How intense is California Screamin'?

[quest4dl]

My 11 yo ds loves going on roller coasters but I'm still not comfortable letting him go by himself. I don't mind doing the milder coasters with him like Big Thunder and I actually really liked Rock n Roller Coaster at Disney Studios but I would never go on the types they have at Great America or Busch Gardens. Would I be able to tolerate Screamin'?

 

[IASWAM]

My DD10 and I love Screamin'. My DW and DD14 are terrified of it. I grew up on coasters at Great America, so I don't think it's that bad. It fast, there's one loop, and thats about it. All in all I would say it's pretty average, but still really fun.

 

[ironpig70]

been on rockin and big thunder and california screaming is a little more intense just because of the take off and 1 loop. took my then 8 year old on it and she loved it. heck my wife rode it and liked it and she's like you not really into intense rides.

 

[bumbershoot]

The take-off is INTENSE, in my opinion. There's some waiting around before you go, which increases the heart-rate, and then the feeling of going up SO fast is incredible. I was thinking "oh man I can't take this anymore" and then we were all the way up and continuing on....the rest of it was enjoyable and fine (though fast and amazing!). It's that take-off that's wild!

At 11 I was going with my younger brother while my mom sat out (she waited in line with us then got out of line) on all sorts of coasters at Great America, and I'm sure I would have LOVED Screamin' back then. editing...just noticed you mentioned GA. I was going when it was the Demon, Willard's Whizzer, and some other coaster (in the 80s) and I don't have the memory of them to know if it's more, less, or the same intensity. Once I was beyond the take-off, it just felt like a coaster to me.

I always find it amazing what a no-big-deal a loop is, when you're in the middle of it. Scary to think of but so quick and easy while you're upside-down!

And if it's just him if you decide to wait it out, he can get a Single Rider pass. The CM at the main entrance gives the pass, then the rider leaves the main entry area and goes in the accessible gate up the "hill" a bit. You'll be able to see him the entire time he's waiting if he does that line. If the line is part of your worry.

 

[only1mouse]

If you're ok with Rockin you'll be fine with Screamin. As you know Rockin is in the dark so it's hard to see where you're going - you basically take off the same; however Screamin (I believe) is faster.

As a previous poster stated I think the work up to the ride taking off is intense because you're sitting waiting. Rockin counts you down, Screamin however does not (at least i do not remember one)

 

[IASWAM]

...just noticed you mentioned GA. I was going when it was the Demon, Willard's Whizzer, and some other coaster (in the 80s) and I don't have the memory of them to know if it's more, less, or the same intensity. Once I was beyond the take-off, it just felt like a coaster to me.

There was one called Tidal Wave. It started out just like Screamin. There was a straight shot, one loop, straight up, then the whole thing backwards. It was Awsome! The Demon was my favorite though. There was also the Grizzly, That huge wooden coaster. Shook you death, but still pretty fun.

 

[chickybanky]

Rockin counts you down, Screamin however does not (at least i do not remember one)

It does now! I didn't remember that either from the first time I was on it (which was 6 years ago!), but I just went on it last week and it does count down from 5 now.

 

[bumbershoot]

There was one called Tidal Wave. It started out just like Screamin. There was a straight shot, one loop, straight up, then the whole thing backwards. It was Awsome! The Demon was my favorite though. There was also the Grizzly, That huge wooden coaster. Shook you death, but still pretty fun.

I sitll don't remember the Grizzly, but I would go on the Tidal Wave a million times in a row! Loved that ride.

I don't have that many GOOD memories of my childhood in San Jose, but I just loved the times I could go to GA to ride those coasters. Thank you for reminding me of the TW, those were some good times.

Oh, and there was a little bitty kiddy coaster...my friends and I rode that on my 10th b'day about 18,000 times in a row one evening without having to get off the ride.

It does now! I didn't remember that either from the first time I was on it (which was 6 years ago!), but I just went on it last week and it does count down from 5 now.

Really? Hmm. Maybe that one beer I had before going on Screamin' affected my hearing, b/c I didn't hear it last Jan! At least, I don't think I heard it...

 

[chickybanky]

Really? Hmm. Maybe that one beer I had before going on Screamin' affected my hearing, b/c I didn't hear it last Jan! At least, I don't think I heard it...

I had no alcohol in my system when I rode it, so I know I wasn't hearing things! Actually, before I even went on it I heard it as we were walking by, from Ariel's Grotto. And I thought to myself that that must be new, since I didn't remember it from last time. There's no way you couldn't hear it on the ride though...it's pretty loud! Maybe they added it sometime between Jan & now?

