Menu
What's new
By:
Filters

Coasters that gave you the biggest sense of "danger"

For me, it’s definitely the Rail Runner mountain coaster at Anakeesta. There’s one specific turn on the ride that, when taken at full speed, seriously tests the integrity of the single lap belt restraint. I am not one to say that I feel like I’m falling out of a ride, but I absolutely in that moment thought I was going to end up tumbling down that hill.

Here’s a POV timestamped to the moment in question:

 
Probably Hyperion, I was early enough in my enthusiast journey that I hadn't experienced so much airtime on a ride that tall and that intense. I think now it wouldn't have that effect, but it was quite something the first few times. 😁

Sometimes I think those BS TikTok's where people say their restraint opened mid-ride for attention are actually just people experiencing airtime for the first time.
 
Disco Lumberjack said:
Sometimes I think those BS TikTok's where people say their restraint opened mid-ride for attention are actually just people experiencing airtime for the first time.
Click to expand...
That actually makes a lot of sense. That mixed with them not understanding how ratchet restraints work causing them to panic if their restraint lifts slightly. The memory always ends up being exaggerated in their mind as well. The restraint lifting 1 inch suddenly becomes fully unlocked with them clinging on trying not to fall out. Although you do just get people who straight up lie for attention. 😂
 
Ollie said:
That actually makes a lot of sense. That mixed with them not understanding how ratchet restraints work causing them to panic if their restraint lifts slightly. The memory always ends up being exaggerated in their mind as well. The restraint lifting 1 inch suddenly becomes fully unlocked with them clinging on trying not to fall out. Although you do just get people who straight up lie for attention. 😂
Click to expand...
Remember that one TikToker who tried to claim that her restraint opened up on El Toro? That was hilarious
 
When that wooden one at Blackpool used to have zero restraints, or the wild mouse.

Also Ukko, or I suspect skyloops in general, wow that is freaky being up there upside down like that.
 
Rode Hurricane at fun spot yesterday and I honestly thought we were derailing, then the restraints opened as we were reaching the unload area.

How that thing is allowed to operate I do not know, another one for the list of never ride again.
 
Still Dive Machines, when you can no longer see the track. I don't want to lose that feeling either.
 
Some of the Intamin Hydraulic Launcher incidents have been pretty gnarly, and it's lucky they weren't worse. So, while I love riding them, unhappy possibilities will always be in the back of my mind.

Haven't decided if I'll bother with Murica Looper at Indiana Beach. Schwarzkopf coasters are fun, but I don't think they are anything extraordinary. Multiple similar incidents across multiple examples is a pattern. This is a coaster with a long history, was reportedly run into the ground without much care or maintenance at it's last location before it killed, and then underwent restoration at the hands of a group who (among other concerns) I don't believe have taken on a project of this size before. Doesn't sound like it rides too pleasantly, either.

I'm excited for TT2 to reopen, and can't wait to ride. I don't know why it went down days after it opened, but it's clearly a significant issue. I read the speculation just like everyone else does. At those heights and speeds, I really hope they have their **** straight with the trains/wheel assemblies. So far, not a confidence inspiring situation.
 
Last edited:
The wing coaster at Heide Park.

There's a bit where you drop down into a short tunnel and there's some theming that's meant to be some spikes or something.

Our first ride was on the front row and just as we crested the hill before that drop I could just about make out something spikey at the bottom of the drop, and for a split second I was absolutely convinced it was a stalled train and we were about to ram into the back of it. Was absolutely terrifying and still makes me feel a bit weird thinking about it.

Good ride though when you don't think you're about to die
 
The first coaster to give me that sort of feeling was when I was a child, about 5 or 6, and I rode Space Mountain at Disney World. This was the year it opened, and neither me, my mom or her friend we were with had any idea that it was a coaster. Well, when the ride was over I had to just about pry my hands loose from the lap bars and I could have swore that I had barely avoided flying right off into the darkness - and that I had gone upside down I don't know how many times! Unfortunately for me, that ride sparked a couple of decades of coaster phobia (I was most terrified of inverted coasters even though of course Space Mountain at WDW has no inversions).
The next time was roughly 20 years later when someone (a different friend of my mom's) dragged me onto the Mind Eraser at Six Flags America (which was known as Adventure World back then). I could have swore I was going to die....you don't know how bad I was hoping it would break down before we got on so I could save face....But of course, it didn't.
Then, after I had gotten over my phobia and became a coaster fan, I was at Kings Island and rode Firehawk. Now I had ridden the other two Vekoma flyers (Stealth at Great America and Batwing at Six Flags America) and never had an issue. But that night I swore I was going to be flung out and go splat on the ground below. That ride had to be about the longest two minutes of my whole day at the park....I was death gripping the whole time and was quite relieved when the ride came to an end. I have no idea what brought that on.
A couple mentions to both Millennium Force and Top Thrill Dragster. I rode both for the first time upon my first visit to Cedar Point 20 years ago. I momentarily freaked out on Millennium Force upon seeing the lift hill seeming to disappear into blackness on my first ride, which was at night. That was unnerving. I had ridden TTD that morning and had never been on any coaster that fast or tall and needless to say I was more than a bit nervous. When I got off my hands were shaking....
The only other time on a coaster I had any sort of feelings of danger was the first time I rode Skyrush. I was there for an ACE event and I waited until night ERT for my first ride as the park was pretty busy. That first ride was a totally hair raising sensation that I was going to be pulled right out of my seat. But I got right back on and rode some more and it is still my #1 coaster.
I am going to make a brief mention of a non-coaster ride that has freaked me out in the past (and to a degree still does) - the skyride at Knoebels. I don't know what it is about that ride but the first time I rode it, it was worse than Firehawk. I was totally feeling like "OMG I'm going to fall out!" I am not afraid of heights but to me there is something totally sketchy appearing about that ride. I've ridden it since then, and I always ride it when I go to Knoebels. But still, there lingers in the back of my mind the irrational feeling or fear that I might fall off...
 
