Universal rides drops/hills & comparison to DW rides for wimps (spoilers)

[VeronicaZS]

I'm planning my first ever trip to Universal and I want to ride as much as possible despite my wimpyness for drops or steep hills that cause the weightless tummy sensation. I would appreciate ride comparisons to DW rides; I love Big Thunder & Mine Train and can handle Space Mountain. I did Splash a few times when the kids were small so they could experience it but I HATED that last drop and now won't do it since they can ride on their own. I even get slightly nervous at the drop in Pirates but I never miss that ride. I love Slinky Dog so I deal with that first drop by hoping to get the first car and clenching up on the hill. I don't have any trouble with the drop on RoTR and love Star Tours and FoP. I won't ever attempt R&R, ToT, or Everest.

Given that, and after watching numerous POV videos including those with lights on (which are really helpful) I have a few specific questions. For all of these, can you compare the most intense part of the ride to a DW ride?

• Hagrid's Motorbike - How does the drop compare to RoTR?
• HP Forbidden Journey - Do you ever go completely upside down? Does the ride vehicle ever drop you? (I'm fine with spinning, twisting, and turning)
• HP Escape from Gringotts - What is that first drop like, what is the closest Disney equivalent?
• Spiderman/Transformers - Is it all screen based? Does the ride vehicle ever have any physical drops?
• Mummy - I watched it with the lights on and there doesn't appear to be any major drops, how does the most intense drop compare to Disney. Is the ride comparable to Space Mountain?

Thank you!

 

[georgina]

I'm planning my first ever trip to Universal and I want to ride as much as possible despite my wimpyness for drops or steep hills that cause the weightless tummy sensation. I would appreciate ride comparisons to DW rides; I love Big Thunder & Mine Train and can handle Space Mountain. I did Splash a few times when the kids were small so they could experience it but I HATED that last drop and now won't do it since they can ride on their own. I even get slightly nervous at the drop in Pirates but I never miss that ride. I love Slinky Dog so I deal with that first drop by hoping to get the first car and clenching up on the hill. I don't have any trouble with the drop on RoTR and love Star Tours and FoP. I won't ever attempt R&R, ToT, or Everest.

Given that, and after watching numerous POV videos including those with lights on (which are really helpful) I have a few specific questions. For all of these, can you compare the most intense part of the ride to a DW ride?

• Hagrid's Motorbike - How does the drop compare to RoTR?
• HP Forbidden Journey - Do you ever go completely upside down? Does the ride vehicle ever drop you? (I'm fine with spinning, twisting, and turning)
• HP Escape from Gringotts - What is that first drop like, what is the closest Disney equivalent?
• Spiderman/Transformers - Is it all screen based? Does the ride vehicle ever have any physical drops?
• Mummy - I watched it with the lights on and there doesn't appear to be any major drops, how does the most intense drop compare to Disney. Is the ride comparable to Space Mountain?

Thank you!

I'll take a stab, but I AM a thrill ride lover (perhaps someone wimpier will add their thoughts)

1) Hagrid - drop is similar, ride is very fast though. If you know the drop is coming that takes the element of surprise out and makes it seem milder.
2) No you do not go upside down, at one point it feels close to it as it flips you on your back
3) Gringotts to me is similar to Pirates, maybe a little more drop but not much, it is very dark and some spinning afterward
4) No physical drops, just screens
5) I think Mummy is comparable to Space, my DS who was not a big coaster fan loved Mummy. There are a couple of hard stops similar to the end of Big Thunder.

 

[Deb1993]

I'm planning my first ever trip to Universal and I want to ride as much as possible despite my wimpyness for drops or steep hills that cause the weightless tummy sensation. I would appreciate ride comparisons to DW rides; I love Big Thunder & Mine Train and can handle Space Mountain. I did Splash a few times when the kids were small so they could experience it but I HATED that last drop and now won't do it since they can ride on their own. I even get slightly nervous at the drop in Pirates but I never miss that ride. I love Slinky Dog so I deal with that first drop by hoping to get the first car and clenching up on the hill. I don't have any trouble with the drop on RoTR and love Star Tours and FoP. I won't ever attempt R&R, ToT, or Everest.

Given that, and after watching numerous POV videos including those with lights on (which are really helpful) I have a few specific questions. For all of these, can you compare the most intense part of the ride to a DW ride?

• Hagrid's Motorbike - How does the drop compare to RoTR?
• HP Forbidden Journey - Do you ever go completely upside down? Does the ride vehicle ever drop you? (I'm fine with spinning, twisting, and turning)
• HP Escape from Gringotts - What is that first drop like, what is the closest Disney equivalent?
• Spiderman/Transformers - Is it all screen based? Does the ride vehicle ever have any physical drops?
• Mummy - I watched it with the lights on and there doesn't appear to be any major drops, how does the most intense drop compare to Disney. Is the ride comparable to Space Mountain?

