Just how scary is Hulk, RRR, and Dragon Challenge?

[Davidishka]

Hiya! I've been wondering how crazy the universal coasters are, since I'm a total wimp when it comes to thrill rides and have never actually been on a serious rollercoaster before. I can easily handle stuff like Big Thunder, Space, Everest, and the most intense I've personally been on is Mummy *and boy do I adore that ride*

I can tolerate g-forces to a good extent but absolutely DESPISE the feeling of freefalling that you get from big drops; and RRR seems to have a nasty one.. I rode Splash Mountain on my first ever visit to WDW and it seriously traumatized me and my stomach. *being afraid of heights did NOT help* Though I do genuinely enjoy the feeling of the drops that Space, EE and Mummy include.

I've never actually been on anything with an inversion so I've got no idea how those are gonna turn out for me, although I am pretty confident I'll have no problems with them.

RRR looks to have quite the drop, while Hulk and DC seem to be all-around intense with their sudden g-forces, adrenaline pumping inversions and energetic turns. I would love to try all of them, but I'd like to know how crazy they really are and which one might be easiest for me to do first. Thanks!

PS. How's the launch on RnRC feel? I've never been on it and a 5G launch into 60 mph does not sound like something I wanna deal with unless its not as bad as it sounds.

 

[bumbershoot]

Of all three, for fearful me, RRR is the easiest. I'm actually not sure it has a big drop. The start is terrifying but after you get past that it's a decent ride.

DC I'm certainly I'll fall to my death at any moment. Hulk is rough on me.

If I try to ride all three in one day (bc my son wants me to) I end up crying by the bathrooms on marvel island. True story. Though I think Doom was in there too. Which is the utter worst for me.

I dislike RnRC intensely. The launch is awful and goes into a corkscrew which makes it harder for me. It hurts my asthmatic lungs. (In Anaheim the launch for Screamin' huts too, but the rest of the ride is worth it)

I would go on any coaster at Uni before RnRC again.

 

[bumbershoot]

Oh and they take the ride pic for RnRC during the launch. FYI.

 

[Jonny_Duck]

Hiya! I've been wondering how crazy the universal coasters are, since I'm a total wimp when it comes to thrill rides and have never actually been on a serious rollercoaster before. I can easily handle stuff like Big Thunder, Space, Everest, and the most intense I've personally been on is Mummy *and boy do I adore that ride*

I can tolerate g-forces to a good extent but absolutely DESPISE the feeling of freefalling that you get from big drops; and RRR seems to have a nasty one.. I rode Splash Mountain on my first ever visit to WDW and it seriously traumatized me and my stomach. *being afraid of heights did NOT help* Though I do genuinely enjoy the feeling of the drops that Space, EE and Mummy include.

I've never actually been on anything with an inversion so I've got no idea how those are gonna turn out for me, although I am pretty confident I'll have no problems with them.

RRR looks to have quite the drop, while Hulk and DC seem to be all-around intense with their sudden g-forces, adrenaline pumping inversions and energetic turns. I would love to try all of them, but I'd like to know how crazy they really are and which one might be easiest for me to do first. Thanks!

PS. How's the launch on RnRC feel? I've never been on it and a 5G launch into 60 mph does not sound like something I wanna deal with unless its not as bad as it sounds.

Perhaps I'm not the best person to answer this since I'm not a "total wimp when it comes to thrill rides" but the Mummy is about as tame as it gets to compare to Disney. Everything over that is much more hardcore and compares more to what Busch Gardens has moreso than what Disney does.

RnRC is a great coaster but it's a fairly tame coaster iirc and very smooth by comparison to what Dragon Challenge is...plus it's in the dark so heights aren't an issue. If you're afraid of heights these might not be the best coasters to go on. But heights aside I would say RRR might be the tamest coaster ever built in my eyes. I felt Woody Woodpeckers coaster was more wild than that. Maybe it was simply that my expectations were higher but to me it felt like it relied solely on the gimmick of the music.

Hulk has always been my fav of their outdoor coaster lineup. I haven't had that stomach drop feeling now for years so can't really comment on which have it....None at Universal have given that to me at least.

 

[AmberK24]

Full Disclosure: I LOVE roller coasters and have yet to find one that scares me enough.

RRR is really smooth & while it banks a lot, doesn't actually go upside down, so pick a song that will put you in your happy place & focus on that if needed. The scariest part of the ride is the very initial lift climb straight up, the first drop is not as significant as it looks, and the rest is fairly mild in comparison. The music makes it for me, and I never walk off this ride feeling like I got beat up...cue hulk...

Hulk...it's a beast & lives up to its name. While I believe most of the roughness is about to get fixed with the remodel, this one is much rougher on my body & I often leave with a headache from the shaking. None of the drops seem that drastic on the ride and it's definitely more inversion focused. If you haven't ridden an inversion coaster, I don't know that I would start with this one unless you truly embrace a "go big or go home" mantra.

