DCA Rides - A bit nervous...

[magicallyDisney001]

I'm going to DCA in a couple of weeks, and I'm very excited to be going. This will be my first time going on some of the "bigger" rides, like California Screamin' and Maliboomer. I'm not a huge coaster (or freefall) fanatic, so I'm a little worried.

I'm trying to conquer my half-fear of big (IMO) coasters. To put things in perspective, the most intense rollercoaster I've ever been on in my life is probably the Ghostrider at Knott's Berry Farm, and even that scared me a bit (I'm fairly small, so at the first drop, I was hovering over my seat, scaring me to death).

I've watched a few POV videos on youtube, and the launch for CS looks really intense. Also, I've never been on a looping coaster before. (I am very hesitant when it comes to these things, but I trust Disney!) Any tips or advice when riding either of these? Thanks so much!!

 

[LavenderPeach]

To me, the scariest part of California Screamin' is the take-off. After that it's not too bad. Just remember to keep your head back. We were watching the take-offs for awhile one day and noticed quite a few people hit their head on the back of the seat because they had their heads forward instead of back. The idea of going upside down sounds scarier than it is. It goes so fast that the loop will be over before you know it.

Now, the maliboomer isn't a ride I can give any advice on because I have absolutely no desire to go on it.

 

[bumbershoot]

I agree 110% with LavenderPeach!

The take-off is the hard part of Screamin'.
Keep your head back and straight forward.
The loop will be over before you know it; and you'll probably know you're in it b/c it actually feels GOOD. Loops are the easy parts of coasters!

And I too know nothing about Maliboomer b/c I refuse to go on it.



Other rides in DCA...

Grizzly River Run, by the way, is AWESOME. Wear quick-drying clothes, shoes, and socks, or bring extras, and think about wearing a poncho anyway. We love that ride.

TSMM isn't scary.

Monster's Inc is fun, and you can smell pickled ginger as you enter the sushi restaurant.

 

[disney-inspired]

I went on Screamin' one time and one time only because of peer pressure. The launch was totally unexpected for me because I didn't think to watch the ride before going on it but I kept my eyes closed the entire time and the party I hated most was the big drop.

As you can see I'm not a coaster kid. The wildest thing I will do now is Mulholland Madness, a crazy mouse type roller coaster.

 

[jtl2411]

being affraid of coasters too, I didn't find screaming that bad of a ride. But like the previous poster said be sure to keep your head back at the begining.

As for the other ride, I haven't been on it myself so I can't really say how to handle it.

 

[perlster]

Look up videos of X2, for example. I rode that for the first time Sunday.

 

[PigletGurl]

The launch is nothing to be afraid of really. It;sl ike if someone was pushing you against the seat but thats it. and on the loop I often raise my hands, its really fun. The drops should be steeper and taller IMO haha

as for the Maliboomer, its nothing compared to the one at Knotts.

the worst part is going up, but after that its just slight butterflies in ya stomach and thats it. my sister regrets not going on it for so many years.

 

[erinbev]

don't worry - my friend had never been on any coaster before, and she was pretty scared, but she ended up LOVING it! After the first time she was like, "woah..." and we didn't go a second time right away. But by the end of our trip she loved it. Now she can't wait to go back and ride again!

Good luck!

 

[mechurchlady]

Screamin advice is right about head back and look forward. Alos the first times on inversion coasters I counted the time of the loop and then on the ride counted as I giggled. It pushes you in the seat just like a swing, g-forces.

I freaked out on Orange Stinger but love Tower of Terror despite my fear of falling. Next is Maliboomer which is the only ride I have not ridden in the parks since 1960 probably.

 

[ratherbe@disneyland]

Also don't feel pressured to let go. I rarely raise my hands on rides, just because for me its a safety net. I was scared for years and years to go on roller coasters, I'm not really sure how I got over it, except one year, I went on a roller coaster, that was just hills, no loops. And after that I wasn't scared. I would say try a ride that looks like "hey I could maybe do this" one that scares you, but doesn't seem to bad. Screamin might be a little bit much for getting over the fear.
Also realize your stomach will clench up. Mine always does, and that was one thing that scared me too. I hated that feeling of being nervous. Now the only ride I feel like that with is Tower or Terror...and I don't know if that will ever change no matter how much I ride it. Another thing that helped me too was to scream. So scream your head off. It will let the pressure out of your stomach and help relieve some of your stress. Good luck, and I know you can do it!

