Fear Of Rollercoasters ......... help

[BiGGy]

Hi all,
In need of a little help, i have a major fear of rollercoasters, and for the previous 2 visits to florida have not been a problem as the kids were a little young to go on some of the bigger rides, ive been on spiderman, MIB, and simlar..... BUT when it comes to ones like the hulk i cant seem to be able to get myself on them.

I dont want to end up the oldest man in the world only being able to manage 1 fish 2 fish , the kids nearly everyday saying things like 'cant wait till we go on the hulk dad' etc

please give me a few tips/help and please save from having to sit with my mom holding the bags and hats for 2 weeks

Rgds
BiGGy

 

[the Dark Marauder]

What is it about the coaster that scares you? Going upside down? Falling/dropping over 100 feet? What?

Just remember that it's okay to scream and closing your eyes is an option.

 

[alvernon90]

I have the same fear of the "drop" rides even though I love rollercoasters. It's perfectly natural to fear the sensations you'll experience, because the sensations are definitely unnatural.

The thing you should keep reminding yourself is that the coaster itself is extremely safe. Safer even than an airplane, and far, far safer than getting in a car. In terms of physical danger, you have more to fear from your shower than from the rollercoaster.

Hard to stay that rational, but if you can cling to the thought that you'll make it through safely, you may even find that you enjoy it!

 

[MickeyMouseTeen2006]

I have ridden the hulk at least 50 times and i never get bored of it!! Roller coasters are a lot safer than airplanes and prob one of the safest things u will ride.....trust me if u can get on the hulk...get on Deuling Dragons!!! if uget on the hulk....grab those metal bars!!!!

 

[damo]

My biggest hint is to sit in the front car and keep your eyes open. You will not get that awful feeling in your stomach or get motion sick because your brain knows where your body is going and it helps to maintain your equilibrium. It is amazing how many people learn to like coasters after they learn to keep their eyes open and look straight ahead.

 

[>>^..^<<]

Hi there... this is my tip, my strategy

You would do anything for your kids right?? Lift a burning car off them, dive into the ocean to save them, give your life to save theirs if you could? In a heartbeat we know the answer is yes.

So what I did to conquer my fear...

Pretend, imagine that one of them is in serious trouble - and you HAVE to do this to save them... their life depends on it... there is no question - you will do it...

I screamed my silly head off.. and when it was over - hey - that was not so bad, wobbily knees now - but thats okay...

Once you do it once - you will be okay - and start with the one that scares you the most - then you know that surely the others are much easier.

Now I love coasters...! I just have to work on flying

P.S. this same strategy works for wedding nights (just pretend you have to save your pet)


>>^..^<<

 

[aleishe]

A couple of thoughts on this....

I think the thought above about remembering that the ride is extraordinarily safe is the first one to start with, but hard to keep in mind when you're actually on the ride. However, if you can put this in your mind, it should help you somewhat.

I also think a deep cleansing breath can do wonders for you. Deep breathing will help relax you and give you something to focus on that is not the ride. I find most of my anxiety comes in the pre-ride, not on the ride itself.

As to where to sit and keeping your eyes closed or open. If it's about a lack of control over your situation, the front might be for you. If it's caused by different reasons (heights, speed...) in the middle with your eyes closed may be the way to go. Personally, I really enjoy riding coasters with my eyes closed, you can focus on sensations rather than sight and the wind is brilliant.

I have also developed an odd habit that has served me well. My spouse loves coasters and they sometimes make me nervous. Rather oddly, I developed a habit of burying my feet in the corner of the ride car...don't know why it works, but it's soothing to me. Now, this doesn't help me at all on coasters without a floor (Dragons really get to me), but, for me, it works well on rides like the Hulk.

Remember it's safe, try to relax, and you are likely to have a good time.

 

[Aisling]

P.S. this same strategy works for wedding nights (just pretend you have to save your pet)

This is hilarious!

 

[cnderellen]

I second the tips above- sit in front seats (way better and worth the wait) keep eyes open but also PUT YOUR HEAD BACK!!!! They have signs telling you to do this but I don't think everyone does. I was a bit apprehensive about Hulk but sat in front row and put my head back hard against head rest and enjoyed. It's over before you know it! Also I don't recommend multiple rides in a row- easy to with FOTL access with room key. I did ICE then FIRE dragon boom-boom right in a row and that made me a little dizzy. I suggest spreading intense rides out. I think screaming helps too! It's such a release. I also told myself no matter how scary it is, it's still WAY better than being at work!!!!!!!!
Have fun,
Ellen

 

[BarryHom]

It's time to tell the tale again! I wrote this a few years ago for a coaster club newsletter...


How I Learned to Love Roller Coasters and Stop Worrying About the Beast

by Barry Hom

"Inside Edition" reported that your chances of getting into a fatal roller
coaster accident is 1 in 10 million. Yet, everytime I thought about riding
one, I thought that I would die.

I used to avoid riding roller coasters. I chickened out on Space Mountain.
I avoided Busch Gardens Tampa for years. If I didn't ride the roller
coasters, what else is there to do at Bush Gardens? I did ride Big Thunder
Mountain at the Magic Kingdom and I swore to never to do it again!

That all changed when I visited Islands of Adventure in May 1999. I
initially planned to avoid riding the roller coasters. I really just wanted
to ride one ride -- Spiderman. I passed by the Incredible Hulk Coaster and
I kept on thinking, "I'll save it for later." Finally, I decided to ride
it.

