Big Thunder Mountain vs. Space Mountain & Everest

[hannahmr91]

Just wondering, how do these rides compare? I'm a ride chicken (don't like the huge roller coasters at places like Six Flags) but I rode Big Thunder last time I was at Disney and I was totally fine on it. It was a lot of fun and I was even able to lift my hands in the air! (unlike Splash Mountain where I hold on for dear life with my eyes squeezed shut on the big drop Space Mountain was closed down for refurbishment at that time, but I want to try it when I go again in a couple weeks. And I chickened out on Everest last time and I'm hoping I'll get the courage to do it this time.

But of course I am a little apprehensive about them so again, I'm wondering how they compare to BTMR. I'm certain I could handle Space Mountain WITH the lights on (I watched a video of the whole ride with them on). But is it a lot scarier in the dark? Is it true that you literally can't see the track at all in front of you? IF it's not really more intense than BTMR then I think I would be ok, because I'm ok with turns and little dips. I just don't want any surprise drops that I can't see coming don't have time to prepare for.

I also watched the ride-through video of Everest, and while most of it doesn't look bad, it's the backwards part that makes me afraid to try it. I know it's a backwards helix but I've never ridden anything like that so I have no idea how it feels. And I've seen people say that it actually feels like an inversion, which freaks me out because I've also never been on any roller coaster that goes upside down so I don't know what that feels like either. I saw other people say that the backwards bit made them feel really strange or sick. I don't want to pass out or get sick, that's for sure! Although I've never had problems with motion sickness before.

 

[amym2]

I'm a ride chicken, too, but I can handle anything at WDW once (just not over and over again like my kids). I love BTMR and Everest, but I am not a fan of Space Mtn. It's not the dips or the darkness, I just find the ride to be very jerky and my neck always hurts afterwards. The backwards part of Everest doesn't bother me, but I could see how it might be a bit bothersome to people who are prone to motion sickness. I find that part really fun. I say give it a try!

 

[mr noodle]

If you feel that Space Mountain is a bit too much for you, I'd be hesitant to ride Everest. There is the height factor when you're going up the tall lift, some good G-force present when going backwards, and then even more when going forward. However, Everest is an extremely smooth ride, with exception of the end when the brakes are applied.

Don't be a chicken!

 

[katt789]

I'm a pretty big ride chicken, but when it comes to Disney I'm suprisingly okay on everything now!! Very first trip I went on Splash only,
second trip I rode everything but Rock N Rollercoaster & Space.

Now I've conquered Space, I say that its the darkness that freaks me out the most, and it still does, there are drops out of nowhere, but they aren't that big, it's pretty jerky, and that's why I don't like it.

I find Everest to be easier on me, but partially because it's a lot smoother of a ride. I can understand how the backwards part can feel like an inversion, but I don't think it's too bad.

Overall, I'd say try out whichever one freaks you out less! I did EE first and now absolutely love it!

 

[Rosebud123]

I'm a ride chicken, too, but I can handle anything at WDW once (just not over and over again like my kids). I love BTMR and Everest, but I am not a fan of Space Mtn. It's not the dips or the darkness, I just find the ride to be very jerky and my neck always hurts afterwards. The backwards part of Everest doesn't bother me, but I could see how it might be a bit bothersome to people who are prone to motion sickness. I find that part really fun. I say give it a try!

This! I'm afraid of big coasters at Six Flags, Universal, etc., but I like all the ones at WDW except Space! I rode it 2x this past trip and, although it was less scary the second time around, I'm not a fan. It's very, very dark and it's jerky. Everest is awesome and not scary in the least. Very similar to Big Thunder, IMO. RNR Coaster is fun, too.

 

[3CallmeMommy]

I *love* coasters.

Big Thunder is fairly mild, I love this ride. Space Mountain is amazing but really rough on my back and I don't even have back problems! Same with Everest, the part where is going backwards my back went "crack" at one point

Guess that's part of the thrill.

 

[mikedoyleblogger]

Yes, Space Mountain is completely dark inside now and you cannot see the track, or anything else except the star projections. It's not any scarier than Big Thunder in my opinion, but it is very jerky in places, sometimes painfully so.

 

[DRDISNEYMD]

Just wondering, how do these rides compare? I'm a ride chicken (don't like the huge roller coasters at places like Six Flags) but I rode Big Thunder last time I was at Disney and I was totally fine on it. It was a lot of fun and I was even able to lift my hands in the air! (unlike Splash Mountain where I hold on for dear life with my eyes squeezed shut on the big drop Space Mountain was closed down for refurbishment at that time, but I want to try it when I go again in a couple weeks. And I chickened out on Everest last time and I'm hoping I'll get the courage to do it this time.

