Disney’s MGM and Epcot

There are some rides which everyone needs to do once and some that people should do more than once. Aerosmith’s Rock ‘n’ Roller Coaster is one of the latter. This morning at Disney’s MGM Studios the first one I did was the best! The theme of the ride is that we’re watching an Aerosmith sound recording session and they’re late for the concert and want to take us along in a limousine following them. My brother and I were lucky enough to get the front row of the coaster. It rocked; literally! The start begins with a massive acceleration period through a tunnel of glowing lights only to darkness and then suddenly you’re flying upside down in a loop! It takes you upside down and around two more times, does some wild turns, upside down again and some more crazy turns all with Aerosmith playing through speakers behind our heads and in complete darkness save for some crazily lit neon interstate signs on the way to the concert. By the end my brother and I had tears streaming down the sides of our faces because we were going so fast and it was so incredibly fun! The one downside was that my Dad pinched a nerve in the back of his back, so he didn’t go on many more rides for the day. I think he’s doing better though. Luke and I ended up going on it a second time. The best part: we lucked out and got the front row again (in about 12 rows). We couldn’t believe it!

One of the rides which some people should do only once is Mission:Space in Epcot. It’s a simulator that you ride in that recreates G-forces resembling a space shuttle launch for astronauts. Luke and I decided to do it and when we got to the simulator the attendant (who was probably between Luke’s and my ages) asked if we wanted to even use the safety bars that come overhead. We asked her which she liked better and she said to leave them up and she’d close our simulator for us! I definitely don’t think she was supposed to, but we figured “why not?!?” The ride is 10 simulators all connected around a central axis where the speed you spin at recreates the G-forces. I figured with the spinning that we probably wouldn’t go forward. I was right. During the launch Luke and I were in marvel at the forces our bodies had on them. At the end we were sick of them. Almost literally. They had many advance warnings of the motion sickness factor, and even went as far as having disposable barf bags in between each seat’s handlebars. Luke and I never needed them, although at times we thought we might. Not only did the launch have huge forces, but in order to get our simulator to venture to Mars, they shot us around the moon with huge forces! We got out of the ride and both of us were feeling pretty sick. Luke was worse than I was, but neither of us were ready for any more rides that soon. In the end I’m glad I did it, although I don’t know that I’ll ever do it again!