Do the rides run faster at night?

[Lm3js]

Am I crazy or is it just perception but do some of the rides run faster at night -- not the lines, the rides themselves? Specifically BTMR, HSM, Matterhorn? We rode each of these during the day and then again at night and we thought we were going to jump the track on BTMR! Was it my imagination?

 

[lalasmama]

While I don't think they actually do go faster at night, the perception that they are going faster seems to be pretty universal! I'm guessing it's because it's darker out, so your eyes are trying to make sense of how fast you are going, but can't see things well enough to actually figure out how fast you moving.

 

[gottalovepluto]

HM runs at different speeds sometimes I swear! We rode it one day during the day right before the holidays when it was super crowded and it seemed really fast and then at night when crowds died down it was definitely moving along slower. Rides like Matterhorn & BTMRR I don’t think they can speed up/slow down (I know they can stop them) but I would love to hear from somebody in the know too!

 

[tarheelalum]

I don't believe they run faster but the Matterhorn feels like it does. Everything seems faster and scarier in the dark.

 

[Deadp00l]

To me, BTMRR does seem to run faster at night.

 

[cmwade77]

Here is the deal on the rides:
BTMRR - Yes, it is actually faster at night due to oils building up through out the day and metal shrinking slightly in the cooler temperatures resulting in less friction.

Haunted Mansion has it's normal speed and a creep mode that is used when someone needs the moving walkway slowed down.

Matterhorn - Speed differences would be similar to BTMRR and the Tomorrowland side is always a bit faster than the Fantasyland side. Pretty much any outdoor coaster, especially steel ones will have similar conditions at night.

So yes, some attractions do indeed run faster at night, usually due simply to the laws of physics.

Additionally, pretty much all attractions also run faster when it is busier do that they can increase capacity. There are exceptions of course, but the vast majority have the capability to be sped up a bit to allow more ride vehicles through per hour. It is indeed possible that Haunted Mansion now has this ability as well.

 

[agamble]

HM runs at different speeds sometimes I swear! We rode it one day during the day right before the holidays when it was super crowded and it seemed really fast and then at night when crowds died down it was definitely moving along slower. Rides like Matterhorn & BTMRR I don’t think they can speed up/slow down (I know they can stop them) but I would love to hear from somebody in the know too!

Yeah Haunted Mansion, Buzz, and Mermaid have speed controls the CM can use as needed to help with load and unload.

The roller coasters may run a tad faster due to oils as someone mentioned, but it is mostly perception in the dark. That is why the 35 mph Space Mountain feels so much faster than Thunder mountain.

 

[gottalovepluto]

Yeah Haunted Mansion, Buzz, and Mermaid have speed controls the CM can use as needed to help with load and unload.

The roller coasters may run a tad faster due to oils as someone mentioned, but it is mostly perception in the dark. That is why the 35 mph Space Mountain feels so much faster than Thunder mountain.

*mind blown*

 

[Lm3js]

Thanks for the replies! Very interesting...

 

[maverik85]

The time of day doesn't affect them at all, but some like Space Mountain and Matterhorn could be affected a bit by who is in the vehicles. With small trains you can have a wide variance of weight in it depeding on how many and who is in it. If there is a higher weight the ride will go a little faster

 

[V.I.N.CENT.]

If the day is hot it does make a difference with some rides. We were at the park in September 2015 when temps were over 100. They were running Big Thunder with the center cars empty. The CM told me that the track expand slightly in the heat causing full train to run slower. So in extreme heat cases, they do run faster at night!

 

[cobright]

Am I crazy or is it just perception but do some of the rides run faster at night -- not the lines, the rides themselves? Specifically BTMR, HSM, Matterhorn? We rode each of these during the day and then again at night and we thought we were going to jump the track on BTMR! Was it my imagination?

Couple of factors at play here, but the short answer is ... it might not have been your imagination. Or it may have. It's hard to say without actually measuring the speed (cell phone with a gps app will do this) and comparing speeds of the same train at different times of day. Comparing rides from one train to the next on the same ride can yield slight differences in speed.

There are actually many examples of people asking this question online (even a few on Dis).

Considering only rides with rolling trains on tracks (aka roller coasters) there are a few mechanical aspects that can affect the ride based on temperature.

