7 weeks until first trip to DLP--help!

[cheshiremama]

Hello, all! I am new to these boards, discovered you while searching for info about DLP. We have an upcoming trip March 14, for 3 days. We have been to WDW almost every year since 1989, but this is our first trip to Paris! I see many rides are similar, but there are a couple in particular I have questions for you with experiece.
It took me years to get up my courage to ride Rock 'n Roller coaster at the Studios in Orlando....and I am finally past the point of being terrified. But new roller coasters still give me a panicky feeling, so I am trying to get a feel for how the coasters at DWP compare to those I've been on. I would especially like details about how smooth the rides are compared to Rock 'n roller coaster. In particular, what are Space Mountain and Indiana Jones like? Is Indiana Jones all outdoors? Several posters have commented how rough Space Mountain is---do you all agree?
Thanks for any and all advice. We are in our 50's with a 12yo son who loves it when his "old folks" are brave enough to go too!

 

[bigAWL]

I rode both Indiana Jones (all outdoors) and Space Mountain (all indoors) with my father and father-in-law (both are in their late 60s). They survived both, but I think they kind of wished they hadn't ridden either one. I wouldn't say they are really very "rough", but they do have very tight turns and tend to whip you around a bit (important: keep your head pressed against the head-rest to avoid being knocked around too much). Also be prepaired for the loop on Indiana Jones - it's very tight and quick. I assume Space Mountain has a loop, too, but it's hard to tell sometimes if you are inverted or not - it's very disorienting. I'm fairly certain there is a cork-screw turn. All that said, if you have been on Space Mountain in WDW and enjoyed it at all, you have to try the one in Paris. It's so much better.

Big Thunder Mountain Railroad is a bit more subdued, I think. Very easily done, even for my father-figures.

I haven't been to the Studios at DLRP so can't comment on Rock&Rollercoaster or anything else that might be there.

 

[tfortracey]

well obviously im a huge wuss and after indiana jones i felt like i had been in a car accident! you couldnt pay me enough money to go on that ride again

 

[lojo]

I have to admit I found Indiana Jones a bit uneventful - I actually found BTM more thrilling. Rock n Roll Coaster and Space Mountain were very different themewise but the coaster experience is quite similiar, with SM being slightly more rough.

I think that your height makes a difference to just how rough SM feels - my sister and I are only 5' 4" and our ears were battered to a pulp but my bf came off the ride with ears intact! Despite the damage we still loved it and if you are brave enough to tackle coasters in general there isn't anything in DLP that you should avoid - unless of course you get dizzy easily and then you should avoid Crush like the plague .

 

[lojo]

I have to admit I found Indiana Jones a bit uneventful - I actually found BTM more thrilling. Rock n Roll Coaster and Space Mountain were very different themewise but the coaster experience is quite similiar, with SM being slightly more rough.

I think that your height makes a difference to just how rough SM feels - my sister and I are only 5' 4" and our ears were battered to a pulp but my bf came off the ride with ears intact! Despite the damage we still loved it and if you are brave enough to tackle coasters in general there isn't anything in DLP that you should avoid - unless of course you get dizzy easily and then you should avoid Crush like the plague .

 

[Cyrano]

Hi cheshiremama and welcome to DLP DIS board
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If you have not had a look yet, DLP posting rules are here, DIS posting guidelines can be found here.

Can't help with the comparison but I'm sure you will get plenty of help

 

[jillrobinson]

Can't help with comparisons I'm afraid and I'm not a Coaster person, but RocknRoller I've done and would do it again, BTM 3 times in a row is about my limit but it's fine, Indiana Jones is very tame running forwards, there is a loop, I did it backwards a few years ago and thought I was going to die, though, I hope they never repeat that. Space Mountain I have never managed to pluck up the courage to do, because of warnings about getting bashed about and I've yet to try Crush so can't comment on that one either.

 

[bigAWL]

I think that your height makes a difference to just how rough SM feels - my sister and I are only 5' 4" and our ears were battered to a pulp but my bf came off the ride with ears intact!

That's why I said press your head against the headrest. I'm not sure if being shorter will prevent you from doing this effectively, though - I'm 6'0".

 

[miffy7]

I love space mountain in disneyland california but didn't enjoy the DLP one at all - found it really juddery even with my head pressed back.
i love crush though as it's really smooth and rock n rollercoaster.
obviously big thunder mountain is no big deal.
the tower of terror is fab.

 

[MJ_always]

I think that your height makes a difference to just how rough SM feels - my sister and I are only 5' 4" and our ears were battered to a pulp but my bf came off the ride with ears intact! Despite the damage we still loved it and if you are brave enough to tackle coasters in general there isn't anything in DLP that you should avoid - unless of course you get dizzy easily and then you should avoid Crush like the plague .

Thats what i worry about with my height- i'm only 5'3 and i remember even in Alton Towers, i went on all the major rides and loved them but one of them just whacked my ears to death and since then i've had surgery on my jaw LOL. So i have to be more careful. I'm going back to DLP in Summer and although i didnt go on SM in Dec, i've been debating it for summer lol.

luv
#ashleigh#

 

[cheshiremama]

Thank you all so much for your help! The jury is out for me on Space Mountain, I will probably have DS and DH ride it first! But it sounds like Indiana Jones is no worse than Rock 'n roller, and I can handle that....although the first 3 times I rode it were with my eyes mostly closed (for me it's better just not to see the loops), and IJ may be more frightening in the daylight!
This is a wonderful board!

 

[tinkerbell 766]

Hi, just returned from DLRP yesterday.
Will try to do some comparisons on the coasters for you:-
Space Mountain is FAR more exciting than in Florida and has a corkscrew and a 360 loop. Also has a fast start a bit like RRc
RRc is, I think, slightly better in Florida as the one in Paris does not have the neon lights in it. Otherwise much the same
BTM I like the theming in Paris better otherwise again much the same.
IJ Tof P is okay but a little juddery and quite short. Not worth queuing for too long for this one.
Crushes coaster is brilliant. Slightly comparable, I suppose to Chester and Hesters in AK but faster with parts in the dark.
TOT is great and we had 7 drops on our ride (it was a very quiet day in the studios)

A word to the wise. Go to DLRP with all thoughts of Florida out of your head. I have been to both several times and love both equally but they are quite different. Paris is much smaller and more intimate. You can walk everywhere. Watch out for queue jumpers as these seem to be more in evidence at Paris than in US. Remember though that dispite being in Paris this is still Disney. You should not receive (nor expect to receive) anything other than the tip top service you expect from Disney and make sure you get things resolved if you have issues.
Have a great trip.

 

[Ware Bears]

Hi cheshiremama, welcome to the DIS!