hill on maelstrom?

[bridgetb125]

What is the hill on maelstrom like? I'm very afraid of drops and the hill on potc in DL was just about too much for me. So, how big is this one? Do you know how many feet it is? Is it steep or more like a curve? Also would an almost 2 year old be able to handle it?

 

[johnvree]

Sadly, it's not much of a hill at all. It is about the size of the drop in POTC.

The troll can make the ride a little scary for little kids though.

 

[CinRell]

It's not very big but if you don't like the one on POTC I don't think you'll like this one at all.. if I remember correctly, please somebody correct me if I"m wrong, it's a big bigger/faster than POTC and backwards?

 

[Equidae]

There isn't any real drop on the Maelstrom. The boat goes towards an opening in the building and then the boat quickly moves straight back, maybe on a curve. I don't remember there being a drop at all though ('cause I know that would have freaked me -- the POTC drop is enough for me!). I don't know if a toddler would be able to handle it -- is there a height requirement? I'm sure someone else here would know better than me about that.

 

[WaltD4Me]

I don't really consider it a "hill" - it's really more of a "bump" -

There really isn't anything to the ride itself on Maelstorm, you go around in a boat and there the part with the bump and you stop and go backwards for a minute. But be warned that Maelstrom is a dark ride and there are a couple scary creature figures. A troll and a bear I think. My five year old niece HATED it and refused to go on anymore dark rides after Maelstorm. So your 2 year old probably won't mind the boat ride itself, but might not like the dark and slightly spooky interior. I wouldn't worry about it though, you won't be missing anything if you skip it.

 

[Jalva22]

It is a very short drop and it is backwards. I don't think the drop itself was any more "intense" than the one on POTC though. As far the almost 2 yr old goes, since you've been on POTC I'd use that as your guide.

I agree with the previous poster, you won't be missing a lot if you skip it.

 

[Randy K]

Bridget was actually talking about the drop on the DL POTC and not the WDW POTC which is a big difference.
The WDW POTC just has a small I think it is 17 ft. drop. The Disneyland POTC has 2 drops 1st a 35 ft. drop and then the 17 ft. drop like the WDW one. This is one of the biggest dissapoitments with the WDW POTC for those used to DL POTC. After the little drop the reaction is "That's it". It would be like going on a different Splash Mountain where the main drop was less than half the size.
So to answer the question no the Maelstorm drop is nothing like the big DL POTC drop. Its like the 2nd DL POTC drop. Very short and very mild so you should be ok with it. But as others mentioned it does have trolls that may scare a little one.

 

[Dustin]

It is comparable to the WDW POTC drop....but with less of an angle.

 

[letsgoagainsoon]

There is no height restriction on Maelstrom. My 18mo DS rode with us the last time we were there. No problems at all, he wasn't afraid of the dark or the drop, which is a VERY small drop.

 

[Quinn222]

There is a very small forward drop on Maelstrom in addition to the backwards one. But really, it's tiny. maybe ten or twelve feet.

 

[WDWAurora]

There's no backwards drop on this ride. You do go backwards for a small portion of the ride and you're angled slightly downhill, but it's not a drop at all.

 

[Robo]

This is getting a little confused.

Maelstrom's BACKWARD motion does NOT have a DROP, the boat is merely propelled in that direction by the same kind of "water jets" that move it forward during the rest of the ride.

But, after your boat stops moving backwards, then Maelstrom DOES have an immediate DROP going forward.

Before everyone jumps in to say, "ah, it ain't no big drop"...
let me remind you that it drops the SAME AMOUNT as you are CARRIED UP at the head of the ride, and that is not a minor "lift-section".

It IS a quick fall, down into the "stormy North Seas" under a replica of an oil derrick.

Suffice it to say that since you are not "strapped in" (the way there is not a restraint in PotC) it is not a "dangerous" drop.

But if PotC makes you "wince", Maelstrom is likely to "get to you" the same way... maybe a bit more.

Heck, the main reason many folks RIDE Maelstrom is for the "DROP".

 

[bridgetb125]

Okay I don't know about this ride now. How big is the forward drop? I'm guessing it's steep? How many feet is it, do you know?

 

[makinorlando]

This is getting a little confused.

Maelstrom's BACKWARD motion does NOT have a DROP, the boat is merely propelled in that direction by the same kind of "water jets" that move it forward during the rest of the ride.

But, after your boat stops moving backwards, then Maelstrom DOES have an immediate DROP going forward.

Before everyone jumps in to say, "ah, it ain't no big drop"...
let me remind you that it drops the SAME AMOUNT as you are CARRIED UP at the head of the ride, and that is not a minor "lift-section".

It IS a quick fall, down into the "stormy North Seas" under a replica of an oil derrick.

Suffice it to say that since you are not "strapped in" (the way there is not a restraint in PotC) it is not a "dangerous" drop.

But if PotC makes you "wince", Maelstrom is likely to "get to you" the same way... maybe a bit more.

Heck, the main reason many folks RIDE Maelstrom is for the "DROP".

Excellent description! I was trying how to write what you just said! We love to ride Maelstrom!

 

[CinRell]

Oops sorry if my info was wrong. this poor girl only goes to disney every 5 years so most of my memories are fogged with fantasy of returning
Sooorry. .but love reading the description.. makes me feel like I"m back...

 

[MessyJ]

It is correct that there is no backwards drop in Maelstrom, although they fake you out and make you think there will be one. The one drop is forwards, and it doesn't seem that bad to me. Again, I'll compare it to MK POTC, just as everyone else has. I also agree that there is not much to miss here if you decide to skip it. I LOVED this ride as a 12yo boy, but didn't care for it that much as an adult, and I also agree that the troll section might be a little too intense for a 2yo. Maybe try the Mexico ride first. This is comparable without the drop, and will give you an idea. If you LOVE the Mexico ride, than consider doing Maelstrom. If you don't really care for it, than I'd skip Maelstrom.

 

[Robo]

Maybe try the Mexico ride first. This is comparable without the drop, and will give you an idea. If you LOVE the Mexico ride, than consider doing Maelstrom. If you don't really care for it, than I'd skip Maelstrom.

Well, I appaud the effort here, but about the only thing that is in the LEAST bit comparable between "Rio del Tiempo" (Mexico) and "Maelstrom" (Norway) is that that their boats are both floating in a water channel.

Mexico: One-level float-thru, all slow, all forward.
Norway: Two-levels with a lift-section, a backwards section, and a drop.

Even the "SHOW" portions are totally different presenation STYLES.

Mexico: "small word"-style "wiggling" dolls and marionettes
Norway: "Space Ship Earth"-style realistic scenes and sophisticated AA figures (trolls)


Camparing these two is like saying to ride "its a small world" first to see if you'll like Splash Mountain.

There are plenty of folks who would "not waste time" in iasw, who LOVE Splash.
And many who can't take the Splash drops, love to tour iasw.

I like the idea of TRYING everything.

 

[Randy K]

Bridget
The forward drop is somewhere between 12-17 feet which is really not that much. If you haven't been on MK POTC then think of the 2nd small drop on the Disneyland POTC. The drop on Maelstorm is nothing compared to the 1st drop on Disneyland POTC.

 

[misskrystal]

The first time I rode it, I'd just had lunch at the Teppanyaki and had indulged a little on plum wine and Saki. I was a little drunk and, when the boat started going backwards towards the drop, got a little scared and screamed a little more than was necessary. My Dbf thought it was hilarious!

Since then, I've always really enjoyed it, it's really not scary at all.

 

[wdwoldtimer]

The drop isn't bad at all, it's the loop that is a little scary for some people.