please answer about dueling dragons

[crazzydisneyfan22]

I've been on a few coasters and I'm always terrified to go on the first time and it takes me years to go and then afterwards I'm always like "That wasn't so bad". Is anyone else like this? But anyway.. I'm trying to get up the courage to go on dueling dragons. It's best to start with the ice dragon right? Where should i sit for the least turbulent ride and is the ice coaster really that intense? I'm not scared of the near collisions or anything. I just don't like huge drops and any zero gravity, negative G-force. Thanks in advance for your help.

 

[SpideyHulk24]

My wife is the same way. I suggest sitting in the middle because

a) it won't be as turbulent
b) you won't see what's coming until it happens.

You should definitely start with ice. Fire has more loops, etc.

Have fun and don't chicken out! It's great!

 

[the Dark Marauder]

Actually, SpideyHulk, both dragons have 5 inversions each.

Ice isnt as rough, and the middle is less turbulent. I too, get tose "first time jitters" when going on a coaster I've never been on.

 

[damo]

My advice to those riders who are skittish is to ride in the front row. This is because when your brain can see where you are going, you are much less likely to get motion sick. The drops and elements aren't as severe in the front because there is less speed. I've made many a coaster convert by riding them in the front. Oh ya, you've got to keep your eyes open!

 

[Muushka]

Funny thing about those "first time jitters".

My sister is an experienced coaster lover. I didn't use to be. I always experienced the jitters whenever the coaster started up the first hill. Well, the last time we rode together was on HULK. I remember. for the first time, I did not have the jitters and said "wow, my stomach is calm" and she replied, with a serious expression on her face, "that's because you're one of us".

Anywhoo, for what it's worth, I am the same way the first time I get on a coaster. But it's all downhill from there .

 

[BarryHom]

It's time for the telling of the tale!


How I Learned to Love Roller Coasters and Stopped Worrying About the Beast

The TV news show "Inside Edition" reported that your chances of getting into a fatal roller coaster accident are 1 in 10 million. Yet, every time I thought about riding one, I thought that I would die.
I used to avoid riding roller coasters. I chickened out on Space Mountain at the Magic Kingdom. I avoided Busch Gardens Tampa for years. If I didn't ride the roller coasters, I didn’t think I could do much else at that theme park. I did ride Big Thunder Mountain at the Magic Kingdom and I was terrified. I swore to never do it again!

That all changed when I visited Islands of Adventure in May 1999. I initially planned to avoid riding the roller coasters. My main draw to the park was one ride – The Amazing Adventures of Spider-Man. I passed by the Incredible Hulk Coaster many times thinking, "I'll save it for later." Finally, I decided to ride it.
I almost ran away from the entrance, but I thought of what my mom said when I wouldn't eat lima beans -- "How do you know if you don't like it if you haven't tried it?" I never ate my lima beans and I still haven’t put them in my mouth, but I figured I'd ride the roller coaster once and if I didn't like it, I'd ride something else. There are plenty of other things to do at the park!

I entered the queue and I felt my heart pounding, my skin crawling, and my breath becoming shorter. Finally, I entered the coaster and was strapped in. I felt more scared than any other time in my life. It was scarier than my first date! As the car rolled into the launch tube, I want to cry. Then guests seated in the back of the coaster started yelling, "Whoo!" I began to yell "Whoo!" too. Suddenly, my fear turned into excitement and I was launched out!

I yelled "Whoo!" so much that my voice was harsh after the ride. I don't remember much of what the track looked like because I kept my eyes closed (especially during the upside-down parts), but I was having so much fun that I didn’t really care. At the end of the ride, I said, "What a rush!" At that moment, a roller coaster enthusiast was born!

