News: Disneyland Paris opens Space Mountain II

Posted at 7:53 PM EDT (2353 GMT)

Apr. 6th, 2005 -- While the Jules Verne storyline of "From Earth to the Moon" has worked for the past decade, Space Mountain will reopen with a new look on Saturday.

Many new effects have been introduced for the new ride, including high definition video projection which will show star fields and supernovas in high detail.

The revamping comes on the heels of Disneyland Paris' recent restructuring of its $2.2 billion dollars in loans. Disneyland Paris has never pulled in the crowds as it was originally planned, but park owners hope that by the end of 2005 nearly 13 million people will have visited Disneyland Paris.

To help keep the attendance increasing, the park plans to open at least one new ride each year. 2006 will add Buzz Lightyear's Laser Blast, while 2007 bring a new Toon Studios attraction. The largest improvement will come in 2008 to the park's neighboring Walt Disney Studios with the addition of Tower of Terror. Park owners hope the improvements will draw in more of the 122 million people with easy access to the park.