Four Fast Facts About Rock ‘N’ Roller Coaster
Rock On! I’ll never forget my first time riding the amazing Rock ‘N’ Roller Coaster. Since my family visits Disney every year and I had to be 48″ tall, I had been waiting for this moment! Once I got through that initial right of passage, I was hooked. Rollercoaster, fast car, and Aerosmith — I mean what could be better? Much like its Sunset Boulevard neighbor, Tower of Terror, this attraction has some amazing theming and some pretty cool facts. Here are a few of my favorite fun facts about Rock ‘N’ Roller Coaster Starring Aerosmith.
Make It A Super Stretch
Super stretch limos — the only way to speed to an Aerosmith concert, amiright? Much like everything else Disney does, these ride vehicles have quite a few details of their own. Super stretch is right — each ride vehicle can fit a cool 24 passengers! The super stretch limos are inspired by 1962-era Cadillacs. How many limos are there? There are six limos in operation, but only five limos used on the track at a time. Each limo has its own license plate (1QKLIMO, 2FAST4U, BUYBYE, H8TRFFC, and UGOGIRL) and Aerosmith soundtrack!
Speakers Blown
They don’t call it the Rock ‘N’ Roller Coaster for nothing! Did you know this attraction has 900 speakers total? In fact, each guest is surrounded by 5 speakers — 4 around their head and 1 subwoofer under the seat! If you do the math, it’s easy to see how that number could get to 900 very quickly. Depending on which limo you’re in, you’ll hear a different Aerosmith medley! Since there are five limos used, there are five medleys– “Young Lust”/”F.I.N.E.”/”Love in an Elevator” medley, “Nine Lives”, “Sweet Emotion”, “Back in the Saddle”/”Dude Looks Like a Lady” medley and “Love in an Elevator”/”Walk This Way”. All medleys are great, but my favorite is probably “Love in an Elevator”/”Walk This Way”!
A Really Fast Car
0 to 60 real quick! (In 2.8 seconds to be exact.) That’s right, this attraction accelerates from 0 to 60 MPH in less than 3 seconds! The record label’s name (G-Force Records) is no coincidence either. Guests experience nearly 4.5 G’s while on the way to see Aerosmith in concert! Rock ‘N’ Roller Coaster claims the title of second fastest ride in Walt Disney World — behind Test Track, which reaches speeds of 65 MPH. In addition to the fast speeds, Rock ‘N’ Roller Coaster features three inversions (two rollover loops and one corkscrew) and it was also the first attraction in Walt Disney World to feature inversions!
Star-Studded Grand Opening
This attraction opened almost 20 years ago on July 29, 1999 (Over 10 years after Disney-MGM Studios opened in May 1989). Rock ‘N’ Roller Coaster had a Grand Opening with a dedication by Aerosmith. How cool is that?! While the entire band stars in the attraction’s preshow, only Steven Tyler and Joe Perry took part in re-recordings for Rock ‘N’ Roller Coaster. It’s also been said that the band members try to come back and experience the attraction when they can!
Rock ‘N’ Roller Coaster will always be one of my favorite thrills in Walt Disney World. Even after 100’s of rides on this rockin’ attraction, I still have trouble keeping my eyes open for the picture from time to time! Disneyland Paris also has its own Rock ‘N’ Roller Coaster, which is actually the fastest rollercoaster in France. Disney recently announced their plans to revamp Disneyland Paris’ version with a Marvel attraction. With all the changes coming to Disney’s Hollywood Studios, I can’t help but wonder if the Orlando version will be facing a similar fate too. As for now, if you find yourself on Sunset Boulevard be sure to “Walk This Way” and check out this iconic attraction!
