Scared to ride the Matterhorn - HELP

[rapriebe]

I have to admit first thing, I am a wimp on rides. However, I would really like to try the Matterhorn when we go to DL in 2 weeks. Just to give you an idea of the rides that I will ride -

Recently conquered Thunder Mountain - took maybe 10 times before I was able to finally say I liked it. It still scares the crap out of me but I'm determined to ride it.
I love to ride Test Track.
I can handle Soarin' as long as I'm in row 3. The other 2 rows are too high in the air.

Okay - that's about the extent of my thrill ride experience. I can't/won't ride on --
Everest - To-o-o high in the air and don't like the drops
Splash Mountain - don't like the drop and the falling feeling
RNR and Tower of Terror - NO WAY
Primevil Whirl - would like to try it but always chicken out.
Mission Space - can handle the green side but would never try the orange.

So tell me, do you think I can handle Matterhorn. I've tried to watch the You Tube videos but still can't get a feeling for it. Is it just a fast ride down a gently sloping mountain. Do you have alot of outside exposure where you can see over the edge.

I really want to ride this but need alittle help. Anyone??

 

[sonnyjane]

This is my opinion and mine alone:

As a coaster, I don't find Matterhorn to be any worse than Thunder Mountain as far as twists and drops goes. The problem with Matterhorn is that you have to REALLY physically brace yourself because you're essentially in a toboggan sled and you get shaken around pretty hard. My back and butt are always sore after Matterhorn, and I do expend a fair amount of energy to hold myself in place. I do still ride it because I love all the rides, just something to be aware of. So, bottom line is, in my opinion, not a scary ride, but not a comfortable one

 

[rapriebe]

This is my opinion and mine alone:

As a coaster, I don't find Matterhorn to be any worse than Thunder Mountain as far as twists and drops goes. The problem with Matterhorn is that you have to REALLY physically brace yourself because you're essentially in a toboggan sled and you get shaken around pretty hard. My back and butt are always sore after Matterhorn, and I do expend a fair amount of energy to hold myself in place. I do still ride it because I love all the rides, just something to be aware of. So, bottom line is, in my opinion, not a scary ride, but not a comfortable one

Thank you so much - this is exactly the type of information I am looking for.

Anybody else??

 

[blackjackdelta]

The ride is a bit jerky, but but BTMRR is much more exciting. A classic!!

Jack

 

[bumbershoot]

Do you have alot of outside exposure where you can see over the edge.

I have gotten nervous about this before, and I *like* coasters (within reason), even CA Screamin'. I'm not sure this will be the best choice.

Though if you really want to try it, perhaps go on it at night? I first went on Screamin' at night, and it made the experience better (as did the one beer I had with my dinner, LOL).

 

[thewritegirl]

Matterhorn was the first roller coaster my 2.5 year old went on. I think you'll be fine.

 

[jjstinson]

This is my opinion and mine alone:

As a coaster, I don't find Matterhorn to be any worse than Thunder Mountain as far as twists and drops goes. The problem with Matterhorn is that you have to REALLY physically brace yourself because you're essentially in a toboggan sled and you get shaken around pretty hard. My back and butt are always sore after Matterhorn, and I do expend a fair amount of energy to hold myself in place. I do still ride it because I love all the rides, just something to be aware of. So, bottom line is, in my opinion, not a scary ride, but not a comfortable one

Oh thank you! I was eyeballing that ride myself and wasn't sure if it was one I could do or not. I have a bad back. I can handle some roller coasters, but not ones that are too jerky. Thanks for that info!!

 

[sonnyjane]

Oh thank you! I was eyeballing that ride myself and wasn't sure if it was one I could do or not. I have a bad back. I can handle some roller coasters, but not ones that are too jerky. Thanks for that info!!

No problem! Yeah, I'm fairly fit 26-year-old former college athlete, and my sister is a 14-year-old on the track and swim teams, and both of us think Matterhorn is pretty rough on our backs. If you have a bad back, I wouldn't recommend it. We can only do it once or twice a trip.

 

[DLR29]

Well there aren't any big drops, so that feeling isn't there. As others have said, it's more of a jerky, bumpy, side-to-side motion. As for points where you are up high, they are shortly lived because suddenly you're going back into the mountain again.

