Roller Coaster - for 1st time (9 & 7 yo)

[sleeping beauty 2]

We have riden Goofy's Barnstormer, which is scary enough for mom. But my 9 year old is getting eager to try something this year. And I suspect once he gets the roller coaster bug, mommy will need to get over her fears. Dad can't ride them since he suffered a stroke 4 years ago which makes him very motion sick.

Which coaster is the best first choice? Thinking of Thunder Mountain or Splash Mountain. Is the Star wars ride a roller coaster or simulator?

 

[ciera321]

I think I'd start with Big Thunder Mountain since it's pretty tame compared to Rock n Roller Coaster. Stars Tours is a simulator...

 

[Cameo]

I would go with BTMRR. My DS6 is a fraidy cat and did BTMRR for the first time this year. He loved it. I can't ride it because I just had spinal fusion surgery, but Dad gets to do back-to-back rides with the kids. DS6 also loves Splash Mountain (because of Brer Rabbit) but is still afraid of the drop.

Both my children (also DD8) LOVE Soarin'. That's their favorite. I do get motion sickness from simulators, but Soarin' doesn't do that to me. It's the best!

Star Tours is a motion simulator.

 

[buckylarue]

Also, Splash Mountain is not a roller coaster; basically it is a slow moving log flume ride past animated scenes from Song of the South, with a few little drops and the one big outdoor drop that everyone dreads. It really isn't that scary, and the rest of the ride is SO worth it!

 

[Jen_in_NH]

Try Thunder Mountain first, and if you're not sure about it, try to get the front seats. There is much less of a roller coaster effect in the front of that one (unlike most other roller coasters)

Have fun!

Jen

 

[juligrl]

My mother, who is NOT a roller coaster rider, does ride Big Thunder Mountain RR. She figures that if she can survive either the plane ride to Florida or the road trip with my dad driving the car, she can do a Disney coaster. This is the only coaster I have ever seen my mother ride.

If you like Big Thunder Mtn., and you're feeling brave, then you can go for Space Mountain. It's a roller coaster in the dark so this might be a little too much for a beginner. Personally, I found it pretty tame. Besides, when I get scared on a ride I close my eyes anyhow, so I didn't miss much of anything.

Splash Mountain is a water ride and you do get wet. A couple of small dips and the big drop that you see. Even if you hate the drop, it's worth going on just once to see the fabulous theming.

Good luck!

 

[Tink-n-Belle]

My kids started riding Big Thunder Mountain RR and Splash Mountain when they each turned 3.5 and 4.

I tried my kids on the little coaster at our local amusement parks and they loved them so I tried BTMRR first. They loved it. Then they went on Splash Mountain and loved that.

This past trip dd5 & dd8- they wanted to try SM (They loved it and my dd5 said " that was too short". OKAY> so off to EE-- Loved it (rode it twice). My dd8 met her friend and her family and they wanted to go on the RnR. This was my dd8 friends (7) 1st time on a roller coastser. They all loved it and then did Tot and loved that!

My father, who wouldn't go on SM or SpM loved BTMRR. Its pretty tame. If your kids like BTMRR- you may also want to try EE- its a lot more intense but its very similiar-- The big drop is nothing- the one on Spl Mountiain is worse.

Have a great trip!!

 

[mamaminnie]

I'd say Space Mountian is the scariest of your choices, also you can't ride next to dcs, you sit behind each other.