All Images Credit DisneyMany Guests who plan a Disney vacation are looking to experience the Disney theme park rather than the thrill of attractions, but sometimes you can get both. Each of the Disney Parks around the world has an attraction that hits the thrill scale a little higher than the rest.
You have Space Mountain at Tokyo Disneyland, which can also be found at Walt Disney World’s Magic Kingdom and Disneyland Resort, Disney’s Big Grizzly High-Speed Coaster at Hong Kong Disneyland, TRON Lightcycle Power Run at Shanghai Disneyland, Rock ‘n Roller Coaster by Aerosmith at Disney’s Hollywood Studios in Walt Disney World, Test Track at EPCOT in Disney World, and Expedition Everest at Disney’s Animal Kingdom, also in Disney World.
At the original Disney Park — Disneyland — as well as at Disney World Resort in Florida, Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge is the home of the most immersive thrilling ride, Rise of the Resistance. But there is an attraction that stands out among the rest when it comes to thrill rides at Disneyland, and that’s the Incredicoaster over at Disney California Adventure.
Incredicoaster at Disneyland
The Incredicoaster is an attraction that was once known as the California Screamin’ coaster. Disney fans now flock to the thrilling Incredicoaster to, as Disney says, “Join the Incredibles in a mad dash to catch Jack-Jack as he wreaks havoc throughout this high-speed chase!”
But if you’re not brave enough to endure the fastest ride at the Disneyland to try and catch Jack-Jack one of the nineteen times he appears throughout the attraction, that’s okay! You can still partake in The Incredibles adventure by stopping by the Jack-Jack Cookie Num Num kiosk to grab one of those ooey-gooey dish chocolate chip cookies before heading to the overlook where you’ll watch the rest of your friends and family take off on their adventure with the first screams!
Alternatively, another spot you can enjoy watching your party and fellow Disney Guests zipping by on this crazy attraction is from the comfort of Lamplight Lounge with a drink in your hand.
Speed of the Incredicoaster at Disneyland
The Incredicoaster is the only attraction at Disneyland Resort classified as a roller coaster. It doesn’t boast the title of the tallest Disney California Adventure attraction, as that goes to Guardians of Galaxy: Mission Breakout, formerly the Twilight Zone Tower of Terror, but it does boast the title as the tallest roller coaster of all the Disney Parks.
For any thrill seeker looking for a Disney ride that isn’t for the faint of heart, this is just the Disney Park attraction for you. It’s the fastest ride at Disneyland that is a perfect mash-up of traditional amusement park and Disney theme park rides. Even though the trip from start to finish may seem to go by quick, this steel track roller coaster is over 6,000 feet long and is currently the longest roller coaster that inverts in the whole world.
Top speeds of the Incredicoaster reaches 55mph which makes it the fastest ride at both Disney California Adventure and Disneyland Park.
If you’re searching for other fast attractions at Disneyland, coming in second and third place at Disney California Adventure are Radiator Springs Racers at 40mph and Guardians of Galaxy: Mission Breakout! at 35 mph.
For Disneyland Park, the three fastest rides are Splash Mountain at 40mph, Big Thunder Mountain Railroad at 36mph, and Space Mountain at 35mph, which many seem to think goes quicker when it’s in the Star Wars theme of Hyperspace Mountain. There’s definitely some options for those that feel a need for speed!
How The Incredicoaster Was Built
On February 8, 2001 California Screamin’ debuted as the only roller coaster at Disneyland Resort. It remained open until Disney California Adventure closed it for refurbishment on January 8, 2018 just one month shy of its seven year anniversary. As Paradise Pier was reimagined into Pixar Pier, the once seaside amusement park style area was transformed into what is now Pixar Pier and Paradise Gardens Park.
On June 23, 2018, the thrill ride coaster attraction reopened as the Incredicoaster to fit in with the reimagined Pixar Pier.
What lead to the change of an attraction that was already one of the most popular at Disney California Adventure? Well, Walt Disney once famously said, “Disneyland will never be completed. It will continue to grow as long as there is imagination left in the world.”