I had planned to ride the Hulk Coaster zero times, but I ended up riding it seven times. I finally conquered the Magic Kingdom’s Space Mountain. I visited Busch Gardens Tampa a few months after visiting Islands of Adventure and enjoyed the coasters there. I’ve visited Cedar Point in Sandusky, Ohio – the roller coaster mecca – several times as well as many other roller coaster parks around the United States. I’ve joined the American Coaster Enthusiasts and the Florida Coaster Club. Even though I’ve ridden the tallest and fastest coaster in the world – Cedar Point’s Top Thrill Dragster – as my 100th coaster, I haven’t found a roller coaster that gave me a rush like my first ride on the Incredible Hulk Coaster, but I find joy in each and every one that I ride.

Perhaps one day I will have the courage to eat lima beans

 

[JessicaR]

Muushka,

Anywhoo, for what it's worth, I am the same way the first time I get on a coaster. But it's all downhill from there .

Hee Hee that was cute!

I dont think I will ever be "one of us" that doesnt get worked up and nervous! I can make myself sick before I ever even get on the ride! I am gonna try Damo's idea of riding in front but man does that thought make me nervous! I wonder if I can keep my eyes open even if I try!

 

[Flyfly_Eclipse]

My first rollercoaster...BIG rollercoaster was Kumba at Busch Gardens...

I liked Space Moutnain and Thunder Mountain at WDW...even Scorpian at Busch Gardens...but the times I tried to go on the big coasters, I was too little.

Finally, for my 5th grade end of the year trip, we went to Busch Gardens. I hung out with 3 others...2 boys and another girl. They liked rollercoasters and knew I hadn't been on one before. We got in line for the front row (VERY short line). I was very nervous but stood around acting calm. It was almost time for us to get on when I began to walk out of line because I got too scared. They came after me and brought me back and I was petrified!!

When I got off I remember loving it so much that I wanted to go on again, but couldn't because we had to "move on" after our chaperones found us. Bummer

I still get a bit nervous before every new coaster, but it's more excitement than anything. I think the worst experience of nervousness before a ride was when I went to IOA for the first time in 1999 (or was it early 2000?). Either way...anyway, I went with my aunt and cousin and we were in line to go on the Fire Dragon. We were to go on the next one and all of a sudden, my aunt starts telling us all these roller coaster horror stories...various stories of people getting killed...including one where supposedly a girl's long hair wasn't pulled back and got caught somewhere when she was on a coaster and...(you get a visual...right? I don't need to finish?). Of course, I doubt that really happened, BUT I was 12 and believed her and was absolutely TERRIFIED when we went on. I don't know if there was any chance of enjoying it after that...

but I now love Dueling Dragons...no help to my aunt...LOL

 

[IMGONNABE40!]

I think Ice is a smoother ride than Fire. I love caosters, but do not like Fire. This may be because whenever I've been on Fire, it is within minutes of getting off of Ice. Perhaps I'll give Fire a try after my equalibrium has been restored from a ride on any other coaster. What I'm trying to say is that perhaps if I ride Fire first, I will like it because my system is not all topsy turvy from riding another coaster.

 

[edie w]

I'd always been afraid of rollercoasters, and even during my first 2 trips to Orlando (96 and 99), I stood by and watched my DH ride.

I had been on some coasters before, e.g. Corkscrew at Alton Towers, but hated them and finally gave up the whole idea as a bad job when I was about 24 which was...... well, some years ago!

Then, in 2001 we visited Lightwater Valley in Yorkshire and I called my DS's bluff - very foolish - about something and ended up on the Ultimate by mistake. Well, it isn't really Ultimate, but it was big and scary, and for the first time ever I followed my DH's advice and kept my eyes open.

Well, what a revelation - keeping your eyes open is MUCH LESS SCARY than keeping them closed. You feel like you are flying, not falling, at the weightless points.

I've now been on everything Orlando has to offer. To start with I pulled the harness down so tight I could hardly breathe, but once I found myself in the larger persons' seat (and I'm a smaller person!) and the harness just didn't go down as far as that. I did think of demanding to be let off, but didn't want to embarrass everyone so rode it anyway. Brilliant!

My favourites are Hulk, Montu, Kraken, Fire, RnR .... well just about all of them actually. I love them and can't wait to ride them all again!

Just remember - keep your eyes open and enjoy the flying feeling.

