Maelstrom

[BarbieGal457]

As a child who was traumatized by the drops on both PotC & Maelstrom, I can tell you first hand! I would definitely suggest riding it yourself first, if you are able, and then deciding for the kiddos. As a little girl I was more afraid of PotC because no one warned me it was coming. My family thought I'd enjoy the surprise. Instead, I refused to ride either until 2008 - a decade later!

I would say Maelstrom's drop is much more tame than PotC. At 22 I still hate drops! But for me, I can really brace for Maelstrom because I can see the drop from the light coming through the opening with the waterfall, and therefore I see that I'm not going very far at all. It doesn't even give me that queasy tummy jump! The going backwards bit before the drop can be scary, but I find it helps sitting in the front/middle so that you don't feel you're going to fall out of the back. I myself wouldn't consider it a thrill ride, but I can see how people would, especially for younger guests.

 

[AndreaDM]

Until I joined the DIS I never even had a conscious memory of the "drop" on POTC, until I started reading the many threads and how people were scared of the "drop" and mathmatically how the POTC "drop" is more steep than the Splash drop (no, I'm not kidding).

I agree! But then, I (and my kids) grew up less than 2 hours from Cedar Point and spent a lot of time there, so even the big thrill rides at Disney seem so tame in comparison! I do enjoy all the theming that Disney puts into their rides and attractions, but would never consider POTC or Maelstrom a thrill ride at all.

 

[TheTXTaylors5]

Look for this sign at the back of the Norway Pavilion.

It is a really short ride. So even if your child does freak out, the ride is over before you know it. Unlike POTC, where the drops are at the beginning of the ride and in a dark cave-like setting. This would be a good ride to introduce a child to a water-flume ride and progress to POTC and then Splash Mountain.

Have a magical trip!

 

[PrincessTiffany]

I agree! But then, I (and my kids) grew up less than 2 hours from Cedar Point and spent a lot of time there, so even the big thrill rides at Disney seem so tame in comparison! I do enjoy all the theming that Disney puts into their rides and attractions, but would never consider POTC or Maelstrom a thrill ride at all.

I agree. Of course, my kids have been riding Tower of Terror since they were 4 years old and loving it. I remember riding The Beast at King's Island when I was about 8 - now that was a thrill ride! Disney by comparison, really only has a few actual thrill rides - Big Thunder Mountain, Splash Mountain (just barely a thrill ride), Space Mountain, Test Track (again, just barely a thrill ride), Mission Space - Orange Side, Expedition Everest, Dinosaur, Rockin' Roller Coaster and Tower of Terror. I think most everything else would be classified as family friendly.

I do think that most people would find both POTC and Maelstom very mild. The number of children traumatized by either POTC or Maelstrom would have to be a very miniscule number and very rare.

 

[nemofans]

We have been to WDW 4 times & still have not done this ride. I have always known about it, but we've never done it. Each trip we say we are, but then get caught up in the pavilions & eating at the restaurants. Our next trip, we're not even going to Epcot. At some point I hope we get this ride in.

 

[dolphindan1]

The difference between the POTC and Maelstrom drops...POTC distracts you with the mist screen and it catches you off guard...its still a very small drop...Maelstrom you know its coming, you see it coming and you hear it, the troll even tells you you are about to drop...it doesnt sneak up on you but its is a bigger drop than POTC...they are both tame in comparison to Splash or EE or really any other ride at Disney...I really dont even consider them a real drop..

 

[StuckInKS]

Thanks for all the opinions. As for me, I do consider POTC to have a drop and I would know it was a drop even if I didn't know before hand (I felt it was steep enough that I had to hang on to my then-16 month old very tight with one hand and brace myself against the bar with the other ... but then again we may have been in the front.) I think they would be less scared of BTMRR (if I could get them to go on it) than POTC all for that one drop. It is short but just feels steep.

We watched Maelstrom together on UT's YouTube channel, but we could not see the backwards part of the drop (too dark,) just the small frontwards drop afterward that looked a lot less steep then POTC feels (since I have never "seen" POTC's drop.) They both were okay with the part that we could see. So, how much "worse" is the backwards part than the forwards part?

Also, I think being backwards would be a selling point. As a kid, I used to hate drops because there is nothing in front of you, but if you are pressed against your seat, it seems like that would help.

 

[dolphindan1]

the drop on POTC is only 14 feet...not much higher than a basketball goal at a 21 degree angle not bad at all...not really a drop in my mind but like I said earlier you are distracted and it will sneak up on you making it feel worse than what it really is and more proof that Disney does its job well..

Maelstrom has 2 drop 1 backwards and one forward...the forward one is a bit bigger and steeper and both are bigger and steeper than POTC BUT you know they are coming....they try to distract you before you go forward with the waterfall...I am not sure what the drops are on Maelstrom but I would say about 25 - 30 feet at about a 30 degree angle...so alot bigger than POTC...

 

[dolphindan1]

Just read that the forward drop on Maelstrom is 28 feet..So i would guess the backswards drop is about 20 to 25 feet..

 

[dolphindan1]

, until I started reading the many threads and how people were scared of the "drop" and mathmatically how the POTC "drop" is more steep than the Splash drop (no, I'm not kidding). And I guess Maelstrom falls into this category too, it technically, has a "drop" but it is also very minor.

Splash drops 52.5 feet at a 45 degree angle at 40MPH...not sure how this calculates bigger than the 14 feet at a 21 degree angle at POTC, thats barely longer than the boat your sitting on, with a top speed of what 10MPH...its not comparable...its more comparable to Maelstrom...

I would like to see that thread...

 

[Cheryl P]

We love Maelstrom - We're gonna get the mother-in-law on it this year!

 

[kaligal]

If you turn into the Norway area, it will be hard to miss. Just keep walking straight and eventually you'll see it.

If your kids are afraid of PotC, don't take them on Maelstrom.

I always liked Maelstrom and was willing to endure the wait for the doors to open at the end. Now that they don't make you wait, I am thrilled to ride it.

 

[PoohsFan1]

I will agree with Robo and suggest going on it yourself first before having your kids go on it. It is a pretty tame ride, but really fun. My girls want to ride it over and over again (depending on the wait time, we usually do it about 3 times in a row). Mind you, it is dark in there and there are trolls and a huge Polar Bear (he just stands there and doesn't move). To get to the ride, just head straight back, just after you pass Akershus, look for the big Maelstrom sign with wait times. Good luck.