Please help a Roller Coaster-Tummy Drop-Air Time Scaredy Cat on her 2nd Honeymoon!

[RG VALLEY GIRL]

Hi! I joined this Forum because I read all the advice you brave people gave about Roller Coasters to "Goofy". Maybe you can help me, too! Me & my hubby love Disney & Universal Studios, but he can't get me on a Roller Coaster; actually on any "Tummy-drop" rides. I embarrassed him by making a scene when we were about to be launched in the Jurassic Park ride. At the last minute I asked if there were any drops, and the attendant says, "Yeah, about 8 stories, but it's quick, so you won't even feel it!" I totally panicked and was booed by the others in line when I demanded to get out of the ride! Ha! Ha!
I'm not a total chicken; I love Space Mountain, Star Wars, and I did ride the Rock-n-Roller coaster, and I really liked it, but the whole stomach drop~air time FREAKS ME OUT! I HATED Splash Mountain because of this-didn't enjoy the ride for fear of the upcoming drop!
This is our Anniversary/2nd Honeymoon, and I really want to surprise my Hubby by actually joining him on the thrill rides, (I've been known to make him ride with some 5 year old stranger at the last minute!)
Okay, loops and inversions don't bother me, and those feet-dangling rides, I do like, but the DROPS...how bad are they and how long do they last on the following rides?
Whatever you can tell me about any or all of them is GREATLY appreciated!

~The Hulk
~The Mummy
~The Dueling Dragons-both Fire & Ice
~Spiderman
~Tower of Terror at Disney

Thanx a lot guys! My Hubby thanks you in advance!
(We're going in September)
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[the Dark Marauder]

Hulk: biggest drop = over 100 feet, but is over in about 2 seconds. There's also a drop after the block brake, which gets good airtime. Other than those two, there are some associated with inversions, but that's it. All the drops end quickly.

Mummy: easy. Biggest drop = 25 feet. There are some airtime spots in the coaster section(s), but they're over very quickly (2 seconds, again).

Dragons: both have large initial drops (over 75 ft) that are over in about 2 seconds. Both dragons have airtime drops, but you're so busy screaming that you wont notice. It's inverted, anyway.

Spider-Man: no drops. There's a simulated drop, and that's it. It feels huge, but your car is only descending about 10"

TOT: The ride repeatedly drops you from various heights, sometimes in excess of 120 ft, for about a minute (not sure of exact duration). Lots of airtime. You might want to skip this one...

 

[mtblujeans]

Pretend you are doing something else. Like flying with a cape.....or jumping 8 cars on a motorcycle! Something fun! Really, I know what you mean. I must have some kind of inner ear problem and some of those rides make me dizzy and not feeling so great after I ride them. But, work on your fear and try to enjoy the ride. Hang on for dear life during the drop and keep in mind that it is just a fun ride! Work on over-riding the panic reaction and relax. Once you can relax, even a little bit, you will have more fun with it! It's mind over matter!!

Sometimes, when I am expecting a scare-me-to-death drop, I scream my head off during the drop. It releases energy and stress for me.....and it certainly takes my mind off my fear! My kids say it embarrasses them. But, I figure the other riders will never see me again anyway! Hey.....We all gotta do what we gotta do.... I hope you find a way to enjoy the rides that works for you because USO is SUCH a fun place!!

 

[highlander447]

JPRA the drop is right at end and over in a scream doesnt really get your tummy going if u did RnR then u are ok with most of the rides they may look bigger because they are but really what i did was time the ride most are over in 2 minutes so i figure ok even if i hate it its only 2 minutes and its over

 

[JT3000]

Basically, if you are afraid of JP's drop, you shouldn't even step foot on the coasters (except maybe Mummy).

 

[Motherfletcher]

The Mummy is about the same as a Reynosa taxi ride. But that makes me sick too. You should be OK on the Hulk. Don't even think about ToT. Spiderman is a walk in the park.

 

[damo]

In order not to feel that uncomfortable lurch in your stomach, you must look straight ahead through the drop (EYES OPEN)!!! This really helps to eliminate the uncomfortable stomach into throat feeling. I promise.

 

[goofy!]

Biggest Chicken Ever Here...

I had never even contemplated going on any kind of coaster. Did JPRA once, swore I would never do it again.

Then there was this summer. All the wonderful people on this board gave me good advice and I braved it.

I went from having heart palpitations standing in line for Mummy on the first ride to riding it right before we left yesterday with my hands in the air the whole time, including the launch. I went from hating the drop sensation to loving it. My family thinks they may have created a monster

Hulk...
Luck of the draw, I ended up in the back, way, way back. Took everybody's advice (eyes open, straight ahead, etc) and actually survived and had to admit to my family upon exiting that "heck, that wasn't so bad after all."