 

[SpideyHulk24]

Marauder,

Thanks for sharing that. I did not know that. When I was there, I remember a cast member telling me that ice had less....guess she was wrong.

Thanks again.

 

[the Dark Marauder]

It's possible that Fire may have more "loops", but the inversion number is equal. They have a shirt that has the ride specs on the back of it.

Ice has a cobra roll (near wall), which counts as 2 inversions, two tight corkscrews(1st & 3rd near miss), and the big vertical loop (2nd near miss).

Fire has a the big loop (2nd near miss), corkscrew (3rd near miss), loop/inversion at the beginning, and I dont remember the other two. Oops.

 

[Metallicat]

My daughter is always trying to get me to ride the dragons but I absolutly hate drops. I could ride the rock n rollercoaster all day long but I just cannot stand the feeling of a drop like on splash mountain. anyway, she has been on the dragon coasters probably 50 times or more and says the drop on ice is more intense (maybe steeper?) than on fire and it "takes your stomach" more on ice. just thought I would mention that because thats one of my biggest concerns. Linda

 

[damo]

Metallicat, that drop feeling doesn't exist if you look straight ahead of you to where the vehicle is going. I used to be exactly the same as you until someone pointed out to me that you must look where you are going and that whoosh in you stomach will not happen. Now I can ride anything and love the sensation of flying as I do the drops.

 

[edie w]

Yes, I second what Damo said. Keep your eyes open, and look where you are going.

Also, I'm not too keen on drops when only wearing a lap bar. I'm in 2 minds about whether to do Gwazi and JPRR again because the sense of falling is a bit too intense for me. And I really don't think I'm going to do TOT or Dr Doom, ever!

Having shoulder restraints almost completely (for me) removes the falling sensation. You just hold on to the handles (or not, if you are really brave) and swoop down like a bird. There is a bit of the "stomach" sensation - but it's more like going over a hump-backed bridge. Exciting, but doesn't feel dangerous!

Try the Hulk as a starter. It's wonderfully swoopy, and you don't get time to get scared during the climb up the slope - because there isn't one!

There isn't a climb, I mean. There's definitely a slope!

 

[Metallicat]

Would it be best for someone like me who is fearfull of big drops to sit in the first row? (yeah, like I will ever get up enough courage to ride it to begin with!) Linda

 

[damo]

You betcha! Sit front row, keep eyes open and look straight ahead. You will learn to LOVE those drops!

You can put your arms up on your second ride

 

[the Dark Marauder]

Originally posted by edie w
Also, I'm not too keen on drops when only wearing a lap bar. I'm in 2 minds about whether to do Gwazi and JPRR again because the sense of falling is a bit too intense for me. And I really don't think I'm going to do TOT or Dr Doom, ever!

Heh. I've ridden JPRA with the lapbar all the way up, hands up on the drop.

I've ridden Doctor Doom with the harness just clicking into the seatbelt. You get serious airtime then.

I love riding TOT in the "suicide seat" (seatbelt seat). It's actually the safest because it goes to you, not the largest person in the row. Hands up, legs out, letting yourself go limp. Again, major airtime.

Gwazi I like too, but it really beats you up!

 

[mw06]

I was the same way, but now I love that ride, just be ready for long lines, if it says 10 minute wait, there might not be any people in line, its just gonna take you 10 mins to walk to the ride@

 

[obnurse2003]

JUST got back and had a similar experience! I used to LOVE roller coasters and was never afraid. I was SO panicked to go on Deuling Dragons, but my 14 year-old son BEGGED and PLEAEDED with me. I HAD to face my fears, right?!!!

So, I did the ICE dragon, first, sat in the 2nd row. Of course, once that was over, I had to DO IT AGAIN!!!

Rode next on the front row of FIRE dragon!! It was a BLAST!!!

My only fear is getting stuck on a coaster, especially upside down!
It's my clausterphobia problem which I am trying to overcome.

My motto for coasters is: Just do it once, and you never have to do it again!!! But of course, you will want to!