Dragon Challenge is a great ride but a little rough. There are opening drops however because your feet dangle and the ride vehicle is above you, it's easy to focus on something else besides the heights of you need too.
Don't forget Flight of the Hippogriff while you are over here! That's a great warmup!

Lastly:RNRC is one of my all-time faves! If you have never done an inversion, this is a great option to start. Since you are completely indoors & in the dark, you don't have the heights to distract you. The launch is all about the anticipation & not nearly as physically demanding as it sounds. Just let the screams out and by the time you need to breath again, you are through the roughest parts. The first 3 seconds are the scariest, but the rest of the ride is really worth 3 seconds of fear.

Add on bonus: If you liked Mummy, you will probabaly like Expedition Everest. Don't be distracted by the large lift hill, the only drop is what you see coming out of the mountain & I think is less than 40' tall. It's much more about the Disney magic of characters, surprises and darkness than the large mountain leads you to believe.

At the end of the day, I wouldn't start with the UO coasters, but you can totally handle anything for a minute, right?!?

 

[Davidishka]

Add on bonus: If you liked Mummy, you will probabaly like Expedition Everest. Don't be distracted by the large lift hill, the only drop is what you see coming out of the mountain & I think is less than 40' tall.

I have indeed been on Expedition and it was great, the first time I saw it I nearly fainted just looking at the sight of that drop and I became instantly afraid of the ride. It took me around 3 trips to get the courage to ride and when I did it was amazing. That drop is such a thrill to go down and the backwards part is crazy. On Wikipedia it says the biggest drop is 80ft which I assume is the one going out of the mountain.

 

[PHXscuba]

RNRC and the Hulk have somewhat similar fast launches.

For me -- who loves most all coasters except spinning rides -- I'd rank them from scariest on down:
1. RRR -- first half I spent wondering if my will was updated
2. Hulk -- not as bad but pretty rough, hopefully will be better after the reno
3. Dragon Challenge -- not nearly as rough (I always do better on suspended coasters because they are smoother)

For perspective, we ran around and rode the second half of Dragon Challenge right away with Express Pass and it was only a little worse second time around right in a row. I chose not to ride RRR or Hulk a second time on our second day, and certainly would never do either twice in a row.

PHXscuba

 

[macraven]

easiest for me is dragon challenge
hulk was never bad after the take off for me, hope it is smoother once it goes back up.

RRR, have never been on it and will never ever go on it.
i have watched too many times where there was a breakdown and the cars are stopped on the climb to the first hill.
that freaks me out.
i would wet my pants if i was on it and it broke down in the beginning climb of the ride.

 

[BagOLaughs]

I can tolerate g-forces to a good extent but absolutely DESPISE the feeling of freefalling that you get from big drops; and RRR seems to have a nasty one.. I rode Splash Mountain on my first ever visit to WDW and it seriously traumatized me and my stomach. *being afraid of heights did NOT help* Though I do genuinely enjoy the feeling of the drops that Space, EE and Mummy include.

I have a friend that hates rollercoasters, positively hates them... BUT she loves Rock n'rolling coaster. Once you're past the launch (which is over in a split second) its really awesome.

I love all coasters but I think Rock n'rolling coaster is a really good one because its so smooth! It doesn't hurt like some of the others.

If you don't like the freefalling sensation I'd stay away from the Hulk and Dragon Challenge. They have big drops!

 

[BagOLaughs]

ops sorry just re-read and realized you're talking about rip ride rock it, Again i'd stay clear. I love that ride but 1, its not the smoothest, 2 the vertical lift hill even gets my tummy in knots and 3. you don't have shoulder restraints which makes it feel very "open" if you get what i mean.

Of those three, call me mad but I'd say the hulk is the "easiest". Just a traditional B&M twister coaster. Even the launch isn't too bad. Hopefully it will be a bit smoother after the refurb.

 

[Disxuni]

If your big issue is almost strictly drops, I would say out of all the coasters you mention RRR would be the only one to worry about, as while Hulk and The Dragon Challeng are considered the "big thrills", they do not have dramatic drops. However, at the same time, I must say the RRR is not that much of a dramatic drop (this is coming from someone who also doesn't like drops), as the climb to the drop makes it seem more intimidating than it actually is. I have to admit, my heart skips a beat, but it's nothing compared to other coasters who do have more dramatic drops. Either way, if you really want to get of an idea of how the drop is, just watch it on YouTube.