 

[rapriebe]

Which ride is faster - Matterhorn or Thunder Mountain?

 

[Kayla's Mom]

If you ride the Matterhorn, IMO the Fantasyland side is much smoother than the Tomorrowland side. I have a bad back and will not ride the TL side. I think if you can handle Thunder Mountain, you will be fine on Matterhorn.

 

[jjstinson]

If you ride the Matterhorn, IMO the Fantasyland side is much smoother than the Tomorrowland side. I have a bad back and will not ride the TL side. I think if you can handle Thunder Mountain, you will be fine on Matterhorn.

Oooh more good information! Thanks!

 

[22David2]

In my opinion, I actually find Thunder Mountain to be more intense than the Matterhorn. The Matterhorn was the first steel coaster, if i'm not mistaken. It's not too bad. A few dips and turns but it looks more intense when looking at it from off the ride than when actually riding it.

The Matterhorn's maximum speed is 27 mph.

Thunder Mountain's maximum speed is 35 mph.

 

[raftislander]

The Matterhorn has two tracks, At the "entrance hut" there is a queue on the right and a separate queue on the left. Usually both lines are open and the line on the right wraps around the mountain toward Fantasyland (Alice and Teacups) while the left line wraps around the mountain in the direction of the submarines and Tomorrowland. Sometimes they have one line wrapping around the mountain and a cast member at the hut alternates feeding the line into the two sides, so you may encounter this system. The Fantasyland side track is slightly longer, but slower than the Tomorrowland side. Somewhere on YouTube there is a film that shows videos of the two runs side by side on one screen, if you want to see the difference or get an idea of the track. Now my family loves thrills, so we always opt for the Tomorrowland side as the Fantasyland side is too tame for us. Frankly, if you can handle Thunder Mt. I think you will be fine on either side. I do agree with sonnyjane, however, that this is a ride where you can end up with a lot of bruises if you dont brace yourself within the toboggan. I loved it as a kid, but I fear I am getting too old for this ride.

 

[karylrocks]

FYI - Matterhorn is scheduled to close on Feb. 1 for rehab so depending on what day you are arriving, it looks like you might not be able to ride it anyway.

 

[jory29]

I think you'll love matterhorn if you can tolerate BTMR. (Our family loves both, but I know you don't seem to LOVE BTMR yet either, LOL. Notice I said yet... maybe you will come to love it.)

I am 'pooh sized', and my spouse is thin with no padding on his butt - it did hurt his back and butt, but I found it hurt mine, too..

My question is, for those of you familiar with the ride, do those of you who are very slender think that having little padding on your butt makes the ride 'hurt' more?? I think it would hurt more, but I found even I could feel every bump, so I feel for those with no padding!

It's a fun ride, some (all??) of the pins are hairpin turns and feel pretty cool!!

 

[rapriebe]

FYI - Matterhorn is scheduled to close on Feb. 1 for rehab so depending on what day you are arriving, it looks like you might not be able to ride it anyway.

Yeah, I noticed this earlier today. We hope to get there by the 27th of January. We are travelling from the east coast so not sure exactly when we will arrive but I'm sure we'll be there in time to ride it.

 

[sonnyjane]

My question is, for those of you familiar with the ride, do those of you who are very slender think that having little padding on your butt makes the ride 'hurt' more?? I think it would hurt more, but I found even I could feel every bump, so I feel for those with no padding!

SOOO funny you posted that, because after the first time I rode the Matterhorn, I was complaining about my butt hurting and my little sister ever so lovingly exclaimed "Wow! I'm surprised you felt it with all your padding!". I give J-LO a run for her money in the butt department and it definitely still hurts, so like you, I feel for those with bony butts haha!

 

[CrazyDuck]

Matterhorn is easy! About as scary as Gadget's Go Coaster!

 

[LisainCalifornia]

I am a total scaredy-cat and won't go on Tower of Terror, Space Mountain, Splash Mountain (that one kills people--they think I am such a wimp, but I can barely take the drop in Pirates!), and of course Screamin' is out. But I can actually handle the Matterhorn from a scary point of view more than Big Thunder Mountain Railroad. I think it is actually "less" scary than the railroad, but it does bouce you around a lot.

With all of that said, I only go on it once when we go to DL, and then I am done with it not to do it again until the next trip.