Conquering My Fears at Walt Disney World

Hey! Parkhopper Michelle here.  If any of you are like me, you LOVE Disney but, there are a few rides that you can skip and be ok with never riding.  Well, I have a few rides that are on my list due to some fears that I have, like falling 13 stories down randomly, roller-coaster drops and flume rides.  Three of those rides are:  Kali River Rapids, Malestrom and Space Mountain. I decided that I would try and conquer a fear each month, but it turned into conquering all of them over a 1 month!

Parkhopper Dave and I were fortunate to have Grandma watch Jr. Parkhopper Carly so we could have a grown up day at Disney.  We headed over to Epcot.  What a beautiful day just hanging around World Showcase with my best friend.  I had made up my mind that I would ride the Malestrom so we headed to Norway.  I know it sounds silly, but the “drop” on the ride kept me from going on it ever since I can remember.  Getting reassurance from Dave we boarded our Viking ship and off we went.  I don’t remember much about my first ride because I got so caught up in worrying about the stupid drop I didn’t enjoy it at all.  After all the backwards riding and looking like we were going to fall off the cliff the boat turned forward and down we went.  I turned to Dave and said, that’s it? So we rode it again so I could enjoy the ride this time.  One ride down, 2 to go!

Dave and I entered and finished the Everest Challenge with Parkhoppers Sarah and John.  So proud that we shaved 10 minutes off our time from last year, they all talked me into riding Kali River Rapids in Animal Kingdom.  I was hesitant but figured it was another ride I could cross off my fear list.  So we boarded the raft and off we went.  I anticipated the drop around every corner not really enjoying my first ride (sense a theme here?) or the atmosphere of the ride that Disney Imagineers are so talented in creating.  Then, it was time, the flume part of the ride I had been dreading. John gave me the two finger I’m watching you, look at me, look at me, look at me… then, it was over! I survived! We got back to the dock, soaking wet I might add, and asked the cast member if we could go again! We rode it 3 times in a row! What a great ride!

Ride number 3 was the toughest ride for me to own up to.  Space Mountain: in the dark, loud music, and a roller-coaster.  I rode it about 20 years ago, once and never went back.  I couldn’t remember why, other than “the drop” toward the end of the ride, which is why I don’t ride coasters, I do not like the free falling or dropping.  Mother’s day weekend which was the same weekend of the Everest Challenge, I got in line with Dave, Carly and my m other in law Sharon.  I think it was the wait that killed it for me, I chickened out and waited for them in the Star Lounge.

But on this trip, we headed straight for Space Mountain and got FastPasses.  I figured I could still chicken out but at least I had a FastPass and didn’t have to stand in line for 45 minutes and think about it.  We rode some other rides and went back with our passes only to find that the ride was down for a “technical difficulty”.  Just my luck… I get up the nerve and have to wait some more! Eventually we returned and the ride was up and running.  Up and down the ramp of the que we went, handed in our FastPasses and headed for the left side.  Still knowing I could chicken out I was alright but asking a lot of questions!  Then it was show time!

We were in the shoot, ready to board, and I got in the rocket!!  Still shaking, my lap bar was locked and we were already moving to the safety check point.  There was no turning back now! BLAST OFF! Dave assured me that the lift did not result in any type of drop so I chilled out a bit.  The maintenance lights from the People Mover were on so I could see some of the track, bonus for me!  We made it down the drop that I feared and I laughed like a little kid, raised up my hands and screamed “I DID IT!” 

It was so much fun!  We ran down the exit ramp and out to the sign for a picture.  Then a yound lady came up to us and said “would you like some FastPasses to ride?” I said with a loud voice “YES PLEASE” we were all like 6 year olds and ran back up the ramp and rode the right side this time! I LOVED IT!

Thanks to my WDW Parkhopper family for their loving support and encouragement to get on these rides… wink wink.  

Until next time!

Written By WDW Parkhopper Michelle
Michelle is a a Jesus freak, mom, wife & Disney fanatic. Can one be all those things? She says,  why not? She is also coined the name WDW-Parkhoppers.

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