I would say if anything, you should be more concerned with River Adventure (Jurassic Park ride) and Ripsaw Falls (Dudley Do-Right), as those were the only coasters I was worried about riding before going onto them the first time. While I can do both rides, I have to say I can go through JP like a breeze, although I always feel a micro-second of worry before the big drop. Ripsaw Falls, however I feel the worse as I do not ride it often (since I do not feel like getting soaked every time I go to the park) and so when I do, I forget how dramatic the drops are (there are a few, but not too horrible drops throughout the ride) and feel paranoia and worry throughout the ride until the big one in the end. Which I have to say the drop (in my opinion) is worse than JP due to the speed and water that pounds upon you as you go. Unlike Splash, Ripsaw Falls doesn't just drop down, but speeds dramatically downwards even when you get to the bottom.

RnRC, I have to say you should have no worries about, as it has corkscrews (twists you around) and not so much dramatic drops and is smoother than a lot of coasters I've been on at Universal. I think everyone is a little worried when they hear, or see the take off, as it looks intimidating, but while it's intense it doesn't make the ride itself scary. It's just instead of you slowly dripping into the speed, it just skips that step and you immediately get into it. Also, it shows a count down, so you're not immediately taken off guard. Also, Mummy does the same thing (only it's 45 mph), as you know since you've been on it, so you kind of have an idea of how it feels.

Also, if you love the Mummy, you're sure to love Gringotts. As the rollercoaster parts are only a very small portion of the ride and there is no intense drops during the duration of the rollercoaster portions of the ride. However, I have the say the first time you go through one of the rollercoaster portions, the vehicle tips downward in line with the track, which makes it appear as if it's a dramatic drop, but it really is not. I think this is done purely for anticipation purposes and to create tension with the riders.

If anything Gringotts is nothing compared to the Mummy when it comes to intensity in my opinion, so honestly, anyone who's not into rollercoasters, I personally think Gringotts would be a good way to introduce someone who's not into them.

 

[johde]

I'm going to agree with most everyone here. You didn't mention them, but ROTM, Gringotts, Flight of the Hippogryph, and Woody Woodpecker are also tamer than Everest.

Hulk - is a "real" big coaster. Comparable to any coaster at Six Flags, Busch Gardens, or Cedar Point.

Dragon Challenge - is more intense than anything Disney but not as intense as Montu at Busch Gardens, Raptor at Cedar Point, or Banshee at kings Island. Most of the hills are swooping instead of straight down so you don't get that same falling feeling you get on a Splash Mountain or Tower of Terror.

HRRR - The lift hill is probably the worst part of the ride. Going straight up is unnerving.

RnR- The launch is exhilarating, after that, there are no "big" hills mainly twisting and turning.

Here is an outdoor near clone of RnR in Europe. Because of the weight of the onboard sound system, RnR is a little bit more spread out.

 

[disney-enthusiast]

I’m a complete wimp when it comes to ride rollercoasters. Thanks to my boyfriend I’ve been able to overcome that fear. Hulk is by far my favorite ride. I rode DC and Hulk. I love them both. Revenge of the Mummy gets me every time I ride it. Is the only ride that I haven’t been able to overcome my fear. Still, I ride it every time I go to Universal Studios. Give it a try! You’re not going to regret it.

 

[chiisai]

I am a wimp. Love Everest and all the other mountains. Haven't tried RnR.

I did Hulk as my ds begged me to go with him, and I had to close my eyes for most of it; this rollercoaster is for real. I was at near panic once we shot out from the beginning and just held on for dear life until it was over. Wasn't that fun mom?!!!!! Yes, honey, so fun!
(Am surprised to hear the rough posts, though, it felt smooth to me.)

Did not do RRR as the visual of the first drop alone gave me sweaty palms.

Did Doom, after the first drop it was fine and neat views. But the first one does a number on the stomach.

The mummy was great. Maybe it's easier since I couldn't see much, but I loved it.

 

[schumigirl]

I am a wimp. Love Everest and all the other mountains. Haven't tried RnR.

I did Hulk as my ds begged me to go with him, and I had to close my eyes for most of it; this rollercoaster is for real. I was at near panic once we shot out from the beginning and just held on for dear life until it was over. Wasn't that fun mom?!!!!! Yes, honey, so fun!
(Am surprised to hear the rough posts, though, it felt smooth to me.)

Did not do RRR as the visual of the first drop alone gave me sweaty palms.

Did Doom, after the first drop it was fine and neat views. But the first one does a number on the stomach.

The mummy was great. Maybe it's easier since I couldn't see much, but I loved it.

This is quite an old thread that has been revived.......Hulk was incredibly rough before they stripped it down and rebuilt it......it was smoother after that........

But there was a general complaint of how rough it had for before that........

 

[chiisai]

This is quite an old thread that has been revived.......Hulk was incredibly rough before they stripped it down and rebuilt it......it was smoother after that........

But there was a general complaint of how rough it had for before that........

Ha! Well, that explains it...