It’s time to take a little ride through another of our favorite attractions. There may be a lot of buzz at the Magic Kingdom of late, but this 50th anniversary celebration is about the whole resort! With that in mind, let’s take a look at one of Walt Disney World’s most thrilling attractions.

Not-So-Ancient History 

The Disney MGM Studios was evolving. As the 1990s wore on, the expectations at the young park changed. The Twilight Zone Tower of Terror was a hit but it had been around for nearly ten years. Interest in the tour of the studio was no longer the draw it once was, especially as true studio operations petered out over the years. There was a great need to give guests reasons to stick around even half a day.

Disney wanted to shake things up a bit with another thrill ride. They started work on Disney’s first roller coaster with a launch at the start. Instead of a long climb to a great height, they could get enough inertia for a full ride by firing trains from 0 to 57 miles per hours in a few seconds. 

The Rock ‘n’ Roller Coaster Starring Aerosmith was just what the park needed. Years later, it continues to entertain guests with its combination of intensity and pumping sound. Let’s learn a little more about this must-ride attraction!

The Queue as Appetizer

Guests begin their journey by taking at left the end of Sunset Boulevard. Walk under the archway with an upside-down Cadillac and you’re on your way. If you need a little more confirmation, check out the giant, red Stratocaster on the side of the building.

The wait to get in the building is predictably long. Once inside, you have a little way to go! Take a few minutes to look at the band posters on your way in. If you are wearing a Magic Band or have the My Disney Experience app installed on your mobile, you might see your name displayed as an upcoming act!

Past some classic recording equipment on display, you come to Studio C where Aerosmith is listening to a track while preparing for a concert. The action takes place on a screen across the studio. The pre-show ends with you getting an invite with backstage passes and off you go to board your super-stretch limo.

The Ride!

When you board your “limo,” take a look at the setup around your seat. Every rider sits swaddled by sound, with four speakers around their heads and one subwoofer beneath the seat. The ride is designed for not just speed, but sound!

The train rolls around the corner and faces a dim tunnel ahead. You are about to leave a simulated garage, presumably to ply the waves of LA traffic. After a brief countdown by Aerosmith’s Steven Tyler, your car is fired into that darkness for a wild trip across the city.

As roller coasters go, this one is pretty intense. The track inverts you twice right at the start. Later on, you perform a corkscrew maneuver that is pretty intense. Sharp turns and sudden drops are the norm here as you zip past backdrops of Los Angeles and road signs describing your journey.

All the while, you hear truncated versions of Aerosmith’s greatest hits. Each car has a different song or series of songs recorded. Two have a specially-recorded version of “Love in a . . . Roller Coaster!”

The whole experience can be a bit rough for people not used to coasters, but the entire ride only lasts about one minute. There is so much going on, though, that you might lose track of time!

Fitting in the Park

In all, the Rock ‘n’ Roller Coaster is a perfect addition to Hollywood Studios. It sits right next to one of the other big thrills, the Twilight Zone Tower of Terror. This makes for a one-two punch down at this end of the park.

If you want to ride this coaster but don’t care about getting the full family into the picture, choose the single rider line. When this option is open, you can get onto the ride much faster, but you are unlikely to get a spot next to your family or friends. 

Another factor to consider is this ride’s proximity to the Tower of Terror. Get both of these rides done together if you can. Both are great, but the park grew since they went in. Many of the other thrills in the park are much further away. Save some steps and do both at the same time!

The Rock ‘n’ Roller Coaster remains a great draw at Hollywood Studios. Rumors have the ride changing themes in the next few years, but you can bet that this will continue to be a great roller coaster for years to come!

If you’re ready to visit the parks again, get in touch with our expert travel planners! Give us a call or click Chat below to start a conversation. We look forward to building the vacation of your dreams!