Disneyland’s Radiator Springs Racers – What Should I Be Afraid Of?

Radiator Springs Racers at Disneyland Resort may be described as fast and thrilling in Disney ride reviews, but is it scary – and what exactly might you be afraid of? Our Radiator Springs Racers ride review covers everything you need to know.

For first timers at Disneyland Resort, Radiator Springs Racers can actually be easy to miss. Over on the Disney California Adventure side of the resort, Radiator Springs Racers is well-hidden. But once you find it, you’ll understand just how it plops you into the world of Cars with its dirt track and Cadillac-shaped rock formations.

You’ll also see just how fast this ride goes.

But what should you be afraid of and how scary is it? We've ridden Radiator Springs Racers countless times and know this ride like the back of our hands to write this Radiator Springs Racers ride review.

This is why we at MickeyVisit put together this comprehensive ride review of Radiator Springs Racers so you have a clear idea of what to expect when riding it.

Radiator Springs Racers Scare Rating

In an effort to clearly define just how scary a ride is, we developed an ultra-scientific backed-by-research rating system.

We call it the MickeyVisit Ride Rating System – MVRRS for short (pretty clever, huh?)

The MVRRS goes as follows:

• Wimp Proof: Not scary at all
• Wimp Proof-ish: Seems scary at first, but after, you feel it's nothing to worry about
• Scary but Survivable: Moderately scary
• Scary: Definitely scary, but you'll be able to sleep at night
• Bravest Riders Only: The scariest ride you'll find in a theme park

Radiator Springs Racers Ride Overview

Over at the Disney California Adventure side of Disneyland Resort, Radiator Springs Racers let’s you experience what it’s really like to race in the world of the beloved Pixar movie Cars.

Using the same high-speed, flat-track ride system used at EPCOT’s Test Track and Tokyo DisneySea’s Journey to the Center of the Earth, Radiator Springs Racers starts out with a leisurely drive through Ornament Valley before entering Radiator Springs at nighttime. After a series of encounters with the Sheriff, Mater, and other recognizable characters, Lightning McQueen and Sally help prepare you for your big race: a head-to-head battle with other Disneyland guests.

As soon as Luigi and Guido drop the green flag, your race through Ornament Valley is on, taking you on long sweeping turns and going up and down small hills before zooming through the finish line.

If you’re a fan of Test Track at EPCOT, you’ll definitely be a fan of Radiator Springs Racers.

Here are some important ride information to review for Radiator Springs Racers:

• Access: Individual Lightning Lane, Single Rider, Rider Switch
• Height Requirements: Guests must be at least 40″ (102cm)
• Highest Speed: 40mph
• Length: 4.5minutes
• Loops: 0
• Other Features: Launch sequence

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Radiator Springs Racers Queue: What You Need to Know

All 3 queues for Radiator Springs Racers – the standby, Individual Lightning Lane, and Single Rider queue – start just after you walk under the ride’s signage.

The merge point for all 3 queues also happens shortly before arriving at the loading area. The majority of each queue is outdoors (and in the California heat), with the exception being the standby queue. Part of the standby queue is shaded, giving you respite from the sun. There’s also no pre-show for this ride.

It's important to note that there are 2 chicken exists should you choose to skip the ride. The 1st one isn’t the most convenient: if you decide to sit this ride out while in the queue, you can simply turn around and walk back out the way you entered. The 2nd chicken exit is at the boarding area, where you tell a Cast Member that you want to exit. You'll be directed to step into the ride vehicle and immediately step out the other side to the ride's exit.

Radiator Springs Racers Ride Vehicle Information

Once you make it to the boarding area queue, a Cast Member will ask how many guests are in your party and will then direct you to a numbered row.

You'll then step down into your ride vehicle and put on your seatbelt. Like Test Track at EPCOT, this ride vehicle fits 3 riders across. Each seat has its own seatbelt – the 2 outer seats have lap/shoulder belts while the middle seat has a lap belt. Each seat also has a headrest and handlebars to hold on to during the ride.

Note that the ride vehicle is designed like a low-sitting car with bucket seats and your feet touching the bottom of the vehicle and sides enclosed.

