Ride wimp here! Best way to ease into it?

[RoseBen009]

Hello! Big time ride wimp here. I've got a husband who's not super daring either, but he's been willing to take our thrill loving 9 year old daughter on Splash Mountain and BTMRR (she begged to go on them and LOVED both). Believe it or not, our first trip I was even scared of the Pirates drop but am able to handle that without a problem. After a tasty margarita in Epcot, I even agreed to go on Test Track! Granted, I totally would have bailed out of line had I seen an easy escape route but ended up riding it and I would ride it again. Frozen was fine too. I haven't been on any of the other "thrill" or even kiddy coaster rides. I feel like Tower or Terror, Rock and Roller Coaster, and Everest I could NEVER bring myself to do, but I would love to get over my fears and try and enjoy some of the other milder rides like Seven Dwarfs mine train or BTMRR. Can anyone suggest a good way to ease myself into these? I feel like the anticipation is what gets me! Has anyone been a wimp like me and gotten over their fears?

 

[alliecat523]

I am a ride wimp too but can tolerate SD. It’s really not that bad and it’s super short so it’s over quick. I think it’s easier than BTMRR. I love Test Track and Soarin’

I will not do RnR or ToT. Space makes me puke.

I would watch some ride videos to get some perspective. Sometimes knowing how the ride operates makes the anxiety lessen.

 

[DisneyChris2016]

It might be helpful if you can pinpoint what it is about the rides that makes you anxious. Are you afraid of heights? Speed? Are you worried about something going wrong? Do you suffer from motion sickness? If it's just general apprehension without any identifiable cause, then I would just use your daughter's excitement to spur you on. She would probably love to ride those rides with you, and what's the worst that can happen? If you really hate it, you don't ever have to do it again. But much more likely, you'll love it and make amazing family memories. Good luck!

 

[MarkS2112]

Slinky Dog, 7DMT, BTM would build you up.

SDD is not bad drop wise and fairly low speed. If you get up front pretty tame. Mine train really has no big drops, allot of turns and low ups and downs,. Big Thunder does not have huge drops, but has some good speed and twists and turns allot. It is really fun ride if you can take it.

Sound like RnRc is out for you as that has a 60 mph lauch into a loop in the dark.
ToT is multiple ups and downs in thedark.
Space is an in the dark coaster with plenty of turns and drops you cannot see. It is only 30 mph; however, feels like more.
Expedition Everest is a great ride but fast with good drops and backwards sections.

Build up on the smaller ones. Who knows you may actually like them once on it. Problem is the wait and anxiety before in line.

Good luck!

 

[Disneyfan754321]

With my kids it was watching you tube pov videos....worked wonders

 

[tguz]

We have gone three Summers in a row and my Fiancee just eased into some of the rides. We started out with 7DMT and Big Thunder. We watched the drop at Splash for a few minutes and she decided to try that too. The next year she added Space mountain and SDD. Last Summer, we did all of those again but she has not gained the confidence yet to do ToT and Expedition Everest. We are going back in 2021 and she has already said she is going to do Everest with me. Oh, she had real issues with FOP but not with Star Tours or Soarin. We compromise and do Navi River now. 2021 will be interesting with Guardians and Tron. I hope she will try them.

 

[twinmom13]

Me! I was always terrified of roller coasters before Disney World, even little kiddie coasters, but decided to ride for my kids. Turns out I love them! Everyone is different, but this is what worked for me: ahead of time, I did a little research to reassure myself that the rides are safe. Disney has an excellent safety record, which I find very reassuring. Most of the roller coasters are relatively slow and not super high. Watching ride videos might help, too, so you know what to expect.

I started with the rides I found least scary and worked up from there. For me, the scariest part is going up a high lift hill. I also do not like rides that are too rough and make me like the ride is about to break. I know a lot of people say to start with Barnstormer because it is little and over quickly, but that is actually my least favorite ride, as it has a scary (for me) lift hill and a very rough ride. I do not plan to ever ride it again.