Thank you!

Hagrid's - I think that is probably the easiest to watch a POV to see how it is - my almost 80 year old MIL went on and didn't hate it - she liked it - although definitely a personal thing, I think you can't help but smile the whole time - it's a fun ride. Definitely sit in side car. There are several launches but although they feel very fast they pull back at the turns if that makes any sense.
Forbidden Journey - I think the car twists to where you are upside down but it's in the context of moving out of the way of the whomping willow - so not really a coaster move in my opinion. You are very securely in the seat.
Gringotts - request to sit in first car, first row - the drop will feel like the drop in pirates.
Spiderman - screen based.
Mummy - there are some drops. More intense in my opinion than Space Mountain. Also a portion a little backwards, no big deal. There is also a launch. A really fun ride - one of my personal favs.
I hope that helps.

Just wanted to add that as a small kid I used to be really afraid of coasters - what I found helps is to completely slow down my breathing and relax. Sometimes I would find myself completely rigid and fighting against the ride which makes it worse. So I slow down my breathing and relax my body - it helped so much.

 

[BroadwayHermione5]

I see you mentioned splash mountain. If you decided to do a water ride, I’d do Jurassic park over Dudley Doo right. Love both but the latter is like a log flume on steroids

 

[Skywalker3]

I'm planning my first ever trip to Universal and I want to ride as much as possible despite my wimpyness for drops or steep hills that cause the weightless tummy sensation. I would appreciate ride comparisons to DW rides; I love Big Thunder & Mine Train and can handle Space Mountain. I did Splash a few times when the kids were small so they could experience it but I HATED that last drop and now won't do it since they can ride on their own. I even get slightly nervous at the drop in Pirates but I never miss that ride. I love Slinky Dog so I deal with that first drop by hoping to get the first car and clenching up on the hill. I don't have any trouble with the drop on RoTR and love Star Tours and FoP. I won't ever attempt R&R, ToT, or Everest.

Given that, and after watching numerous POV videos including those with lights on (which are really helpful) I have a few specific questions. For all of these, can you compare the most intense part of the ride to a DW ride?

• Hagrid's Motorbike - How does the drop compare to RoTR?
• HP Forbidden Journey - Do you ever go completely upside down? Does the ride vehicle ever drop you? (I'm fine with spinning, twisting, and turning)
• HP Escape from Gringotts - What is that first drop like, what is the closest Disney equivalent?
• Spiderman/Transformers - Is it all screen based? Does the ride vehicle ever have any physical drops?
• Mummy - I watched it with the lights on and there doesn't appear to be any major drops, how does the most intense drop compare to Disney. Is the ride comparable to Space Mountain?

Thank you!

Hi,
Drops aren't my favorite things either. I don't ride ToT, but do ride many of the coasters.
I rarely ride Space mtn, but I do ride Everest. Mummy reminds me more of Everest, but it has a lot of theming. THere are several stops/starts though, not a continuous coaster. And a couple of hard stops like on Big THunder
If you can do Star Tours, then you should be good on the screen rides. Star Tours makes me very nauseous, and so do many of the Universal rides, but I still ride them. I love Spiderman, and it's usually fine, but Transformers got me so sick last time
the drop in Jurassic Park river adventure is steeper than Splash, so if you don't like Splash, you probably wont' like this one
Forbidden Journey.....you dont' go upside down, but you do come off your seat sometimes, I guess it's the angle the ride is tilting. Such an innovative, fun ride, but last 2 rides did me in, nausea, and I don't plan on riding again. But I do plan on walking the whole queue and just getting out of line at the end.
I think the drop in Hagrid's very similar to RotR
Happy, happy planning. Universal is SO awesome. We should have one day there week after next, and I'm so excited!!!

 

[greeneyedchick]

Take dramamine for Universal!

Mummy is fast like space mountain but I don't recall it dropping much (the ride has been closed in Universal for a long time so my memory is foggy. I don't think it's due to open again until October. My issue with the mummy is the stops. There are hard stops which aren't great on the neck. I have to support the side of my head/ neck with my hand while riding it.

I'm not a drop or roller coaster person but I love Hagrid's. It's very smooth. I was worried about the drop but as someone else said, the anticipation is much worse than the drop itself. Steer clear of the Velocicoaster. The Hulk is stresseful on the neck, like Rock N Roller coaster.

I don't find the Jurassic Park drop to be too bad. I would stay away from Dudley Falls. It's intense and you will get soaked.

Escape from Gringott's has a mild drop but it's not bad. Similar to Pirate's. The ride's great. You should go on it.

Forbidden Journey is nauseating. I don't remember big drops, not like Splash. The part where it makes you feel like you go upside down is similar to me as the Haunted House ride when you turn and start going down the hill backwards, only you're going faster.

