Space Mountain Earthrise & Wreck-It Ralph Ride Names, New Details & D23 Model Revealed!

Disney has pulled back the curtain on the brand-new Space Mountain Earthrise attraction, the coaster that’s similar–but not identical–to Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind. Here’s the latest on this ride being built in Tomorrowland at Tokyo Disneyland, including detailed photos of the model in the Walt Disney Imagineering booth on the show floor of the 2026 D23 Expo.

Originally announced back in 2022, Space Mountain Earthrise will maintain its original concept as an indoor roller coaster journey through outer space, but will have enhanced performance and immersive special effects that will give guests even more thrills on this exciting rocket ride. These will give guests even more thrills throughout their journey and will provide a greater connection between Earth and the universe.

An attraction since Tokyo Disneyland first opened, Space Mountain will return with various enhancements, a new story, and rich and dynamic show elements to take guests on an even more thrilling and captivating journey through outer space. Space Mountain Earthrise will be located at the back of the new courtyard that’s called Tomorrowland Plaza. This area — a symbolic portrayal of mankind and nature existing in harmony — connects the Tomorrowland of the past and future, and is the heart of the updated land.

Tomorrowland Plaza will be decorated with structures inspired by the elements that make up nature, such as fire, water, earth, and wood, and by the light from celestial objects such as the Sun and Moon. For guests resting at Tomorrowland Plaza, these many monuments will serve as reminders of the interconnectedness of humanity, nature, and space. When night falls, the area will transform with lights and sounds to deliver a world filled with hope, dreams, and surprise. “Guests can let their endless dreams for the future soar at Tomorrowland Plaza” per Tokyo Disneyland.

Some of that endless dreaming can occur can when guests visit Element Express at Tomorrowland Plaza for snacks and drinks that are perfect for relaxing. But for now, let’s dig into fresh details of each attraction:

Wreck-It Ralph Sugar Rush: Sweet Rescue

Tokyo Disneyland has announced that the attraction themed to the Walt Disney Animation Studios film Wreck-It Ralph is set to open in Spring 2027, and will be officially named Sugar Rush: Sweet Rescue.

Sugar Rush: Sweet Rescue will transport guests into a vibrant game world where Ralph, Vanellope, and others need everyone’s help to save the candy-filled world from being destroyed by Sugar Bugs and defeat King Candy. Guests will dive into a colorful world of video games to restore the Sugar Bugs back to their original “kawaii” forms of gummy candies, cupcakes, and other confectionery.

The attraction introduces new technology to Tokyo Disney Resort for a family-friendly interactive experience that is the first of its kind for any Disney theme park.

OLC has previously indicated that they’re investing approximately ¥29.5 billion on Sugar Rush: Sweet Rescue. That’s a staggering sum for an attraction that was believed to be a ride reimagining that would utilize existing infrastructure. I will be really, really curious to see where all of that money is spent.

Located next to Sugar Rush: Sweet Rescue will be Pixel Prism. This gift shop will sell a variety of merchandise, including items inspired by the attraction. There will also be Popping Station, a popcorn stand, located near Sugar Rush: Sweet Rescue, facing Tomorrowland Plaza.

Space Mountain Earthrise

Space Mountain Earthrise is an all-new indoor roller coaster, built from the ground-up behind the old Space Mountain. Earthrise takes guests on an unforgettable journey through outer space, featuring brand new architecture and a newly developed ride system that combines imaginative storytelling and immersive theatrical effects inspired by the wonders of space.

Space Mountain Earthrise begins with a powerful launch from Earth, hurtling guests aboard their ride vehicles deep into space. From there, guests enjoy an experience throughout the cosmos, with special light and sound effects inspired by various space phenomena.

Additionally, in a first for roller coasters at Tokyo Disney Resort, the ride vehicles will come equipped with an onboard audio system. The attraction’s exterior incorporates curved features designed after the movements of celestial bodies and forms found in nature, such as trees and flowers. Disney calls this “an expression of the connection between space and nature.”

The “Earthrise” in Space Mountain Earthrise refers to the sight of Earth from space as it rises from beyond the Moon’s surface, just as the Sun rises from the horizon. The name captures the beauty and preciousness of Earth as an unparalleled existence within the universe.

Earthrise is a concept unique to Japan among Space Mountain attractions at Disney theme parks worldwide. Through an exciting and captivating cosmic voyage, guests will explore the mysteries of the vast universe, and as they do, rediscover the beauty of our planet and be instilled with hope for tomorrow.

Here are photos of the Space Mountain Earthrise model on display in the Walt Disney Imagineering “Horizons” pavilion on the show floor of the 2026 D23 Expo:

This is a construction project we’ve been watching take shape for the last couple of years. It’s exciting as fans of Tokyo’s Tomorrowland and Space Mountain, and it’s also the first blockbuster attraction for the next generation of Imagineering post-COVID.

When the reimagined Space Mountain was first announced, OLC revealed that the investment would be approximately 56 billion yen. That was a staggering sum that would have made it one of the most expensive Disney attractions of all-time.

Fast forward a few years, and OLC upped the already blockbuster budget to 70.5 billion yen in its recent quarterly report. With the release of the attraction names, OLC again confirmed that the total investment for the transformation of Tomorrowland’s central area is over 100 billion yen.

As we previously, explained it’s tough to put that number into context due to the current strength of the dollar and weakness of the yen. (For more on the exchange rate, see Is It Cheaper to Visit Tokyo Disney Resort Than Walt Disney World in 2026?) Using the exchange rate from 2019 or the two decades prior, the budget for Space Mountain Earthrise would’ve been around $700 million USD. Now, it’s closer to $500 million.