I almost ran away from the entrance, but I thought of what my mom said when
I wouldn't eat lima beans -- "How do you know if you don't like it if you
haven't tried it?" I never ate my lima beans and I still don't like them, but I figured I'd ride it once and if I didn't like it, I'd
ride something else. There are plenty of other things to do at the park!

I entered the queue and I felt my heart pounding, my skin crawling, and my
breath becoming shorter. I finally was strapped in and I was terrified! As
the car rolled into the launch tube, people in the back of the coaster
started yelling, "Whoo!" I began to yell "Whoo!" too and suddenly, my fear
turned into excitement and I was launched out!

I yelled "Whoo!" so much that my voice was harsh after the ride. I don't
remember much of what the track looked like because I kept my eyes closed
(especially during the upside-down parts). At the end of the ride, I said,
"What a rush!"

I had planned to ride the Hulk Coaster zero times, but I ended up riding it
seven times. I finally conquered Space Mountain. I visited Busch Gardens
a few months after visiting IOA and enjoyed the coasters there. I'm
planning to visit the roller coaster mecca, Cedar Point, one day.

Perhaps one day I will have the courage to eat lima beans

 

[nab486]

I don't know if my advise will help much because I am a roller coaster chicken usually myself, but I have one friend who manages to talk me into riding them when we are together and then I love them for the day. I am going to try to remember all of her advise when I got with my DH this summer haha. Anyway, first she told me one time that you are SUPPOSED to be scared. I had somehow missed that. Once I realized that everone was scared, but that they were enjoying it, I relaxed some. I guess I didn't feel like a big chicken.
She also said.... "if you don't like it you don't have to do it again" I like that one too.... .kind've like the lima beans. How do I know if I don't try. I can do anything once, it only lasts a couple of minuets, and what are the odds of the thing crashing the ONE time I am on it.....So, if I do it once I ususally like it.

I think I have myself talked into trying them now anyway haha

 

[WernerW]

Ahhh yes, fear. I am always scared when I line up such a thing. The most extreme was Dr. Doom some years ago when they had early entry. I was ALL ALONE!!!! ;-)

I alway repeat telling myself how safe it is.

My 13yo son is a real chicken and I would so much like to persuade him to try it once without pushing him too hard. Last year we were in Disney Paris, he lined up for space mountain and after a while left the line and went back out.

Any suggestions how I could bring him to try it once. I am sure that if he would only try he would like it and we could have much, much fun

 

[highlander447]

I know how u feel we have just returned from Universal in Spain where they have the Dragon Khan which is seriously a big coaster my dd 12 wanted to ride it but I had never ridden outside coaster before but couldn't let her down so my advice go when no queue remember it only lasts 2-3minutes and after first time its easy to get back on did the Khan 11 times one time at 10.30pm pitch darkness front of row not for the faint hearted but it was good

 

[BiGGy]

thats for all the help/advice everyone

does make u feel a lot better when your not the only one who has the same sorta feelings.

i think the main problem is the control thing, as i drive for a living it must have a lot to do with it.

also its the waiting i feel quite good about the rides as i walk to them and then after being in the cue for a bit i find any excuse to get out of it. I think me excuse ' im wearing the wrong type of shoes for this ride' was one of my finest hahahahaha

Will take all of your advice onboard and think if i give 'deep breath thinking that my kids life depend on it at the front with my head right back and my feet in the corner' technique a go

Thanks Again everyone and hopefully will have some great ride pictures to show u all

Rgds

BiGGy aka the new king of rollercoasters ........ hopefully

 

[Minnie's Guy]

Mom, here, got sick riding Cat-in-the-Hat and the entire
family won't let me forget it!!!! I do NOT ride many rides
in any of the Universal parks, but love to visit them anyway.
I sit on the benches and 'hold the hats' while they are
on the ride!!!!!

 

[JessicaR]

I think me excuse ' im wearing the wrong type of shoes for this ride' was one of my finest hahahahaha

Now thats quite a line!! Very funny, I may have to try that one out.

 

[TraderAsh]

You probably have a greater chance in getting sick or hurt on Cat In The Hat (kidde ride) than on the hulk... Ill never forget the time I rode on the thing and it stopped right in the clean-up part under the spinning thing... we spinned for at least 5 minutes before they shut the thing off and we sat there for like 10 or 15 untill it started back and we started spinning again but that time it kept going.... that thing is crazy... i get nervous every time I ride it now but my friends who went with me loved it... I think they liked it more when it messed up... I however, dont like spinning and get sick on the Tea Cups at WDW... Storm Force is NOT an option

 

[Flyfly_Eclipse]

Originally posted by TraderAsh
we spinned for at least 5 minutes before they shut the thing off and we sat there for like 10 or 15 untill it started back and we started spinning again but that time it kept going.... that thing is crazy... i get nervous every time I ride it now but my friends who went with me loved it... I think they liked it more when it messed up...

LMAO!! That sounds like fun!!

As for rollercoasters, the first time I went on a rollercoaster was with a group of friends. We were in line and I couldn't take it anymore, I didn't want to do it! I was freaking out. I ran out of the line and they retrieved me. I went on and I LOVED it! I actually wanted to go on it again! I ended up going on it about 17 times the very next visit!

My mom hates rollercoasters and closes her eyes on them.
But she does it for me if I have no one to go on it with. Having my mom face her fears just for me is really nice of her. I appreciate it when she does that. BUT I feel closing your eyes probably makes things worse...more dizzy and afraid because you don't know where you are going.

One thing: ride in the front at first. You don't get as much pull and everything like the back (when you are in the back, the weight of the rest of the rollercoaster pulls you down more...and faster).

Hope this helped as well. Have fun!!