Disney is constantly researching how to better serve Guests at all the Disney Parks. For Disney California Adventure, many Guests had been asking for more Disney theming in the attractions and areas. Much of Disney California Adventure was modeled after landmarks in its home state of California, and some still remains as such at Paradise Gardens Park.
This reimagination wasn’t the first time Disney had made changes to the Paradise Pier area. Updates over the years like the addition of Toy Story Mania in 2008 and the Mulholland Madness transformation to Goofy’s Sky School, may have taken the style from modern to a more historical 1920’s Victorian-style amusement park which really embodies the time in which Walt Disney first found himself in Los Angeles. In 2018, Disney Imagineers found the opportunity to reimagine the space as a home for Pixar film themes named Pixar Pier.
Where the Incredicoaster is located is now called the Incredibles’ Park Neighborhood. Moving along past the Toy Story area is the carousel between the entrance to the Incredicoaster and Toy Story Midway Mania, which was reimagined as Jessie’s Critter Carousel. The newest section is located at the end of the rethemed Pixar Pier which is home to the Inside Out Emotional Whirlwind. The centerpiece of Pixar Pier alongside the Incredicoaster is the Pixar Pal-A-Round where you’ll find the Games of Pixar Pier to compete in Pixar-themed carnival games to win Disney plush prizes.
In just six shorts months of refurbishment, Disney Imagineers kept much of the structure of California Screamin’ the same with minor changes here and there to transform it into the Incredicoaster. The biggest change is that this was once just a thrill ride, but now, it’s a thrill ride with a story.
Enclosed tunnels were added to the track to allow for more visuals that accompany the story. In fact, in the second tunnel, Mrs. Incredible, aka Elastigirl, stretches herself 53 feet to try and catch Jack-Jack.
The still red ride vehicle that fits four people in each car and six cars to each train takes you on a journey inspired by The Incredibles and its sequel Incredibles 2. If you have never seen these movies, it’s highly recommended to watch them prior to your adventure as the story behind the attraction will make much more sense once you do.
Located in Pixar Pier’s Incredibles’ Park neighborhood, the Incredicoaster boasts enclosed tunnels, special effects, scenes and a musical score by Incredibles 2 composer Michael Giacchino for even more super-fied fun!
Safety Measures For The Incredicoaster
With the thrill ride reaching the speeds that it does, there are safety measures in place to protect Guests and allow them to feel safe while they enjoy the ride. In order to ride this attraction, the height requirement is 48″ (122cm) or taller. Upon allowing a Guest into the ride vehicle, a Cast Member may ask to measure the Guest if they see that a Guest is near the minimum required height.
With the roller coaster having big drops, inversions, and high speeds, it is most suitable for teens and adults. Below are other safety and Guest policies as stated on the Disneyland website.
- Wheelchair Access: Enter through the standard queue or, if you have a Disney FASTPASS® return ticket, enter the FASTPASS® return line. Proceed to the elevator and wait for a Cast Member for boarding instructions. A transfer access vehicle is available.
- Handheld Captioning is available at this attraction. Please visit Guest Relations to obtain a receiver.
- Service animals may not accompany Guests on this attraction.
- Supervise children at all times. Children under age 7 years must be accompanied by a person age 14 years or older.
- The seating and restraints on this attraction may prohibit Guests of certain body shapes or sizes from riding.
- WARNING! For safety, you should be in good health and free from high blood pressure, heart, back or neck problems, motion sickness, or other conditions that could be aggravated by this adventure. Expectant mothers should not ride.
The coaster features one of the biggest drops within an attraction in the entire theme park at 108ft. Other attractions with big drops are Guardians of the Galaxy: Mission Breakout! at Disney California Adventure and Splash Mountain over at the original Disney Park. This is the only attraction at Disneyland that has an inversion, and it takes you the full 360 degrees. Taking a quick trip on this journey through an over a mile-long steel track, just as its former California Screamin’ did, you’ll hit some abrupt twists and turns. Don’t worry though as this attraction is not as herky-jerky as Indiana Jones Adventure.
