Help! I'm a Ride Wimp! (And would like to not be one!)

[MadisonMouse13]

Hey everybody!
So I'm going back to WDW for February Vacation 2016 (Feb. 12 - 20) and I'm so excited! However, I am a HUGE ride wimp, but am determined to change that around. The last time I went back in '09 the most extreme ride I encountered was BTMRR. This year, I'm gonna try Splash Mountain, Expedition Everest, and maybe even some others! How do I not be scared? The drop on Splash Mountain looks terrifying and the thought of going backwards on EE makes me very scared, but I want to go out of my comfort zone ("Adventure is out there!") Any tips? Thanks!

 

[alliecat523]

I was terrified of Splash the first time but it's super fun. I am not a roller coaster person but can definitely do Splash every time. It's always a little scary when you start up the hill but it's over so fast. You'll love it. My only advice is get in line and go. If you chicken out, you can always exit before boarding.

 

[Robo]

Hey everybody!
So I'm going back to WDW for February Vacation 2016 (Feb. 12 - 20) and I'm so excited! However, I am a HUGE ride wimp, but am determined to change that around. The last time I went back in '09 the most extreme ride I encountered was BTMRR. This year, I'm gonna try Splash Mountain, Expedition Everest, and maybe even some others! How do I not be scared? The drop on Splash Mountain looks terrifying and the thought of going backwards on EE makes me very scared, but I want to go out of my comfort zone ("Adventure is out there!") Any tips? Thanks!

It's actually kind of depressing to know that once you have finally ridden these attractions a few times, you can actually get used to them and they are no longer such a "big deal."

After years of riding all of these (and RnRC and ToT) I actually wish I could ride them all
"for the first time" again. The anticipation of something unknown can be very exciting.

 

[LBlovesM&WDW]

I really would have loved EE, but I get horrible motion sickness and the backward section was not good for me. I loved it until that part though. As for Splash, it is a wonderful, not to be missed iconic attraction. The inside is adorable and fun and the largest drop is at the very end. Shut your eyes if you don't want to see the drop. Honestly, a child has to be 40in to ride, which means basically a 4 year old rides it, so you should absolutely give it a go.

 

[soniam]

I would work my way up, 7DMT, BTMRR, Splash, and then Space Mountain. I wouldn't do EE or Rock n Roller Coaster until you have done Space Mountain. This is my plan, because I am a bit of a ride wimp too. I may skip Splash though, because I don't like to get wet.

 

[Canuck16]

Our DS who was 10 on our trip last year to WDW and he was so scared of thrill rides that the only coaster he would go on was BTRRR.....but loved ToT at DL when he was six. Go figure lol.

We started at US/IOA before our WDW trip and we hit FJ as our first ride and he was completely freaked out so after that he would not go on any of the thrill rides. When we got to WDW he was the same way....he would get in line for RnRC and then back out at the last minute so we would have to use the rider swap a lot. Then finally he got up enough courage to get on RnRC once and then after that he was hooked!!! He couldn't believe how fun the ride was and that it wasn't as bad as he thought it was. After that SM and EE were a piece of cake.

Luckily we had a Free 3rd day still from our US/IOA stay that he wanted to go back and hit the coasters there that we wouldn't go on before. We hit Hulk multiple times, Rip Ride Rockit multiple times (which his mom and older sister wouldn't even go on) as well as The Mummy all within a few hours.

EE is an awesome coaster that isn't bad at all.......our whole family loves EE and we would ride it over and over at rope drop

So just give one a try and I think after you do they will get easier and easier for you........and remember if our scared 10 year old could do it so can you!

Have fun and we look forward to hearing back from you after your trip on how much fun you had on the coasters at WDW.

 

[Disnsyncey]

Hey everybody!
So I'm going back to WDW for February Vacation 2016 (Feb. 12 - 20) and I'm so excited! However, I am a HUGE ride wimp, but am determined to change that around. The last time I went back in '09 the most extreme ride I encountered was BTMRR. This year, I'm gonna try Splash Mountain, Expedition Everest, and maybe even some others! How do I not be scared? The drop on Splash Mountain looks terrifying and the thought of going backwards on EE makes me very scared, but I want to go out of my comfort zone ("Adventure is out there!") Any tips? Thanks!

