machine as well. So I designed a small test track with a 180-degree curve with transitions and used it with a single-seater vehicle to test the design principle.
You designed the track for Space Mountain in the mid-’70s. What were some of the biggest challenges when you were designing this track?
I’m a bit hazy on the chronology, but the Disneyland Space Mountain project had started at Arrow. The concept was a four-track system with single Matterhorn type vehicles. Again with large pipe and drive units. At some point, they concluded that they couldn’t do it; it wouldn’t fit in the space available. So I started looking at it and suggested a two-track system; small pipe and two-car trains. (Roger Broggie insisted on using the Matterhorn chassis).
So I found a space in Tomorrowland, which extended into the parking lot, and went to work laying out the course. The principles were: pure gravity and elevated block zone stations so that if a vehicle was late completing a zone, the vehicle behind would stop at an elevated position from where it could coast into the station. The shape of the building did not please Hench & Co., but fortunately the timing was right. They drew a 300-foot circle around my track layout and moved it to WDW.
A big difference between the Walt Disney World and Disneyland (which opened afterwards) versions is the different seating arrangement, which is side by side in California. Why was this approach chosen for Disneyland?
So after some months of installation and development, we got that open. At that point, Orlando Ferrante told me to go home and design another one, but this time they would only give me a 200 ft. diameter building. So I started out with a larger vehicle chassis and two-car train, which also permitted a different type of track. I designed a single track that would fit in the building with little penalty capacity-wise. So that explains the seating arrangement. It was a matter of dispatching 12 people instead of eight. Also, the eight-passenger version was limited by having people who were friendly enough to share a seat.
When you’re designing a “Wild Mouse” style coaster like Space Mountain in a place like Disneyland that isn’t a thrill park, how do you ensure that the experience is fun and not too intense?
Space Mountain is not a Wild Mouse type ride. The Wild Mouse does not have banked turns. By banking the turns, limiting the g forces and making smooth transitions, most people find the rides comfortable.
Space Mountain is the type of indoor attraction that feels so much faster than you’re actually travelling. How much of a role does the track play in enhancing the experience?
The many changes in direction, especially in the dark, tend to give the illusion of high speeds. But people compare the feeling there with the much higher speeds that they experience on the highway, so you will have people estimate the speed as high as 100 mph. (I heard a man in a restaurant telling his wife that number).
George McGinnis is well-known to Disney fans due to his work with you on Space Mountain and with the EPCOT Center attraction Horizons. What was it like to work with George?
The late George McGinnis and I were good friends. We worked together well. He influenced some of the track routing in both Space Mountains, such as my making room for the entry tunnel at WDW. Also the load/unload station and the run past a window at Disneyland. George had a very large influence on the configuration of both Space Mountains. He was responsible for the placement of the load/unload areas, the queue line layout, and the ramps.
George positioned the lifts and the re-entry tunnels. He designed the show effects and, I believe, the car bodies the second time around. (That was after I left the company). As I recall, Bob Gurr did them the first time. I designed the vehicle chassis. All I had to do was connect the lift to the re-entry.
You designed Big Thunder Mountain Railroad in Disneyland, which is notable for its multiple lift hills to split up the thrills. What were the reasons for taking that approach?
Big Thunder had its own set of issues, but nothing that caused any great difficulty. The multiple lifts allow the ride to be long enough without having to be very high. The lifts are spaced as block zones. A train is not released from the top of a lift (or the station) until the train ahead is far enough up its lift, that should it stop, the train behind will not collide with it.
You’ve written in the past about how computers have changed the way that rollercoasters are designed. Can you describe some of the most significant changes that occurred as computers became more involved in the process?
The computers are able to perform an enormous number of calculations in a short time. Without those calculations, it would be difficult to properly shape the track for comfort, safety, and timing.
You also worked on the design of the WEDWay PeopleMover with Bob Gurr. What was it like to work on that Disneyland attraction?
The WedWay was my first project. I had a lot to learn being new at Disney. I designed the drive units and the door mechanism. Bob designed the car bodies. I don’t remember all the details; it’s been a long time.
You worked at WDI from 1966 to 1985 before founding Ride & Show Engineering, Inc. What were some of the biggest changes that you saw in the industry during your time at Imagineering and beyond?
The biggest changes involve, as I mentioned, computers. There was CAD (Computer Aided Design) production of drawings as well. Controls moved from analog to digital. The Matterhorn had switches with boxes of relays clicking away. Now. I assume, it and other rides, have programmed digital controls that are more reliable and perform more functions. A lot of that occurred before 1985 and has progressed since.
Do you visit Disneyland and Walt Disney World regularly? If so, do you still take a ride on Space Mountain?
Last February, I was at Disneyland for the first time since 1986 when my company re-bodied the Monorail trains. I was last at Walt Disney World in 1988 when we installed the Norway Pavilion. In February. I was invited down to ride Space Mountain for the “last time”. Maybe they know something that I don’t…
Thanks to Bill Watkins for being so generous with his time to do this interview! Several photos in this article are courtesy of Bill Watkins.
Bill Watkins’ Articles
Progress City, U.S.A.: “Making Magic: How Computers Influenced Roller Coaster Design” (2010)
MousePlanet: “DL Space Mountain, Part 2” (2005)
Related Posts: Bill Watkins
Richard Bellis on Composing Music for Disney’s Parks
Interview with Composer Bruce Broughton (Tomorrow Society Podcast, Episode 33)
Dan –
Great article on Bill. I was a friend through sports cars & Bill helped me greatly getting a car restored. Bill passed away April 21, 2021. No plans yet for a memorial service. Bill moved from West Covina to Long Beach when his wife Beth died. We last saw him about 15 months ago. He had his drawing of Space Mountain above his desk. He claimed most of his friends were vintage car racers!
Bob, that’s really sad news about Bill. He was so cool to do this interview and always friendly in the other times we talked online during the past few years. He had an amazing career and seemed like a great guy. Thanks for the note and for letting me know about Bill’s passing.