 

[martikus]

I hate roller coasters and will only do
Big thunder and mine train.

Love gringotts. The drop isn’t bad and so worth it. Forbidden journey is non issue.

Mummy….I find quite intense and only do once a trip. It’s the speed more than drop that I don’t love.

Hagrids wasn’t there last time but I am looking forward to trying it.

 

[keishashadow]

Hagrid's Motorbike - How does the drop compare to RoTR?

neither is a huge event IMO. RoTR, being indoors, seems to be more exciting

HP Escape from Gringotts - What is that first drop like, what is the closest Disney equivalent?

Depends where you are sitting in the cars. The back gets ‘a better’ drop

Mummy - I watched it with the lights on and there doesn't appear to be any major drops, how does the most intense drop compare to Disney. Is the ride comparable to Space Mountain?

basically, both are wild mouse sort of coasters. Read the below response. I

My issue with the mummy is the stops. There are hard stops which aren't great on the neck. I have to support the side of my head/ neck with my hand while riding it.

It’s a rough ride indeed. it manages to get me every time, even tho I know what’s coming next lol

hate roller coasters and will only do
Big thunder and mine train.

Love gringotts. The drop isn’t bad and so worth it. Forbidden journey is non issue.

FJ is worst ride I’ve ridden to trigger motion sickness i only ride it when companions insist, even then know what areas seem to cause biggest issues and divert eyes

I have extreme respect for Dudley, harkening back to my first ride long ago when I realized there wasn’t a great ride restraint...now, since rectified

 

[kbelle8995]

I am a roller coaster avoider. I avoid anything too intense.

Forbidden Journey I can only ride once.
I enjoyed Hagrid's a lot more than I thought I would there's only really one drop and a part when they drop the whole train at once. It's so quick. More speed and curves.
I also adore Gringott's probably my favorite ride.

 

[disney-inspired]

Thank you for posting because I, too, am a ride wimp when it comes to drops and sometimes speed. I've done all the mountains at WDW but I find those to be more family coasters and not intense.
I'm definitely going to ride FJ and Gringotts but not sure about Hagrid's. I'll do Flight of the Hippogriff again.
Avoiding all other coasters though lol

I told my sister I'd agree to do Jurassic Park once. Do you feel the drop less in a certain seat area?

 

[Jonfw2]

I told my sister I'd agree to do Jurassic Park once. Do you feel the drop less in a certain seat area?

The closer to the front, the less the drop, because it doesn't go into free fall until all the cars have gone over.

 

[kbelle8995]

Thank you for posting because I, too, am a ride wimp when it comes to drops and sometimes speed. I've done all the mountains at WDW but I find those to be more family coasters and not intense.
I'm definitely going to ride FJ and Gringotts but not sure about Hagrid's. I'll do Flight of the Hippogriff again.
Avoiding all other coasters though lol

I told my sister I'd agree to do Jurassic Park once. Do you feel the drop less in a certain seat area?

The drop spooked me too. However there is a T-Rex distraction. I was so busy looking at him I wasn't even looking at the Drop

 

[ifitzger]

Thank you for posting because I, too, am a ride wimp when it comes to drops and sometimes speed. I've done all the mountains at WDW but I find those to be more family coasters and not intense.
I'm definitely going to ride FJ and Gringotts but not sure about Hagrid's. I'll do Flight of the Hippogriff again.
Avoiding all other coasters though lol

I told my sister I'd agree to do Jurassic Park once. Do you feel the drop less in a certain seat area?

I didn't like the drop at Jurassic Park...it feels like you're going straight down, got a headache after

 

[martikus]

Ok I’m back and have to Hagrids much scarier than I anticipated. One and done and waaaaayyyy scarier than thunder mountain. Still glad I did it once but phew.

 

[Jamie77]

Mummy - there are some drops. More intense in my opinion than Space Mountain. Also a portion a little backwards, no big deal. There is also a launch. A really fun ride - one of my personal favs.

Are there any jump scares?

 

[Deb1993]

Are there any jump scares?

Yes.

 

[Jamie77]

Not for me! Total chicken I am.

 

[Deb1993]

Not for me! Total chicken I am.

I don't want to give anything away, but you could just keep your eyes closed. LOL

 

[Jamie77]

I don't want to give anything away, but you could just keep your eyes closed. LOL

I've watched Youtube videos of the ride, particularly with the lights on and I don't see anything jumping out close to the ride vehicle. Is it just the projections that jump on out of nowhere?

 

[Deb1993]

I've watched Youtube videos of the ride, particularly with the lights on and I don't see anything jumping out close to the ride vehicle. Is it just the projections that jump on out of nowhere?

I'm thinking jump-scare wise, the part in the beginning when the guards rise up, the bugs come out of wall and the ride stops, and toward the end of ride when it comes to a stop and they make you think it's over and the glass breaks revealing the mummy.