By Dani Klahr
That’s me 3 rows back, completely terrified for all of 5 seconds.
I’ll admit it, I hate rides! Much to my husband’s disappointment, I am terrified of the drops and the turns and get sick to my stomach very easily. I’ve gone on every Disney World ride with him except for the Rock ‘n’ Roller Coaster in Hollywood Studios because that one is just too much. But I’ve done Space Mountain, Tower of Terror, and Expedition Everest – hated them! I gave it a shot but it just wasn’t for me.
There are a few thrill rides that I do enjoy, even though I’m definitely not a thrill seeking ride person. I have fun on them, my adrenaline gets going, and best of all I don’t get sick or scared! Here are my top picks:
- Big Thunder Mountain – This is probably my favorite ride in all of the parks. It goes fast, and there are some fun little bumps that make you pop up out of your seat. What I love about it, though, is that there aren’t any crazy drops and it doesn’t spin around. It’s a ton of fun!
- Seven Dwarfs Mine Cart – I absolutely love the mine cart ride. It has steeper drops and sharper turns than Big Thunder Mountain, and I’ll admit it makes me slightly queasy, but going into the mine itself makes it all worth it. Being among the dwarfs and the glittering jewels makes you feel like you’re right inside the movie! Look for the dwarfs’ shadows to the left as you head out of the mine. Super cool!
- Splash Mountain – I know, I know, it has a big drop, but hear me out. I hate the big drop (and every picture of me on that ride proves it!) but it only lasts for 5 seconds. I know that because I’ve counted! The rest of the ride is awesome visually, and if you can get through those quick 5 seconds it’s totally worth it. As a bonus, you’ll have “Zip-a-Dee-Doo-Dah” stuck in your head for the rest of the day!
- Test Track – This attraction is not nearly as scary as I thought it would be! It’s actually very cool – you get to design your own car and then test its performance. My daughter has a blast creating hers, and it always winds up being purple with stars all over it! The ride itself has a few fast turns and stops, but the fast ride that runs out in the open air is exhilarating. Not bad at all, I promise!
- Dinosaur – This is another ride that isn’t as bad as I expected. Once you’ve been on it a couple times you know when to expect the “scary” parts, which are really just big dinosaurs popping out at you. The vehicle ride is a little bumpy, but there are no spins or exceptionally hard turns and just one quick short drop at the end.
So there you have it! If you’re wussy like me you may still enjoy some thrill rides at Disney. Be brave and give them a shot. You may be pleasantly surprised!
Visit Dani’s blog at www.daniklahr.com