California Screamin' compares to ...

[dejr_8]

We will be taking our first trip to DCA and have a question about how intense California Screamin is.

I am not a big roller coaster fan but I have done Space Mountain, Rock n Roller Coaster and Expedition Everest. The drop on Everest seems to be my "limit".

For those that have done all these rides, how does California Screamin' compare?

thanks

 

[Dizneydaz]

The drop on EE is much longer and intense than the big drop on Screamin'. If you can do Space you can do Screamin'

As an aside last Sept. when my DD11 and I rode RnR it was so rough that we didn't go back to use our FP later. Our heads kept getting beat against the restraints. I've ridden it before and never notice it as much as last Fall. Screamin' is a pretty smooth coaster.

Biggest thing is the loop but it's not bad at all. I think you feel it less than the twists on RnR.

Go for it-it's pretty cool! And if you do it at night you can see all over the park.

Of the coasters you mention, IMHO, EE is the most intense!

 

[jory29]

My 14 year old son just said that if you can handle space mountain then you can handle California Screamin' and I agree... look it up on youtube to get to know the music and the track. Make sure you bank into the turns. It is nice and smooth, and the loop is very fast, and also smooth.

I never rode any coaster until 3 years ago and it was CS and I LOVE it!!!

My biggest Disney fear is getting stuck when the coaster is high up on the track. I don't do heights very well, and feel scared of heights when in Mickey's Fun Wheel but I still go on that one, too.

 

[skiingfast]

Screemin I find to be a smooth and fast ride. It has a launch like RnRC. But other than the loop it doesn't have a lot of tight curves and twists like RnRC. Also because it's open air, it doesn't seem as wild as EE, you can see more of where you are going. Overall I think it is one of the best designed coasters I've been on. Don't get me wrong I like EE and RnRC but they also rely on themeing to add to their experience.

 

[wdwfan22]

I am about as scared on it as I am on Expediation Everest. The ride is different, but similar in scariness to me. If that makes sense

The thing that scares me on coasters is height, so Space Mountain is easy, cuz I can't see how high we are. Rock & Roller coaster is intense, even though I can't see how high we are, which is good, it is pretty rough and lots of inversions. Expedition Everest is high, and I hate the part when it ends at the tracks, I always think we're going to go over the edge . Screamin is high, and has the one super quick inversion, but it is SUPER smooth. I also like the launch instead of being dragged slowly up a hill.

You should try it and decide for yourself. I think you'll be fine!!

 

[Disneyfreak616]

Definitely RnRC!

The launch, the going upside down and the music all remind me of RnRC.

 

[HydroGuy]

FWIW, IMO California Screamin is the worst Disney rollercoaster at all of WDW and DLR. Not the worst rollercoaster, the worst Disney rollercoaster. What do I mean?

Disney rollercoasters are immersive and place you inside a story.

Six Flags and Cedar Fair rollercoasters zip you around and build your adrenaline - but have zero story or at best a very flimsy story.

California Screamin is fun - and by Six Flags and Cedar Fair standards very mild. We always ride CS at DCA multiple times and it is always a blast.

But its lack of immersive story makes it a poor fit for a Disney park and is emblematic of the poor decision making and leadership that occurred when DCA was originally built. Thank heavens Disney has got the right people in charge of DCA and DLR today which is why $1 billion+ are being invested into that park when it cost only $700 million to build in the first place.

When I think Disney coaster, I would take EE and RnR in a heartbeat over CS. But I still ride CS. And I like RnR more. When the Yeti is in full mode at EE I like EE more. Without the Yeti EE really loses it climax.

And to answer the OPs question, CS seems most similar to RnR to me.

 

[skiingfast]

But its lack of immersive story makes it a poor fit for a Disney park and is emblematic of the poor decision making and leadership that occurred when DCA was originally built.

I think you should look at CS differently. Which is more important to the theme of DCA's Paradise Pier, getting rid of CS because it's not immersive or keeping an attraction that looks like a painted white woody.

See the point? It's not just a thrill ride.

 

[brenda1966]

I think CS most compares to Rock N Roller coaster. I'd consider them equals on the scare factor. And they are so much smoother than a Six Flags type coaster.

 

[disneyfan67]

I think you should look at CS differently. Which is more important to the theme of DCA's Paradise Pier, getting rid of CS because it's not immersive or keeping an attraction that looks like a painted white woody.

See the point? It's not just a thrill ride.

I agree with Hydroguy here and the one thing that saves CS is that they built TSM inside the track area and have greatly improved the theming of PP. If Disney had left it the way it was when it opened in 2001 and added nothing, it would still look very generic and lame. CS now fits in a lot better than it did under the Eisner regime. It really speaks volumes that Disney has had to spend over a billion dollars to get DCA where it needs to be as a Disney theme park and it still won't be perfect. All because of the lack of vision, poor planning, and cheap budgets of the past. IMO, Eisner should be ashamed and admit publicly he was a complete failure during his later years with Disney as CEO. I'm very thankful for the management Disney has in place now and the creative forces of John Lasseter and others from Pixar.