So....I am NOT a ride wimp and I will NOT ride EE again, the backwards makes me sick and it is just not fun.....I suggest Space Mountain and Dinosaur....not too crazy (just jerky) but not SCARY per se....

 

[JennyMP03]

^I'm not a "ride wimp" either, and I LOVE Dinosaur, but it's pretty rough! Very jerky and surprisingly loud.

OP, I think Splash is a good start. Much of it is slow. The anticipation of the drop may get to you, but just repeat to yourself that you're going to be okay-- no matter what you feel on the drop, no harm is going to come to you. It'll last only a few seconds, and then it'll be over either way. But you may find that you enjoy it!

SDMT (Seven Dwarves Mine Train, new since you last went) is easy breezy, rather short and has a smooth track. That may be another good one to try before tackling EE.

 

[SplashMountainMom]

Splash Mountain is now my favorite ride, but that drop scares that heck out of me every time. My solution is to hold on tight, close my eyes and scream like a madman. What an awesome feeling to step outside your comfort zone and experience something new.

I did Expedition Everest for the first time last year. I watched all the little kids getting on this ride and thought it could not be all that bad. It was weird going backwards, but I will definitely ride again.
I rode Space Mountain only once. My lovely husband said he loves this ride and I would have no problem with it........wrong! We rode this just after the park opened in the morning.......right after we ate breakfast.........OMG!! I felt so ill after riding that I could not get outside fast enough. Luckily I did not get sick, but it took about an hour and a gravol pill to make me feel right. It was the lights that made me feel this way, not the motion of the ride. I can't stay at weddings or dance bars that have the strobe / flashing lights as it always makes me feel sick.

Next year I will again step out of my comfort zone and will attempt Tower of Terror. How bad could it really be??

 

[ougrad86]

I couple years ago, after being a total ride wimp for years, I started working my way back up. I was tired of walking by all those attractions. I would start small, work your way up. One thing to always told myself was that I might be totally scared, but only for a minute or two, and then the ride is over. I now love roller coasters, and have hit Universal, Busch Gardens Williamsburg and Kings Dominion. I have plans to go to Cedar Point someday, and totally bummed that the Hulk at Universal will be closed when we go in January.

This may not all be for you, but WDW is a great place to start working your way up!

 

[Micca]

I love EE, it is a contender for the best themed ride on property, but it messes with my head sometimes. I pop a motion sickness pill, and as long as I'm feeling 100% fine, I'll go. If for any reason I think it's going to cause me a problem, I pass. I'm good with everything else except for RnRC, just don't think it's fun. Splash is a cakewalk, the whole ride is tame, except for the big drop--which is probably 2 seconds. Have fun!

 

[DisneyGateway]

My rule for myself has always been I have to ride the rides I am scared of at least twice. Reasons being, 1) You are scared of it the first time and mentally physc yourself out which makes the first ride worse, 2) the second time you can take a breath and actually enjoy the ride.

At least this is what works best for me and I am the one that had a panic attack once EE started to move! Now it is my FAVORITE ride. Mind you it took me the rest of the day to try it again but once I did it was so much fun I rode it an additional 6 times before we left AK that day!

 

[Peachkins]

I too was once a ride wimp- I used to avoid pretty much anything with a drop. I'll ride anything at WDW now. Honestly, I found that letting out a good scream and sometimes closing my eyes during the parts that I was frightened of helped immensely.

 

[BudgieMama]

Keep your eyes open: it makes things much more enjoyable.

I used to be terrified, and wouldn't ride anything remotely scary looking. I went to a theme park with some people I didn't know very well and didn't feel like I could be the wuss. One of them told me to keep my eyes open on the big coaster (much bigger than anything Disney has) and I loved it! I know love roller coasters, and will pretty much try any of them.

If motion sickness is a concern, wear some anti-nausea bands and take some travel sickness pills with you. I have some the Doctor gave me a sickness problem and they work really quickly. If I feel bad at a theme park, I take one and feel much better.

For the nerves, get someone to not let you back out. Once you're on, you've got to see it through!