 

[PinkBudgie]

We finally got our 15 year old boys on Screamin in Jan. They love Space but weren't sure about going upside down. You actually don't even feel like you are upside down. And you also have this big restraint over your shoulders that I feel like I can hardly see over anyway. I feel more protected in that one than Big Thunder. Back to the boys- they love Screamin now. The take off part of it used to give me a weird feeling in my stomach until I learned that if I tightened my stomach muscles (like I was doing a sit up or something) I didn't get that feeling. Made take off much better for me. I still don't care much for free fall like ToT. Screamin has some big drops but nothing that feels like ToT to me. But the ride theme and pre show with ToT is very good and worth a try in my opinion.

 

[MichaelColey]

My wife hates roller coasters, but she loved California Screamin'. My 5 year old son (49") loved it, too. My wife and I would take turns going on it with him because my 3 year old daughter (43") isn't tall enough yet (although she wants to - she loved Space Mountain!).

I find the launch far more enjoyable than the old "jerked and dragged up a hill by chain" launch of most other roller coasters. Head back is a good suggestion, because there's some rapid acceleration. The linear induction motors they use on it is the same technology used on newer aircraft carriers to launch planes. It's not that bad, and I think you might actually find it enjoyable (the second time, anyway - you're probably too nervous about it to enjoy it the first time!).

The rest of the ride is fairly tame. Everything is very smooth. (I hate jerky roller coasters). There are no big drops. Nice choreographed soundtrack playing during the ride. The loop isn't bad at all. It's not very fast and the ride lasts for quite a while. Other than the launch, it's not much more intense than the Go Coaster in Toon Town. If you've been on Space Mountain, it's less intense than that.

 

[Brady's Mom]

I rode Maliboomer with my oldest DS about 2.5 yrs ago. AND I WILL NEVER RIDE THAT THING AGAIN!!! It was the scariest thing I have ever been on. I rode it with him after we rode ToT and I loved ToT, but being out in the open (on Maliboomer), looking down on DCA and the people and feeling so out of control made me really hate it.

I can ride the sunwheel of death better than the Maliboomer and there are no restraints on the sunwheel.

Screamin is a great coaster. It is smooth, like a PP said. I love the take-off and if you count out loud with the loudspeaker it can help you forget to be nervous. I'm talking OUT LOUD!!! Okay, really LOUD!! I can't go on it more than two times in a row or I get a little dizzy and sick feeling - but that's just a little vertigo on my part.

 

[prettyprincessbelle]

I think TOT is WAY WAY WAY worse than the Maliboomer. I enjoy both rides (I love TOT). But the Maliboomer's looks are deceiving. It's not even has half as terrifing as it looks.

On Screamin' the take off is fun for me. What gets me is that big drop. Oooo, my stomach goes all funny.

 

[BC Disney Lover]

We took my MIL to DL in November and she was a little nervous of California Screamin' After the first ride she was hooked. We kinda thought bringing Grandma would be great to sit with the little ones when we hit the big rides but she ended up on it way more than me I love the take-off and the loop goes fast so you barely notice you're upside down. My head does feel woozy after riding but it only lasts a minute or two.

She did TOT once and that was it for her, it didn't scare her but she didn't find it overly enjoyable either.

Have fun!

 

[IASWAM]

I think TOT is WAY WAY WAY worse than the Malliboomer. I enjoy both rides (I love TOT). But the Mali boomer's looks are deceiving. It's not even has half as terrifing as it looks.

On Screamin' the take off is fun for me. What gets me is that big drop. Oooo, my stomach goes all funny.

I agree about the Malliboomer. It's looks are deceiving. I perceive it the same way as many perceive the loop on CS. Everything happens so fast and before you know it the ride is pretty much over. I enjoy both TOT and Malliboomer, but TOT has an element of surprise, because you don't know when you are going to go up or down. With the Malliboomer, there is no surprises, because it's a one-shot deal.

 

[Kayla's Mom]

This is me deafening the ears of the poor guy and his son next to me. For some reason Maliboomer is way more scary to me than TOT. I HATE the plastic in front of my face too!

 

[brianroaz]

Went to DL/DCA in mid-January. It was the first time my 10-year-old niece went on Screamin'. She was nervous as well, but absolutely loved it. Then we had to sit in the front row over and over. In all, we road the coaster 38 times in 3 days.

My suggestion is that you ride it first at night. In the dark, you don't notice distance as much, in case one of your fears is height/distance (you also can stare at the lights a bit more than the mountains 15+ miles away). I'm not a huge roller coaster fan myself, but it was definitely easier at night.

Have fun!

Brian

 

[PinkBudgie]

I have no interest in the Maliboomer. Just the drop with none of the theming. No thanks. Same for the so called "Fun Wheel". I don't care how many Mickeys they put on it, I'm not touching it. Mulholland Maddness is too scary for me too!

 

[Lakewood]

Don't stress it no one has gotten killed at DCA thus far. Have fun.