How Scary Is Incredicoaster at Disneyland?

For my daughter’s 16th birthday we made our way over to Disneyland and California Adventure. On Pixar Pier, we stood trying to make a decision. We ended up Googling, “how scary is Incredicoaster at Disneyland.” If that’s why you’re here, we’ve got answers!

We know that getting on a new ride can be intimidating. After all, this website is all about travel anxiety! We’ll share specific details about the Incredicoaster as well as what we learned from getting on this ride. We hope this helps you make an informed decision!

Incredicoaster at Disneyland

Let’s keep it real. This is not the Matterhorn Bobleds. When we planned our trip to Disneyland, I was so excited to ride California Screamin’ in Paradise Pier with my daughter. The steel roller coaster (that was themed to look like a wooden coaster) opened in 2001 and featured a vertical loop in the shape of Mickey Mouse’s head. It was iconic, which is why I was so shocked when they replaced it with a sunburst from 2007 – 2012. 

Related post: How to Overcome Fear on Roller Coasters

In 2017, Disney announced that Paradise Pier would become Pixar Pier. By the following year, California Screamin’ was reborn as the Incredicoaster. The timing coincided with the release of The Incredibles 2. 

Is Incredicoaster a Roller Coaster?

As the name suggests, the Incredicoaster is a roller coaster. It also comes with some bragging rights that you should take into consideration before you get in line:

• Only roller coaster with an inversion at Disneyland (it goes upside down)
• Fastest roller coaster at Disneyland
• Tallest roller coaster in all Disney resorts
• Longest inverting roller coaster in the world

Still wondering about how scary is the Incredicoaster? Here are some quick facts about Incredicoaster:

• Opening date: June 23, 2018 
• Lift/launch system: Linear induction motor
• Height: 122 ft (37 m)
• Drop: 108 ft (33 m)
• Max speed: 55 mph (89 km/h)
• Inversions: 1
• Length: 6,072 ft (1,851 m)
• Duration: 2:36
• Ride Height Requirement: 48 in (122 cm)
• Trains: There are seven trains with six cars each. Riders sit in two rows of two across for a maximum of 24 riders per train.

Queue Area

The queue area on The Incredicoaster is wonderfully themed. Disney did a great job with this, so if you love the film franchise, this will be a delight! You’ll see news footage playing on display screens sharing interviews with the characters from The Incredibles 2. As you listen to the dialogue, you’ll understand why the Incredibles are racing around (with you on the ride)! 

Note: If the line is long, please pay attention to the queue you join. We accidentally got into the single rider line which made us sad because we couldn’t get on together. 

Loading Area, Seats & Restraints

The loading area for the Incredicoaster is very busy. There’s a bridge leading riders in the regular line over the coaster track and down the stairs only the loading platform. There is an elevator for anyone with mobility limitations but also the express lane and single riders. 

Once you make it through this well-organized and managed chaos, you’ll be secured into your seat with an over-the-shoulder harness restraint. 

Is Incredicoaster Scary?

By the time we hopped on the Incredicoaster, we were experienced roller coaster enthusiasts. That being said, we definitely found this to be an intense, thrilling ride. Let’s discuss some of Incredicoaster’s elements. 

Launch

Once seated and secured, Dash will do a quick countdown. This is a launch coaster, so you will accelerate from 0 to 55 mph (0 to 89 km/h) in 4.5 seconds. If you’re not familiar with roller coasters, this is a very sudden acceleration that leads straight into a hill within a tunnel. 

Queue

Unless you hate The Incredibles, there’s nothing scary about the actual queue. However, if the line is long, you may be standing along the part of the pier that allows you to watch the launch which can psych some people out if they are nervous. 

Darkness

There are tunnels on this ride, but no extended darkness. 

Inversion

The loop on this ride goes by very quickly. It’s bearable unless you are truly terrified of being upside down. 

Water

The launch takes place on the water, so if you hate water please keep this in mind. 

Drop

This is the tallest roller coaster at any of the Disney parks around the world. It’s not a big drop compared to other theme parks, but if you’ve only been to Disney, this might feel like a lot. Still, it didn’t cause any motion sickness for us!

Speed

This is the fastest roller coaster at Disneyland, so expect it to feel a bit more extreme than other rides. 

Restraints

The over-the-shoulder harnesses feel secure and comfortable, for the most part. 

Length of the Ride

For us, this was what we found to be a bit much. This is a long, long ride. It feels like it goes on forever. So, if you hate it, you’ll have to wait a while to get off. 

Best Things About Incredicoaster at Disneyland

Watching the Incredicoaster launch over and over again from the queue stressed us out a bit if I’m honest. We started wondering if we were up for it. The truth is that we do this before most rides, and it always turns out just fine. The Incredicoaster was no exception. 

We really had a blast on this roller coaster. The theme is great — Disney spared no expense and put a lot of thought into the design. We loved the launch even though it’s basically in the water (that was part of the charm!). There are plenty of little details within the ride that we appreciated that we won’t spoil for you. 

Is Incredicoaster scary? Yes, a little bit. If you can get over your nerves, though, it’s thrilling. Worth it!