How scary is FJ? Can I just suck it up and do it?

[chimo2u]

Hello....as you can tell by my title, I am a big scardy cat when it comes to rides that are new and unfamiliar! I just watched the latest movie yesterday, and some of the scenes in HP Deathly Hallows made me jump and cover my ears and eyes!!! I managed to watch the whole movie though and did enjoy it.

My son (14) and I are going to Universal in February just the 2 of us (FEB 10-13) and he of course wants to ride FJ very badly. I want to join him, as going on a ride by yourself is no fun if you have someone along who could be sharing it with you!! I don't want to chicken out and not ride. Do you have any tips about how I could make myself more "comfortable" persay riding this ride?

I think the things that will bother me the most are things popping out at me in the dark. The motion, I think I can handle as I managed to ride everything at WDW except for Misson Space Orange side (did green side)....I don't like strong gravitational pulls, that makes me very sick. (Think Octapus ride at the local summer midway)....thus I stuck to the green side to be safe!

I am affected by pschycological thrills.....things that go bump in the night, and things that pop out do scare the bejeezies out of me!! That's why I am hoping that perhaps I can do ok if I close my eyes/and plug my ears at some of the more freaky parts. I reeeally don't want to leave my DS to do this alone! I am scared, but I can overcome, so I am hopeful that there is hope for me to experience this!!!

PS....I remember being so scared to do TOT last year and my DIS friends told me I would regret it if I didn't try it for myself and that I was missing out on a really fun ride. You know what??? They where right, it was no big deal, I had stressed myself for 2 trips over that ride and when I just got brave enough to go on it, it was AWESOME fun!!! I loved it.

Those dementors and spiders in FJ really give me the creeps though
I need tips/courage to get through that!

This fear also applies to the Mummy ride.....another ride full of unknowns for me. I am hoping though, that due to the many people who say it's their favourite (and many non-coaster lovers too) that I will be able to work through my fear and enjoy it!

So, with all that said, can you dear disser's come to the rescue of a ride weenie and help me out so I can enjoy my time with my teen son!!!

Thanks in advance!

 

[damo]

I find ToT scarier than FJ.

 

[chimo2u]

I find ToT scarier than FJ.

Really? What about ToT did you find most scariest? was it the theme/ or the drop??? I just loved the drop, which I thought would be scary, but actually had no real affect on me at all, I found it to be just smooth, fun airtime! my 14 yo son really doesn't like ToT on the other hand, he says it makes him feel really weird in his stomach and he doesn't like the drop.

What's mostly scaring me about FJ is those creepy dementors popping in my face and the thought of the spiders (especially the big one!)
I hate to admit it, but even the effects of ITTBAB at AK even freaked me out! I sat far forward in my seat for the bee and I got off the bench before the ending and stood by the nice CM who knew I was nervous!

so hope I can figure out some coping techniques to help me enjoy/or at least GET THROUGH FJ!

ETA: I would LOVE to be able to come back to the Dis and say "FJ was so much fun!!!" like I did with ToT!!!!

 

[mesaboy2]

For me anyway, the "scary" element is not the motion aspects of the ride. Without giving anything away, there are at least 4 different kinds of creatures from the movies that either pop out at you or you go very close to. I love it, but you may not. I recommend you do it, but just keep telling yourself it's only a (most awesome) ride!

 

[damo]

Really? What about ToT did you find most scariest? was it the theme/ or the drop??? I just loved the drop, which I thought would be scary, but actually had no real affect on me at all, I found it to be just smooth, fun airtime! my 14 yo son really doesn't like ToT on the other hand, he says it makes him feel really weird in his stomach and he doesn't like the drop.

What's mostly scaring me about FJ is those creepy dementors popping in my face and the thought of the spiders (especially the big one!)
I hate to admit it, but even the effects of ITTBAB at AK even freaked me out! I sat far forward in my seat for the bee and I got off the bench before the ending and stood by the nice CM who knew I was nervous!

so hope I can figure out some coping techniques to help me enjoy/or at least GET THROUGH FJ!

ETA: I would LOVE to be able to come back to the Dis and say "FJ was so much fun!!!" like I did with ToT!!!!

Just the anticipation of the drop is the scariest thing on ToT. I don't find anything on FJ in the least bit scary...not even slightly. I don't find it any scarier than Haunted Mansion.

 

[the Dark Marauder]

You'll probably be screaming so much, someone might think a Howler was installed on the ride!

But seriously, if you *have to*, you can close your eyes during the spider sequence. It starts after the dragon spits breath on you and ends when you hear Hermione warn you about the Whomping Willow. Try to keep your eyes open and SCREAM as loud as you can. Nothing will harm you, but it will try. Don't worry, Harry will save you.

 

[Amber Leigh]

I am a huge ride baby and I will admit, while I was in line to Forbidden Journey, I was a little freaked out inside. But honestly, it's one of my favorite rides now.

