I wasn’t properly warned.

As a newcomer to Disneyland, I had never heard of or ridden Ghost Galaxy, the Halloween version of Space Mountain. Norm knew I loved Halloween scares, but the minute I mentioned how terrified I was of rollercoasters, his build up ceased. “You’ll be fine,” He said.

I had pushed myself to try Space Mountain when I worked at Disneyworld. Everyone raved about it, and I wanted to spend my time there with no regrets. I enjoyed the ride, but considered that close to the limit of what I could handle speed-wise.

Space Mountain, already a dimly lit experience in its natural state, morphs into a hellish pitch black darkness during Halloween season. As any coaster fan or phobic knows, that agonizingly slow ride up the ramp is always one of the most heart stopping moments. And that, my friends, is where we meet Dolores (the Spanish word for “pain”). This is no Casper; this is a furiously angry spirit thirsting for blood. As the slow climb grows steeper, we are taken closer and closer to Dolores who, just before the drop, lets out a howl louder than a choir of ten thousand demons, winds her spindly arm back and pitches a fireball. We have DEFINITELY ticked her off.

“What in the world, I thought this was the happiest place on earth, I am going to KILL Nor-”

Famous last words.

And then we plummet into a darkness filled with symphonic sounds echoing our journey into madness and disaster.

This is the way the world ends
This is the way the world ends
Not with a bang but a whimper.
(T.S. Eliot)

So I don’t scream. I dig my nails into the bar, clench my teeth, and worry for the safety of the friend seated beside me who has admitted that one of her own greatest fears is vomit. A series of jerks and turns comprise the frenzied blur that follows. Until at last, mercifully, the ride grinds to a stop.

I’ll be honest — behind the anxiety, I loved it. The question of why this was the case haunted the back of my mind for the remainder of the day.

Space Mountain does not have very severe drops. As coasters go, I’d rate it about a 5 on a scale of 1 being “it’s a small world” and 10 being Knott’s Xcelerator ride. Speed/drop/motion wise, it’s really not that serious.

My second time riding Ghost Galaxy was different. Not only did I close my eyes, eliminating the awesome/terrible psychology behind an angered specter but Norm treated me to the SPOILER ALERT version of this ride – calling every drop, twist and turn right before it happened on cue. He even told me where to smile.

I loved it! We only fear what we don’t know. I realized the gnawing feeling that I might enjoy this stemmed from the fact that it wasn’t the drops I could not handle, it was the lack of control. On a rollercoaster, there is no safe word. There is no getting off and stopping the ride; once strapped in, the only way out is through.

Once I knew exactly what was coming, the experience became fun, thrilling, and by the end I was even wondering if it could have been more intense.

Verdict? Ghost Galaxy does not suck. It is actually a masterpiece, accomplishing everything it sets out to do and providing a special Halloween themed treat in a world specifically marketed to be tame and friendly. I love that not only did Disney decide to push the envelope past their own definitions, they really went for it full tilt.

Should you take the kids to experience Ghost Galaxy? It depends. There’s a high chance your children are braver than I am, but the Dolores aspect might scare them if they are not into Halloween. If they are not into fast rides in general? Save this one for a later day.

For coaster fans who ALSO have a penchant for Halloween? Ghost Galaxy is far from a nightmare. It’s a dream come true.