Help me convince myself to try Rip Ride Rockit? How do Universal rides compare to WDW?

[APH]

I’m heading to Universal in a couple of weeks after having a great time at Disney last year but I’m getting a bit uneasy after hearing that the rides are much more intense.

I would hate to go there and miss out on some of the best and popular attractions but I’m afraid I’m going to chicken out when I get there.

At WDW I found Expedition Everest and Space Mountain scary but coped (just about) and Rock ‘n’ Roller was fun and not scary (no drops or “headchopper” moments).

How bad are Universal rides in comparison?

There seem to be a few that sound scary (Hulk, Fearfall, Jurassic Park, Ripsaw etc). Rip Ride sounds particularly bad but I really want to avoid missing these attractions.

Can you help me convince myself to try them all?

 

[EmJ]

I don't know about Disney rides, but I can say that I'm a ride wimp and still didn't find most of the Universal rides too intense. If you are a lover of coasters, Rip Ride and Hulk are probably fine. (My parents rode Hulk while I was the baby who sat it out. They were in their 50s at the time and joked-not-joked that all the teenagers in line kept staring at them.) If you are not a lover of coasters, like me, then you aren't missing what is "the best" to you. That said, I found that the over-the-top theming on some rides, like Mummy, make the intensity seem somehow less. Like, they weren't stomach-dropping just for the sake of doing it -- it was part of the story.

Everything else is mostly simulator or small bursts of movement in between 3D/4D screens. Those were fine to me, as I never had the mental image of my car flying of the track and into space, which is what my brain thinks will happen on a coaster Jurassic Park is not intense. There are some dinosaur animatronics that could scare kids who can't distinguish between real/not real, but is otherwise okay. Fearfall is a drop ride. Like that one at Disney I think.... Tower of Terror? Not my cup of tea, but I guess other people like it.

Anyway, I'm newly surprised at everything there is to do in Universal. I'm planning 4 two-thirds days in a not peak season and I'm worried I haven't enough time, even without the coasters!

 

[bchbetha]

Have you been to any other amusement parks and ridden rides? If you can handle like 6 Flags type stuff, you’ll be fine.
I love roller coasters. RRR was intimidating with that straight up part but the rest was super easy. Just psych yourself up, pick a good song and have fun!

 

[J'aime Paris]

The great thing about RRR is it's completely outdoors, you can preview the entire ride and watch others experience it first. No surprises!!

 

[disneyseniors]

My 71 y/o husband rode RRR for the first time last December. His chicken wife (me) waited and watched in horror at the straight up first part of the ride.
I am scared of those type rides, but ride all of Disney's rides with no problem (except for orange side of the space ride). The Mummy was a fantastic ride with great special effects and it didn't bother me at all.
My husband loved RRR and had a blast, but he's fearless.
I always go with my gut. If I look at the ride and go "Um, don't think I'd like it", then I just don't. There's too much other stuff to do.
Oh, my husband also loved the Hulk.

 

[Catvondita]

Rip Ride is fast but not scary but I hate it because it always gives me a headache. I would choose hulk over it any day

 

[crazylady]

If you don't like drops, Rip Ride Rocket probably isn't for you. But it's an awesome ride if you can psych yourself up to it and the drop isn't as bad as I expected.

My non-roller coaster kid rode Hulk and loved it because there isn't a big drop. For reference, he will ride all the Disney stuff except TT but almost nothing at 6 Flags kind of park.

 

[AntimonyER]

The ride up on RRR is very intimidating. My daughter and wife won't ride it because of that. Which is funny, because they both love what I consider the most extreme coaster in Florida (Manta at Sea World.) And Mako (also at Sea World), which I consider the most fun of all the coasters in FL, they won't ride because of the first hill either.

