Disney Tips Your Guide To A Great Disney Vacation
Let’s be real: while every Disney ride has its own brand of magic, a few are just plain painful. Maybe it’s a sign we’re not as young as we used to be, but some of these attractions push the limits of comfort—and our joints.
Usually, it’s because some rides have aged into rougher experiences, jolting us more than they once did. But then there are those attractions that seem purpose-built to toss us around as if testing just how tightly we can hold on for dear life.
For the sake of our physical well-being, there are a few rides that we just have to pass up on each visit. Here’s a look at Disney’s most bone-rattling, pain-inducing rides.
Matterhorn Bobsleds (Disneyland Park)
The Matterhorn Bobsleds has thrilled guests since 1959 with its twisting, bumpy descent down an icy mountain.
Credit: Disney
Though the ride’s layout has remained faithful to its original design, many riders feel it’s grown more punishing over time. Fans report rougher, more intense jolts, which some attribute to the ride’s aging structure and older technology. While it remains a nostalgic favorite, the Matterhorn has gained a reputation for leaving riders with a few aches along with their memories.
Some people have made very valid arguments as to why this is the case. “It got rougher when they changed the vehicles back in 2012 to the two three-car vehicles,” wrote one Reddit user. “Also, the track has no banks and was literally hand-shaped as they built it. No computers like modern-day coasters.”
Credit: Disney
Regardless of why it’s painful, the fact remains that the Matterhorn is no easy ride – especially as you get older. As X, formerly known as Twitter, user @GeekBoyEric said, “If the Matterhorn hurts in your 30s, it’s absolute murder in your 40s. I realized last time I went on it, it was likely the last time. My back can’t handle it anymore. I’ll just have to take comfort in my fond memories of the Yeti.”
Avengers Assemble: Flight Force (Walt Disney Studios Park)
To put it bluntly, Avengers Assemble: Flight Force is one of the worst rides on Disney property. Any Disney property. The ride replaced Rock ‘n Roller Coaster with the debut of Avengers Campus at Walt Disney Studios Park in 2022 and has received heavy criticism for its lack of on-ride theming versus the impressive queue additions (that Iron Man animatronic nearly makes the whole ride worth it. Nearly).
Credit: Disney
In fact, it feels like the ride didn’t get much of a touch-up during its renovation at all. This is truly one of the shakiest, most jarring indoor roller coasters we’ve ever experienced. As one Reddit user said, the ride is “too rough and painful now.” They added that there was previously a “rumor they were going to try and make it smoother due to complaints and some first aid incidents, but nothing came of those rumors.”
Indeed, there were rumors that Walt Disney Company executives (including then CEO Bob Chapek) were less than impressed with the ride in general and hoped to retheme it to Disney standards. However, two years later, we’re yet to see any major updates – despite alarming stories, such as that of the guest who allegedly saw a bolt fall from one of the ride’s lapbars. Yikes.
Space Mountain (Magic Kingdom Park)
You can find a version of the indoor roller coaster Space Mountain at every Disney resort in the world, with the exception of Shanghai Disneyland (and, for now, Tokyo Disney Resort as it demolishes and replaces its ride).
Credit: Disney
Magic Kingdom’s version, in particular, has been criticized for growing rougher with age. Now nearly 50 years old (which is ancient in roller coaster years), guests have complained that the ride leaves them with neck and back pain. “It needs a track refresh,” noted one Reddit user. “I’m getting older for one thing but no other ride on property makes me feel this way.”
Goofy’s Sky School (Disney California Adventure Park)
Don’t let the cutesy name and kid-friendly aesthetic fool you: Goofy’s Sky School is the roughest ride at Disney California Adventure Park.
Like all wild mouse coasters, the ride – which was originally named Mulholland Madness during the California Adventure 1.0 era – is basically just two minutes of high-speed torture. The corners are tight, the turns are rough, and the seats are brutal for taller guests.
Credit: Disney
“My spine is still recovering from riding that back in 2021,” complained one guest on Reddit, while another nicknamed it “Ol’ Spine Breaker,” which really says it all.
Hyperspace Mountain (Disneyland Paris)
We may complain about Magic Kingdom’s version of Space Mountain, but it’s got nothing on Disneyland Paris. Its version of the ride has always been the most intense, being the only one with an inverted loop. Nowadays, decades after it first opened in 1992, it’s a whole new level of discomfort.
For one thing, if you have long hair, this ride – which has had a permanent Star Wars overlay since 2017 – is painful before it even begins.
The material of the overhead restraints has a horrible habit of clinging to hair, meaning that the slightest movement runs the risk of ripping it out, which makes actually getting off the ride torture in itself. While the ride’s in motion, you should prepare for a lot of head-banging and minor whiplash.
Credit: Disney
Hyperspace Mountain has faced a lot of issues in recent years, experiencing recurrent breakdowns and lengthy downtime. There have been rumors that it may be restored to its former identity of Space Mountain: De la terre à la lune in the coming years, so fingers crossed that if it happens, it comes with a smoother, less punishing ride experience.
What do you think is the most painful Disney ride?
