Dr. Doom’s Fearfall Review
Fly me to the moon
I am sorry, friends. Do you see our ride card up there? Let me tell you that we might have gotten the ride type wrong. Dr. Doom’s Fearfall isn’t exactly a drop tower. I mean, it is, but it's also a… space shot tower? A catapult simulator?
The thing is, Dr. Doom’s Fearfall is well known for ejecting guests as they are sent flying to see birds and clouds up close. You are actually shot 185 feet into the sky, where you can get a pretty good view of Islands of Adventure and even Universal Studios in the distance. This is one of the classic rides in Islands of Adventure, and certainly a good use of your time if you are into thrill rides.
The Good
Many people draw comparisons between Dr. Doom's Fearfall and Hollywood Studios' Tower of Terror. While both are drop towers, the similarities end there. Unlike Tower of Terror, Dr. Doom's does not feature randomized sequences. Instead, riders are always shot up into the sky first, then dropped down, then shot up again before one final drop. This sequence happens fast, usually within a minute or two, and takes place in an open space, whereas Tower of Terror is situated within an enclosed hotel.
Dr. Doom also does not waste time with pre-shows. The queue is straightforward, with a few TVs explaining that Dr. Doom intends to use fear to power a machine to conquer the world. At least, I think that's the storyline. Sorry, I'm usually distracted browsing my phone while Dr. Doom shares his evil mastermind plans.
You then go past a door and the vehicle is right there in front of you. It's simple and effective! I appreciate how this ride gets straight to the point. Plus, the low queue times are a major perk. It's almost always just a five-minute wait, making it perfect to slot into the middle of your itinerary or even ride it twice while waiting to move on to something else.
The ride itself is quite cool. The initial launch packs a real punch and can catch you off guard, leading to some good laughs. The first drop is solid too, but with all the adrenaline pumping, you might not even notice it. The second catapult isn't as intense as the first, but it still gets the job done. As for the final sequence, the ride slows down a lot as you land safely.
The Bad
I don’t quite understand why this ride has such low wait times. Hey, I’m not complaining! I do think it’s a good one, but I believe the lack of charm might be why guests aren't drawn to it as much. There’s nothing in the queue, basically zero pre-shows and no animatronics or props to talk about. I also think that most people don’t even know who Dr. Doom is, so that might also make them skip this ride.
Other than that, there is not much to complain about Dr. Doom. I do think that the ride could use maybe one or two extra drop sequences, but it’s not something that bothers me too much.
Will Kids enjoy it?
Dr. Doom’s Fearfall has one of the highest height requirements in Universal Orlando: 52 inches. Your children will likely need to be over ten years old to ride this attraction. It's more intense than Tower of Terror, especially with its initial launch catching many guests off-guard. If your kid loves thrill rides and adrenaline, they will definitely enjoy this one.
