Posted by
Mike and Chris Pettey
on July 21, 2020
Category:
Disney vs. Disney
Tags:
Animal Kingdom
Disney California Adventure
Disney vs. Disney
Roller Coasters
Walt Disney Studios Park
Disney Wild Mouse Style Coasters are themed roller coasters that utilize a traditional “wild mouse” style roller coaster, featuring individual vehicles traversing tight turns and sudden drops over a relatively compact footprint. The rides can be found at three of the six Disney Resorts across the globe. We’ve ridden every version in person.
Major Similarities & Differences
You can watch fantastic videos of all versions of the attraction online, so we won’t spend time re-hashing the details of each experience. Instead, we will just point out the major similarities and differences we feel are worth calling out:
- The California and Florida versions are outdoor coasters, while the Paris version is indoors, with the exception of one small section toward the beginning of the ride.
- The Florida and Paris versions have portions of the ride where the vehicles freely rotate, creating a spinning sensation, which provides for a different experience every ride.
- The Paris version features both forward and backward facing seats, and utilizes this during the non-spinning section of the ride so that each side views unique and different show effects.
- The California version was completely re-themed in 2011, during the overhaul of Disney California Adventure Park.
- The California version is the only opening-day attraction. The Florida and Paris versions were added in later years to their respective parks.
The Rankings (from least favorite to favorite)
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Did you hear that sound when Disney announced that Primeval Whirl was being permanently closed? Of course you didn’t, because there was no sound. No uproar. No protest. No change.org petition demanding its preservation. There’s a reason this attraction is appropriately meeting the same fate as the prehistoric characters it’s based on: it sucks. That may be harsh, but it’s true. Primeval Whirl has almost no redeeming qualities. Forcibly wedged into Animal Kingdom as part of “Chester and Hester’s Dino-Rama” – unquestionably the worst land Disney has ever designed – and explained away by a convoluted backstory that requires all kinds of mind acrobatics to justify. The ride is too ugly to enjoy visually, too rough to enjoy in person, and too full of trim brakes to conjure up anything even approaching a thrill. We will simply call this one what it is: a cheap, quick, and ugly band-aid of a ride crammed into a gorgeous park that, unfortunately, had too few attractions on opening day. We’re not sure who managed to convince Disney execs that this was a good idea, but happily, it is now just a memory. Even an empty plot of land will be better for Animal Kingdom than Primeval Whirl – unquestionably the worst wild mouse style coaster of the list.
Copyright Disney. All Rights Reserved.
Copyright Wikipedia. All Rights Reserved.
In the middle of the pack lands Goofy’s Sky School. This is a decent attraction that is little more than a standard Wild Mouse coaster with theming centered around Goofy, who has decided to give flying lessons from his chicken farm (sorry, we can’t explain that one either). Regardless, it’s a fun coaster that packs a lot more excitement than it should, despite the unimpressive painted flats and silly backstory. Even still, that theming is loads better than its previous incarnation, the gaudy Mullholland Madness coaster. Goofy’s Sky School truly does pack an unexpected punch – this is not a kiddie coaster – despite how it may look at first glance. And the silliness of Goofy’s antics works surprisingly well with all the out-of-control turns, twists, and dives. Yes, we’ve heard it argued that the ride should have been given the true Disney e-ticket treatment by being fully enclosed with animatronics and cutting edge special effects. Surely that would have turned it into a true headliner, but for now, Goofy’s Sky School does a good job doing exactly what it’s meant to do: provide a few fun, yet forgettable thrills. As a result, it’s our second favorite Disney wild mouse style coaster.
If there was ever an argument to be made as to why a ride should not be heavily themed, Crush’s Coaster would be it. Take Disney’s worst theme park, with very few rides to begin with (and even fewer worthwhile rides), and add in a low-capacity, yet very highly themed and entertaining roller coaster, with one of the most un-themed queues on earth. The result? One of the longest, slowest, most painful waits in line of any Disney park, anywhere. This fantastic hybrid dark ride-mouse coaster is absolutely a blast to ride, with great animatronics, exciting special effects, and a thrilling, unpredictable ride that spins, drops, and twists its way in and out of the show building. It is a great attraction, and unquestionably worth the wait in line to experience. That all being said, do not discount that wait. The queue here is a total bore, consisting mostly of a gerbil-maze set of switchbacks outside the ugly show building with nothing to keep one entertained. The low capacity coupled with high demand means that the line is always long. Worse, FastPass is not an option here. Still, if you can bring your patience, the payoff is absolutely worth it, as Crush’s Coaster is a must-do headliner attraction in the mess that is Walt Disney Studios Park, and the best wild mouse style coaster in the Disney parks portfolio.
Written by
Mike and Chris Pettey
YOUR THOUGHTS?
Agree or disagree with our rankings? Have you experienced any of these coasters – either in person, or virtually via the internet? Will you miss Primeval Whirl, or are you glad to finally see it put to rest? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below!
1 Comments
I absolutely cannot agree more