Typically a roller coaster gives you time to anticipate the speed of the drop, but this one accelerates you right from the start with a ton of G-force. Going from 0-55mph in just seconds, the Incredicoaster will have you grabbing onto your seat! Fun fact: While Guests prepare to launch, they’ll be seeing a dash across the water that surrounds them. It’s quite literally Dash as everyone tries to catch his little brother, Jack-Jack.
Since this attraction is the only and fastest roller coaster of Disneyland, it requires safety measures that are unlike any of the other attractions. Many of the attractions would typically have a seatbelt or lap bar to keep Guests in ride vehicles, but the Incredicoaster has over-the-shoulder restraints to keep Guests more stable. On those restraints are two handlebars where you will notice many Guests knuckles turning white from gripping them so hard because of the exciting kind of fear.
With an attraction as exciting as such, regular maintenance and testing are required by Cast Members to ensure that it functions properly on a daily basis. That goes for not only the tracks of the roller coaster but all of its safety measures within each ride vehicle. When riding the Incredicoaster, there’s no need to worry about how safe it is!
Best times to ride the Incredicoaster
So when is the best time of day to experience what many Guests will deem the scariest ride at Disneyland? Well, that depends on how many times you’ve actually taken a ride on this attraction. For first-timers, we suggest riding during daylight. Even though the speeds make it difficult to keep your eyes open, you will still be able to anticipate what is coming. That may lessen the pre-ride jitters by just a little.
For experienced riders, many Disney fans have said that this attraction is more enjoyable at night. It makes sense as it may be easier to adjust your eyes to the visuals within the enclosed tunnels a bit better and will be more immersed in the story. Along with that, night rides are extra special with the lit-up beautiful sights of Pixar Pier if you get the chance to peak out from the incline and highest points of the roller coaster. If you’re planning on taking a ride on the Incredicoaster at night, be advised that on some evenings the Incredicoaster will close early during the showing of World of Color.
As for the best time of year to ride the Incredicoaster, we would say any time of the year! If you’re a courageous soul, take a ride on this Disney California Adventure attraction whenever you get the chance to visit Disneyland. If you haven’t been on the roller coaster since it’s been revamped from California Screamin’, it’s a must as Guests have claimed it to be even more incredible, pun intended. Baby Jack-Jack sure isn’t easy to catch, but you’ll catch a smile before this ride is through.
There are a few ways to ensure you get to experience the Incredicoaster at a time you prefer. If you’re willing to split up with your party, the not-so-secret way to be able to enjoy this thrill ride more than once is to hop on as a single rider. For those who are braving it on their own, they will head over to the single rider line which can be accessed from a side exit point.
If your party wants to stick together to support each other during this positively anxious experience, this attraction is worth a FastPass. Trust us when we say there isn’t too much chatting going on while you’re on this attraction, just a lot of screaming, so it’s really a bonus to ride as a single rider.
It’s also completely understandable that some of the best memories together with loved ones at Disneyland are the times spent in attraction queues. In this case, this ride queue still brings in long wait times so many Guests may want to choose to opt for a FastPass.
The best way to enjoy any Disney Park ride is to download the Disneyland App so you can plan your day as you see up-to-date wait times.
You can also purchase a MaxPass to add onto your Disneyland ticket. This allows you to reserve a FastPass with your linked ticket account on the Disneyland app without having to physically walk to a FastPass distribution site in order to get a FastPass. It’s also great for planning out which other attractions you want to get a FastPass for, which you can ride as a single rider, and which you’ll be waiting in the stand-by queue with your friends and family.
So are you now ready to take on the big drop at the fastest ride at Disneyland? There’s a lot of elements involved with the Incredicoaster, each to bring you more excitement than the last.
If you’ve been on the Incredicoaster before, what’s your favorite part? If you haven’t given the Incredicoaster a shot, why not, and are you going to on your next Disneyland visit? Share with us in the comments below!