“A New Mission” Tease Sparks Space Mountain Speculation

For nearly a decade, Star Wars has been at the heart of Space Mountain in Hong Kong. But a recent social media post from the park has sparked speculation that the franchise’s days in Tomorrowland may be numbered.

The image, shared by Hong Kong Disneyland’s ambassadors, shows the large X-wing stationed near Hyperspace Mountain. The caption notes that the ship will “soon depart for a new mission.” For an attraction so deeply associated with Star Wars, the wording was enough to set rumors in motion.

HKDLアンバサダーSNSが「X-Wingはもうすぐ新ミッションへ出発！」という投稿😳

「ハイパースペース・マウンテン」何か起こる？？？🤔#HKDL pic.twitter.com/kVXC3mHZu3

— Emporium HKDL情報🏰✨ (@hk_emporium) May 4, 2025

Tomorrowland in Transition

Hong Kong Disneyland’s version of Hyperspace Mountain was introduced in 2016 during the “Star Wars: Tomorrowland Takeover,” a campaign aimed at expanding the franchise’s presence in the region. While the track layout remained the same, the addition of in-ride projections, synchronized audio, and a large X-wing model gave the classic ride new life.

The overlay became permanent, setting it apart from other Disney parks. At Disneyland in California, Hyperspace Mountain is a seasonal offering, while Disneyland Paris continues to run a more intense, Star Wars-infused version year-round—though rumors persist that it might eventually return to its steampunk roots. Meanwhile, Tokyo Disneyland has taken a different route entirely, closing and demolishing its Space Mountain in 2024 for a full rebuild.

Credit: Tokyo Disney Resort

Amid those global shifts, Hong Kong’s Tomorrowland has been undergoing a steady transformation of its own.

From Star Wars to Stark Expo?

Since 2017, Disney has been reimagining parts of Tomorrowland as Stark Expo, its first Marvel-themed land. The land already includes Iron Man Experience and Ant-Man and The Wasp: Nano Battle!, and a new Spider-Man attraction is on the way. That ride, which reportedly shares tech with Tower of Terror, will replace the former Autopia site—originally cleared for a now-scrapped Avengers concept.

With Marvel continuing to dominate Disney’s IP strategy, it’s not difficult to imagine Space Mountain undergoing another transformation. Removing the Star Wars theming could create room for either a new Marvel overlay or a return to the original, IP-free concept that longtime fans still remember fondly.

Credit: Hong Kong Disneyland

The “new mission” tease could be just that—a tease. Disney hasn’t confirmed any changes to the ride itself, and the X-wing’s removal may not signal anything beyond visual updates. Still, in a land that’s actively shifting toward Marvel, the timing has caught the attention of fans and analysts alike.

If the Star Wars era of Hyperspace Mountain is indeed ending, it would mark a notable shift in strategy for Hong Kong Disneyland. Whether the ride is rethemed, restored, or completely reinvented, any change would reflect Tomorrowland’s evolving identity—and Disney’s ongoing balancing act between nostalgia and new storytelling.