The Hulk is easier to get on, it doesn't have that "Oh My God" intimidation factor compared to RRR, but I think it is more extreme than RRR. (my wife and daughter WILL ride this ride (and like it), again, just doesn't look as scary) If you can get on the hulk, and its not too much for you, you will be able to handle the physical aspects of RRR. Psychological aspects however, is another story.

Jurassic Park is one drop. If you can handle Splash Mountain, you can handle Jurassic Park.

I haven't ridden ripsaw yet (we are going next weekend, hopefully to give it another shot), as it was down when we were planning on riding it, and the wetness factor prevented us from trying later. But it doesn't look that bad, just wet.

Dr. Dooms Fearfall is a standard drop ride. Up and down. again its mostly psychological fear that prevents people from riding, the physical aspect is really not that bad.

 

[aggiedog]

Rip Ride is fast but not scary but I hate it because it always gives me a headache. I would choose hulk over it any day

This. I have no issues with coasters at all, had no idea I was going to go straight up then straight down, and enjoyed the thrill. (At this point on a 4 day trip chaperoning high school kids, I was too tired to look up and preview the coaster!) But, darn, that ride and the Hulk make my brain hurt. Those are the only two coasters I've been on in my adult life that give me headaches. Also, I've found the music and noise level while waiting for rides at US to be higher than at WDW. Loud enough it's hard to talk to those standing next to you.

 

[Hitchhiking Ghost]

For RRR, you have the harness come down over your head and shoulders, so you feel pretty secure. What also helps, you can program a song to play. There are four or five genres of music and four or 5 songs to choose from in each genre. I did it several times playing either ZZ Top or Motley Crue, kids of course were doing rap. The straight verticle climb is the "worst" part, after that, its a pretty standard roller coaster, no more intense than Space Mountain or Everest.

The Mummy, is by comparison similar to Rock N Roll Roller Coaster, with a few stops and 4D effects.

Dr. Doom's Fearfall would be similar in comparison to Tower of Terror. That said, on a thrill scale of 1 to 10, Fearfall is actually probably a 1 and pretty lame. I compared it to getting bounced on somebody's knee, no need to ever do it again.

Jurrassic Park would be like Splash Mountain, but even less intense as it only has the one drop.

Ripsaw or Bilge barges (like Kali River Rapids) just expect to get very very WET!

Pretty much most of the other rides are all motion based, 3D/4D etc. So if you have problems with that, about 1/2 the rides are off the table (Kong, Spidey, Potter, Fallon, Transformers, Simpsons, Despicalbe Me, Shrek, F&F)

 

[captaindavidhook]

The great thing about RRR is it's completely outdoors, you can preview the entire ride and watch others experience it first. No surprises!!

actually watching it made me much more scared lol

 

[captaindavidhook]

I think universal offers rides with much more edge to them. They might be a bit more scarier but they are way more fun then Disney. I can ride the mummy 3 to 4 times in a day. As opposed if I ride big thunder or space mountain I am fine with 1 ride per day. Get the courage and do it.

 

[J'aime Paris]

actually watching it made me much more scared lol

Can't help ya with that, lol!

 

[JustCallMeMommy]

I find that RRR kind of bangs my head around. It isn't my favorite. Try Hulk first! It looks scary when you watch it, but it is very smooth.

Dr. Doom's Freefall is a little scarier - I thought it was going to be more like Tower of Terror (you go up then drop a few times - you feel your stomach lurch), but it is the other way around - the blast off to the top before you ever drop is the scary part.

Jurassic Park is more like a dinosaur themed Splash Mountain - you are building up to one big drop.

 

[Vicki Rickerd]

My yr old mother did it. I know you can. You have to go twice tho. First you are too nervous to enjoy it. Second time around you have a blast!

 

[bumbershoot]

Rock ‘n’ Roller was fun and not scary (no drops or “headchopper” moments).

Then you can handle rip ride rockit.

I cannot stand rockin’

The Mummy was a fantastic ride with great special effects and it didn't bother me at all.

Terrific coaster!

I think it is more extreme than RRR.

