Matterhorn vs. WDW's Space Mountain

[dizzwizz]

I've read in the past where both the Matterhorn in Disneyland and Space Mountain in Florida are both rough, jarring rides. My question is for riders of both rides. Which of these two rides is the overall roughest?

 

[JEWLSVERN]

I have only ridden WDW space mountain once but Matterhorn tons of times. I think they are about equal in roughness. Matterhorn got rougher in my opinion between the. 90s and 2003.

 

[pineapple04]

Overall, I think Space Mountain at Disneyland is the roughest. The Matterhorn swings you around some on the sharp twists and turns, but because of the animatronics and other sights to see in the mountain, the ride is fast but fun. Although I enjoyed Space Mountain at WDW, when we rode, some of the building lights were on, making the ride less rough and more predictable.

 

[Itinkso]

I vote Matterhorn as the most jarring ride. I stopped riding it years ago and always chose to wait on the Swiss benches while DH and DDs rode.

Space Mountain at DL is much darker and nauseating than SM at WDW. As Pineapple said, at WDW the addition of more lights helps it feel less jarring as you can anticipate the drops and turns.

 

[Mad Hattered]

IMHO, I believe SM at WDW is rougher than Matterhorn. With MH you can at least see "some" of the jar coming, unlike SM in WDW. We found SM in DL much smoother than WDWs version. Maybe it's the fact that you sit side by side in the cart instead of the singe file version at MK?

 

[XYSRUS]

SM in WDW is rougher then the Matterhorn in DL-hands down. Although the Matterhorn is a rough ride too, though. SM in DL is the bomb. It's a great, fast, smooth ride.

 

[Escape Artist]

I think it depends.

DL's SM and Matterhorn have both had upgrades over the past few years, so it depends on when you rode them. Matterhorn has two sides, and the last time I rode it, the two sides were very different from each other. After they replaced the track on DL's SM, it was soooooo smooth, but that was years ago, now, too.

WDW's SM is very rough. I tell people it could rattle your dental work out of your head. I still ride it, but mourn for what it could be, remembering how nice the one at DL was after it's major overhaul. Still miss the old music, though.

So...has anyone ridden all three of them, including both sides of the Matterhorn recently - like in the past year?

 

[XYSRUS]

I think it depends.

DL's SM and Matterhorn have both had upgrades over the past few years, so it depends on when you rode them. Matterhorn has two sides, and the last time I rode it, the two sides were very different from each other. After they replaced the track on DL's SM, it was soooooo smooth, but that was years ago, now, too.

WDW's SM is very rough. I tell people it could rattle your dental work out of your head. I still ride it, but mourn for what it could be, remembering how nice the one at DL was after it's major overhaul. Still miss the old music, though.

So...has anyone ridden all three of them, including both sides of the Matterhorn recently - like in the past year?

I was in WDW 3/2013 and DL 9/2013, rode everything and stand by my vote and agree with you.

 

[princessallegra]

I vote Matterhorn as the most jarring ride. I stopped riding it years ago and always chose to wait on the Swiss benches while DH and DDs rode.

Space Mountain at DL is much darker and nauseating than SM at WDW. As Pineapple said, at WDW the addition of more lights helps it feel less jarring as you can anticipate the drops and turns.

We completely close our eyes on wdw Space Mountain! Makes it so much fun.

 

[mom2rtk]

IMHO, I believe SM at WDW is rougher than Matterhorn. With MH you can at least see "some" of the jar coming, unlike SM in WDW. We found SM in DL much smoother than WDWs version. Maybe it's the fact that you sit side by side in the cart instead of the singe file version at MK?

Matterhorn is now single file as well. Cars were updated some time in the last couple of years. Many feel the ride has been rougher since then.

Matterhorn felt more jarring to me on this last trip.

Also MH, just as an FYI...... Matterhorn does have a single rider line. We rode during early entry but the line was already 45 minutes. I looked for a single rider entrance but didn't see one so asked near the entrance. We were on the ride in just a couple minutes. And oddly enough, both in the same car despite being single rider.

 

[Stinkerbell1973]

My vote is WDW Space Mountain is rougher, hands down!
Rode the Matterhorn in 2012 and didn't think it was too bad. We do WDW every year (usually a couple of times) and I usually request to sit in one of the first 3 seats otherwise I won't ride it.

I thought SM at DL was much smoother than WDW.

Just my opinion!

 

[mom2rtk]

My vote is WDW Space Mountain is rougher, hands down!
Rode the Matterhorn in 2012 and didn't think it was too bad. We do WDW every year (usually a couple of times) and I usually request to sit in one of the first 3 seats otherwise I won't ride it.

I thought SM at DL was much smoother than WDW.

Just my opinion!

Great point! As a single rider on the Matterhorn, I could not select my seat and was in the back. I always request the front row on SM.

The new bobsleds were introduced in June 2012.

 

[Bummbok]

Hmm, after having ridden both this year I'd have to say I think Matterhorn is much rougher than WDW SM. So much so I told my wife she wouldn't have liked it at all.

 

[MyKidzMick]

We completely close our eyes on wdw Space Mountain! Makes it so much fun.

I could never do that! BTMRR at night even feels more jarring to me especially at WDW because I am used to DL.

MadHatter has a point in regards to the seating style. Bobsled-style/inline seating puts more stress on your upper body because you really can't use your legs to brace yourself in anticipation.

 

[SSOASS]

Matterhorn is much rougher IMO. I was on SM at WDW in November and SM and Matterhorn in DL 2 weeks ago.

In terms of roughness, I would say

1) Matterhorn
2) SM at WDW
3) SM at DL

 

[Discrazymama]

Matterhorn is hands down the most rough, jarring ride. We were just there earlier this month, waited the entire extra magic hour in line and now my kids refuse to ever go on it again... they say this every time . The seat itself is SO uncomfortable and I had the issue where I couldn't tighten my seat belt so I was sliding forward and moving, bumping all around. I told the CM when we got off and she could care less. Hopefully someone later was able to fix it before a smaller person/kid got in.

My family also swears the DL SM is better than WDW SM. They say its smoother. I think they like sitting next to someone. I personally just like the WDW SM FP side. I avoid the regular line side.

 

[Huff]

Overall, I think Space Mountain at Disneyland is the roughest. The Matterhorn swings you around some on the sharp twists and turns, but because of the animatronics and other sights to see in the mountain, the ride is fast but fun. Although I enjoyed Space Mountain at WDW, when we rode, some of the building lights were on, making the ride less rough and more predictable.

Do you have rides confused? Disneylands Space Mountain is very smooth. No harsh thumps like Matterhorn or WDW's Space Mountain have.

 

[Itinkso]

Do you have rides confused? Disneylands Space Mountain is very smooth. No harsh thumps like Matterhorn or WDW's Space Mountain have.

DL SM is now very smooth compared to almost 30 years ago. I also rode WDW SM almost 20 years ago and felt it was smoother than DL's SM during that time period.

 

[wisblue]

I add my vote to people who say that SM at DL is smoother than the one at WDW. I only rode the DL version after the refurb in 2004-05 or thereabouts.

I love them both, but they are a noticeably different experience.

 

[PoohsFan1]

We rode the Matterhorn for the first time this past June and thought it was really rough, I enjoyed the ride but my back hurt afterwards (I only rode it twice because of this). As for DL's SM, we all thought that it was so much smoother then the one in WDW. We ride WDW's SM a lot and even though we think the ride is rough, it wasn't as bad as the Matterhorn.