Luigi’s Rollickin’ Roadsters Review

This is our review of Luigi’s Rollickin’ Roadsters, which is a new ride at Disney California Adventure in Disneyland Resort. Luigi’s Rollickin’ Roadsters replaces the short-lived Luigi’s Flying Tires, which was open for only 976 days. That gives it the 8th shortest attraction lifespan in Disney theme park history. Opinions among Disney fans for the Tires were mixed, even though there was a good amount of hype after the ride was originally announced. Some found fun in bumping other tires, or racing around the tire yard. Others did not like it or found the controls too confusing to give it a second chance. In February 2015, Luigi’s Flying Tires closed, which brings us to today.

The most appealing thing about Luigi’s Rollickin’ Roadsters is the ride’s use of a “trackless” ride system. This means that ride vehicles appear to move freely around without the use of guide rails. It gives you a great sense of unpredictability while you’re on the ride because you have no idea where your vehicle will take you next. This is the first time Disney is using the technology in America. The novelty of it alone makes me recommend you take time to see it at least once. The same technology is used in a similar way on Aquatopia in Tokyo DisneySea.

You enter Luigi’s Rollickin’ Roadsters through Luigi’s Casa Della Tires shop (where memorabilia from Luigi and Guido’s career is on display), and then make your way out to the tire yard, where 20 of his cousins are having a dance party. Each one of Luigi’s cousins has his or her own name, color, and other small unique features (e.g., some cars may have a luggage rack on the back, others have a front grill that represents a mustache). After guests load, the cars start one of three dance sequences where they spin, shimmy, and glide across the “dance floor.” Catchy Italian music plays in the background while the cars sing, a.k.a. honk, to certain parts of the songs. After 90 seconds the party is over, and guests are instructed to exit.

Luigi’s is a low capacity, slow-loading cycle ride, and because of that we expect it to have 30 to 60 minute wait times until the newness wears off. After the lines die down in a few months, I can see myself riding it a lot. Vacationers and other infrequent visitors should definitely add it to their touring schedules. Is it better than Luigi’s Flying Tires? Yes. I wasn’t one of the Tires haters (although it was far from my favorite attraction), but now guests won’t have to figure how to control the ride vehicle. I can’t count how many times I saw frustrated riders on the Flying Tires sitting in place because they couldn’t figure out how to move their vehicles. Roadsters fixes all that. Riders can sit back and enjoy. Overall, it’s a simple and fun ride that you can do between DCA’s headliners like Radiator Springs Racers or Tower of Terror. Luigi’s Rollickin’ Roadsters officially opens March 7, 2016.