STAR WARS: Season of the Force - HYPERSPACE MOUNTAIN

Finally, after weeks of anticipation, I found some time to hit the park with a buddy and ride the new Space Mountain. All I can say is that my low expectations were blown away. What I feared would be a lazy mash-up of Star Wars and Space Mountain turned out to be a lot more exciting and inspired.

Keep in mind that as always, I will be discussing the ride in detail. If you wish to experience it for yourself without "spoilers", stop reading here.

The new Fastpass for Hyperspace Mountain was a pleasant surprise.

Now, having always been a huge Star Wars fan, the prospect of a Star Wars-themed Space Mountain has appealed to me for a long time. I've always imagined soaring through the void of artificial space while John Williams' TIE Fighter Attack blasts triumphantly in the background. That experience alone makes Hyperspace Mountain worth it. However, after the project was officially announced, I began to worry that a mess of ships and lasers spinning all around you via projectors would fail to capture the excitement of a Star Wars space battle. I'm happy to say that I was wrong.

What stood out were the little tricks and surprises that really drive this attraction home--from the Star Destroyer in the beginning to shooting the TIE Fighter down. Some of the effects, such as the X-Wing flyby, fell a little flat for me. However, I was pleasantly surprised overall. I will never get over that drop with the TIE Fighter roaring overhead and the startling laser fire. That was the moment I thought, "Wow, I'm in Star Wars."

My greatest fear was that this would be cheesy and overdone, and I'm pleased that this was not the case. It was paced just right, to emulate the intensity and chaos of a dogfight while maintaining the emptiness and vastness of space. It's not perfect, but for my money, it's the best Disney could have done. This will be a must-see attraction for any Star Wars fan.