Confused about Gringotts ride.

Joined
Jun 16, 2021
I rode the Forbidden Journey ride years ago and I hurt my back just a bit nothing serious. It was just too jerky and I didn’t like it.

At first when I was doing research, I heard that the Gringotts ride was also quite jerky. But now, I just read on Wikipedia that it is compared to Pirates of the Caribbean? Huh? I like that ride! On an app, it calls the Gringotts ride a 3D movie? Huh again?

I love the Rock and Roll rollercoaster. To me it’s smooth and I feel very secure.

Can anyone clear up the confusion I am having?
 
It is a coaster, but it isn’t a continuous coaster. It stops in several places for the story to continue on the screens (you wear 3D glasses). It’s got some jerkiness to it. Not crazy, but it’s not totally smooth either because you’re going scene to scene with the vehicle stopped in places, and sometimes the vehicle spins to move place to place. There are only a few sections that really feel like a coaster to me. I don’t get the PotC comparison, though, except that it’s a dark ride with a storyline, but the movement isn’t anything like the boats for Pirates.
 
But now, I just read on Wikipedia that it is compared to Pirates of the Caribbean?
Ya mean Wikipedia isn't accurate?!!!

I find Gringott's more jerky than Forbidden Journey. There are a couple of really sudden stops that hurt my back.
 


Recommend watching a POV you tube video. Forbidden Journey makes me want to hurl. Don’t have that on Gringotts. Does have a lot of stops and starts . It’s sort of a runaway mine car ride with Voldemort stopping to curse you. Totally lost my 3D glasses on the last stop and restart. Definitely not PoC like more Big Thunder Mountain like.
 
THANK YOU so much for all this information! It is extremely helpful!!

How jerky is it compared to the Forbidden Journey? Regarding the stop and go moments, is it something like Test Track? Does it whip you around like Thundermountain or Expedition Everest? I am just trying to get a comparison between rides I have on and the experiences I have had and what I have liked, loved or realized I won't be doing again.

It is a coaster, but it isn’t a continuous coaster. It stops in several places for the story to continue on the screens (you wear 3D glasses). It’s got some jerkiness to it. Not crazy, but it’s not totally smooth either because you’re going scene to scene with the vehicle stopped in places, and sometimes the vehicle spins to move place to place. There are only a few sections that really feel like a coaster to me. I don’t get the PotC comparison, though, except that it’s a dark ride with a storyline, but the movement isn’t anything like the boats for Pirates.
 
I'm a total ride coward. I love PotC. I did not enjoy Gringotts. To me, Gringotts was too intense (especially the part where it's really dark and you go fast), but I can handle Forbidden Journey just fine.

That's interesting. For me it's not so much the darkness as the whipping around, sudden jerky moments etc. That's what I am trying to get a feel for. Appreciate you sharing your experience though!
 


Check out Amusement Lab's How It Works series of YouTube videos. They go through everything from hydraulics to vehicles on all the big rides. It's been a lifesaver for me as a ride chicken. Their videos are the reason I was able to ride FOP at Animal Kingdom.
 
That’s a great tip but I don’t want to spoil the experience, is it a full live video of the ride?

Check out Amusement Lab's How It Works series of YouTube videos. They go through everything from hydraulics to vehicles on all the big rides. It's been a lifesaver for me as a ride chicken. Their videos are the reason I was able to ride FOP at Animal Kingdom.
 
I think Gringott's is smoother than Big Thunder Mountain and Forbidden Journey. It has some motion that I think is similar to the motion in Toy Story Mania where you kind of spin to the side and around but in a fairly smooth way. I can only think of one part at the beginning that I would consider jerky. I have no idea why it would be compared to Pirates. It is a fun ride that I love more and more each time I ride it. We try to ride it four or five times whereas I can only ride Forbidden Journey once per trip. I hope you get to try it!
 
I think it just depends on your level of back pain. Unfortunately, this ride doesn’t have over the shoulder restraints like a typical roller coaster (ie Hulk, Rock-n-roller coaster), it has a lap restraint so your back is vulnerable to the natural jerkiness of the stop-and-start and turning sequences.
 
Thank you SO much for your perspective, this makes me really want to try it!

I think Gringott's is smoother than Big Thunder Mountain and Forbidden Journey. It has some motion that I think is similar to the motion in Toy Story Mania where you kind of spin to the side and around but in a fairly smooth way. I can only think of one part at the beginning that I would consider jerky. I have no idea why it would be compared to Pirates. It is a fun ride that I love more and more each time I ride it. We try to ride it four or five times whereas I can only ride Forbidden Journey once per trip. I hope you get to try it!
 
THANK YOU so much for all this information! It is extremely helpful!!

How jerky is it compared to the Forbidden Journey? Regarding the stop and go moments, is it something like Test Track? Does it whip you around like Thundermountain or Expedition Everest? I am just trying to get a comparison between rides I have on and the experiences I have had and what I have liked, loved or realized I won't be doing again.

Hi: I amthe same as you. I could not take For bidden Journey, It made me dizzy and nauseous, I think it had alot to do with the ____Arm that makes it possible to switch directions quickly and I felt like I was going over backwards. I couldn't wait to get off that ride,, and was queasy all day. I can ride alll the rides at WDW without a problem.

I rode Gringotts and had No Problem at alll. It is on a track with the most amazing ride car and immersion into HP world. Your have a mild dip once. You mostly race in the car and stop at various well done screens. I wouldn't miss it for anything. You might take a dramine before if you need one, but this is one not to be missed. Remember, I can't ride thrill rides at all, but this one was just plain fun. I think it is the best ride experience in Florida.
 
