Is Big Thunder Mountain Railroad LAME?

[btharvey]

Yet another for the "glad it's not Six Flags" category. I go to Disney for the environment, not for the thrill. Splash Mountain isn't about the drop (even though it is fun) ... it's about the ride. Same with PotC. BTMR is a quick little thrill that has three pulls and three twisty drops -- fun for all who are big enough to ride it.

Test Track isn't about the 60+ m.p.h. circuit of the building, it's about getting there. The end is strictly that -- the end. It's all part of the experience.

I don't think I'll ever go to a "thrills-only" park. Theming is too important to me.

[BigRedDad]

It is most likely the perception people have of thrill rides. Thrill rides are cutting edge, new technology. Something WDW was famous for until the early 80s and then again with RnRC and ToT. Unfortunately, everything that was once a "thrill" ride is now nothing much more than you would see at a State Fair. There are far more thrill rides at State Fairs now than WDW.

So, to consider them lame, I would tend to agree from a thrill perspective. However, from a theme perspective, there is not much competition for WDW. Seaworld, US, IoA, BG all have better thrill rides. I do wish WDW would innovate again.

[TheVBs]

I'm not sure how you can look at BTMRR and mistake it for a thrill coaster comperable to something at Six Flags or Busch Gardens. So, no, I don't think it's false advertising, especially when you can get online and research what it is.

I'm another chicken when it comes to roller coasters, even though I've tried all of WDW's at least once. I love that there are tamer coasters there that our whole family can enjoy.

[indytraveler]

...Disney's parks are built on the premise that families can enjoy the rides together as a family. That is what Disney has excelled at. And thank goodness for that. If you want to have your lunch churned in your stomach on a ride; then there are plenty of other "amusement" parks to go to.

I agree totally, this is the same type of person who spends one day at WDW and says there's nothing to do. If you want fast coasters thrill rides, then there are several other parks in the country you can go to. Disney is themeing and family fun. It called the Most Magical or Happiest Place on Earth. Not the Wildest.

So yes, if you went to WDW in those pretenses that you wanted to be wowed and awed by the rides then you'd be disappointed in BTMRR. However, if you were there for the experience then you'd see the ride for what it is. A runaway train going thru the old west, er the wildest ride in the wilderness.

[MOJoe]

In defense of the guy who thought BTMR was not "as advertised", i may have an answer. This roller coaster provides both a thrilling ride and a much tamer version, depending on where you sit in the train. I suspect he was seated in front, where it seems you have to go halfway down the hill or around the turn before you gain enough speed to "have fun."
The back seat, however, gives a totally different experience. Here you find yourself jostled around at a much faster pace and given the feeling you are going to be thrown from your seat. So if you are expecting big thrills, you'll get them here. But not in the front of the train.

[plutosnana]

Not lame, just tame. When compared to big high speed thrill coasters.

Exactly.

[Patricia]

In defense of the guy who thought BTMR was not "as advertised", i may have an answer. This roller coaster provides both a thrilling ride and a much tamer version, depending on where you sit in the train.

It also gets more thrilling later in the day.. once the wheel lubricant's warm up, speeds can reach 36 mph. In the morning or after the ride has been down, the lubricant is cooler and top speeds are as low as 28 mph.

Not that 36 is really fast, but I do prefer the ride later in the day and it's even better in the dark.

[Mousemates]

Is it lame? Well, if the comparison is to the high-end coasters at Busch Gardens (say the Griffin at Williamsburg or SheiKra at Tampa-both of which i absolutely love) then it is somewhat on the lame (or weak) side in terms of the pure adrenaline rush it offers.

However, to me it and so many of the other rides at Disney are about so much more than just engaging the adrenal glands in an attempt to get them to dump their load into our bloodstream.

Disney rides are designed to engage the mind and the imagination as well, they tell and put you in a story...and thus to fully enjoy them requires a certain child-like willingness to let yourself become part of the story.

Those who have lost the willingness to mentally insert themselves into the storyline or who simply want the adrenaline dump will invariably find much of what Disney offers to be a little lame...but those of us who enjoy the story element, will continue to find magic in what we experience there.

All this coming from a guy who still enjoys the rush from big coasters too.

[Tink#64]

Wow! Kudo's Mousemates! Very well said!

[MissMaryPoppins]

I've never thought of Big Thunder Mountain as lame. I understand what your friend means but that's exactly why I like it. I always thought of that being more for fun with all the twists and the bumps instead of big drops for thrills.

