Coaster comparisons

[KatieCharlotte]

My DD had a traumatic experience on Space Mtn at MK years ago and swore off coasters. Now that she's older, she'd like to try them again, but is nervous. What she did not like about Space Mtn was going fast in the dark. I think it also made a difference that she had to sit in front of me instead of next to me.

Clearly, she will not be trying Screamin. She has also ruled out my favorite, Splash Mtn, because the drop may hurt her stomach. How would you rank all the smaller coasters, and how do they compare to MK's Space Mtn? Does Indy have comparable coaster elements? How does Matterhorn compare to BTMRR? Are there thrill elements to Grizzly River Run that are more intense than Universal's Bilge-Rat Barges?

 

[Darkbeer1]

OK, I would avoid Screamin' and Goofy's Sky School at DCA, since they do have some major "thrill" elements in them.

Of course, Gadget Go Coaster in Toontown is where to start. If she can handle that,I would move to the Matterhorn and try that, and then move to Big Thunder.

As for Indiana Jones, yes, it does have some jerky movements that she might not like. I would look at the on ride videos available online to judge for yourself.

Nearby Knott's Berry Farm has a lot of family coasters.

I would start with Timberline Twister, then move to Jaguar and the Pony Express, and if she is fine with those, keep going.


https://www.knotts.com/things-to-do/roller-coasters

 

[MikeRx]

We love the mountains at DLR and WDW so for what its worth... Space Mountain at Disneyland is side-by-side and far superior to the MK in WDW in my opinion so give it a try! It's still fast-in the dark but with Hyperspace Mountain (star Wars) it's really cool, not a fan of the Ghost Galaxy overlay (kinda dumb) but to each his own.

Indy is in the dark, but has no real coaster like elements, just a few quick turns and a few dips as it moves/bounds along.

The Matterhorn is better with the seat cushions installed, but is a coaster, not as dark as SM, but still has darker elements and "Harold" the Yeti can be startling, especially for younger riders. I may actually get my 8 year old son to open his eyes the next time he rides the Matterhorn!

I've not been to Universal so can't tell you how to compare GRR, but we love GRR when it's hot, drops are gentle and someone always gets soaked!

BTMRR is a favorite at both parks, but DLR is superior with the blast tunnel and better themed scenery as you make your way around the ride. Maybe the refurb will bring WDW up to DLR specs? The queue is better in WDW, but with Fastpass we rarely see the queue.

We like the side-by-side seating of Splash at WDW over DL, but prefer the ride elements at DL...

Pirates offers a slightly more thrilling ride in DL over WDW with 2 drops and a longer ride, so this may be a great way to get her back into a dark ride with a few slight thrills, again Pirates at DL is superior to it's WDW cousin...

I hope this helps and she can get "back in the coaster sadle" soon and doesn't trigger a debate over which is better as these are just my opinions.
I agree with Darkbeer about Gadgets (when it's running) as a "gateway" ride to eash her back as well! Goofy's may not be too bad as it is open air and short. If she survives Gadget's, Goofey's could be a next step. She could observe it and let you know if she is ready.
Mike

 

[figment_jii]

I feel that Space Mountain is pretty similar in both MK and DL, so I probably would avoid DL's Space at this point (until you know how much she can handle). The tracks aren't the same and there is side-by-seat seating at DL's Space. However, the general premise (dark ride where it's hard to see what's coming) is the same in both parks. I like DL's Space better, but if she's iffy about MK's Space, then I'd wait on DL's Space until later in the trip.

I agree that starting with Gadget's Go Coaster is probably a good starting point. It's very tame (it's designed for the under 5 set) and you can see the entire track before riding. It has one drop, but it's pretty mild.

After that (if it goes well), I would move on to Big Thunder and ask to sit in the front because there is the least amount of whip-lash. I would also opt to ride it in the daytime when you can see what's coming (for the most part). The intensity is pretty similar to MK's BTMRR.

Then I would move on to Matterhorn. In terms of intensity, Matterhorn and BTMRR are pretty similar, but Matterhorn is a lot more bumpy and jerky (a lot of folks report having sore bottoms and backs from riding Matterhorn), so I would wait on this one until you see how she's feeling about roller coasters. The seating is also like MK's Space (single seats).

