California Screamin - loved that coaster!

[ultimate_ed]

Just got back from our first ever Disneyland visit. Our whole family (wife, myself, daughter 11 and son 7) really enjoyed the California Screamin coaster.

It was fast with good banking turns and the loop. We also really appreciated the smoothness of it. I think we rode it six times over the course of our five days.

Now, I'm no kind of professional coaster rider. But, for those that are, can anybody recommend other coasters around the country that would be similar in nature?

We did ride the Rockin Roller Coaster at WDW when we visited it a few years ago. I enjoyed that one too, but not as much as Screamin.

 

[bakerudall]

I also love that coaster. I used to be a Six Flags type, but now that I'm a little older, I don't need to feel like I'm facing certain death to have a good time. Screamin' is a very smooth ride with just enough drops and a loop to keep it thrilling--not to mention the sweet launch at the beginning.

I am looking forward to riding it with the new views of Carsland.

 

[disneegrl4eva]

oh man, I have been going to DL forever as I am only a few hours away from there and my daughter lives in so cal so i get to go whenever...can you believe that all this time has gone by and i never rode screamin until a few weeks ago??? I know...the shame...but i was so scared to try it...I will ride every other ride out there and when i went to wdw back in dec. and rode RnRc for the first time I loved it and knew i was ready to try screamin and the first time i rode it i swore never again...i seriously thought i was gonna get ill and i was shaking and almost fell on top of the guy in front of me but after a few hours, I agreed to try it again but with my eyes closed and I LOVED IT...after twice riding with my eyes closed i bravely opened them and now im in the front seat and cant get enough of it

 

[princesscinderella]

I recommend cedar point in Sandusky Ohio they have coasters of all kinds there. Some are whiteknucklers but the also have some awesome classics. I love millennium force, it is very smooth but lots of twist and turns and it's was the tallest at the time it was built. It is a seasonal park though that closes in the winter months.

 

[vettegirl]

I love Cali Screamin too! I have to admit I was terrified the first time I got on, boy was I wrong. Nice smooth ride and I love the music.

 

[caltex]

For those like me who are not roller coaster fanatics, but enjoy mildly intense coasters like expedition everest - you will like CS. I'm not big on "air time" or drops, but this ride was smooth and not as intimidating as it looks (fast start, height, and loop). It took quite a bit of goading from my family to ride it, but I was happy I rode it. Only wished I could ride it again. On the downside, there is no theming to the ride. It's a coaster that could fit in any amusement park.

 

[krispin41]

For those like me who are not roller coaster fanatics, but enjoy mildly intense coasters like expedition everest - you will like CS. I'm not big on "air time" or drops, but this ride was smooth and not as intimidating as it looks (fast start, height, and loop). It took quite a bit of goading from my family to ride it, but I was happy I rode it. Only wished I could ride it again. On the downside, there is no theming to the ride. It's a coaster that could fit in any amusement park.

See I think its themed quite nicely. Yes. While it does look pretty much like any other coaster, it totally reminds me of the Giant Dipper in Santa Cruz at the Boardwalk. (A wooden coaster.) The whole area reminds me of that.

 

[DisneytheKid]

It is a great coaster. I've always enjoyed the fact that it seems like a long coaster. I hate the ones that seem to end right as they start getting good!

 

[DarthMole]

See I think its themed quite nicely. Yes. While it does look pretty much like any other coaster, it totally reminds me of the Giant Dipper in Santa Cruz at the Boardwalk. (A wooden coaster.) The whole area reminds me of that.

That's exactly what the area reminds me of, minus the not so family friendly elements found around the SC Boardwalk. Man I used to love that area when I was a kid. Haven't been in a while though, have they cleaned it up?

We're working our way up to CS. I'm not a big coaster fan and admit I'm a dip weenie. However I vowed to ride all the big rides in DL on our last trip and I did, over and over again. Was going to step up to ToT on our last day but we never made it back to CA to use our FPs. ToT and CS will be on the agenda for our next trip.

 

[krispin41]

That's exactly what the area reminds me of, minus the not so family friendly elements found around the SC Boardwalk. Man I used to love that area when I was a kid. Haven't been in a while though, have they cleaned it up?

We're working our way up to CS. I'm not a big coaster fan and admit I'm a dip weenie. However I vowed to ride all the big rides in DL on our last trip and I did, over and over again. Was going to step up to ToT on our last day but we never made it back to CA to use our FPs. ToT and CS will be on the agenda for our next trip.

It's cleaned up from what I remember. I took my DH there for his birthday last year. He's from CO (PA originally) so it was his first time. I hadn't been since our senior sneak day in 1991. Wow. LOL. We did just do the boardwalk though and nothing else.

I'm a ride wimp too, I haven't ridden CS yet. (Love the Dipper though!) However, I rode ToT for the first time on our 2011 trip, vowing never to go on it again. Well, this trip, we must have ridden it about 6 times. I just had to work up to it. I think knowing when the drops are helps, and planning our poses for the pics (and having PP+ this go around.) My DH has the great idea to save our Friday the 13th FP for our scrapbook!

I'm only good for SM and BTMR once a trip though because of the spiral motions. (No spinning for me) In fact, after my BTMR ride this last trip, I had to go back to the room for a bit.

 

[ultimate_ed]

....

I am looking forward to riding it with the new views of Carsland.

You know, that's actually the one minor disappointment. When you are up on the coaster, you can see the backside of the Radiator Springs canyon and all the steel framing that holds it up. While I wouldn't have expected a full featured canyon wall on the backside, it struck me as odd that Disney would leave something like that exposed.

 

[bibbidibobbidibecky]

Me, too! I thought it was one of the best roller coasters I have been on in a very long time. It had just the right amount of drops and it was actually long! And, yes, very smooth. It was my oldest daughter's first upside down roller coaster and I think it was a perfect one to start her off on!

 

[HydroGuy]

California Screamin is a fun coaster and we ride it, but like much of the original construction for DCA it was and is a mistake. The original folks who designed DCA thought they could push one over on Disney fans and design a park with little or no theming and cheap, off-the-shelf rides. All those people are long gone and now the right folks are guiding DCA.

So what is the problem with Screamin'? It is not a Disney coaster. What? you say.

Look at what Disney does with rides. They creates rides that tell stories and immerse you in those stories. Space Mtn. Big Thunder Mtn RR. Matterhorn. Rockin Rollercoaster. Expedition Everest. Those are just coasters. Then you get into all the other rides.

What is the story with California Screamin'? It does not have one. What is the immersive feeling. None really. California Screamin' is making a weak attempt to fit into the seaside amusement park genre of years ago - which, BTW, was something Walt Disney was trying to get away from when he built DL. A carnival like atmosphere. That is what Walt tried to avoid.

California Screamin' would fit better at a Six Flags park where rides have little or no story.

With all of that said, we ride it a lot because it is fun. But there are lots of fun rides that don't belong at a Disney park - just look at Cedar Point. For my part I think it would have been better to bring Rockin Rollercoaster to DCA - it has a great theme and fits the California theme of the park.