My brother had a Disney wedding last month so most of our family was down for it. My mom and I took my 3 youngest boy cousins to the Magic Kingdom one evening and we had a great time. They knew exactly which rides they wanted to do and were really enjoying themselves. As we were getting out of our boat at the Pirates my youngest cousin, who's 11 looked at me and said "hmm...I didn't really like that one." I was a little shocked. I said "What? Are you nuts?" I told him how that was always a favorite of mine and my brother's and if the line wasn't too long we'd go again. I really thought he was enjoying it. I pointed out all the things I thought were cool when I was his age like the guy sitting on the bridge with his hairy leg, the drunk pirate giving beer to the cats, we wants the redhead. I mean, what's not to like?

[MstngDrvnDsnyLvr]

BTMR is exactly what it says it is - a runaway mine train ride. Carowinds has one at it's SC/NC park and guess what - it is almost exactly like the Disney ride in that there are no big drops, just twists and turns but it doesn't have the cool "landscaping" of the Disney ride. Same with ANY runaway mine train ride in any other park. It isn't for the drops, its for the twists and turns.
BTMR, Space Mountain, and Splash Mountain are all to be ridden for the experience that Disney is so famous for and not the thrills. You want Thrills, head to Busch Gardens, Six Flags, Carowinds, Kings Dominion, or any of the many other amusement parks.

[Stu29573]

At Six Flags Over Texas the Runaway Mine Train (the grandfather of all mine rides, having been built in 1966 by Arrow Dynamics as the first mine train coaster) is mainly quick twists and turns and short drops through trees. There is a big drop at the end (that goes into a tunnel under a lake) but it is not absolutely huge by today's standards. This seems to have set the norm for mine rides, and I love 'em! In other words, by definition, a mine train coaster isn't a hyper-coaster and one shouldn't expect it to be!

[darthmacho]

Not lame, just tame.

I was going to use that exact same phrase. I don't think Big Thunder Mountain misrepresents itself in any way. It advertises itself as a runaway mine train, and that's what it is. Sure it's a rollercoaster that has mild dips, short drops, but it has some pretty good twists and turns, and all at moderate speeds. There's also a LOT of theming and a fabulous backstory. How many rollercoasters in the world even have a backstory, let alone such an intricate one? None, probably. While die-hard rollercoaster fans might not find it thrilling enough, if they can't see what it is from the base of the mountain, then they aren't very bright. This is a ride I can enjoy with my whole family, day or night, and we'll have lot's to talk about afterwards. That's not lame.

Also, if it's lame, why do I hear the screams of thrilled riders from across the park?

[Hog]

I enjoy BTMR it's fun, but as far as coasters go it is lame. I love Cedar Point its coasters are 2nd to none. But it's Disney it's supposed to be able to be enjoyed by the entire family so I don't fault it for that. Although I must say that between visits Expedition Everest was put in, and I heard great things about it such as how intense and fun it was... I was very disappointed when i rode that, maybe my expectations were too high. But the theming is neat and that would bring me back...

[brownie]

It may not be the most thrilling coaster, so if you're an adrenaline junkie you'd probably think it's sort of tame.

Personally, I like it and think it's a great coaster.

[Daisy'sMom]

A lot of "first timers" to Disney are surprised that it doesn't have the big "thrill rides" like their local amusement park does. But, what they don't realize is that there is more to each ride, not just the big thrills.

I'm with Faline, I'm a huge chicken when it comes to rides, and I love how much there is that I CAN do at Disney, compared to a "regular" theme park.

I agree with everything you have said.

[sixshot19]

If I want thrill coasters, I go to Six Flags. !

I agree.

Disney is about the total experience for me. I love the big Giga coasters and launch coasters and all that goodness, but Disney rides have that little something that just brings everything alive.

Even waiting in line is an experience.

And I love Thunder Mountain.

[AndrewJackson]

No. It is quintessential Disney. 'Nough said.

[AndyMan]

With all Disney attractions, you decide how lame they are by how long you're willing to wait in line for them.

Would you be willing to wait 60 minutes for Big Thunder Mountain Railroad?

That's what the wait is typically.

If you had never been on it before and you saw a 60 minute wait, I bet you would think there is more to it than there actually is.

So I agree that it is a bit deceiving considering what most people would assume it is like from observing it out front.

Also, I have to add that this is the one queue in Walt Disney World that makes me feel like I am at a Six Flags. It's a horrible queue - and even worse when it's hot.

[RAIDER]

Its your friends opinion which is far enough ,personally its one of my favourites .Then again if i went on a proper rollercoaster with loops etc ...I would be sick as a dog