While it certainly would not work for someone mostly scared of big drops, I actually was the least nervous about Splash Mountain. None of the lift hills are particularly high, and the big drop is somehow less scary for me because it ends in water. Silly, but there you are. It definitely made me nervous the first time, but now it is one of my favorite rides!

Both BTMRR and Seven Dwarfs are good for someone like me because there are no big lift hills, and even the drops are fairly short. Seven Dwarfs is smooth as silk, which alleviates a lot of my fears. BTMRR is a little rougher, but not bad by any means. These are also favorites.

I was not sure I would be able to ride Everest or Slinky Dog Dash until I felt comfortable on the others, Everest because of the big lift hill and Slinky because it looks so much like the typical roller coasters that scare me. Once I was comfortable on the others, however, I gave them a try and found them to be super fun, too! I am glad I did not start with them, but that is just me. Others may be more nervous about different elements than me, making those rides an easier fit for them. Space Mountain is another that I put off, and I am glad I did -- it is very fun, but definitely a rough ride. Tower of Terror still scares me, but not enough to avoid it.

Long story short, my advice is to figure out what you are scared of and ride the rides with less of those scary elements first, then build up. Have fun!

 

[tinkerhon]

Xanax !! Jk, but honestly - I'm no a chicken - well, just a bit, but suffer from terrible motion sickness, although I am ok on dinosaur and FOP - Star Tours makes me sick if I dont take the Xanax prior

 

[RoseBen009]

It might be helpful if you can pinpoint what it is about the rides that makes you anxious. Are you afraid of heights? Speed? Are you worried about something going wrong? Do you suffer from motion sickness? If it's just general apprehension without any identifiable cause, then I would just use your daughter's excitement to spur you on. She would probably love to ride those rides with you, and what's the worst that can happen? If you really hate it, you don't ever have to do it again. But much more likely, you'll love it and make amazing family memories. Good luck!

Those are good questions! I think I developed a fear from a middle school trip to Dollywood-Someone convinced me to ride the Rock and Roller coaster...I weighed all of probably 80 pounds and the bar that sat across our lap did nothing to make me feel secure and whipping around the bends I felt like I was going to fly out! It was terrifying! Big drops and heights freak me out too. Haha, I guess I'm just a wimp all around

 

[RoseBen009]

Slinky Dog, 7DMT, BTM would build you up.

SDD is not bad drop wise and fairly low speed. If you get up front pretty tame. Mine train really has no big drops, allot of turns and low ups and downs,. Big Thunder does not have huge drops, but has some good speed and twists and turns allot. It is really fun ride if you can take it.

Sound like RnRc is out for you as that has a 60 mph lauch into a loop in the dark.
ToT is multiple ups and downs in thedark.
Space is an in the dark coaster with plenty of turns and drops you cannot see. It is only 30 mph; however, feels like more.
Expedition Everest is a great ride but fast with good drops and backwards sections.

Build up on the smaller ones. Who knows you may actually like them once on it. Problem is the wait and anxiety before in line.

Good luck!

YES! You are so right about the anxiety while waiting!

 

[RoseBen009]

Me! I was always terrified of roller coasters before Disney World, even little kiddie coasters, but decided to ride for my kids. Turns out I love them! Everyone is different, but this is what worked for me: ahead of time, I did a little research to reassure myself that the rides are safe. Disney has an excellent safety record, which I find very reassuring. Most of the roller coasters are relatively slow and not super high. Watching ride videos might help, too, so you know what to expect.

I started with the rides I found least scary and worked up from there. For me, the scariest part is going up a high lift hill. I also do not like rides that are too rough and make me like the ride is about to break. I know a lot of people say to start with Barnstormer because it is little and over quickly, but that is actually my least favorite ride, as it has a scary (for me) lift hill and a very rough ride. I do not plan to ever ride it again.

While it certainly would not work for someone mostly scared of big drops, I actually was the least nervous about Splash Mountain. None of the lift hills are particularly high, and the big drop is somehow less scary for me because it ends in water. Silly, but there you are. It definitely made me nervous the first time, but now it is one of my favorite rides!

