Rock ‘n’ Roller Coaster starring Aerosmith is one of the most beloved thrill rides at Walt Disney World. We ride it nearly every time we go to the Hollywood Studios park and have seen many young children, teens and adults enjoying this one.
But how brave must you be to board this seemingly scary roller coaster? We’ve summarized the entire ride to help you determine if it’s a good choice for you and your vacation buddies.
IS ROCK ‘N’ ROLLER COASTER SCARY?
Rock ‘n’ Roller Coaster starring Aerosmith is definitely one of the most thrilling, potentially “scary” rides at Disney, known for it’s 0 to 57 mph takeoff. The coaster hits 5 G’s and propels you through loops and turns on a fast-paced journey through downtown Los Angeles at night.
Most people will enjoy the classic Rock ‘n’ Roll theme of the ride queue and getting a “backstage pass” to see Aerosmith in concert. But reality hits for riders when you enter the back alley to board your vehicle and watch others take off for the concert.
As I mentioned before, I’ve seen plenty of children enjoying this ride. As a matter of fact, I rode Rock ‘n’ Roller Coaster for the first time when I was only 10 years old. If you’ve been on full size roller coasters before with no issue, you can handle the intensity of Rock ‘n’ Roller Coaster.
Rock ‘n’ Roller Coaster isn’t scary in a horrifying way, just speedy enough to take your breath away. Similar to what we wrote about Tower of Terror, it’s not intended to be scary, but thrilling. If you’re still not sure how the experience will affect you, keep reading for a more in-depth breakdown.
THE ROCK ‘N’ ROLLER COASTER EXPERIENCE
Rock ‘n’ Roller Coaster is truly a Disney World classic. It ranks right at the top of the charts on almost anyone’s list of favorite rides. We rank it very high on our massive list of 110 Things You Must Do at Disney World.
You’ll know you’ve reached the ride attraction in two ways: you’ll see an upside-down silver car on a music staff road overhead as you walk to your destination. Then you’ll see what looks like the world’s largest guitar plastered on the ride’s building.
After coming through the queue, you enter a room to find Aerosmith in the recording studio as they discover they’re late for a concert in Hollywood. The band won’t leave until the manager has booked a “super stretch” limousine and guarantees backstage passes for everyone in the room.
As you exit the recording studio, you enter the back alley of the studio to hop inside your super stretch limo. In true Disney fashion, you can bring just about anything non-edible onto the ride. The small seat nets are apparently sturdy enough to hold your belongings at 5 G’s.
Over-the-shoulder restraints hold each rider in place and your vehicle pulls up to the starting point – a black tunnel. Children will feel significantly safer sitting in the middle or back, while serious thrill-seekers may enjoy the shot through the dark alone at the front.
One of the coolest features about this indoor coaster is that it takes place “at night”, with neon road signs guiding your limo through iconic Hollywood scenery. But what’s an Aerosmith themed ride without their legendary rock music? Your limo’s speakers belt out one or more of their hit songs as you race down the freeway.
RECOMMENDED AGE
We recommend that children be old enough to enjoy a fast roller coaster with quick loops and a corkscrew. We think most children 10 and above, as well as most adults, would do well on Rock ‘n’ Roller Coaster.
The height requirement for Rock ‘n’ Roller Coaster is 48 inches (122cm).
THEME
Rock ‘n’ Roller Coaster starring Aerosmith takes its theme from the legendary rock bands of the 70’s and 80’s. Though the band members of Aerosmith are the stars of the show, you can find posters and references to other bands from the classic rock era.
The setting of the ride is in downtown Los Angeles, complete with dirty alleyways, graffiti on the walls, construction work and palm trees. Aerosmith’s music is showcased throughout the ride from the time you enter their recording studio to when you exit the vehicle – or arrive at the concert, in this case.
SPEED
Rock ‘n’ Roller Coaster takes off at a speed of 0 to 57 mph in 2.8 seconds. It is almost the fastest coaster on Walt Disney World property, edged out only by Test Track’s speed trial which reaches 65 mph.
The limousine maintains this pace for a bit before slowing down to take the turns, curves, loops and corkscrews on the track. It’s recommended that you keep your head pressed to the back of your seat for safety.
Every guest’s anxiety is heightened at the point where the vehicle pulls to the starting point at the black tunnel before takeoff. Anxiety levels continue to rise as Steven Tyler screams a countdown for the takeoff and then it’s life in the fast lane.
MANEUVERS
Rock ‘n’ Roller Coaster goes through a series of several maneuvers, passing neon street signs on your way through downtown Los Angeles. We’ve ridden Rock ‘n’ Roller Coaster so many times, we can hopefully provide a decent description of each loop and turn.
Roll Over: This is the first maneuver after the long straight away you encounter at takeoff. It’s described as an inversion featuring two half loop halves – a little confusing, but feels a little less intense than one long vertical coaster loop. This is the part when you need to make sure you hold on to your gear! I’ve seen plenty of sunglasses go flying on this loop and I even came close to losing my favorite Disney camera on my last trip.
Corkscrew: After the roll over, you go through one corkscrew which feels like a small inverted loop twice over.
Humpback: There are several more jolting turns before the humpback. But as the ride comes to a close, this will give you a brief feeling of bouncing off your seat before halting to a stop.
In our opinion, we’d love Rock ‘n’ Roller Coaster to last a little longer – but maybe Imagineers made it just short enough to make you want to experience it multiple times!
RIDE VEHICLE
Rock ‘n’ Roller Coaster’s ride vehicle is built to mimic a super stretch limousine. The exterior is painted a sparkly silver and each vehicle displays a different license plate on the front and back bumpers that indicate which Aerosmith song will play during your journey.
The interior of the vehicle is painted black and the seats are quite deep with plenty of space for each rider and overhead pull-down restraints secure riders in their place.
Perhaps the most unique part of the vehicle’s design is that it plays a selection of several hit songs by Aerosmith. Each limo is built with 125 speakers, 24 subwoofers and a 32,000 watt audio system.
Depending on which limo you board, you could jam out to hits like “Walk this Way”, “Sweet Emotion”, or “Love in an Elevator” which was actually rewritten by Aerosmith as “Love in a Roller Coaster” specifically for this experience.
CONCLUSION
Now you know what to expect for your first ride on Rock ‘n’ Roller Coaster by Aerosmith. We truly believe most everyone who reaches the height requirement will thoroughly enjoy this awesome experience at Hollywood Studios.
For those of you who are classic rock fans, thrill-seekers or up for the challenge, please don’t miss this attraction! While the takeoff may be a jolt, the rest of the ride prompts smiles and laughter as you glide through iconic Hollywood in the dark.
Did you know that Walt Disney World has another indoor roller coaster? Check out our review of Magic Kingdom’s Space Mountain if you’re looking for more.
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