I agree about Hulk.

Jurassic Park is one drop. If you can handle Splash Mountain, you can handle Jurassic Park.

Agreed.

I haven't ridden ripsaw yet (we are going next weekend, hopefully to give it another shot), as it was down when we were planning on riding it, and the wetness factor prevented us from trying later. But it doesn't look that bad, just wet.

No it’s no worse than splash imo. Just wetter.

For RRR, you have the harness come down over your head and shoulders, so you feel pretty secure. What also helps, you can program a song to play.

Unless something has changed....

RRR has the lap bar that comes from the side and closes on the other side. You don’t feel secure at all lol.

But you are. The up part of the molded seat keeps you from sliding out during the uphill portion.


OP the ride is really good. I went from someone terrified of it to someone who quite enjoys it. (After researching the restraint and seat and how it keeps you from sliding to your doom)

 

[EmJ]

OP the ride is really good. I went from someone terrified of it to someone who quite enjoys it. (After researching the restraint and seat and how it keeps you from sliding to your doom)[/QUOTE]

If I'm feeling cynical, I remind myself that these big theme parks do NOT want the publicity--and lawsuits--that come with a death on one of their attractions. Everything is meticulously engineered, tested, inspected, maintained, and re-tested. Sometimes it helps. And sometimes I still picture the coaster peeling off the track like a banana peel..

 

[bumbershoot]

If I'm feeling cynical, I remind myself that these big theme parks do NOT want the publicity--and lawsuits--that come with a death on one of their attractions. Everything is meticulously engineered, tested, inspected, maintained, and re-tested. Sometimes it helps. And sometimes I still picture the coaster peeling off the track like a banana peel..

You've literally described the thoughts that go through my head thinking about the scary rides. Are you listening to my thoughts?

Once the banana peel thought happens too many times, I stop the big rides for the day (that I'm only doing for/with my son).

And I just need to mention that I am so so so so SO glad that my son is too tall for Pteranodon Flyers. Scariest ride at the place. IMO.

 

[EmJ]

You've literally described the thoughts that go through my head thinking about the scary rides. Are you listening to my thoughts?

Once the banana peel thought happens too many times, I stop the big rides for the day (that I'm only doing for/with my son).

And I just need to mention that I am so so so so SO glad that my son is to tall for Pteranodon Flyers. Scariest ride at the place. IMO.

Pteranodon Flyers!? Is it the height? For sure my son will want to ride. My poor helicopter parent DH will probably have a stroke seeing his lad so high in the sky.

 

[Monykalyn]

At WDW I found Expedition Everest and Space Mountain scary but coped (just about) and Rock ‘n’ Roller was fun and not scary (no drops or “headchopper” moments).

How bad are Universal rides in comparison?

There seem to be a few that sound scary (Hulk, Fearfall, Jurassic Park, Ripsaw etc). Rip Ride sounds particularly bad but I really want to avoid missing these attractions.

Hulk-has the awesome launch and some negative g's but very smooth, RRR the straight up is worst part along with anticipation of the ride i think.

Like that one at Disney I think.... Tower of Terror? Not my cup of tea, but I guess other people like it.

Tower of terror at disney is much much much more intense. Dr Doom is shoot up and then down.

I can ride the mummy 3 to 4 times in a day.

Right? it is a fantastic ride.

If I'm feeling cynical, I remind myself that these big theme parks do NOT want the publicity--and lawsuits--that come with a death on one of their attractions. Everything is meticulously engineered, tested, inspected, maintained, and re-tested. Sometimes it helps. And sometimes I still picture the coaster peeling off the track like a banana peel..

Haha do the same thing when riding something for first time.
Out of all the rides at Universal and Disney (going to have to check out Seaworld new rides) Giant Barn Swing at Silver Dollar City is the ride that STILL gives me butterflies, and My kids and I will stick feet and arms straight out in front of us to get maximum weightlessness/"air" at top of swing.