But of course I am a little apprehensive about them so again, I'm wondering how they compare to BTMR. I'm certain I could handle Space Mountain WITH the lights on (I watched a video of the whole ride with them on). But is it a lot scarier in the dark? Is it true that you literally can't see the track at all in front of you? IF it's not really more intense than BTMR then I think I would be ok, because I'm ok with turns and little dips. I just don't want any surprise drops that I can't see coming don't have time to prepare for.

I also watched the ride-through video of Everest, and while most of it doesn't look bad, it's the backwards part that makes me afraid to try it. I know it's a backwards helix but I've never ridden anything like that so I have no idea how it feels. And I've seen people say that it actually feels like an inversion, which freaks me out because I've also never been on any roller coaster that goes upside down so I don't know what that feels like either. I saw other people say that the backwards bit made them feel really strange or sick. I don't want to pass out or get sick, that's for sure! Although I've never had problems with motion sickness before.

~Big Thunder Mountain is the tamest of the three coasters. Space Mountain is so rough and jerky but it's a lot of fun -- it's your typical mouse trap coaster in total darkness with a cool space theme -- there are drops but nothing too major. Expedition Everest is my favorite roller coaster -- it's definitely the most intense but also has the smoothest ride -- this coaster is so beautiful and one of the best themed rides in the world. The backwards part on EE is very quick -- I personally don't find it to be that bad --ymmv. For me, Splash Mountain has the worst drop ever -- all of the coasters are a piece of cake compared to that drop! Have fun!

 

[Deanie1]

I like BTMM and Everest a lot. I like Splash but the drop does take my breath away. I like RnR but it is pushing the limit for me. I went on Space Mtn after skipping it the last 2 trips. Nope, don't like it one little bit. BTW, if you brave RnR just sing along with songs and it isn't so bad. (The ride is loud so nobody wwill hear you! )

 

[hannahmr91]

I like BTMM and Everest a lot. I like Splash but the drop does take my breath away. I like RnR but it is pushing the limit for me. I went on Space Mtn after skipping it the last 2 trips. Nope, don't like it one little bit. BTW, if you brave RnR just sing along with songs and it isn't so bad. (The ride is loud so nobody wwill hear you! )

I've thought about trying Rock n' Roller Coaster too, but that is a BIG maybe. i do really like fast rides so I don't think the fact that it goes like 60 mph would bother me, but I'm just scared of the inversions because I've never done any coaster that goes upside down. I guess if I ever want to know what it feels like I'll just have to do it one day!

 

[LumosQ102]

I've thought about trying Rock n' Roller Coaster too, but that is a BIG maybe. i do really like fast rides so I don't think the fact that it goes like 60 mph would bother me, but I'm just scared of the inversions because I've never done any coaster that goes upside down. I guess if I ever want to know what it feels like I'll just have to do it one day!

It took me a long time to realise it was going upside down! The ride start is the most intense part, then it kinda calms down after that. I'm certain they slowed it down at some point

hope you have a wonderful trip!

 

[wuzzy6]

My mother (68 years old) thought EE was the best out of all of the rides. She said it was very smooth, and the only negative comment was to say that the backwards-in-the-dark portion was very disorienting to her. She thought Space Mountain was fun, but she said it was a little too rough and disorienting for her. She did not get to ride BTMRR, because it was temporarily shut down at the time.

I'm not a ride chicken, but I'll try to be as objective as possible.

EE - very fun, but the lift hill is bigger than any actual "straight down" drops. The backwards portion is the most intense part of the ride, IMO - mostly because it's dark, quite disorienting, and the G's can be pretty strong. In spite of its intimidating appearance, I think EE is a good "scary" coaster to try... mostly because it's not really scary at all.

BTMRR - super-duper fun - lots of quick air-time to be had! This ride is not really very intense at all, unless you're scared to slide side-to-side in your seat a little bit and/or catch some small air. Personally, I think this ride is the most fun you can have on a relatively tame coaster!

Space Mtn - classic "mouse trap" type of coaster. It's very slow-moving, but because it's in the dark, it gives you the feeling of going MUCH faster! It can be very jerky, so if you have a bad back or neck, I would recommend you skip it. Personally, I think it's a blast! I also think that it's a good choice for someone a little intimidated by coasters, in general, simply because you can't see what's coming. By the time you get off the ride, you'll be laughing so hard that you will have forgotten you were possibly scared when you launched.

RNRC - you didn't ask about this one, but I will say that this ride is much more like a "big" coaster - inversions, dark, very fast, loud. In spite of all of that, ride chickens seem to end up loving this ride... probably because you can't actually see the track, and therefore can't get scared enough to chicken-out beforehand. It's smooth and a total blast! You don't even realize you're inverted until you're out of the inversion - no joke! Keep your head back on the seat for launch, relax, and enjoy the ride!