It's not like Mummy where you can't see where you are going next. You can see pretty much the whole time. Yes you get a little suprised at times. The Spiders were really not that bad for me (expect that one spit in my eye... spiting things on rides always seem to have good aim with me). The dragon comes outta NOWHERE but it's not that scary. At least to me, my friend with me screamed like a girl.

The dementors freaked me out the most, but I found that if I looked in the direction we were heading and kind of watched them rather then kept my face forward and let them pop out at me, it wasn't bad. The first one is unexpected but once it's there, just kinda keep you eyes on the others.

 

[Lucky4me]

I laughed at the spiders because they were so fake looking.
The dementors weren't all that scary either. It was just the sudden movements into their path that makes it scary.
You have to do this ride. It's amazing. For me it was like Spiderman, Soarin, tot, rock n roller coaster and haunted mansion all rolled into one.
Forgot to add I thought I'd have a heart attack the first time I was in line, I was so scared.

 

[ducky_love]

Living here it isn't often that I am faced with something I haven't had a chance to ride before. I can remember being in line for FJ the first time and my heart just pounding in my chest. I had read a hundred reviews but nothing made me feel better when I was about to step into the unknown.

Honestly, my first ride I was a little overwhelmed. There was just so much and I was too busy trying to remember what was going to jump out at me next. The motion of the ride did not bother me but everything seemed so close and I felt it was very intense.

BUT- by ride #3 I was able to follow the story and didn't feel it was scary anymore! If you give it a chance and don't let your first ride scare you away it is really an amazing ride!!

 

[Queen2PrincessG]

I don't care what anyone says but the dementors were the scarcest thing for me. I rode it 5 times. Three times I had to close my eyes. But I get into rides and don't look for flaws.

 

[inkkognito]

I don't tend to get scared on rides, and I've ridden FJ about a bazillion times. I wouldn't really classify it as "scary" because, like most other dark rides, the stuff looks fake to me. I don't mean that in a bad way. It's an extremely well done ride that is well worth doing. I just mean my mind always knows it isn't real, so it doesn't frighten me (well, I did get a little freaked the first time we got stuck on it because we were on our backs at the Whomping Willow). I say go for it. You'll probably be startled more than a few times, but I think you'll love it.

 

[CookieMueller]

The effects weren't as bad as the movement. I got a little queasy (first time ever...and I ride eevvvverything) because you go on your back a couple of times. Also...it broke down twice...leaving me dangling into the mouth of a skull so that may have made me sick too.

Have you rode spiderman? I'd say the effects (jumping and darkness) are comparable.

 

[Amber Leigh]

Have you rode spiderman? I'd say the effects (jumping and darkness) are comparable.

Yeah, it really is. Simpson's is very similar as well. We noticed that when we rode all three this last time. All have a screen and your made to feel like you are moving more then you actually are through the ride just in different ride vehicles.

 

[nmmom95]

We were there last week and FJ and Mummy were two of my 7 year old's favorite rides. Neither one is really scary, and I don't like things jumping out at me either. Have fun!

 

[nerdboyrockstar]

I thought the ride was terrifying the first time I rode it. But I guess that was my fear of the unknown. Each subsequent ride was a lot less scary.

 

[ducky_love]

I thought the ride was terrifying the first time I rode it. But I guess that was my fear of the unknown. Each subsequent ride was a lot less scary.

Yep- and thinking back on it the Dementors are the only ones that swoop out of the dark at you. (and most you can see before they start moving) Everything else isn't really a surprise. Guess I am just a wimp!!

 

[mdb78]

Yep- and thinking back on it the Dementors are the only ones that swoop out of the dark at you. (and most you can see before they start moving) Everything else isn't really a surprise. Guess I am just a wimp!!

Before I ever rode this ride, the dementors were the only ones that I was worried about since I didn't know how they would swoop up or if they just all of a sudden come out of nowhere. Like what ducky said, you do see them before they move so it isn't that bad. Now whenever I get to that part I can't wait to get to the one that shows your face being sucked in, but I never see my face or anybody else's face.

 

[ducky_love]

I can never get my face up there because the photo is after a spider spits and I an always trying to get water off my glasses. That or I have a hat on to catch the water and the photo doesn't get my face. Last time I was there they actually filled in projected skulls instead of our photos. It was pretty cool rather than just my spot being blank.

 

[mesaboy2]

I can never get my face up there because the photo is after a spider spits and I an always trying to get water off my glasses. That or I have a hat on to catch the water and the photo doesn't get my face. Last time I was there they actually filled in projected skulls instead of our photos. It was pretty cool rather than just my spot being blank.

Yeah, the last couple of times I rode it (since late October) they were only projecting the skulls. I'm starting to wonder if there is something wrong with that part of the ride.

 

[damo]

Yeah, the last couple of times I rode it (since late October) they were only projecting the skulls. I'm starting to wonder if there is something wrong with that part of the ride.

If the computer can't recognize a full face from the photo, skulls are projected. So if your face is sideways or the car is slightly out of synch when the photo was taken, skulls will come up.