Did JPRA and liked it.

This was our 4th year in a row at USO, and I have to admit it was the best. I had so much fun experiencing new rides.

Take all the good advice on this board and just grit your teeth and go for it. From one chicken to another, I can vouch that it will be well worth the experience

 

[UKDEB]

It's the drops I hate, too. I'm fine with twists, turns, speed and inversions, but I hate that feeling of losing your stomach.

It took me years to pluck up the courage to do Splash Mountain and, although I now do it every trip, I still get nervous in the line and right before the drop. I could go straight back on again afterwards - it's just that first ride of each trip.

Ditto ToT - I was desperate to do it, but it was years before I finally bit the bullet. I've done it 3 times now, but I don't like it and once the drop sequence starts, I keep thinking, "Please let this be the last one!"

I've done Hulk once and loved it, but even so I've not plucked up the courage to do it since. I've done Duelling Dragons once and didn't like it much. Hulk is OK because you get the launch like R'n'R and once you're into the ride you can just enjoy it. DD is the type of coaster which cranks you up a k-zillion miles in the air before the start.


I've not yet persuaded myself to try Jurassic Park and <i>nothing</i> could get me on Dr Doom.

I rode The Mummy for the first time last month. I nearly wimped out a hundred times in line, but I knew I'd hate myself if I didn't go through with it. I absolutely loved it - it's like R'n'R without the inversions. If you don't do any of the others, please do this. I promise you'll want to ride again!

Spiderman is a simulator - nothing to fear here. Just remember that you're not going anywhere. The 'drop' does nothing to me at all. If it all feels too real, just look away to the side and you will see the static interior of the ride building. For me it's still one of the best attractions in any of the parks.

Hope you both enjoy your trip.

 

[RG VALLEY GIRL]

Thanks to all of you who've taken the time to give me your advice, esp. the Dark Marauder, Goofy!, and UKDEB!
I still have a month to go until my trip, so please keep sending your suggestions and reviews!

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[2BigKIdz]

I was a coaster chicken for the first 20 years of my life. I spent my days at Paramount's Kings Dominion waiting for family/friends to get on/off rides. When I finally took the "plunge" it changed the way I look at parks. I love them now and I love roller coasters! I have a great time instead of standing around for hours in the hot sun just waiting.

My advice: start with The Mummy, it is a very mild ride. If you like that, then head over to The Hulk. Once you get through the launch the rest of the ride is a piece of cake. I personally love Dueling Dragons and think they are the best coasters there, I'm not partial to either one.

Atleast give it a try, if you don't like it you don't have to ride again, but you may be like Goofy and myself and find that you have been missing out all this time.

Good luck and have a great trip!

 

[JT3000]

IMO, if you're a coaster chicken, but you want to try to get over your fear, starting at IOA is a mistake.

It's best to start at Disney's mountain range. Then onto Mummy. Then Rock 'n' Roller Coaster. And if you survived that then it's time to move onto the big boys. But don't move directly to IOA just yet. I find Kraken at SeaWorld to be smoother than Universal's coasters and a good test to see if you'll get off of Hulk in one piece. But of course, if you don't like drops, this is a no-no. Montu at Busch Gardens isn't as intense as DD because of the lack of the dueling element. Work your way up to the Hulk & DD. Don't try starting there.

 

[RG VALLEY GIRL]

Originally posted by damo
In order not to feel that uncomfortable lurch in your stomach, you must look straight ahead through the drop (EYES OPEN)!!! This really helps to eliminate the uncomfortable stomach into throat feeling. I promise.

Just want to make sure I understand--look straight into the drop I'm falling into, or stare straight ahead and not look at where I'm falling?
Usually, (on plane rides), I let myself go limp & that helps, but I think I'll be too tense/nervous for that to work on rides!
Thanks for the advice!
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[kathyclownfish]

I can spin all day long......but don't give me air time or drops!! I experience the same feelings as you do on splash mountain. The last time, I think I dug a hole in the bottom of the log on the way down the drop , BUT, I took dramamin the next time and everything has changed for this "airtime chicken"!! DD is not really "airtime", its one of those inverted coasters where you don't really feel that yucky feeling in your stomach. The same holds true for the Hulk and R&R coaster. The only real "airtimers" for me are Splash mountain and TOT. And Disney knows how to make the elevator go back up again....just when you are about to get that uncomfortable feeling. Definately try it....you won't be sorry.

Good luck and don't sweat it! Take a motion sickness pill and you will love the rides.

Kathy