California Screaming vs. WDW thrill rides

[Albertan mom]

The only thrill rides I have been on are:
Space Mountain
Splash Mountain
BTMRailroad
Matterhorn
Tower of Terror
Indiana Jones
at Disneyland and California Adventure.

I went on California Screamin', and found it way to scary! I didn't like the speed, the drops, the upside-down part.
It left me jittery, nauseous and weak for about an hour after!

I would like to try some rides at WDW, but don't want to make myself sick.
Can you tell me, in comparison to California Screamin, how these rides are:

Rock n Roller Coaster
Expedition Everest
Test Track
Dinosaur

Is Dinosaur like Indiana Jones?
Is Kali River Rapids like Grizzly River Run?
Is Test Track really bad for motion sickness? It is the one I want to go on most out of the above.

Also, what is Star Tours like? Is it a ride, or a motion sensory one?
And what about Spaceship Earth?
Is Tower of Terror the same at both parks?

thanks!

 

[Robo]

s Dinosaur like Indiana Jones?
Is Kali River Rapids like Grizzly River Run?
Is Test Track really bad for motion sickness? It is the one I want to go on most out of the above.

Also, what is Star Tours like? Is it a ride, or a motion sensory one?
And what about Spaceship Earth?
Is Tower of Terror the same at both parks?

thanks!

Dino is like Indy.
Kali is like Grizzly.
Test Track does not generally cause motion sickness, but there's no way any of US can judge YOUR motion sickness.

Star Tours (also at DL) is a flight simulator, judge accordingly.
Space Ship Earth is a S-L-O-W - M-O-V-I-N-G NON-thrill ride.

ToT is very similar to DL, the DROPS are the same.

 

[Noelle]

I would say Rock n Roller Coaster is basically the same at California Screaming, but that you're inside a dark building. I believe their loop is more of a corkscrew than the full loop you have on California Screaming. Personally, I think Rock n Roller Coaster jars you a little more than California Screaming too. Both are fun in my opinion.

Dinosaur is about equivalent to Indiana Jones. Same pace, same type of vehicle, just a different story line.

Test Track isn't really what I'd call a thrill ride. It's more like an educational fantasyland ride that eventually turns into a quick lap about a track. The lap is similar to driving on the freeway in a convertible.

I haven't been on Expedition Everest yet. But I'm thinking it's probably like the Matterhorn...I hate to talk about things I don't know about...But I'm sure someone else can post.

 

[dgaston]

Always remember ride evaluations are personal opinions. I love the thrill rides and only get motion sickness on tea cups.

The ride track for Dinosaur is the same as Indy. Surroundings much scarier IMHO
ToT has better programming and atmosphere at WDW. Drop sequence varies.
RnR is very smooth. I don't always feel the first inversion due to take-off. Plus Aerosmith is blasting in your ears. This is probably not for you with 3 inversions.
Space Mountain is single seat, no music, and bumpier track.
Splash Mountain is better at WDW.
BTMR is about the same for ride, better animatronics at DL.
Star Tours is same, a simulator ride.
Expedition Everest is very smooth. If you can handle BTMR, and Splash Mountain, you'll do fine. There are NO big drops on EE.
Test Track just goes fast, no trouble for me.
Kali is very similar to Grizzly River Run, different theming.

HTH

 

[Brian Noble]

...RnRC is probably a notch *above* Screamin' on the thrill-o-meter. It's launch feels faster, and it goes upside down three times, not once.

Everest is more intense than Matterhorn, but less intense than Screamin'. No inversions, but one good drop (coming out of the cave with the Yeti projection) and a backwards helix-y portion.

 

[Robo]

I haven't been on Expedition Everest yet. But I'm thinking it's probably like the Matterhorn...

Oh, I wouldn't say THAT.

 

[Albertan mom]

Test Track isn't really what I'd call a thrill ride. It's more like an educational fantasyland ride that eventually turns into a quick lap about a track. The lap is similar to driving on the freeway in a convertible.

One book I have says Test Track is 25 minutes long.
How would you break that up?
Is the actual 'thrill' part of the ride under a few minutes would you say?

Another book says Test Track is a 3 minute intro and a 5 min. ride...would you say that is accurate?
Then I wonder where the other 17 minutes comes from?

Space Mountain at WDW has no music?

EE has a backwards part right? How long would you say you are going backwards?
Is it like you do the ride, then do it all again backwards? (thinking of the Boomerang at Knotts)

thanks!

 

[Noelle]

One book I have says Test Track is 25 minutes long.
How would you break that up?
Is the actual 'thrill' part of the ride under a few minutes would you say?

Another book says Test Track is a 3 minute intro and a 5 min. ride...would you say that is accurate?
Then I wonder where the other 17 minutes comes from?

25 minutes is probably from when you enter the pre-ride movie (which is probably 3 minutes) til the time you exit the ride. The ride itself can't be more then 5 minutes. So I'm thinking the 17 minutes is the wait you have from the pre-ride movie til you board your car.

EE has a backwards part right? How long would you say you are going backwards?
Is it like you do the ride, then do it all again backwards? (thinking of the Boomerang at Knotts)

Wow, I didn't think EE was like that...Maybe I've underestimated it. I'll have to do some research. I don't want to end up freaking my dd6 out so she won't go on any other rides.

 

[Robo]

EE has a backwards part right? How long would you say you are going backwards?
Is it like you do the ride, then do it all again backwards? (thinking of the Boomerang at Knotts)

Nope, its not a BIT like that attraction.