Indy isn't really a coaster; it's more like Dinosaur in AK. The jeep is pretty bumpy/jerky and there are some "thrill" elements, but it doesn't have any sharp plunges. There are some abrupt stops and starts, so it isn't the smoothest of rides.

It's worth noting that RSR in DCA does have some coaster like elements at the end. There is a "race" (no sharp plunges or turns), but one fast acceleration. It's like the end of Test Track, but I think the overall ride is much better than Test Track. You can see the "fast" part from outside of the ride.

I would also skip Screamin' (at least initially) because it has an inversion and major drops. Goofy's Sky School in DCA has a pretty good drop in it and a lot of really sharp side-to-side turns. It looks tame from the outside, but it's more intense than I thought it would be. I'd wait on Sky School until after doing the other coasters and seeing how she's doing.

 

[KatieCharlotte]

I really appreciate all the details...and the warning about Pirates, which will be useful for DS who doesn't do drops at ALL. He considers Pirates at MK to be just a little too much, so I won't encourage him to try DL's Pirates. DD and I will enjoy it without him. I didn't mention RSR because she actually likes Test Track and we assumed they had similar thrill elements. It sounds like she'll enjoy Indy -- assuming someone can confirm there are no spiders !! -- and GRR. The Bilge Rats at Universal has gentle drops and leaves everyone drenched. I'll try her out on Gadget and BTTMR, and resist my urge to run to Matterhorn just because I've been hearing about it since I was a kid. I am no longer a kid and probably don't want to start my trip with a sore back.

 

[figment_jii]

It sounds like she'll enjoy Indy -- assuming someone can confirm there are no spiders !!

I don't recall seeing any really prominently places spiders in Indy, but there are fake cobwebs scattered here and there. There is one room where they project a brief image of a swarm of beetles, then it goes dark and you hear a lot of clicking (supposed to imply the car is being over run by beetles).

 

[Albort]

I still remember the first time i rode Space Mountain at Disneyland. it was one of the worse experience i ever had. Now, its fun as hell... haha

i had a friend that refused to go onto Screamin... i forced her on it, told her its very soothing... she freaked but she had the best time of her life and will go on it every time she goes to Disneyland.
Tell your DD, always gives things a 2nd chance! or 3rd chance! u will love it one day!

 

[Niltiac]

I would actually suggest going to Matterhorn before BTMRR. It depends what she's scared of. Most of the intensity of Matterhorn is bumpiness/jerkiness, which leaves some people feeling sore. But I don't think most kids are bothered by it in the same way adults with tender backs are. It doesn't have any real drops and it doesn't go too fast. But she will have to sit by herself for Matterhorn. BTMRR is a smoother ride which is a plus for most people, but the smooth ride makes it feel more coaster-like than Matterhorn. It has drops but they are pretty tame (probably on-par with the small drops at the end of RSR). It feels faster to me than Matterhorn. Indy is just bumpy and has some sharp turns and whatnot, but isn't very coaster-like (though there is a small drop at the end). GRR has a couple of drops but they are there to cause a splash, not to be thrilling, so they're not too bad. Goofy would not be a good first choice if she has any issues with the sensation of dropping or if she's scared heights. At the beginning it swings you around tight turns in a way that makes it feel like you'll fall right off the track, and the drop it has is small but steep. But the plus is that it is a very short coaster and she can see the entirety of it while waiting in line, so there are no surprises.

I would rate the thrill factor as such (this is coming from someone who has a fear of drops but not bumps/turns/special effects): Gadgets Go Coaster, Matterhorn, GRR, Indy, BTMRR, Space, Goofy, Splash, Screamin.

 

[Elima2015]

Another recommendation to start with Gadget's coaster. It is really fun. My almost 4 yr olds, at the time, rode it again and again and again. Then they asked for the bigger coasters. I also think RSR would be a blast for her. If she gets really brave, Screamin' is a ton of fun and she can see the whole thing outside before getting in line vs. dark inside. I don't care for Space Mountain, but loved Screamin.

 

[V.I.N.C.E.N.T.]