In all likelihood, the new Space Mountain Earthrise will hold the crown as the most expensive attraction Imagineering has ever built as of its opening in 2027. The only other candidates as potentially costing more that come to mind are Enchanted Tale of Beauty and the Beast, Anna & Elsa’s Frozen Journey, Peter Pan’s Never Land Adventure, Avatar Flight of Passage, Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance, and Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind.

Of course, OLC is not spending dollars–they’re spending yen. Meaning that once the investment cost is localized, it is the biggest budget attraction that Imagineering has built to date. At least, that we know of and for now.

Due to higher labor and materials costs, along with overall inflation, there’s a near-certainty that multiple attractions currently under construction at Walt Disney World and Disneyland will surpass Space Mountain Earthrise.

Space Mountain Earthrise Ride System

Speaking of Cosmic Rewind, we’ve been discussing the parallels between that and Space Mountain Earthrise for the last several years. Since this was announced, it’s been widely expected thatEarthrise would be a successor, either in spirit or more directly, to Cosmic Rewind as another one of Imagineering’s blockbuster family-friendly roller coasters.

Photos and video shared on social media by guests from the Tokyo Disney Resort Line monorail reveal a ride vehicle that looks similar to Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind, which is the first Disney Omnicoaster. Cosmic Rewind was a collaboration between Walt Disney Imagineering and roller coaster manufacturer, Vekoma. Cosmic Rewind is the first Walt Disney World roller coaster able to do a reverse launch, and the ride profile with the Omnicoaster feels a bit like dancing.

However, we also know that Vekoma is not the manufacturer of the roller coaster being used on Space Mountain Earthrise. So it’snot a complete one-for-one clone of Cosmic Rewind.

Back when construction first began, eagle-eyed roller coaster enthusiasts identified one section as being drop track manufactured by Intamin. Intamin is one of the ‘big’ roller coaster manufacturers that’s behind other Disney rides, including Raging Spirits at Tokyo DisneySea, Indiana Jones et le Temple du Péril at Disneyland Paris, Incredicoaster at Disney California Adventure, and more.

Intamin has also collaborated with Universal, including Jurassic World VelociCoaster at Islands of Adventure and on Hiccup’s Wing Gliders at Epic Universe. More notable for our purposes is the Fast & Furious: Hollywood Drift Roller Coaster at Universal Studios Hollywood and Universal Studios Florida.

The Vekoma vs. Intamin distinction definitely matters to hardcore roller coaster enthusiasts, but is fairly meaningless to everyone else. It feels eerily similar to the Indiana Jones Adventure vs. DINOSAUR debate that played out among Disney fans for years, except almost the opposite, since those were the same underlying ride systems.

In the end, it doesn’t much matter whether the ride system is technically more similar to Fast & Furious: Hollywood Drift than it is Cosmic Rewind. Even without knowing more, I’ll be willing to bet it ends up feeling more like Cosmic Rewind just based on guest demographics and preferences.

The bottom line is that we now know that Space Mountain will be a “storytelling coaster,” which is to say it’s a roller coaster with a show component, just like Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind. We assumed as much before given the full rebuild of the attraction and its blockbuster budget, but the sneak peek of the ride vehicles confirms as much.

There have been rumors over the years that there was a pitch for Cosmic Rewind minus Marvel. In our review, we also called it a next-generation twist on Space Fantasy at Universal Studios Japan. This new Space Mountain sounds like it’ll basically be a mix of that, regardless of whether the core coaster is made by Intamin or Vekoma.

Ultimately, it’s been interesting to watch the new Space Mountain Earthrise continue to take shape and it appears the attraction is in the home stretch before blast off. We’re really looking forward to the revitalized Tomorrowland, and can’t wait to experience the plaza, Earthrise and Sugar Rush: Sweet Rescue.

Our expectation is that Space Mountain Earthrise is on-track to open alongside the new Wreck-It Ralph ride, which already has an official opening season of Spring 2027. Both attractions and this new-look area of Tomorrowland will likely all officially open on April 15, 2027, which is Tokyo Disneyland’s anniversary.

This means OLC and Walt Disney Imagineering should officially pull back the curtain more on the ride in the months to come, potentially revealing even more at the 2026 D23 Expo. Although the model is already being shown on the show floor, we wouldn’t be surprised to see concept art from inside the attraction–and perhaps some test footage–during the Parks Panel. Stay tuned!

Planning a trip to Tokyo Disney Resort? For comprehensive advice, the best place to start is our Tokyo Disneyland & DisneySea Trip Planning Guide! For more specifics, our TDR Hotel Rankings & Reviews page covers accommodations. Our Restaurant Reviews detail where to dine & snack. To save money on tickets or determine which type to buy, read our Tips for Saving Money post. Our What to Pack for Disney post takes a unique look at clever items to take. Venturing elsewhere in Japan? Consult our Ultimate Guide to Kyoto, Japan and City Guide to Tokyo, Japan.

YOUR THOUGHTS

What do you think of Space Mountain Earthrise and Sugar Rush: Sweet Rescue? Notice anything in the photos of the model? Excited for another Omnicoaster or “story coaster” or whatever OLC/WDI end up dubbing this? What do you think of the new Space Mountain rising in Tomorrowland at Tokyo Disneyland? Surprised that this is currently (probably) the most expensive Disney ride ever? Agree or disagree with our assessments? Any questions? Share your thoughts in the comments!