1. Every wheel is supported by a race of bearings. These bearings are usually sealed and greased. When the grease is cold it has a higher viscosity and could slow the train somewhat. This effect would be minor and by the time evening comes around, the ride in use would create enough frictive heat to nullify this effect. But a train put fresh into service and the first runs of the day (which probably run empty) might be affected. I would say this effect, if measurable at all, isn't a significant factor.
2. Pneumatic braking and speed controls. We all know the braking that kicks in at the end. But often there are speed control braks at key points throughout the ride. The pressure tanks for these mechanisms are often in full sun and a difference of temperature could move the braking pressure from one end of their acceptable range to the other. This would cause a few milliseconds difference in the amount of braking applied which could translate to a speed difference of a MPH or two by some point along the route of that coaster. Similar to point #2, I doubt this is causing a noticeable effect.
3. Steel track rides with significant exposure to the sun do exhibit a measurable degree of expansion. Well within the tolerances of the ride, the track at its hottest would be gripped tighter by the rolling trucks of wheels that support each train car. Simply put, the expansion of the track increases the friction on those wheel bearings. It may not seem like much, but this increase in friction creates a cumulative effect along the entire route of the ride. It's conceivable to me that at some point near the end of the ride there might be enough difference in speed that one would notice it.

But we're not done yet...

Another effect that is often brought up to explain this phenomenon is that riding a roller coaster in the dark feels faster because the rider has a much diminished depth perception. I've run video simulations of first person point of view motion (the view of a road from inside a car) and altering things like field of view and depth of field produce radically different feelings of how fast the car (in this case) is traveling.

So ... who's gonna gather some data? Apps designed for tracking your run or bike ride would work. I'm setting up one called Strava for my DLR visit tomorrow.

 

[Deadp00l]

Physics and psychology aside, maybe the Cast Members simply just hit the Turbo button so that they can finish their shifts and get out faster (I tend to do that towards the end of my shift at work)

 

[Lm3js]

Physics and psychology aside, maybe the Cast Members simply just hit the Turbo button so that they can finish their shifts and get out faster (I tend to do that towards the end of my shift at work)

ha ha.. so true!

 

[Lm3js]

Couple of factors at play here, but the short answer is ... it might not have been your imagination. Or it may have. It's hard to say without actually measuring the speed (cell phone with a gps app will do this) and comparing speeds of the same train at different times of day. Comparing rides from one train to the next on the same ride can yield slight differences in speed.

There are actually many examples of people asking this question online (even a few on Dis).

Considering only rides with rolling trains on tracks (aka roller coasters) there are a few mechanical aspects that can affect the ride based on temperature.

1. Every wheel is supported by a race of bearings. These bearings are usually sealed and greased. When the grease is cold it has a higher viscosity and could slow the train somewhat. This effect would be minor and by the time evening comes around, the ride in use would create enough frictive heat to nullify this effect. But a train put fresh into service and the first runs of the day (which probably run empty) might be affected. I would say this effect, if measurable at all, isn't a significant factor.
2. Pneumatic braking and speed controls. We all know the braking that kicks in at the end. But often there are speed control braks at key points throughout the ride. The pressure tanks for these mechanisms are often in full sun and a difference of temperature could move the braking pressure from one end of their acceptable range to the other. This would cause a few milliseconds difference in the amount of braking applied which could translate to a speed difference of a MPH or two by some point along the route of that coaster. Similar to point #2, I doubt this is causing a noticeable effect.
3. Steel track rides with significant exposure to the sun do exhibit a measurable degree of expansion. Well within the tolerances of the ride, the track at its hottest would be gripped tighter by the rolling trucks of wheels that support each train car. Simply put, the expansion of the track increases the friction on those wheel bearings. It may not seem like much, but this increase in friction creates a cumulative effect along the entire route of the ride. It's conceivable to me that at some point near the end of the ride there might be enough difference in speed that one would notice it.

But we're not done yet...

Another effect that is often brought up to explain this phenomenon is that riding a roller coaster in the dark feels faster because the rider has a much diminished depth perception. I've run video simulations of first person point of view motion (the view of a road from inside a car) and altering things like field of view and depth of field produce radically different feelings of how fast the car (in this case) is traveling.

So ... who's gonna gather some data? Apps designed for tracking your run or bike ride would work. I'm setting up one called Strava for my DLR visit tomorrow.

Oooh, keep us posted on the findings. For reference, it was ~90 degrees on Sat 5/5 when we were there. We road Big Thunder at around noon and then at about 9pm at night. The first time was noticeably slower. The 9pm felt like we were flying and jumping the rails. We road Hyperspace mountain at ~10:30am and 10:30pm. Night time also felt faster, but that would be odd because both are dark. My son rode Matterhorn 6 times at random times during the day/night. He thought they ran faster at night as well. I thought maybe they run faster at night to give the 'adults' a better experience

 

[mich311e]

It totally feels like BTMR is faster at night!

 

[cobright]

I was able to ride BTMRR once during the day May 9th and 10th and many times in the evening on May 9th at the Disney After Dark event. The max speeds during the day were 29 and 31mph and the max speeds late at night were all between 30 and 32. So not really anything I would call real data here. Part of the problem is that both days I was there the weather was very very mild.

But I did ask the ride operator about this several times when I got off. They all gave me the same answer, that they got from their training, the imagineers say there is a small increase in speed most evenings and when the ride is running cool.