Crush’s Coaster starts off innocently enough. You glide through the Great Barrier Reef, with blue water all around and familiar faces from *Finding Nemo* appearing along the way: Crush, Squirt and the whole gang. It’s colourful, it’s beautiful, it’s... actually quite relaxing. And that’s exactly the trap.
Then the current suddenly catches you. Your turtle shell picks up speed and spins on its own axis. From that point on, you no longer control where the ride takes you. Tight bends, rapid changes of direction and, in the middle of it all, the feeling that you really are being swept along by the East Australian Current, just as Marlin and Dory were during their search for Nemo. A major part of the attraction’s appeal is that no two rides are the same, as how much the vehicles spin depends on the distribution of weight. The person beside you can experience the same moment quite differently, even though you are sitting right next to each other.
Most of the track runs inside Studio 5, in the dark and surrounded by effects and scenery that create the impression of a real underwater world. What looks from outside like a fairly straightforward themed ride turns out to be a much more intense experience once you are inside. The darkness, the effects, the speed and the uncertainty over which way the vehicle will turn next all combine to leave you needing a moment to catch your breath after the ride. You usually want to queue up again straight away, if only the waits were not so long.
The attraction caters remarkably well to both groups: fans of the film who want to take in every detail of the underwater world, and adrenaline junkies who simply want a proper rollercoaster. Both find what they are looking for.
Crush’s Coaster has been one of the most popular attractions in Disney Adventure World since it opened in 2007. The queue fills up quickly, often shortly after the park opens. Anyone who has ridden it knows why. Anyone who has not should change that as soon as possible.
Crush's Coaster - in a nutshell: A thrilling ride in a turtle shell along the East Australian Current, packed with details from Finding Nemo Characteristics
Rating for...
Attention! Minimum height: 1.07 m
Pregnant guests and people with heart conditions or spinal problems should avoid this attraction!
