Just How Rough *Is* Space Mountain, Anyway?

I've ridden Space Mountain at Disneyland and Matterhorn many times. Space Mountain at Disneyland is much smoother. The Space Mountain at Disney World feels similar to the Matterhorn, but I think its much worse because you can't see where you're going and the drops are bigger. I love Space Mountain at Disneyland...

x2
 
I am going to give a different answer.

Rode it in July 2011 and thought it was terribly rough. DD9 refused to go on it again because she hated it.

Rode it in April and got off thinking how smooth it was compared to 2011, even told DD she had missed out not riding it.

Of course, I have lost about 60 pounds since then, so that MIGHT have something to do with it.
 
Space mountain is my absolute favorite ride!!! Its not bad at all. ... It just jerks you around a little bit. ... but in a fun way :)
 
It's two things in my opinion:

1- The jerkiness of the ride and

2- Not being able to see/know when the jerkiness will occur.

I truly believe that I have ridden SpMtn for the last time. My back was hurting for days after the last ride.

And no other ride does that to me.
 

The last time I rode it, the right side jerked me really hard at one point and I felt like my neck went numb for a minute. I think i'll be skipping it from now on.
 
If you've ever been to Cedar Point in Ohio, it's not as rough as the Corkscrew, but it's much rougher to me than any other ride at WDW. I love Everest and RnRC and will ride those 3-4 times in a day if given the opportunity. I usually skip Space Mtn altogether unless with a newbie who's dying to try it. Not a big fan of that jerkiness!
 
The roughest coaster I've ever ridden BY FAR, is the now defunct Hercules coaster at Dorney Park in Pennsylvania. Space Mountain is tame by comparison. You should be fine with Space Mountain (if you handled those other coasters OK.) Sit in the front for a smoother ride your first time around. Then go for the last seat late at night! Awesome experience!

Wow, I remember Hercules! I live about 25 minutes from Dorney Park. You're right that coaster was a killer! Lol. To the OP, SM is bumpy but not too bad. Like some other posters mentioned, I would skip it only if you have back problems. It's my favorite ride at the MK
 
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I rode Space Mountain on Friday (it's Monday now) and I still have bruises across the front of my calves where my legs were constantly shoved into the front of the car. Over the bruises my skin also looks 'skint'. You can tell that a layer of skin is gone even though it wasn't enough to cause bleeding. It is painful just for my clothing to touch.

If I was going to ride it again I would NOT sit in the first seat int he car. The 2nd two seemed to have more leg room since your feet went under/around the seats in front of you. When I got in the front of my calves was pressed against the metal/plastic (whatever it was made of) frame of the car.

ETA: Just saw an earlier post about the first seat in the 2nd car being the worst for leg room. That is where I was...and I'm 6'.
 
I thought Space Mountain was very rough, jerky, and unpleasant. I thought I would be thrown from the ride. I was in the back seat of the vehicle, if that matters.
 
I have pretty bad back problems and have found that if you sit in the back, it feels worse than sitting in the front or middle. It's very bumpy but I tolerate it because its my all time favorite ride!
 
DW and I (early 40's, good health) can no longer ride SM. It does our backs in every time. But after reading PP's comments, I really think it depends on each individual. Others have said BTMRR is rougher, and that gives us no problems at all.
 
I don't a problem with Matterhorn, yeah it's jerky, but I'm pretty short and my kids love it. We went to wdw in April and 3 out of 4 of us thought space was torture in mk. Really hard on the neck. I rode it twice because of my son, but couldn't do it a third time.
 
Rode Space Mountain a few times recently and I think it depends on the individual and where you are sitting. The back was definitely rougher then the front and we found the "fast pass" track(the track to the right as you enter) rougher then the one to the left.

But neither really bothered us.
 
It's the back seat that does me in-it's rough and jerky and feels at times as if the car is going to fly off the tracks. The other seats don't seem to bother me, which is why given a choice I always stick my sister in the back! :thumbsup2
 
I rode it twice last year. First time was pretty smooth, not bad at all, so I went back for a second time.

I don't remember where I sat each time, but the second time was really uncomfortably. Not so much because it jerked me around a lot, I don't even recall that happening. But the car vibrated so much, it was so shaky, that after I while I couldn't breathe well and my arms started going numb :rotfl:

But, even then it wasn't too horrible, I would ride it again. And nothing hurt...not my head, neck, back, anything. But I don't have any back/neck problems or anything like that.
 
I'm grateful for all the responses here! I guess just like on the DLR boards, Disney fans just love talking about Space Mountain. (For better or worse!) So after reading all of the above, I'll be prepared to avoid rows 4 and 6 (maybe I'll just ask the CM for DBF and I to wait for/ride in 1 and 2), and for a ride maybe like Matterhorn--only at night and with the train dragging a couple of broken wheels for extra discomfort and jerkiness(!) :headache: I see a lot of Big Thunder in our upcoming visit...
 
It's the back seat that does me in-it's rough and jerky and feels at times as if the car is going to fly off the tracks. The other seats don't seem to bother me, which is why given a choice I always stick my sister in the back! :thumbsup2
It really does feel that way. I was in fear for my life! Does that mean I have to ride it again though on my next visit and just not sit in the back?
 
I am dizzy for about 30 minutes after I get of it. My daughter, who loves BTMRR, cannot ride it because she feels like she is going to get sick during the ride.

For me, the hardest part of the ride is not being able to see anything other than white dots (for the most part) and being disoriented.
 
I rode with my 21 year old nephew and a friend of his a few months ago. I had to laugh--when we got off instead of saying "lets go again" he said "I can't do that again right now, I must be getting too old":lmao:

Yeah, it is rough. But I still love it!
 
I will not ride SM again. I rode it years ago and loved it. I recall seeing neon planets and stars.. I rode it 2 yrs ago with my son and basically ruined dark tunnels and most rides for him. The Thing is they changed the ride and made it pitch black. I did some Research and I guess they made the ride darker to when I first rode it. Had I known I would not have taken my son.

I found due to the pitch blackness, you cannot brace yourself.. Hard to explain. I have no back issues, but man I was thinking I hope I didnt do any damage when I got off. Plus I find the ride a tight fit. I am a bit bigger than some, but not obese.

It's IMO very jerky and has a few Dips where you can land wrong with your back as you know nothing is coming.
 

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