Front row on BTMRR is actually not too bad. My daughter had the easiest time on any of the roller coasters sitting in the front. You go a bit slower over the hills at first waiting for the back to catch up. Its the only coaster long enough for this effect. Also try showing her the rides on Youtube. Suggest looking at the track as well, helps keep you focused and give a bit of a split second prieview of the turns/drops coming up reducing the out of control sensation.

 

[KatieCharlotte]

I still remember the first time i rode Space Mountain at Disneyland. it was one of the worse experience i ever had. Now, its fun as hell... haha

i had a friend that refused to go onto Screamin... i forced her on it, told her its very soothing... she freaked but she had the best time of her life and will go on it every time she goes to Disneyland.
Tell your DD, always gives things a 2nd chance! or 3rd chance! u will love it one day!

She knows that I was too scared to ride Splash as a kid and not only love it as an adult but also love inverted coasters. But I want her to work her way up on her terms. Space Mtn was traumatic for her, and so was DHS's Tower of Terror, which she insisted on riding at age six and deeply regretted.

She doesn't have a fear of heights per se. She likes very high ropes courses. But she doesn't like the feeling in her stomach when there's a big drop or she can't see what's ahead.

 

[The Lucky Bug]

Space mountain in Disney world's tracks were modeled after the Matterhorn's so the ride feels very similar. You sit infront of each other not side by side the vehicles are
Very similar to sm in wdw.

The ride starts with you going up a pitch black hill with the sound of the yeti around you. If you are avoiding the two things that scared her (dark ride and sitting alone) I would avoid this one even though it doesn't have any real drops.

My niece (5) was terrified of everything after her first ride on splash. She did not like sitting alone at all. We found out after that they will usually let you share the back row with a small child if you ask.

She did fine on big thunder because she liked that you share a bench rather than individual seats and she could hold on to her mom.

Another (non-roller coaster) not mentioned that can pick up a little speed especially at night is Casey jr. it's a train like big thunder but geared towards kids like gadgets.

 

[Niltiac]

The ride starts with you going up a pitch black hill with the sound of the yeti around you. If you are avoiding the two things that scared her (dark ride and sitting alone) I would avoid this one even though it doesn't have any real drops.

I suppose there is a dark part at the beginning - I completely forgot about that. But it's also before the ride really starts moving (it's the initial lift), so it's not quite like Space where you're moving fast and can't see what's coming. So for this I would say, it depends on if the dark scared her or if the fast moving ride in the dark scared her. It's also a cave-like tunnel and the ride is outdoors, so if you ride during the daytime there will be some light filtering into the tunnel.

 

[bumbershoot]

My DD had a traumatic experience on Space Mtn at MK years ago and swore off coasters. .... What she did not like about Space Mtn was going fast in the dark.

If darkness was the concern, Screamin' shouldn't be an issue at all. You can see the whole ride from outside.

I feel that Space Mountain is pretty similar in both MK and DL

Wow. Just the concept is the same; other than that, they shouldn't be named the same thing. At DL it's side by side and so much smoother. Now I woudn't put her on the Ghost Galaxy version, but if it goes back to Hyperspace that's a lot of fun (better than traditional for me).

There is one room where they project a brief image of a swarm of beetles, then it goes dark and you hear a lot of clicking (supposed to imply the car is being over run by beetles).

Yep, definitely 6-legged things not 8-legged.


For me I can mitigate the drop-feeling by slowly exhaling through the whole thing, keeping my abs relatively firm. It just helps with that stomach feeling. And when you think about it, that's exactly what screaming does, so it makes sense that screaming is what so many people do!

 

[Scribble Kitty]

She doesn't have a fear of heights per se. She likes very high ropes courses. But she doesn't like the feeling in her stomach when there's a big drop or she can't see what's ahead.

Something that helps with drops that you know are coming is to clench/ suck in your stomach. Your muscles will actually hold your stomach there so it doesn't feel like it's up in your lungs during the drop. I have to do this for Tower and Screamin' and it really helps a lot.

 

[Darkbeer1]

Another good family Roller Coaster option is nearby Adventure City, basically a half day park with two coasters that are very kid friendly.

http://www.adventurecity.com/

I would start with the Freeway Coaster, and then Rewind Racers.