Matterhorn vs. Disney WORLD Space Mountain

[Allieoop1]

I keep reading about how jerky and rough Matterhorn is. It's been 10 years since I've been to DL so I don't remember how bad it is. Can anyone tell me how it compares to Space Mountain at WDW? We think SM at WDW is the worst ride there as far as being jerky/rough so I'm debating whether I should try Matterhorn or not.

 

[Lumpy1106]

Matterhorn is much rougher - though I think the better ride.

 

[joseph821]

I keep reading about how jerky and rough Matterhorn is. It's been 10 years since I've been to DL so I don't remember how bad it is. Can anyone tell me how it compares to Space Mountain at WDW? We think SM at WDW is the worst ride there as far as being jerky/rough so I'm debating whether I should try Matterhorn or not.

Matterhorn is rougher and a much better rude than WDW SM and probably DL’s SM.

 

[Allieoop1]

That's what I was afraid of. I do remember thinking it was a great ride though.

 

[PalmettoPath]

Agree that Matterhorn is rougher, but I still love riding both

 

[mdmost]

Rough but great. The views are great and the jump portions that I won't spoil are always great. Wife screams every time even though we've ridden it 20+ times.

 

[DonMacGregor]

Rough but great. The views are great and the jump portions that I won't spoil are always great.

That's what you get when a guy like Bob Gur (brilliant, but a cat guy/hot rodder with no formal engineering education), designs the first ever parallel tube steel rollercoaster...

 

[Tinkaboo]

Well, it rattled my bones when I was 30, rattled me teeth at 50 and now they may as well just have a chiropractor on duty when I exit the ride! I don’t like WDW SM either, only because it’s same type of seating, like a bobsled. Much prefer DL SM as it’s fast but smooth….er.

 

[Timandalicia]

I keep reading about how jerky and rough Matterhorn is. It's been 10 years since I've been to DL so I don't remember how bad it is. Can anyone tell me how it compares to Space Mountain at WDW? We think SM at WDW is the worst ride there as far as being jerky/rough so I'm debating whether I should try Matterhorn or not.

Reading all the other posts. But can’t thumbs any up because they all say Matterhorn is a better ride. It is objectively a much rougher ride. And it is debatable whether it is better. Debatable like this: it is not at all better. Matterhorn is worse. It is arguably the worst ride I’ve ever been on. It is what Space Mountain would be if you stripped away everything good about it.

 

[barb969]

The worst part of MH is the side ways jerking back and forth sideways Almost continuously. I have ridden it once and never will again. WDW’s SM is nothing in comparison.

 

[Allieoop1]

The sideways jerking is what I hate and what hurts on WDW SM. Maybe I should not ride MH until the last afternoon of our vacation so I'm not injured for the whole trip!!

 

[Wesley815]

Sit in a bathtub and go down side of mountain for the Matterhorn experience.

 

[BrianL]

I agree - Matterhorn is rougher. The reason I think are the parts where you feel the car kind of "fall" to a connecting peice of track. WDW SM doesn't do that, at least not since the track replacement in 2009 or so. Those bumps on Matterhorn are tough! Still, it's a classic and might be worth the ride if you have good medical insurance.

 

[tink2424]

Love both rides and didn't feel either one was rougher. I just hope they keep both rides as is. DL SM is not nearly as fun and is a worse ride than DW. Maybe it is because you sit next to another person. I just love the bobsled style as I feel it is more fun.

 

[bwvBound]

The comments about the sideways jerking are curious to me. I always figure these are a time to exercise my CORE. I keep my hands and arms up, slightly above my head for fear of striking the low overhangs, keep my weight deep in my seat (like horseback riding), breathe/laugh and enjoy the ride. the MH!

 

[BrianL]

Love both rides and didn't feel either one was rougher. I just hope they keep both rides as is. DL SM is not nearly as fun and is a worse ride than DW. Maybe it is because you sit next to another person. I just love the bobsled style as I feel it is more fun.

I actually do like the WDW SM better too, and that's an unpopular opinion. The ride istelf is somewhat better on the DL version, but all the trappings, the style, etc. are much better at WDW. It just seems more grandiose. The entrance tunnel alone sets such a great mood.

 

[mdmost]

I actualyl do like the WDW SM better too, and that's an unpopular opinion. The ride istelf is somewhat better on the DL version, but all the trappings, the style, etc. are much better at WDW. It just seems more grandiose. The entrance tunnel alone sets such a great mood.

I used to like the WDW SM better until I agreed to get late night tickets so DD15 could break her all time Space Mountain record of 7 rides. We rode it 9 times...in a row. But agreed, SM at WDW is much more epic. I also like that they don't change it to Hyperspace Mountain. I like my Star Wars separated from traditional Disney rides.

 

[JavaDuck]

I thin WDW SM is very similar to the Matterhorn. They are both rough and jerky. As other have said, I think Matterhorn is the better ride. At least with the Matterhorn, you can see what is coming next, so can be prepared a tiny bit for the jerky parts.

 

[DLgal]

Matterhorn is a painful ride. If you like the feeling of being drop slammed onto your bottom, you'll love it. It gives me an instant headache. I cant ride it anymore. Space Mountain in WDW has never done this to me.

I feel like Rock and Rollercoaster is the ROUGHEST ride at WDW. Space Mtn at WDW has that "this is an old coaster track" type of roughness. Feels like a track replacement would go a LONG way. But Matterhorn's inherent DESIGN is the source of its roughness. There is no fixing that.

If you find Space Mountain at WDW rough, you are going to hate the Matterhorn. It does look cool inside, and it's an icon, so it's hard to tell people who have never ridden to avoid it. It's a tough call.

 

[Rand0mTh0ughts]

I think both rides are pretty similar in jerkiness.

However, I far prefer Matterhorn - mainly for its uniqueness and theme - but also because you can see the track most of the time (it has many sections that are outside) and anticipate the motion better than on Space Mountain…