 

[Michelle2]

I LOVE Screamin'....so much more than Rockin Roller Coaster, but I can't put my finger on why. I don't like intense roller coasters at all, but I can handle Screamin and Space Mountain, even Rockin and ToT, but that's about my intensity level limit.
My kids LOVE Screamin' too. It was closed last time we were there in 2005, so its been years since they have been on it. They are excited to finally be able to go on it this August! Most of them are daredevils though.

 

[bumbershoot]

I had no alcohol in my system when I rode it, so I know I wasn't hearing things! Actually, before I even went on it I heard it as we were walking by, from Ariel's Grotto. And I thought to myself that that must be new, since I didn't remember it from last time. There's no way you couldn't hear it on the ride though...it's pretty loud! Maybe they added it sometime between Jan & now?

I remember expecting a countdown, but not hearing one. Or maybe the blood was rushing so fast and my heartrate was so high that that's all I could hear?

I had just had dinner and a brew at the Trattoria, left there, and thought "ooh, I should do screamin' while I'm brave...got a single rider pass and was on inside a minute of getting that pass so it was all very fast. and then we just waited and waited and waited and then BOOM we were off. It was wild!

 

[avalon451]

DH and I went on Screamin' in March. We usually like roller coasters a lot, but haven't been on them much for a few years.

DH tells it like a funny story now... "Here I was saying, 'Please, God, let me live until I get off this coaster!' and my wife is laughing and yelling 'Woo Hoo!' I was in a cold sweat and ready to kiss the ground when we got off, and my wife is going, 'Again, again!' I was like, 'I'll just wait over here and... and... and start breathing again, while you go again...'

So yeah, I loved it, but DH, not wanting to look wimpy, only said, "Man, that was intense."

My daughters didn't want to go on it, but they did love watching the people waiting to launch. They hung over the rail on Paradise Pier watching, and as each new load of people came up to the starting point, the announcer says, "Get ready, Screamers! Head back, face forward and hang on!" then a pause... during which DD10 would holler, "Say your prayers!!"

Then the announcer says, "Launch in 5,4,3,2,1!" and Kapow! It looks like a film that has been speeded up, it takes off so quickly. People were holding up their arms and counting down on their fingers.

If you want a preview, you can watch it on Youtube.

 

[pixiewings71]

They have the countdown, we didn't ride it 3 weeks ago but we did in March. It starts at 5 and counts down. Screamin' is intense but it's smooth and it's fun! I love all the ups and downs and I love the loop!

Molly, I remember The Demon, that was my fave many years ago! LOL I loved going to GA just for that ride. I remember the Grizzly too, didn't like it as much. 6 Flags near us has Roar, which is similar to Grizzly, the kids love it but I can skip it.

 

[quest4dl]

Screamin' is intense but it's smooth and it's fun! I love all the ups and downs and I love the loop!

Smooth - I think that's key for me. I don't care for the ones where you get whiplash. I really don't care for WDW's Space Mountain because it is so rough but I hear DL's is much smoother. Of course, I still don't find SM scary. I'm still not sure...hmmm...launch is faster than Rock n Rollercoaster! I actually like the dark coasters so you can't see high you are off the ground!

 

[DisneyMomma81]

I can't say ~ but DS & my dad enjoyed it earlier in the week. I'll have to give it a try next time.

 

[Disneynut71]

I am so bummed out. I really want to ride by my 5 year old is not tall enough yet.

I am only going with my DS and DD so no one to watch her.

 

[Gymfan15]

I've been on Screamin' many, many times, and yes, there IS a countdown. You round the corner, stop, and then over the sound system you hear "Get ready Screamers! In 5,4,3,2,1", and as they say "one", it blasts up the hill.

They have little mist machines on the launch track that turns off when you pull up, but if you sit in the front seat (as I tend to) sometimes you get a little wet, and it's funny because when you launch up the hill, my first reaction almost always is, oooh, the wind is cold on my wet face!

 

[cutedisneygirly]

My grandma went on Screamin many years ago and absolutely loved it! She said it was comparable to the smoothness of Thunder Mountain. I will agree that the take-off is intense, but once you get past that it is super smooth! Just brace yourself for the quicker stop at the end.

CA Screamin is one of my favorite coasters next to Thunder Mountain!

 

[VegasMike21]

i been on a few roller coasters with loops before but not screamin, the loops are really nothing to worry about they go so fast it's over and done with real fast and they're enjoyable actually. drops i'm not to fond of but that's just me. to me the worst part of the ride might be the takeoff, but at least you know it's coming and you can prepare for it. i went on the mummy at ush and didn't expect it to take off in the dark like it did and it was intense and screamin is supposed to take off way faster then the mummy did.

 

[deej696]

If you can handle Rockin Roller Coaster, then you can handle California Screamin. I actually like Screamin a little better because I like that it is outside and that I can see where I am going. Enjoy