 

[cygnusx1jg]

Yes, Space Mountain is completely dark inside now and you cannot see the track, or anything else except the star projections. It's not any scarier than Big Thunder in my opinion, but it is very jerky in places, sometimes painfully so.

I agree. If you are a man who wants to have kids in the future, and you're not wearing a cup, then I would suggest you never ride in seat 6 on Space Mountain.

 

[shyjade]

I agree. If you are a man who wants to have kids in the future, and you're not wearing a cup, then I would suggest you never ride in seat 6 on Space Mountain.

LMAO!!! Thank you, I needed that laugh on this Monday morning!

I'm a self-proclaimed ride chicken, too. However, I LOVE BTMRR, it's one of my favorites (DD16, too).

Last year DD and I decided to "face our fears" and ride Everest for the first time. Apparently, I screamed throughout the whole ride (I don't remember that, but DD made it very clear I was a screamer). I remember thinking, "okay, I'm handling this, but I can't handle any more than this." It's INTENSE, IMO.

Are we glad we tried it? Yes. Will we ever ride it again? Probably not. I don't like feeling scared. My daughter is more adventurous than me and she was the first to say, "I don't need to ride that again."

I can't offer any advice on Space Mountain, but as tiny as those cars are, I have NO desire to ride it. Ever.

 

[HWFerry2000]

Big Thunder Mountain is my all time favorite ride at WDW. I remember riding it in 1st grade after I was brave enough to take that big drop into the Briar Patch. My dad and I went to the ride and I wasn't sure what to expect. After I got off the ride I said to my dad, "LETS DO THAT AGAIN!!!"

In my opinion. Expedition Everest is the roughest ride in all of Disney World. When I first got on it, I thought the backwards portion wasn't going to be that bad. I WAS WRONG!! The backwards portion is in the complete dark and you feel like your are accelerating and getting faster and faster. It does feel like you are going upside down and you can feel all the forces press against you really hard. Some of my friends still have a very strong belief it goes upside down, but it does not. The backwards portion of Everest is definitely the worst part of the ride. I still love the ride though. In my opinion, I think the drop on Splash Mountain is worse than the drop on Everest. Even though the drop on Everest in 30 feet bigger, the drop on Splash Mountain feels a lot steeper! Overall, Everest is a pretty rough ride and so much force is pressing against you the whole ride. I would not worry about the drop if anything. I still think Everest is an amazing ride and definitely one of Disney's best works.


Many people say Space Mountain is just like BTMR but in the dark. You could say that but Space Mountain is a lot rougher. I don't think it is as rough as Everest but it is still a very rough ride. You are in the complete dark and you have no idea which way you are going next. In my opinion, there is only one surprise drop on Space Mountain that feels about 15-20 feet. The ride seems to slow down and then all of a sudden, ZOOM! You are rolling down the hill. These sort of stops happen many times in the ride to small drops and sudden turns. Drops aren't a big deal on Space Mountain except for that one I mentioned before, it is the sudden turns that are very rough and a surprise. Space Mountain is my second favorite ride in Disney World and I definitely recommend it.


In my opinion, I would say try these rides. I have never come off a ride at Disney terrified and I have not seen anyone else have. (Except for the occasion 6 or 7 year old on Tower of Terror) If you try them, I think you would be SO GLAD that you did!

 

[Sandy Fisher]

We both love Big Thunder. And totally enjoy Splash Mountain, although I get a little apprehensive when we reach the top of the drop, just before starting down. However, I never had any desire to even try Space Mountain. Not even once. Both sons knew better than to even ask. And DH didn't either.
I watched on line as Everest was being built, and was really anxious to have a chance to ride it first time we were there when it was open. Hah. We were walking toward it (I had watched the ride film on the internet) and I knew before we got there I'd never do it.
That height stopped me cold. I'm not good with heights in open spaces -- no problem in airplanes and buildings, but out in the open, I'd have probably screamed the whole way.
Then again, I was never crazy about coasters. Rode a few at Williams Grove, PA and Hershey and a couple other amusement parks. Didn't repeat any of them!!!
Enjoy.

 

[Acedink]

BTMRR is my favorite ride, of the thrill rides. Space, as almost everyone has said, is rough. I think everyone I've ever talked to has hurt a bit after that ride. EE wasn't as bad as I thought it would be, but the backwards part did push my head forward and down, almost like i was trying to stick it between my legs. Was a strange sensation. not sure how to describe it.

But RnR, after the acceleration, is not bad at all.

 

[monaleigh70]

I have been on them all and I think Space Mountain is probably the jerkiest ride imho. It's not scary but it did get me thinking about relaxing so I wouldn't put my back out or get a whip in my neck. As for EE, I find the ride fun, not scary, again, the jerking movement when it starts is what got me repeating to myself, relax, relax, no robaxacet!