 

[themillersdaughter]

i like but don't love roller coasters, but i used to be terrified of them. i found what really helped me was pinpointing what i was nervous about in each ride- was it the darkness, the speed, the dips, the duration, the theme etc.... and yes, i did list theme- tower of terror is hugely terrifying for me, not because of the ride, but because i live in an old city with lots of old jerky elevators.i found that watching some of the gopro videos people have done have actually really helped me figure out what was in my "safe" zone for coasters.

for example: splash mountain- did it as a kid, was totally freaked out, but i actually really love everything until the drop. what made me so edgy about it was sitting in front- i don't like the feeling of "dead air" under me before i drop. but i still wanted to ride, so i made a plan. my solution: sit in the back. the drop still makes me scared, but its more excited scared, because i'm able to see everything and still feel "connected" to the track of the ride.

 

[Alesia]

How do I not be scared?

You don't - you just suck it up and get on the ride anyway. There's nothing wrong with being scared, as long as you don't let your fear stop you from doing things you want to do.

In the immortal words of my husband: "Just get on the damn ride! It's not going to kill you!"

 

[MadisonMouse13]

Thank you everyone for the tips! I'm also going to Universal for a day so I'll see how that goes LOL. So it looks like I'm definitely doing Splash Mountain, and EE is a maybe.

 

[karly05]

OK, anyone who quotes "Adventure is Out There!" is cool in my book.

I'm kind of a ride wimp, myself, so I get where you're coming from. I like BTMRR, but once a trip is enough for me. I LOVE Splash Mountain! I'm not picking on anyone, but I hear so many comments on how the drop looks so scary, and I get that, but it's really not, it's fun! Maybe it's because I have ridden and loved flume rides since I was 5 years old, but I've never been scared of Splash, and it is such an awesome ride with the story and songs and so much fun. For years, people rode it with no lap bars/restraints, and Disney finally put in the bars just to deter rider foolishness (standing up, etc.). You can stand by the fence and watch the logs coming around the stream after the drop; you'll see plenty of people laughing and having a wonderful time. Just tell yourself you can do it, get in the line and give it a try. If it's not your cup of tea, you don't have to do it again. If you like it, you will have to do it again to catch all the inside story when you're more relaxed. (Do be aware there are a couple of small drops in the dark inside, but they are quick and short.)

Expedition Everest - OK, I refuse to do RnRC or Space; I've done TOT but not for a long time, and I'm iffy about doing it alone for whatever irrational reason. But I'd always really kind of wanted to try Everest, and I finally did it this year. It was super-scary, but kind of fun. I can't decide if I'm going to do it again next year, but I'm really really proud of myself for doing it (bought me an EE cap afterward as a memento). Backwards in the dark was not as horrible as I feared (didn't make me sick or anything), but I'm glad I was prepared for it. It DOES make you feel like you're going upsidedown. The scariest part to me was an unexpected forward drop in the dark (I think it was only one, but... ?) The big drop out of the mountain wasn't as bad because at least I could see what was coming. The EE drops felt steep to me (felt MUCH steeper to me than Splash, FWIW). Going through the EE single rider line was a huge help to me because it was practically a walk on, so I didn't have time to get cold feet. I'm really glad I did it, and I can't swear I wouldn't do it again, but for a "ride wimp," it is pretty scary. But you'll never know unless you try!

Just my opinions.

 

[SplashMountainMom]

Glad to hear you are going ride Splash Mountain! It's a wonderful ride and longer than most, too.
We rode it last year at the same time the parade for the Halloween party was in progress. The ride was empty, only the three of us and a handful of other people. At the end of the ride, the cast member operating the ride asked if we wanted to go again, so we did and actually ended up doing the ride three times without getting off at all.

 

[caroline1851]

Well, i'm a total ride wimp also. On this last trip it was just ds and I. He rode EE solo then I thought to myself that I didn't want him to be riding solo on any more things. Soooo...I did Splash..about 5 times. HATE the drop, but it's only a few seconds long and the rest of the ride is worth it. I tried Space Mtn...and actually kind of enjoyed it. The key was in the dark so I couldn't see the the ride ahead of time. I also did RRC...again, in dark so had no opportunity to see what it was like ahead of time. We also went there straight at rope drop so no line to stand in thinking about it. I also did TOT...HATEd IT. but....it was over fast and glad to do it with my son.