Disney World Roller Coasters

Want to accelerate from 0 to 57 mph in just 2.8 seconds and experience more G Force than a Space Shuttle launch? If that sounds like your idea of fun then Aerosmith’s Rock N Roller Coaster at Disney Hollywood Studios is the place to be. But one of the most popular Disney World roller coasters travels at just 28 mph. Which one is that? Space Mountain of course!

Disney World has some of the world’s most innovative roller coasters. They don’t try and be the biggest, the highest or the fastest. But Disney always uses imagination to make their roller coasters an experience.

One of my favorites is Rock N Roller Coaster and this was the Disney ride that I credit with actually getting me started with roller coasters. At other theme parks (yes I do go to them too) I would always be the family member sitting the scary roller coasters out. No it’s fine, I’ll stay with the kids who aren’t tall enough to ride. But to be honest I was getting bored of that. Perhaps I was missing out. So I decided to start with Rock N Roller Coaster. Thinking back I am not sure how I picked this as my first roller coaster adventure – perhaps I was tempted by the huge guitar outside and the Aerosmith music! The fact that I couldn’t see what was in store probably helped too. This is a roller coaster in the dark so you have no sense of what you are letting yourself in for……

I still remember the feeling of lining up waiting to go on the ride. Fear. But I was so glad that I did. I realized what I had been missing out on. 2 minutes 2 seconds of pure adrenaline. I never looked back. I was a Disney roller coaster convert.

Having started with perhaps the most intense Disney roller coaster I thought perhaps the others would be a disappointment. I was wrong. The others are just different. All have the Disney attention to detail. The newest Disney Mountain is Expedition Everest. I watched it being built in Animal Kingdom and waited. It was not a disappointment. Disney Imagineers spent 6 years researching and building the Expedition Everest ride. And it shows in the amazing attention to detail. The story is based around the legend of the Yeti. There are many twists and turns on this thrilling ride. The 50 foot drop is amazing! And you go backwards too. Get a Fast Pass and experience Expedition Everest as the lines are generally pretty long.

And what about the older, more traditional Disney World roller coasters? I have to say that my least favorite is Space Mountain. Yes it is innovative but I guess I have just ridden on it too many times. The steepest drop on Space Mountain is 39 degrees. The fastest it gets is of 28 miles per hour – yes it feels faster than that but it just isn’t my favorite.

A great Disney roller coaster to start with is Big Thunder Mountain. This really is a roller coaster for all the family. It is pretty mild, but just a great experience riding round all the twists and turns and gentle drops. As soon as the kids reach the height requirement of 40″ this is a great one for them to start with.

When you think of Disney World guests don’t always realize that there are some really excellent thrill rides to experience. And whilst of course it isn’t a roller coaster, don’t forget Disney World’s Hollywood Tower of Terror. A very different experience but if you like roller coasters you are going to love this!

Photos used under Creative Commons from expressmonorail