In Every Park, One Ride Has To Be The Worst

I hate to bad-mouth such a jolly-looking ride, but Jumpin' Jellyfish takes top spot on our short list of things we'd (still) love to see replaced at DCA.

It has an identity crisis. It's basically a children's ride that looks too intimidating for many kids to want to ride alone. For adults, it's not worth any kind of wait in line. It goes gently up, it comes gently down. You get a nice view for a few moments, and wonder is this all it does? Yes, that's all it does.

The kicker, though, is the seat design. See, there's this knob on each seat that fits between the rider's legs. The seats come to rest inconveniently high off the ground, so you have to do a backwards hop to get aboard. If you happen to be male, and miss the mark slightly...you might find yourself turning green and doubling over before the ride even begins. Fun times.

One of the last untouched holdovers from DCA's opening day, Jumpin' Jellyfish simply takes up too much valuable waterfront space. The same might also be said of its neighbor, Golden Zephyr, but the Zephyr's actually fun to ride. Jumpin' Jellyfish, on the other hand, is the one attraction at DCA I wouldn't recommend to anyone unless there's absolutely no wait--and even then, watch out for those seats!

Photo by Lana Whitham

The Last Weeks For Big Thunder 1.0

Big Thunder Mountain viewed from the Mark Twain

The recent Disney Parks Blog confirmation that Big Thunder Mountain Railroad will close on January 7th for the most extensive refurbishment in its 33 year history has me itching to get to the park for one last ride on its original rolling stock...and one last brake run through the little town of Rainbow Ridge.

Mater's Junkyard Jamboree is About to Get Comfier

As further proof that Mater's Junkyard Jamboree is not a "kiddy" ride, Disney has recently added non-slip surfacing to the vehicle seats of this Cars Land attraction, while padding is to be installed in October.

Although I, personally, loved being flung across the bench seat and playing who's-scrunching-who with my co-rider as the trailers swung wildly around the course, I can see how some riders might appreciate a slightly more comfortable experience.

I'll miss this ride's original slip-slidey benches, but the thrill provided by the trailers' intense whipping motions remains intact. The amusement industry describes non-coaster thrill rides like the Jamboree and the Mad Tea Party (and Tilt-a-Whirls and Scramblers) as "flat rides." Mater's Junkyard Jamboree remains the funniest and most thrilling flat ride in the Disney park lineup.