Bill Watkins, 87, the man behind the beloved Disney ride Space Mountain, took one final trip ... to ride it when it debuted at Disneyland in 1977, hadn’t been on the ride himself in 13 years ...

In fact, it wouldn’t make its West Coast entrance until two years later in May 1977. Space Mountain was a ride originally dreamed up by Walt Disney. The attraction was first announced in 1972 as ...