EE has a section of the ride that goes backwards, but 95% of that backwards section is over track you never ever go forwards over (Yes, amazing, but true).
Its a unique ride that is not like the Matterhorn (other than there is a creature or two in each that can be called "Yeti".)

And the Boomerang (although I LIKE it) is just a carnival-type thrill ride.

EE is a DISNEY-type fully-themed and realized STORY ride (in addition to the thrills!)

 

[madcrazy235]

EE has a backwards part right? How long would you say you are going backwards?
Is it like you do the ride, then do it all again backwards? (thinking of the Boomerang at Knotts)

EE does go backwords but it is no more than maybe 30 seconds. WHen you go backwords its about in the middle of the ride and you dont go over the same piece of track again going forwords as you did going backwords. the only piece of track that you go over again going forwards nd backwords is the piece of track( about couple feet long) where the track changes and you start to go forwards again. Overall its a good ride.

 

[Albertan mom]

Thanks for all your advice.
I am thinking I can handle Test Track and Dinosaur.....
But not Expedition and RnRc!

So what is Spaceship Earth like? A show, or a ride?

 

[Brian Noble]

The ride system is very similar Haunted Mansion, but the theme of the attraction is communication through the ages, rather than a, well, haunted mansion.

 

[dgaston]

I'm telling you, if you can do BTMR, you can do EE. The ride is very smooth, and the story (especially the queue) is great! My stomach will do a little flip on Splash and that never happens to me on Everest.

 

[CoolTrainerTerry]

You can DEFINATELY handle EE. I can, and I don't like roller coasters. The only unnerving thing is the 80ft drop. I totally agree with you, dgaston. All of EE is great, and I think BTMR is rougher than EE.

 

[Robo]

I'm telling you, if you can do BTMR, you can do EE. The ride is very smooth, and the story (especially the queue) is great! My stomach will do a little flip on Splash and that never happens to me on Everest.

I totally agree with this.
I started posting this exact kind of response back after I rode EE (several times) during the AP/DVC previews in the winter.
But as more and more folks started riding... the reports of how INTENSE it was, and how riders were left dazed for X minutes (or hours) after one ride.

Its starting to sound just like what happened with M:S (heaven forbid!)

Sooo, I just keep telling folks EE is a great ride... while many others tell of their "upset stomachs".

Only time will tell how it all shakes out.

 

[Daryl]

I'm on the fence about you and EE. Not as fast as CS and not as many ups and downs but defiantly a real coaster. Forget RR. You'll love Dinosaur and the rest!

 

[Albertan mom]

Thanks, you guys, all your advice has been great.

I am still debating EE!!!

You say if I can handle BTMR, I can handle EE.
But is BTMR the same at DL as WDW??

 

[Cannot_Wait_4Disney]

Thanks, you guys, all your advice has been great.

I am still debating EE!!!

You say if I can handle BTMR, I can handle EE.
But is BTMR the same at DL as WDW??

There are a few differences in versions from DL to WDW, but as far as intensity, both BTMR's are about the same.

Rock n Roller Coaster
Expedition Everest
Test Track
Dinosaur

If you didn't like screamin, RNR is definitely out. The take off is faster though to be honest, once you're beyond screamin's speed, it all feels the same. Sort of like the difference between 105 degrees and 115. RnR is completely in the dark, and you go upside down.

TestT. You should have no problems with this ride. There is some acceleration toward the end but no real shoot the shoot. It's like being in a finely tuned sportscar convertable at the end. You'll love it.

Kali is like Grizzly river run but not as good.

Also, what is Star Tours like? Is it a ride, or a motion sensory one?
And what about Spaceship Earth?

Star Tours is a motion simulator. It's a riot. But it can give you nausea.
Spaceship earth is a slow moving ride. You won't have trouble at all on that one.

Is Tower of Terror the same at both parks?

Have they made the one at DCA random yet? The one at WDW has several sequences they do at random. You don't know when, nor how far it's going to drop.

 

[Daryl]

Also, If I remember correctly, at DCA tower of terror is just up and down. At WDW at one point it moves forward quite a bit.

 

[alicenwonder99]

I would say Rock n Roller Coaster is basically the same at California Screaming, but that you're inside a dark building. I believe their loop is more of a corkscrew than the full loop you have on California Screaming. Personally, I think Rock n Roller Coaster jars you a little more than California Screaming too. Both are fun in my opinion.

Wow!! I have to totally disagree. I absolutely HATE California Screamin'. That first drop is a doozy and it scared the heck out of me. RnR is nothing like it and the loops are really nothing. There are no big drops at all on RnR. The beginning part when they shoot you out is so cool...it's not scary at all. The only thing is you MUST sit near the front. Sitting in the back of RnR will cause your head to bounce back and forth ALOT. RnR also is so cool with Aerosmith playing and all of the Hollywood scenery. You really should try it. The only thing is that if you got a headache or felt uneasy from Cal. Scream, you may also get a headache from RnR. I think it's the going upside down that does it. It really is a fun ride, though.

Indy is my absolute favorite Disney ride. Any Disney fanatic who hasn't traveled to DL yet to ride it is really missing something! Anyway, Dinosaur uses the same type of tracks and cars as Indy. Even though Indy is way better, Dinosaur is pretty cool. You have to try it. It is my favorite ride at WDW.

I've only been on Test Track once and it is rather lame. It's so lame that I'm going to bring my chicken kids on it next month...lol. I don't see how the lines get so long during the day.

I haven't rode EE yet. It's on our list of "must dos" for our next trip.

HTH

Mary
(a big chicken when it comes to rides)