Space Mountain...to do or not to do? SO SCARED

[ducky_love]

I can't talk - I grew up coming to WDW 6+ times a year and now I live here. I have NEVER ridden Space Mountain. (I have ridden it at DL and really liked it there)

I ride EE and like it, BTMRR is fine, and I have ridden Splash 3 times in my life (none pleasant). Somehow I just never make myself get on Space but this is the year. I am going to make myself try!!

 

[RobDIS]

If you can handle BTMRR you will likely be fine on Space Mountain. I'm a ride wimp, but loved them both once I worked up my courage. I assuaged my fears by researching the top speeds of both rides - 28MPH for Space, 30MPH for BTMRR.

That said, if BTMRR terrified you, Space Mtn will likely do the same...

 

[goofy4tink]

I was horrified at the thought of riding Space Mt. But, my friend really peer pressured me into it about 8 years ago. Now, I love it...ride it at least 5 times on each trip.
BUT..it is NOT a kiddie roller coaster in the dark. It is more like one of those 'wild mouse' rides...fast, quick turns, with some pretty substantial drops. Is it the worst thing in the world? Nope, not even close. In fact, Goofy's Barnstormer bothers me more than SpMt does..not really sure why. I ride Hulk and Dragon Challenge over at IoA...no problem with them. But Barnstormer just turns my stomach!!!

I would give it a try. Sit in one of the more middle seats. Tends to be less bumpy. I always shut my eyes. I enjoy it more that way. Here's the thing....you're going to be safe. Nothing is going to happen to you. You could be walking beneath the People Mover and have a car fall on you...are you worried about that??? If you hate it, after riding it once, don't get back on. I was a real coaster scaredy cat...rode BTMRR and Splash and was horrified. 18 months later, I was on Space and loving it. Same with RnRC. And ToT...love 'em all now.

 

[Robin K]

Not to hijack the thread just a question:
My mom wears glasses and she is worried about them falling off during SM. How worried should she be?
Thanks

 

[tiggspring]

Not to hijack the thread just a question:
My mom wears glasses and she is worried about them falling off during SM. How worried should she be?
Thanks

I think they will be fine. She may want to get those cheap streachy cloth sport eyeglass holder i've seen at walmart. That way she could see and not worry.

 

[RumpleMom]

Thanks for the reminder to wear the band for my glasses on these rides. The bands are called Croakies.

Also I remember reading about someone losing their cochlear(hearing) implant device on BTMRR. These devices are attached by a magnet, so they should be removed before riding for safe keeping.

 

[KYCruiseCrazy]

So I will be at the World next week with my grandsons and they expect me to ride Space Mountain with them, I didn't last time because I was too afraid. I did ride BTMR and SCREAMED for my mom the whole time. I am 47. lol So I'm not sure I can handle SM.

It's making me feel stressed. I don't want them to remember Grandma wouldn't ride SM. Whatever I decide to do will be in their memories of me long after I am long gone.

Do I put myself through the agony or feel like I let them down? Seems like a lose-lose to me!

THANKS!

It's a Disney ride. It only goes 28-30 mph. My 5 yo loved it. She was scared of the dark at first. Now we can't keep her off of it.

 

[photo_chick]

Space Mountain is more intense than BTMR because you're in the dark. If BTMR scared you, SM probably will do worse.


I don't think your good trip memories will hinge on one roller coaster ride. if you feel like it's too much it's better not to ride it. Because what if you do and have a bad reaction to it? I think that would be a worse memory for them than you not riding it at all.

 

[disjointed]

Well, if I were you, despite being really scared, I would do it anyway. It only lasts about 2 minutes, and if you're scared, just close your eyes and count backwards. I've passed on rides before due to fear and I always regretted it everytime. I hope you have a magical trip!

 

[pocahontasgal87]

you can so it! i have faith in u!

 

[mom2cookies]

not a grandma but terrified of rollercoasters. I talked MYSELF into riding it bc hubby said he would shave his head in WDW if i road 1 rollercoaster ( my choice SM or SPM). He had been going back and forth about shaving his head and i was basically tired of hearing it lol. So i road it. Told myself, millions of people ride it all the time. And it is 2 and a half minutes long, i can deal with anything for that long. I gave birth at home to 4 children without meds. I can handle it! lol
I closed my eyes and screamed bloody murder but i rode it! My legs were jello when i got off and it is very very jerky (imo). But doable. I couldn't begin to tell you what it was like as far as drops etc and i was glad it was in the dark because heights really bother me.
If you are physically able to ride it ( no back problems etc) then i'd say go for it. It'll teach your grandsons more than grandma is the coolest ever.
Have fun!

 

[Collette]

Such fun, great advice and stories in this thread!!

I hope you decide to give it a try, but don't feel bad if you just can't do it. I was 48 on my first WDW trip. I finally got tired of being afraid to ride so I braved RnRC. Now it's a favorite. While I was waiting for my kids to ride ToT, a woman I was talking with told me that if I could ride RnRC I could easily ride all three "mountain" rides at MK. I did - and have loved them ever since.

Space Mountain is mostly fast and jerky which is becoming a little less easier as I approach yet another milestone birthday. But I'm looking forward to trying it again next time.

I don't know where you were sitting when you rode BTMR, but the closer you sit to the front of the train the smoother the ride. The back is a more "fly out of your seat" ride. I love the back!!

What a fun trip with your grandkids!!

 

[jesswindsor]

Space Mountain is a lot of fun!! Try it at least once, it really doesn't go very fast, but it seems like it.

 

[disneyshakeygirl]

I rode it for the first time last year, I was absolutely terrified. There was an absolutely SWEET family before me who were comforting me (I was alone). The family split up so that two of them could ride with me, and I LOVED IT. It's now on my top 10 rides. I scared myself more with the thought of actually going on it, then the ride itself (if that made any sense whatsoever!).

 

[autismmom1]

Rode Space Mountain for the first time in my teens and loved it. Rode it again last year (I'm 39) and hated it. I know there was a refurb, but I can't imagine it changed that drastically. That being said, I rode it because I wanted my son to have the courage to do it and knew he would feel better if I rode it too. So, like the others have said, it won't kill you, just ride the one time and be done with it...unless you like it!!

I LOVE LOVE LOVE BTMR though, so I don't know what my deal is! This year, I've promised myself I would ride EE and RnRC for the first time...still on the fence about Splash Mountain though!

 

[JoshuaShaw]

It's pointless to recommend it based on personal experience because everyone's perception of the ride is going to vary from your own. My best advice is to ride it once to find out if you can handle it. You may be surprised to find out you do like it and if you don't, you never have to ride it again.

 

[MamaBearJohnson]

My parents saved up for years for us to go to Disney when we were teens. Our first day there in the magic kingdom, my mom insisted she would ride space mountain with us because "We were a family and we were going to do it together!" No-no mom, really, it's okay...you aren't going to like it, we'll go by ourselves. "No way, it'll be fun, we're on vacation!!!"

Yeah, fun mom ended up in first aid the rest of the day puking and that's how we remembered our vacation instead.

We didn't get to ride any other rides our whole trip because we were too afraid to ask to ride because we didn't want our mom to get sick again.

Don't do something you're afraid to do just to be the fun one or it might backfire and make everyone miserable instead!

 

[bytheblood]

If BTMRR scared you, Space Mountain might not be a good ride for you. It is in the dark and you cannot see anything. It might be best if you avoid it if the rides scare you that badly.

I think BTMRR is more wild than Space Mountain, but perhaps the unknown (being in the dark) would make it worse for you.