Stunt Fall at Parque Warner Madrid, not danger so much as genuine fear. Back row on the ends is terrifying when the train ascends the first lift. I enjoyed that feeling a lot.

On the 'genuinely felt dangerous' front, Abismo over at Parque de Atracciones. I know it's safe, I know that lapbar wont let you slip out but as that lift inverts at the top, the fear really hits. Weird how the ejector air later in the ride doesn't strike the same fear.
 
Getting to recently ride yet another E&F Miler Hurricane model in Atlanta was a friendly reminder on how "theoretically" this is a roller coaster, though could be better described as "can of nuts and bolts, roughly assembled to mimic roller coaster aesthetics".

Seriously, the train tries to rip itself apart in the turns, and do anything physically possible to detach itself from the track. Super odd, unnerving experience.

 
Iron Wolf when it wouldn't lock all the way for a smaller rider at the time and it would feel like the belt was just holding you in. Also most the rides at Indiana Beach.
 
I rode Twister II at Elitch Gardens back in like 2018 or 2019, the whole structure was wobbling like it was made of popsicle sticks (I know the structure needs some give but this was legit concerning), and the thing shuffled hard throughout the entire layout I had to ride super defensively. Not fun, legit felt unsafe.

Son of Beast jarred and hurt me in a way when I was young that I had never felt on a coaster before, honestly felt kinda violated.

Also on the final raven turn on X2 in the backseat once I got thrown in such a way that my thigh was squeezing through a gap in the restraints. Don’t think it was any actual danger, but it was really unsettling at the moment.
 
Hyde said:
Getting to recently ride yet another E&F Miler Hurricane model in Atlanta was a friendly reminder on how "theoretically" this is a roller coaster, though could be better described as "can of nuts and bolts, roughly assembled to mimic roller coaster aesthetics".

Seriously, the train tries to rip itself apart in the turns, and do anything physically possible to detach itself from the track. Super odd, unnerving experience.

Click to expand...
Yep, we rode this last month and I honestly thought we were derailing, could not get out of it quick enough.
 
Definitely Wild Mouse at Blackpool! I remember slipping so far down in the seat that whatever restraint it was, was up near my neck. It was hilarious, and it's not like I felt like I was going to die or anything but I certainly didn't feel as secure as I usually do on coasters.
 
opivy028 said:
I rode Twister II at Elitch Gardens back in like 2018 or 2019, the whole structure was wobbling like it was made of popsicle sticks (I know the structure needs some give but this was legit concerning), and the thing shuffled hard throughout the entire layout I had to ride super defensively. Not fun, legit felt unsafe.

Son of Beast jarred and hurt me in a way when I was young that I had never felt on a coaster before, honestly felt kinda violated.

Also on the final raven turn on X2 in the backseat once I got thrown in such a way that my thigh was squeezing through a gap in the restraints. Don’t think it was any actual danger, but it was really unsettling at the moment.
Click to expand...
Yeah X2 is always a good contender - it is such a rush of a wild ride!
 
I'd have to say the first drop on my opening day. It was in row 7 and I had a pretty healthy amount of airtime room between myself and the lapbar. I got a scary amount of airtime going down that insane twisted drop. It was terrifying in the best way possible.
 
Recently, Stuntfall at PW. There is something about that reverse vertical spike where you are forced to fall into the restraints thats somewhat unnerving! Absolutely love it though!

As a child, the RollerCoaster at BPB (or Nick Streak as some of you call it) before I realised it was designed to run without lapbars. I had done the National many times, so knew how a lap bar worked, and took a front row ride which had the higher grab bars and looked a bit like lap bars in the up position. (I was about 6!) As I left the station I spent the pre lift turn and most of the lift trying to frantically pull down a fixed grab rail 🤣
 
Speed at Energylandia... And it still does to this day, no matter how many times I ride it. That lift contraption is terrifying, it just doesn't seem right. When it leans too, and you're on the outside of that lean... 🤮
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top