Each ride vehicle also has its own on-board audio that allows the vehicle's motion to sync with the ride music.

Radiator Springs Racers: Ride Experience

Your ride vehicles are attached to a track (like giant slot cars).

The ride starts out very mellow with a relaxing drive through Ornament Valley, complete with a beautiful towering waterfall. Once you return to Radiator Springs at nighttime (the indoor portion of this ride), you take a few quick turns to dodge oncoming traffic and an angry combine harvester.

The real thrill, however, happens right after you meet with Doc Hudson for a pre-race pep talk.

This epic race through the hills of Ornament Valley goes through a long, sweeping turns and several hills before taking a banked left-hand turn on the famous dirt path that Lightning McQueen trained on in the first Cars animated feature. You’ll soon cross the finish line before debriefing back with Lightning McQueen and Mater.

Let's review the aspects of the Radiator Springs Racers ride that that make it thrilling and add to its MVRRS rating:

• Quick Turns: In the indoor portion of the ride, Radiator Springs Racers has a number of quick turns to replicate dodging oncoming traffic
• Launch Sequence: This happens toward the end of the ride, as you race your fellow Disneyland Resort guests. This sequence gives you the feeling of going on an all-out car race, just like in the Cars movies!
• Speed: Radiator Springs Racers reaches a top speed of 40mph during the final portion of the ride
• Fast, Long Sweeping Turns: Radiator Springs Racers has a number of fast turns and sweeping banks in which you feel the gravitational forces against you. These turns combined with the ride’s speed may make it unadvisable for guests prone to motion sickness
• Audio Effects: The ride’s soundtrack (which includes music from the Cars animated feature) along with your encounters with different characters along the way are synced with the ride to add to its overall storyline
• Length: At over 4 minutes, Radiator Springs Racers is much longer than Space Mountain at Disneyland Park and Guardian's of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind at EPCOT
• Night-Time Experience: At night, this ride is a whole different experience. The lightning in the outside portion of the ride add to its overall effect. Additionally, the darkness adds an extra element of thrill since you can’t see too far ahead of you during the final race portion of the ride

Every single effect adds up to a very thrilling ride.

Favorite Moment of Radiator Springs Racers

Here's why you need to consider riding Radiator Springs Racers even with its level of thrill and scariness.

Just like Incredicoaster, the ride's theming reaches deep into my Pixar-loving soul. More than Disney, I grew up on Pixar and loved all the movies their released as a kid. I also love race cars, so this combination of Pixar and cars is a win-win for me!

With that said, my favorite moment of this ride is its final section, where you race head-to-head with other Disneyland Resort guests. Again, I’m not exactly a “thrill seeker,” but when Disney designs a ride based on one of my favorite Pixar movies and with a fun, easy-to-follow storyline, I’m all in. The final race section, with its hills that make you feel like you’re going to catch air and its long sweeping turns make you feel like you’re living inside the Cars universe.

I firmly believe that the ride’s theming and storyline make its most thrilling section much easier to manage.

Radiator Springs Racers: Scary Verdict

So, with our ride review, how does Radiator Springs Racers stack up against our MVRRS?

MVRRS VERDICT: Wimp Proof-ish: Seems scary at first, but after, you feel it's nothing to worry about

Radiator Springs Racers certainly has elements that make it very thrilling – arguably more thrilling than Space Mountain. It even has a top speed that makes it one of the fastest rides at Disneyland Resort. However, it’s nowhere near as thrilling (or scary) as Incredicoaster, and certainly not even close to Guardians of the Galaxy – Mission: BREAKOUT! or TRON Lightcycle / Run at Disney World.

If you’re familiar with Test Track at EPCOT, you’ll find that many of the ride elements are identical to Radiator Springs Racers. However, I find that Radiator Springs Racers’ ride elements – its quick turns, launch sequence, top speed, and hills – feel much more tolerable for those who might be afraid to ride at first. This is thanks to the ride’s storyline. The ride gives you a familiar place with familiar and well-loved characters that make for a fun journey through the universe of Cars.

Now go plan your next ride on Radiator Springs Racers!

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