Do you know why Space Mountain entrance starts off down a flight of stairs?

[Memphis 105]

Well I didn’t.

 

I never really thought about it until yesterday when I was looking at a map of Magic Kingdom and saw the railroad tracks go between the big round building and the building that you enter to ride SM.  You actually go down through a tunnel under the railroad tracks and then come up into the actual Space Mountain building.

 

Don’t really know why I had the need to share this information.  I guess it just amazes me that as long as I have been going to Disney and as many times as I have been in the parks I am always learning something new.

 

 

[Total Joker ... TJ 203]

Things that make you go hmmmmm.

[devores 382]

Its also the reason for the drop in Pirates. When you go down the drop after the beach scene, you go under the train tracks and into a large bldg. on the other side.

[Lou... 3,118]

Here's a question, the tunnel that you have to walk through to get to SM, is it actually underground or does it just bring you to ground level?

Same with Pirates. BTW, I don't know the answer. 

[devores 382]

Here's a question, that tunnel that you have to walk through to get to SM, is it actually underground or does it just bring you to ground level?

Same with Pirates. BTW, I don't know the answer. 

In the case of SM, ground level is a relative term. Yes, the utilidors are ground level for MK, but there are no utilidors in that area, so that would be ground level. So the tunnel you walk through to get to the entrance would be underground. The pirates one drops too much so even though there are utilidors in that area, a portion of the tunnel is underground.

[Lou... 3,118]

So the tunnel you walk through to get to the entrance would be underground. 

 

 

Makes sense if the train tracks are at ground level in that area, but are they elevated at that point? If they are even with the MK level, wouldn't the tunnel that goes underneath them be at ground level?

[mouseketab.....Carol 1,261]

Weren't the train tracks built on like an earthen "berm", so while technical built up to match the "show level" of the building, technically since there is dirt beneath it, that is ground level for the train?

[devores 382]

Makes sense if the train tracks are at ground level in that area, but are they elevated at that point? If they are even with the MK level, wouldn't the tunnel that goes underneath them be at ground level?

Since there are no utilidors in that area, then that would be ground level. There is nothing beneath it to make it a second level. It would be no different than a hill. If you build something on a hill, is it considered a second level? Even though the land was built up around makes no difference. That is now the ground level and therefore, the tunnel goes below that ground level.

 

Weren't the train tracks built on like an earthen "berm", so while technical built up to match the "show level" of the building, technically since there is dirt beneath it, that is ground level for the train?

I agree.

[Lou... 3,118]

Let's be a little bit more precise and call ground level "elevation" instead, which would be the number of feet above sea level.

The MK street level is at a certain elevation and the surrounding untouched area has a different elevation, a difference of 20 to 25 feet.

Which level are the train tracks at in that area, MKs or at the surrounding area's level?