Both BTMRR and Seven Dwarfs are good for someone like me because there are no big lift hills, and even the drops are fairly short. Seven Dwarfs is smooth as silk, which alleviates a lot of my fears. BTMRR is a little rougher, but not bad by any means. These are also favorites.

I was not sure I would be able to ride Everest or Slinky Dog Dash until I felt comfortable on the others, Everest because of the big lift hill and Slinky because it looks so much like the typical roller coasters that scare me. Once I was comfortable on the others, however, I gave them a try and found them to be super fun, too! I am glad I did not start with them, but that is just me. Others may be more nervous about different elements than me, making those rides an easier fit for them. Space Mountain is another that I put off, and I am glad I did -- it is very fun, but definitely a rough ride. Tower of Terror still scares me, but not enough to avoid it.

Long story short, my advice is to figure out what you are scared of and ride the rides with less of those scary elements first, then build up. Have fun!

Thank you this gives me so much hope! The lift hills scare me too, I feel like I'd do better sticking to the ground, so it sounds like Seven Dwarfs is a good place to start. Splash Mountain scares me so much! The drop looks so intense! I feel like the anticipation of going down would just destroy me but the rest of the ride looks SO FUN.

 

[sponica]

Thank you this gives me so much hope! The lift hills scare me too, I feel like I'd do better sticking to the ground, so it sounds like Seven Dwarfs is a good place to start. Splash Mountain scares me so much! The drop looks so intense! I feel like the anticipation of going down would just destroy me but the rest of the ride looks SO FUN.

I love Splash, but I absolutely hate that drop. I'd rather take the launch in rock n roller coaster.

 

[GXIncognto]

I'm also a ride wimp...my suggestion would be to do 7DMT first. If you really hate that and don't want to do it again, don't bother with any others (though I can't speak for Slinky, haven't done that one). If 7DMT is okay for you give BTMRR a shot, though be warned that it does give you a bit of a whipping side to side that may remind you of your earlier bad experience.

BTMRR in the last row is right about at my limit. Give Splash a chance because outside of the big visible drop and one drop inside it's really nothing, and a great ride. The big drop is OVER my limit, but I will still ride it once in a while because I love the rest of it so much and that one drop lasts about 2 seconds. If you can handle BTMRR, give Space Mountain a go...I thought I would be freaked out on that and when I rode it I personally thought it was a little milder than BTMRR if you don't mind the dark.

 

[twinmom13]

I love the rest of it so much and that one drop lasts about 2 seconds

This. The ride is 11 minutes long and super fun, even if you don’t enjoy those 2 seconds.

 

[midnight star]

Try watching youtube. I recently went with a friend who gets scared on most of the rides. She got nervous for barnstomer! But she was able to do Space, BTMRR, Pirates, SDMT, SDD, and Everest (that was the scariest for her). She watched everything before so she knew what was coming. She's done RnR and ToT in the past and refuses to go on them again lol So I didn't push her.

She's also done Incredicoaster at DL but won't go back on that either lol

 

[marjorieeeee]

I tricked a friend who was afraid of roller coasters onto space mountain. He was an oddity who knew nothing about Disneyland. We had ridden a bunch of Disney dark rides. Oh, this one has a space theme, I said. He ended up liking it and then let me take him on anything. WDW’s space mountain is a little bit rougher than at Disneyland, but it’s dark and they strap you down really well. So space mountain gets my vote. It’s hard to get scared when you don’t know what’s coming next.

Disney does have a great safety record and they work so hard to make the rides appeal to so many people. I hope you find the courage to try them all!

 

[Disco Lemonade]

I used to have this issue and I would close my eyes on any ride that caused anxiety. It made them less fun but I had to get through them, I think, to feel comfortable. I remember bailing out at the last minute on ToT and being so embarrassed being an adult asking how I get out. Now it is my favorite ride.