I think it just depends on your level of back pain. Unfortunately, this ride doesn’t have over the shoulder restraints like a typical roller coaster (ie Hulk, Rock-n-roller coaster), it has a lap restraint so your back is vulnerable to the natural jerkiness of the stop-and-start and turning sequences.

Thank you for this info. Unfortunately for me, I have to consider this because of how unsecure I felt the last time i rode Space mountain and it used to be my FAVORITE ride as a child/teen.
/
What type of restraint does Hagrid's ride have?
 
So for me I would describe it as a hybrid coaster dark ride. The vehicles spin, you wear 3D glasses, there are drops and effects. Also I am 5’4” and have sat in every seat of that car and my feet do not touch the ground and dangle. It is a lap bar system.
 
I think if you like rock n roller coaster you will be fine on Gringott's. I do have one suggestion to make though, there are 6 rows total, split up between 2 cars. In each car row 1 and row 4 are the lowest point, rows 2 and 5 are a bit higher up, and rows 3 and 6 are the highest (it's to allow everyone to see the screens). I am 5 feet 5 inches tall and if I sit in rows 3 or 6 my feet do not touch the ground and I therefore cannot brace myself for the turns and the ride feels much jerkier. When I'm in the rows 1 or 4 I can plant my feet firmly on the ground and brace myself and I have no troubles. In rows 2 and 5 my feet touch the ground but I can't brace as well.

Because rows 3 and 6 sit up higher they allow more leg room and are known as the "fluffy friendly" seats. The seats themselves are not wider nor is there more room between the seat and the lap bar, they just have more leg room. A big and tall person would do better in those rows but a big and short person does not.

Because I'm bigger round the middle I found that I was constantly getting put there by the workers even when other rows were empty. It doesn't offend me, the worker's are trying to make me more comfortable and they automatically put bigger people in those rows. Since I dislike those rows so much I have learned to tell the worker who asks how many people in your party "I have 2 people in my party and I fit in every row." They will then usually seat me in the next available row instead of putting me in the back.

That may have been too much info lol but hopefully it helps. If you are my height or shorter- ask for row 1 or 4 so you can plant your feet and brace for the turns and you shouldn't have a problem. In my personal opinion, row 4 is the absolute best row, it's a front row feel but you are back far enough to see everything so I always recommend row 4 for a first ride. If you ask very politely, the worker's are usually quite accommodating with row requests.

Also depending on how many years ago it was that you rode Forbidden Journey you may want to give it another try. They have toned it down a good bit and it isn't nearly as jerky as it used to be. I don't know when exactly they did this, I just know it isn't as jerky as the first time I rode it in 2015.
 
I think if you like rock n roller coaster you will be fine on Gringott's. I do have one suggestion to make though, there are 6 rows total, split up between 2 cars. In each car row 1 and row 4 are the lowest point, rows 2 and 5 are a bit higher up, and rows 3 and 6 are the highest (it's to allow everyone to see the screens). I am 5 feet 5 inches tall and if I sit in rows 3 or 6 my feet do not touch the ground and I therefore cannot brace myself for the turns and the ride feels much jerkier. When I'm in the rows 1 or 4 I can plant my feet firmly on the ground and brace myself and I have no troubles. In rows 2 and 5 my feet touch the ground but I can't brace as well.

Because rows 3 and 6 sit up higher they allow more leg room and are known as the "fluffy friendly" seats. The seats themselves are not wider nor is there more room between the seat and the lap bar, they just have more leg room. A big and tall person would do better in those rows but a big and short person does not.

Because I'm bigger round the middle I found that I was constantly getting put there by the workers even when other rows were empty. It doesn't offend me, the worker's are trying to make me more comfortable and they automatically put bigger people in those rows. Since I dislike those rows so much I have learned to tell the worker who asks how many people in your party "I have 2 people in my party and I fit in every row." They will then usually seat me in the next available row instead of putting me in the back.

That may have been too much info lol but hopefully it helps. If you are my height or shorter- ask for row 1 or 4 so you can plant your feet and brace for the turns and you shouldn't have a problem. In my personal opinion, row 4 is the absolute best row, it's a front row feel but you are back far enough to see everything so I always recommend row 4 for a first ride. If you ask very politely, the worker's are usually quite accommodating with row requests.

Also depending on how many years ago it was that you rode Forbidden Journey you may want to give it another try. They have toned it down a good bit and it isn't nearly as jerky as it used to be. I don't know when exactly they did this, I just know it isn't as jerky as the first time I rode it in 2015.


This info is EXTREMELY helpful as I am short and would really like to be able to touch my feet in the car. in the tester vechile they hsve before you get in line for the ride or whatever can I try and sit and see if i touch the ground in a paticular row or will they be like, no, seat here type of thing?
 
Hmmm, I've never tried out the test seat so I'm not sure how it compares to the seats on the ride in the various rows. Sorry!

I see another poster said they are 5'4" and can't touch. I'm 5'5" and my feet touch in all but the back rows. It may have to do with leg length/torso length and not just overall height. If you are short I would definitely ask for rows 1 or 4. If you get in the ride seat and your feet don't touch and you change your mind you could always ask to get back out. They will unlock the bars and let you out.
 
That’s AWESOME they will let you out/leave last minute, I didn’t think it was possible. I am like 4’10 or 4’’11 so based on what you’ve said I don’t think my feet will touch…boo…but you ALL have been more helpful than I could EVER imagine!!
 

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