 

[HydroGuy]

I think you should look at CS differently. Which is more important to the theme of DCA's Paradise Pier, getting rid of CS because it's not immersive or keeping an attraction that looks like a painted white woody.

See the point? It's not just a thrill ride.

Well, since you asked...

If Disney wanted to redo DCA right - this is all theoretical - I am not seriously suggesting they do this - they would get rid of Paradise Pier altogether and either retheme CS so it has a story or get rid of it too.

One of the main reasons Walt Disney built Disneyland in the first place was as an alternative to the type of "carnie" rides (and reputation) that existed at seaside amusement parks. For the Disney company to turn around and purposely build a seaside amusement park themed area only illustrates how clueless the decision makers were when DCA was conceived - and why they needed to spend an unprecedented $1+ billion (that is $1,000,000,000+ for those mathematically challenged ) to make the best of a bad situation.

Instead they are keeping PP and have built TSMM (that works and is great), demolished Maliboomer (good decision - not a Disney ride and no theme), changed Orange Stinger into Silly Symphony Swings (I like SSS better but thought OS was fine as far as the California theme goes), and changed Mulholland Madness into Goofy's Sky School (jury is still out but MM was so bad it is hard to believe it could get worse with GSS - and probably will be much better since they have the right people in charge now).

As things stand Disney is probably doing the right thing - keeping what works well or at least well enough (e.g., California Screamin), changing what can be changed (SSS and MM) and demolishing what cannot be salvaged (Maliboomer). And then putting in some new things (e.g., LMAUA, WOC) to draw more interest and crowds and build the Disney brand into DCA more strongly.

 

[Bungle]

I am about as scared on it as I am on Expediation Everest. The ride is different, but similar in scariness to me. If that makes sense

I get scared too, but I LOVE this ride. One of my favorites. My heart is always in my throat but not the I'm going to have a heart attack kind of scary. It is fast and smooth, I say try it at least twice.

 

[shockpirate]

I have never been on Everest but I would say it is much more intense than Space Mountain. Unless someone in your party does not like the dark, then Space Mountain might be more scary. Screamin' is less intense and scary then the Rocking Roller Coaster because it has less loops (only 1) and is in day light and I believe it goes 10 mph slower.

Rocking Roller Coaster is about 65 MPH i hear
Screamin' 55 MPH
Space mountain 35 MPH tops.

 

[DoomsdayFAN]

Although the drop may be bigger on Screamin, EE is actual more intense. I would say, mix the launch of Rockin Roller Coaster with the rest of EE (though not as intense) and that is what Screamin is like.

 

[rn448698]

Theming aside, CS is the only Disney rollercoaster that made me motion sick. I really don't know why for sure, either. The ride is extremely smooth, and the loop is very easy. Overall, I thought I would be fine. I didn't get "sick-sick" but I felt queasy. I'm thinking that it was the bunny hills at the end of the ride.

EE, RnR, and either of the Space Mountains don't make me sick in anyway whatsoever.

 

[twopeasonepod]

CS is WAAAAAY less intense than RnR or EE. I found it to be quite boring and lame, actually. We are going back in two weeks with our barely 5-year-olds, who will now be tall enough to ride (they are giants) and will be on it with no problem.

 

[dejr_8]

CS is WAAAAAY less intense than RnR or EE. I found it to be quite boring and lame, actually. We are going back in two weeks with our barely 5-year-olds, who will now be tall enough to ride (they are giants) and will be on it with no problem.

My problem though is drop height. I could ride RnR all day without a problem because there are no drops.

 

[HydroGuy]

My problem though is drop height. I could ride RnR all day without a problem because there are no drops.

The thing about CS is that you can see the whole thing before you get on. It is not inside a mountain. So you know what you are getting into.

I decided to use a Google search to see some data. It appears that CS is slightly more than EE. If EE is your limit it appears that CS is just beyond that.

California Screamin'
http://www.rcdb.com/731.htm
Length: 6072'
Drop: 108'
Inversions: 1
Speed: 55 mph
Duration: 2:36
Max Acceleration: 0 - 55 mph in 4 seconds
Elements: Loop

Expedition Everest
http://www.rcdb.com/2389.htm
Length: 4424'
Height: 112'
Drop: 80'
Inversions: 0
Speed: 50 mph
Duration: 2:50

Rock 'n' Rollercoaster
http://www.rcdb.com/560.htm
Length: 3403'
Height: 80'
Inversions: 3
Speed: 57 mph
Duration: 1:22
G-Force: 5
Max Acceleration: 0 - 57 mph in 2.8 seconds
Elements: Roll Over
Corkscrew

If you can handle EE I honestly think you can handle CS.

 

[Peanut Giggleface]

I think the best comparison is Rock N Roller Coaster. They are both launch coasters and both have a loop. The differences are that Screamin is outside and RnRC is inside; Screamin is a lot longer of a ride; and the theming. But the ride itself compares more closely to RnRC than Everest.

 

[twopeasonepod]

My problem though is drop height. I could ride RnR all day without a problem because there are no drops.

I gotcha. Honestly, the ride is so tame and predictable that I don't even know which one is the "big" drop. And it doesn't go backwards.