Space Mountain for the World’s Biggest Ride Chicken.

I agree with PPs: given how you describe your feelings on rides, you won't like Space.

I do think you should give BTMRR a try, though. In the front like another poster mentioned. It's much wilder in the back.
 
I would do Big thunder or 7 dwarfs before space. Those are a lot less less intense and you can see whats coming. But there are some small drops (worse than those on pirates or frozen).
 
Based on your past experience, I would definitely skip Space Mountain. Perhaps start with 7DMT, and once you are desensitized to it, then do BTMRR, and eventually if that feels like nothing, then move onto SM. Of course, this will require several trips to WDW, but you gotta do what you gotta do right?
 
i love rollercoasters and HATE Space Mountain. It twists and turns you and i always get off feeling nauseous and light headed.
 


I agree with others that space might not be the best. that said, i've found that space is better when i close my eyes. I think that some of the worst jerkiness comes from anticipating going one way, but actually going the other, and the feeling of being whipped around. if my eyes are closed, and i pay attention to how i'm feeling, more than what i think i'm seeing, i think it's easier. ymmv.

also, btmrr, the front car is the very much the tamest. what happens is that when you get pulled up the hills, the front cars start down the hill before the last car is all the way up. by the time you "stop" at the top of the hill, the front car is already part of the way down, and so you don't speed down as far.
 
I can do drops (Splash Mtn) and coasters (Everest), and even most rides, but Space Mountain is my least favorite Disney ride right behind Primeevil Whirl. Since the cars are for 3 people, it works out now if I want to skip that ride and send my husband and 2 kids without me. I think maybe I'm just too old for the sudden jerking with no head support.
 


It has been a while since I rode it, but i remember the Goofy coaster being very tame and very short. That might be a good one to try.
 
The other issue with SM is that the restraints feel very minimal....in other words, if you're nervous, you will feel like you could possibly go flying out (obviously, you won't, but it can feel like it). There's not really a bar to hang on to. It's a t-bar that fits between your legs up to below your waist. When I first started to ride, I hung on to that sucker like it was my job, lol! I love it now, but it's definitely not for anyone who finds PotC a struggle.
 
Hello everyone. As you can tell from the title, I have a question about SM. I have got to be the wussiest ride chicken there is. I’ve tried searching for other chickens as big as me to see if I can handle this ride, but it seems everyone who has asked has been able to handle rides like Splash Mountain and Thunder Railroad... not me. Let me give you a quick explanation of just how big of a chicken I am: probably the most thrilling ride I have been on at Disney is Test Track. I liked TT, but the fast part makes me a little nervous. I haven’t been on Pirates in years simply because I cannot STAND drops, not even the little baby one in PotC. I hated Frozen Ever After BECAUSE of the drop at the end (I know what you’re thinking—why is this person even going to Disney??), and that ride doesn’t even have restraints! I have been to DW five times now and I’m going for a sixth time next month, and I have always chickened out on Space Mountain. I would also like to try BTR but if there’s any sort of stomach-drop feeling or the feeling of falling then I just can’t do it. Can some of you give me advice on if I should try it or not? Please note I am not the spontaneous type to just rip off the bandaid and get on before I can stop myself. I have to watch repeated YouTube videos and agonize over it for weeks! Anybody who has been on it, please let me know! Thanks!
Just keep your eyes closed.
JM
 
Space Mountain is one of my favourite rides of all time. My mom was a bit of a chicken, but then she rode it and it became her favourite too. Hard to answer this question for someone else though.
 
I do NOT like SM, it's not the dark, or the dips, but it's what we call a 'bone shaker', I feel all shaken up afterwards, like I've been through the spin cycle. However I love RnRC, ToT and EE, they are smooth but exciting rides IMHO.
 
Space Mountain is quite a brutal ride. It's the same ride system, and feels the same, as Matterhorn Bobsleds if you've ever done that. It's the transitions when you hit a corner, or there's a change in vertical direction such as the top or bottom of a hill. It can give quite a kick or jerk at those moments. If you end up being very stiff, gripping tightly and generally not being relaxed and going with the flow, it could result in mild whiplash or "crick in the neck" or back, like you've bent over at an awkward angle or overstretched. I'm not saying these sort of things are common and I don't want to make it sound that bad, thousands ride it every day with no problem, but just pointing out that it's not a smooth ride and if you're not good with rides anyway then it's not a good choice for you! I'm a veteran of coasters (almost 700 ridden!) but even I find a few moments uncomfortable, noteably in the back seat as going over the biggest drop in the ride (it whips you over the apex quite abruptly) and in the front seat at the top of each rise where there's a suddent transition from upwards track to levelling out. However, I do love this ride, I think it's a classic, it's a lot of fun and I can't wait to get back there again! (PS when I say "biggest drop", it's all relative. The drops are nothing to worry about, they're very small, sort of like what you get on Thunder Mountain, nowhere near like the drops you'd find on Primeval Whirl or Expedition Everest for example.) See this lights-on video for what happens on the ride.
, you should be able to see the "bangs" that happen on the transitions, e.g. at 1:25.
 
I think others have mentioned it but what makes Space so over the top is darkness. Seeing where you are going means you can prepare your body for the twists and turns. Darkness means you can't and you just get thrown all around. On top of that, it's rough too. It just makes for a less than ideal ride. Fun, but not one I do every trip. Plus, I hate getting in and out of the coaster. No graceful way to do that
 
I adopted a "brace position" for Space Mtn that I actually enjoyed for all coasters: Fingers interlocked behind my head, elbows forward. This gave my head a little support and cushioning from side-to-side jerking forces, and also served a similar purpose to why people put their hands up on coasters, the added thrill of a "Look ma, no hands" feeling. (Obviously not relevant to OP, but relevant to the skeletal suffering.)

To the OP, I'd point out the Disney is the perfect place for you since it's not just a bunch of crazy roller coasters where the only point is the G-forces; it's a land of imagination and theming. You do you, you do your Disney, and if you worry that you're missing out on some of the fun, follow the same kind of regimen that's prescribed for kids who are a bit intimidated by coasters. Seriously, like start with Barnstormer. I think maybe I might make the second be Slinky Dog (during the daytime) rather than Seven Dwarfs. For Slinky Dog, the whole coaster is "out in the open," and you can see all the track. It's fairly gentle on you physically. For Seven Dwarfs, it's true that it's broken up with "dark ride" animatronic elements, but the whole thing could be a touch more intimidating for someone uncertain about coasters. The initial "climb" is inside the mine, so you can't see what's coming.

In any case, if you want to take the plunge (hehe), go for a seat near the front. On any coaster, this will mean that when you go over a drop your change in velocity is more gentle (https://jacobsphysics.blogspot.com/2011/01/do-you-go-faster-if-you-ride-in-back.html).
 
It's too rough to the point it hurts, plus the darkness makes it less fun with nothing to gauge perspective. R'nR did the dark thing better with some neon lighting and music, plus is smoother despite being a great, high speed coaster with loops.
Spend your valuable time there having fun and pick things you really want to do or try.
But whatever you choose, Emmaleighg728, sure hope you have a magical time! :goodvibes
 

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